Page 84 - 2023 eMag Final Draft

Illustration by Chew Ni Jie Sr1ScA
THE

Ma RRIO NETTE

Written by Lee Jun Koi Sr1ScC

She glides across the stage with precision, a marionette guided by invisible hands of cast away, I can wholly embody her
elegance. Her form is honed to perfection; she embodies the pinnacle of her craft. Her essence, untainted and pure.
every gesture and step casts a mesmerising spell upon the audience. Bathed in the radiant

spotlight, she captivates their heart and binds their gaze to her ethereal dance. They
cheer her every ciseaux; they are sent spinning by her dazzling pirouettes; they reward The audience is my heart. The
her codas with thunderous applause. Oh, how I yearn to possess such captivating power, audience is my soul. I am the lone
to commandeer the hearts of countless admirers as she does… star within their eyes, a diva that
surpasses even her. I have achieved
perfection.
It feels wrong to compare myself to her. She burns like a candle’s flame, while I’m nothing
but discarded wax. I stand before them, begging to be noticed, but their gaze always falls

past me. I trail behind them, playing catch-up to those who barely heed me. It sickens So tell me, why does it hurt? This
me, how my life remains so inconsequential and fleeting, that they pay me no heed. No body is magnificent, so why does it
matter how much I struggle to prove my worth, it all ends in nought. No, it shall all be still feel cheap? These strings, why
changed today. I shall offer myself to the mould, to forge my unworthy being into her are they so tight? It dawns on me that

image so that I might glitter as bright as she does… I had never traced their origin. In
my brief clarity, I follow the path of
the strings, tendrils that give way to
I stand atop the stage, my figure on display to the masses. Eager to please, to captivate a mass web, leading to the hands of

as she does, I move. But the audience knows I am a mere imitation, steps clumsy and none other than those seated before
form feeble. They sting me with vile insults, puncturing through my vain impersonation. me.
I stumble and fall; the porcelain shell I hid beneath shatters with a sickening crack. My
body is still far from perfect. I must offer more. Take my will, attach these silvery threads,

so that I can dance like she does, like a marionette on strings… Oh, I laugh sorrowfully. In my pursuit
to control the audience, I have failed
to see who was truly in control. My
Once more, the audience stands before me. Unlike before, my steps are determined by the life had always been dictated by the

pull of these strings, guiding me on an immaculate path towards the audience’s hearts. audience since the very beginning.
I can finally hear their thundering applause, a rightful reward for all I have sacrificed.
Hands propped up by taut strings, I bow towards the audience, a polite smile adorning

my face. But it’s false, like their cheers that still ring hollow. They know that I am subpar. It was all a lie.
Indeed, I must offer my everything. It is the only way to achieve true perfection. You
as well, my flickering soul. She is not hindered by a weakness such as you. With you Was it all a lie for her too?

84 85