Pre-emptive Coping Mechanism

by johannespunkt

She has a chemical scar, swirly blue, snaking its way up her body and coiling once around neck. There was a terrible burning. The scar is visible only at certain times, when she is flustered or when she is scared. It makes her more flustered and scared, to see the burn crawl up on her skin, it feels like it will explore new parts this time, like it will burn through her skin. She knows its outline by heart and on some days, though she knows it by its itching, she will paint it over before it can break out.