Behind the mask

I wrote this age 14ish as a practice piece for Standard Grade English. The stimulus was a picture of a mask.
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It’s not easy you know, being something you’'re not. It takes thought and skill. You have to stop and think, play it over in your head and then think again before you do anything. Just one small mistake. That’s all it takes. One word, one movement, one breath in the wrong place and bang, it’s over. No one believes you, no one trusts you. They just think you’'re a fool, a freak, an outcast.

You can pretend it’s all right. You can carry on. You can try to win their hearts again but you’'ll never regain what you had before. People won’t laugh at your jokes, or if they do they'’ll be laughing at you, not with you. They won’t cry when you tell of your woes. They won’t feel you sorrows or joys and they won’t remember you when you die.

On the other hand you can quit, back down, retire, or take a break. Whatever you wish to call it, the out come is always the same. Friends ignore you, your family disown you and label you as a failure. Doubt sets in. Closely followed by bankruptcy and depression. Your life isn’t worth living and so you don’t. You see, when you live behind a mask, just one slip up, one silly move can cost you your friends, your job, your family, even your life.

Why then would you do it? Why would you live behind a mask? Why would you risk your life day in, day out by being someone else? Because if you get it right the rewards are amazing...

For a start you can lead any life you wish to. The number of friends you have reaches the millions. Night after night you can reduce grown men to tears. Or make an entire nation laugh like they'’ve never laughed before. You can become so popular people will pay, fight, even kill just to see you.

Hundreds of hopefuls try to achieve this every year, but very few make it in to the business. Fewer still survive the harsh reality of life behind a mask. But for those of us who do, the rewards, the privileges are spectacular. How do you get into this business? How do you live a life of luxury? How do you become someone else? Simple - you become an actor!

©brownowl2012