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Phil Morgan, Carrie Lansing's agent, stood when she entered his office. "Carrie, good to see you.

"No small talk, Phil. Just tell me what you have for me?"

"Carrie, I'm sorry. There's nothing for you. People your age aren't getting the parts you want."

"I don't believe that. What about Seymour's new movie? I'm perfect for the lead."

"Carrie, they cast a 25-year-old girl. Look, you know the movie business. The public wants young faces. Carrie, you're too old for the parts you want.

"I'm not old, damn it," she said angrily, and stormed out of his office.

When she got home, she went to her bedroom, sat at her vanity, stared at herself for a few minutes, and then covered her face with her hands and sobbed. A few minutes later, she wiped her eyes and touched the wrinkles on her face. "So what if I have a few wrinkles. I'm still young enough for the parts I want." Feeling depressed, she went to bed early. The next morning, she went shopping to get her mind off her predicament. When she returned home, she went directly to her vanity. "What's this?" she said as she picked up a jar labeled LOOK YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL FACE CREAM. I wonder who put this here? I bet Phil sent this to me. The label says APPLY CREAM SPARINGLY MORNING AND NIGHT AND IN A FEW DAYS YOU'LL SEE A NEW YOU. LINES AND WRINKLES WILL BE GONE. Hmm. Well, what do I have to lose but my wrinkles," she said as she applied the cream to her face. "Ooh, the cream makes my skin feels so soft." After using the cream for three days, she was amazed. "I don’t believe it," she said as she looked in her vanity mirror. "Unbelievable. I look…younger. I think the wrinkles are disappearing," she said and picked up the jar."You're going to make me a star again."

"Mrs. Lansing," her housekeeper knocked on the door.

"Come in."

"Can I get you anything before I leave?

"No. I'm fine, Mrs. Cowan. You go take care of your sister. Tell her I hope she feels better."

"I will. I'll see you in four days," she said and left.

For the next four days, Carrie spent most of her waking hours sitting at her vanity with the wrinkle cream in hand. By the morning of the fifth day, the jar of wrinkle cream was empty.

That morning, Mrs. Cowan carried a tray with Carrie's breakfast on it up to Carrie's room, knocked on the door, and entered the room. "Good morning, Ms. Lansing. I brought you some breakfast. Would you like me to put the tray on your vanity table? Ms. Lansing?" she said walking slowly to the vanity. When she was a few feet away, Carrie turned slowly toward Mrs. Cowan, who gasped, dropped the tray, and fainted. Carrie turned back to the mirror, but she couldn't see her face because her face…..was gone.

The End

BIO

Ten years prior to retiring from teaching at a community college where I taught communication skills courses and English composition, I began writing. I wrote stories, teleplays, and stage plays, one of which won a reading at Smith College, and, of my several sitcoms, two were chosen as finalists in national contests. Since retiring in 2000, I have been writing short stories, novellas, and novels. Some of my short stories have been published on line and others in print anthologies.

 

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