Mask

The desire to stay in bed was strong, but Mark pulled himself up and plodded into the bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror, the marks under his eyes darker than the previous day. Depression and lack of sleep was killing him.

He hung his head and sighed heavily, thinking about another day at the office. He thought of his workmates and their smiling faces. The image felt like a stab in the heart.

Mark dug his fingers into flesh and pulled aside the look of despair, revealing a smiling face underneath. Time to put on a happy face.