It was just her and the
camera once more. The shield that deflected the
imagined stares from passers-by,
that protected her vulnerable self
from the shame and self-loathing
that more than a few times had
driven her to the edge of giving up,
rose invisibly about her as she
walked with increasing steadiness. xxx18 Her
nerves were born more of excitement
now than dread or anxiety. Her breaths
became shallow as the shield wore
too thin for comfort and the
confident cam-girl started to give
way to the panicking teenager she
masked. As they spoke, he made
her feel rather an artist than a porn-
star—not a slut, but a performer. She stood
quietly in the middle of the room,
gazing around and taking in as many
of its meticulous details as she
could, awaiting direction. Of all the things Belle might have
expected to happen that day, she
could not possibly have conceived of
the entirely insane situation
