RAVEN:
There’s a collective gasp from the crowd as my body twists. My balance is gone in a matter of seconds. I crash to the runway floor, palms stinging and knees grazing the surface. I am the last model in line, so there is no one to break my fall.
For half a second, the world freezes.
Music keeps playing, lights keep flashing, but all I can hear is my own pulse roaring in my ears. Heat floods my face. This is it, I think. This is the nightmare every model prays never happens. The crowd stares at me, and I stare back, feeling powerless.
The first model, already on her return walk, rushes toward me. She pauses, reaching for me.
I take her hand.
“Are you okay?” she mouths, with a hint of panic in her eyes.
I nod automatically as she helps me up while I try to regain my balance. Came
