Nightmares from the Hair Horror Dungeon:

The first of the Mary Beth series, a faceless subject of my dreams who always gets tortured  in some way. Here, I give her an identity......

The excerpts from an actual nightmare are printed in bold italics.

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A Coming of Age   (Irony)   

Mary Beth and Mary Ann were friends most of their life. They met back in grade school, continuing their friendship in the years following. Both never married, however Mary Ann was engaged twice. Mary Beth never did well with men, partly because she was very shy and homely with buck teeth. As they turned 40, it was apparent that neither would get married any time soon, so they moved into a two bedroom apartment together to save on expenses. Through their 30-something years, each kept their hair very long, Mary Ann's to calf length, and Mary Beth all the way to her feet, hoping someday to lead a normal, married life. After they moved in together, Mary Ann decided to cut her hair short, giving up the charade of trying to look youthful. The cost of hair products was getting expensive, and she tired of the time she had to spend drying her hair. Mary Beth was more conservative, unable to find the courage to cut any part of her cherished tresses,  fearful as to how she would feel about losing any part of her five plus feet of hair. With her small bust, she needed long hair to feel feminine, so she didn't mind wasting a whole day waiting for her cherished locks to dry. Mary Ann did not want to go through such a drastic hairstyle change alone, so she continually pestered Mary Beth about cutting off her hair. Also, a single man moved in down the hall and she didn't want  Mary Beth to be more appealing with her very long flowing hair. It was a ritual that on the first of every third month, each would trim the other's hair in a straight line near the ends. Now that they lived together, Mary Ann wanted the next trimming ritual, June 1st, to be the day they should find the courage to cut off their long hair together. Finally, Mary Beth, tired of fighting the constant pressure, caved in and agreed to cut some of her hair.

Mary Ann wanted to make a whole day ritual out of cutting their hair, consisting of drastic cuts above the ears, since this would be a one time event ringing in middle age. Mary Beth wanted to just go to the salon run by Clarisse, who lived down the hall and go for a much less drastic change, perhaps a cut to the waist or longer. It was agreed, however, that the time to cut off at least some of their very long hair had come. Although both were shy, Mary Ann was more dominant, so she did the planning. Mary Beth realized that Mary Ann wanted to cut her hair very short and would not do it unless she cut hers very short also. Mary Ann kept dropping hints to Mary Beth how mature middle aged women should have short hair. Finally, Mary Beth agreed to have her hair cut short, with the day long ritual Mary Ann wanted. They went to the Memorial day sales and each bought something wild and sexy to wear for the day, along with a home haircutting kit. Mary Beth was feeling down as the day approached, but accepted the fact that her hair would be cut short.

Mary Ann bought her new sexy outfit first. She was short, about 5'2" and heavy set, so she shopped in the plus size department. Mary Ann had a large bust line, and her face was beginning to show a few wrinkles, possibly from stress from her younger days in sales.

There was a junior plus size area that had a few flattering things for her to choose from. She started with a strapless bra. "I've always wanted to do something like this, but never had the nerve.", she said. Her outfit consisted of a loose, flowered, spaghetti strap blouse and a short, pleated, black skirt. She finished her look with a pair of white platform boots . "This is going to be fun, sexy for a day!", said Mary Ann. "Even if the rest of the world thinks we look ridiculous dressed like that with our long hair down at our age? Mary Ann, it's just not practical to wear hair as long as mine down. Most will be laughing at us. Why don't we just cut our hair in a salon like normal people and skip this sexy outfit charade?", asked Mary Beth. "In fact, maybe I might not want to cut it short any more, I might want to go with a more practical waist length cut, thereby still having somewhat long hair.", she continued in a very rare assertion. "We are doing it for us, not for the world. I want to feel very sexy on my last day with long hair, because once it's gone, I am just like any other middle aged woman.", said Mary Ann. "Now, it's your turn, Mary Beth.

Mary Beth was tall, about 5'10''. She was thin, small breasted, and wore glasses. She had acne scars and freckles along with her long light brown hair, parted in the middle and almost always worn in a chinigon. She had a high, squeaky voice that tended to crack as she got excited. She was overly conservative about saving her money, so this sexy outfit shopping was something different for her. She always kept several thousand dollars in a shoe box in her closet just in case. She took two hundred dollar bills out for this event. Being thin, Mary Beth chose to shop in the junior department. This was exciting to her, trying on these short dresses, shorts, tank tops and bikinis, seeing what she looked like. This was way out of character for her normal second hand ankle length dresses and slacks. Being very shy, she never would even wear shorts in public as she got older. "This is only a one time fling, so I guess I could live a little.", she said. "I hope we don't run into anyone from the library!", she hoped. "That's the idea for our day! Have fun and feel sensuous", said Mary Ann.

Mary Ann talked Mary Beth into a pink and white short baby doll dress with hearts across the bust line and a white band just below that tied in a bow in the back. It had pleats from the white band down to the hem and tie up spaghetti straps. She bought the smallest size she could fit into. "See, you can wear pretty things from the junior department to make you feel good about yourself and your femininity without having long hair" asserted Mary Beth. Since Mary Beth was small breasted, Mary Ann suggested she wear it without a bra for added effect. Because of her height and the size  this size of dress, the hem was way too short to wear with pantyhose. When they went to pay for Mary Beth's dress, the sales clerk held it up and said, "Oh, shopping for your teenager, huh? That dress will look cute on her". "I don't have children. I'm buying it  for my...", said Mary Beth, interrupted by Mary Ann.. "Niece.", said Mary Ann .The sales clerk looked at Mary Beth strangely. "Oh, sure. I didn't think you would wear something like that yourself.", said the clerk. When they left the register, Mary Ann took Mary Beth aside. "You  have to know when to assert yourself, but also learn when to shut up.", said Mary Ann. She had an idea. She thought the finishing touch for this dress would be to wear it with a pair of white knee socks and pink stiletto heels, which she had Mary Beth promptly buy. The teenagers always looked cute in the Clueless movie dressed that way. When they were paying for the last items, Mary Beth had second thoughts. "I don't know, Mary Ann. This outfit might make me look more like a 16 year old than a 40 year old.", she lamented. Mary Beth bought a new white purse to go with the new dress. They were offering free monograms to add to it. "What's your initials?", asked the salesperson. "She's Mary Beth Sawyer.", asserted Mary Ann. "OK, we'll do an M and a B with a larger S in the middle?", she asked. "What if I were to get married soon, then this purse is a waste of money! Maybe I'll skip the lettering.", squeaked Mary Beth. "Mary Beth, after we cut your hair off, your chances of a quick wedding are nil!", said Mary Ann. "Put her three initials on it.", said Mary Ann to the salesperson. The salesperson looked at Mary Beth's large chinigon, then at Mary Ann with a blank look. Mary Beth became silent as they went home, knowing her cherished locks were doomed.

 

Trying on their new, sexy outfits in the safety of their apartment, they planned for when the day would arrive. Mary Beth just washed her hair that morning and had it hanging free, down to her ankles to dry. Mary Ann planned they would dress in their new outfits and spend the morning walking around the mall, dressed and pretending to act like teenagers looking for boyfriends. After all, this was their last chance to attract new boyfriends with their hair long. They would eat lunch at a fancy restaurant, followed by a trip to the park, walking the trail frequented by single men from the complexes nearby. After dinner, they would go to a club and dance the night away, the last chance for their hair. Upon returning to the apartment, and having no male prospects, they would flip a coin to see who would get their hair cut first. To make a game of it, they added a little chance. Before the cut, each would draw a number out of a jar . The number drawn would determine the type of haircut. The possibilities included everything from a one inch cut with the clippers to shoulder length bob. The hairdresser down the hall agreed to do the haircuts when the time came, so she left the evening free. Mary Beth had trouble walking in the pink stiletto heels, so Mary Ann talked her into keeping the dress and shoes on for the rest of the day, to get used to them. "I don't know, Mary Beth, maybe this was a mistake. It does seem a little too girly.", said Mary Ann. "Now you tell me! Maybe I won't wear the knee socks.", said Mary Beth. "You have to wear something on your legs, Mary Beth. The bare leg look won't work with that outfit or the veins showing on your ankles.", said Mary Ann. They spent the rest of the day hanging around the apartment, with Mary Ann making little cute comments on Mary Beth and the dress. "You better learn how to sit with that dress, or you will show a lot more than you want!", she said. Mary Ann made up the jar for the drawing. She put two of each number, one through four, with one being a short cut with the clippers, two, a cut just above the ears, three, a chin length bobbed cut with bangs, four, a shoulder length cut.



On Saturday morning, the day for the big haircuts, Mary Ann banged on Mary Beth's bedroom door to wake her up. "Get up! Time to get sexy!", yelled Mary Ann. As Mary Beth staggered out of the room, she was ready to back out. "Go on without me. I want to keep my long hair just the way it is.", said Mary Beth. "Come on, you can't back out now. It's time to move on to our new life of single middle age and we are doing it by cutting our hair. You have to do it, Mary Beth. You even said yourself it's not practical to wear your hair down any more!", said Mary Ann, raising her voice. Mary Beth started to cry and backed down. "OK, I guess it's time to cut my hair.", she said as she undid the chinigon from her long hair. Large alligator tears fell as she brushed out the long length of her hair. "Bye, my hair. Soon you will be lying severed on the living room floor.", she lamented.

She went back into her room to change into the pink dress, socks and heels. She came out with a plastic bag and the shoe box from the new shoes, finding Mary Ann ready to go with her short skirt and boots, her mid calf hair all washed and hanging free. "What's the shoe box for?", asked Mary Ann. "It's for my cut off hair, I'm going to save it.", said Mary Beth. "Me, too!", said Mary Ann, pointing over to a brown ceramic keepsake that looked like a treasure chest. They stared at each other in silence, moments in time, but forever in the mind. It was the realization of what they were about to do. They had long hair all their life, and before the day was done, both will have given in and cut off their beautiful hair. They didn't know what they would look like with short hair, or how they would be accepted, and because of the game of chance they would play, they didn't know how short their hair would be when cut. All of a sudden, almost in unison they cried and hugged each other. Mary Ann had to assure Mary Beth that she would be fine with her hair cut short and her hair would grow back. "The more I look at your outfit, Mary Beth, I really wonder what I was thinking when I talked you into it. But who knows? It should draw a lot of attention!", said Mary Ann, still with tears in her eyes. "Here, Mary Beth, let's put on a little make up.", said Mary Ann. Mary Beth never wore make up, so she was apprehensive. Mary Ann took some of her cosmetics and made Mary Beth pretty with pink blush and eye shadow, and black mascara.

Mary Ann got an idea to try to help Mary Beth through this haircut. "How much money do you have stashed in your closet?", she asked. "I don't know.", shrugged Mary Beth. "Go get it and count it, I think you should treat yourself to a new sports car!", said Mary Ann. Mary Beth counted $9,400. "Put it in your purse, and get the title to your car. You're getting a new sports car to go with your new haircut. I will even donate a thousand to it. How about it?", asked Mary Ann. "OK, I'll look, but I'm not making any promises. My car is only a year old.", said Mary Beth. They left the apartment in Mary Beth's car, several feet of hair trailing free behind each of them, and Mary Beth still having a little trouble walking on the platform stiletto heels.

Once they started walking the mall, several chuckles were directed to them. "Look at that old lady with the glasses and the pink dress!", said a group of teenage girls, laughing out loud. There were some middle age women who just looked at them and shook their heads. However, many men, especially those about 30 or 40 turned completely around to watch them walk by. Mary Ann was encouraged by the stares of the men while Mary Beth was ready to crawl into a shell. There was one instance where a 20 something man stopped them to tell them they had very nice hair. "That figures! here we are getting compliments on our hair on the very day we decide to cut it off. Let's reconsider cutting our hair!", said Mary Beth, hoping to get a reprieve from losing her cherished locks. But Mary Ann was bent on getting her hair cut and there was no way she was doing it without Mary Beth cutting hers, also.

They ate lunch at the mall's outdoor cafe. There were two couples at the table next to them with one of the men staring right at Mary Beth's short pink dress. Mary Ann noticed this and whispered, "Mary Beth, you better check your skirt!" She looked down and realized her skirt hiked so far up that her white panties were showing between her uncrossed legs. She adjusted her dress and crossed her legs, trying not to look embarrassed. After a setting of salad and pie, they left to go to the park, the next stop of their day trip. On the way out of the mall, Mary Beth, still unsteady on the stiletto heels, stepped on her hair and fell down, her dress coming up past her panties. Everyone who could see it started laughing at her. "I'm done with this! I want to go home!", said Mary Beth as she got up. "Come on, Mary Beth, Let's just go to the park and we'll reconsider cutting our hair, OK?", said Mary Ann. Mary Beth agreed so they left the mall and drove towards the park.

-------------------------------------------------- Ending #2 - Irony
When they were walking the trail, a jogger came up behind them. "Gee, did you gals ever hear of the invention of scissors? Go buy some and do us all a favor and cut off that ugly hair!", he scolded, then passed them. Mary Beth stopped and got depressed. "OK, I hear the message, maybe it's time for me to cut off my hair, I guess I'm only fooling myself thinking I look better with my hair long.", she whimpered.

They went off to the club, skipping the part about the new sports car. The dealer was closed. They had no luck at the club, so they decided to leave. Mary Beth went to the ladies room feeling nervous about the next step, the haircuts. Her last chance to save her long hair was to land a date at the club, but no single, unattached man was in sight. Shaking, she emptied her purse to find her brush. Her savings, folded in an envelope, fell unknowingly to the floor. When she finished brushing her long hair, she left with her savings lying on the floor. Another lady picked up her savings and proceeded to have a great evening.

When they got home from the club, Mary Beth went in the apartment while Mary Ann went to get Clarisse. When they got back, Mary Beth was in her bedroom, staring at her doomed hair in the mirror, "Come on out Mary Beth, it's show time!", said Mary Ann. They sat together with their hair combed out in front for a "before" picture while Clarisse took a kitchen chair and set it in the middle of the living room. "Who's first?", said Clarisse. "We're going to flip a coin.", said Mary Ann. She reached into her purse to grab one. Mary Beth called tails, but it came up heads. "My choice, said Mary Ann. "I think I'll let Mary Beth go first." , said Mary Ann. Clarisse took a picture of them both on the couch, then one of Mary Beth standing. This was it, no way out. Mary Beth sat sobbing on the kitchen chair and let her long hair hang behind. As tears fell, Clarisse pulled a one out of the jar. "Looks like we need the clippers.", said Clarisse. "No!", not a one! Please, let me draw again!", cried Mary Beth. "Rules are rules, if I draw a one, I get the clippers, too. It's part of the game.", said Mary Ann.

Mary Beth's long hair was combed out one last time. "Here we go!", said Clarisse. She took the clippers to Mary Beth's hair, severing sections over five feet long. As the hair fell down to her lap then to the floor, Mary Beth became a nervous wreak. She was quivering, crying, and unable to even say a word. Piece by piece, her cherished locks were disappearing to the floor. Clarisse had to stop for a while to have her calm down and sit still. Finally, she was able to finish the haircut, giving Mary Beth a mirror to view her choppy new, super short clipper cut. First, a weary eyed Mary Beth just stared at herself in the mirror. "Well? Do you like your new look?", said Mary Ann. Mary Beth dropped the mirror, brought her hands to her face and cried hard. "No! No! My hair! My hair, its gone! Why did I let you talk me into this!", screamed Mary Beth, falling to her knees on the floor, amidst her shorn hair. She later recovered to watch Mary Ann get her hair cut next, sitting in her own shorn hair, still in shock.


"Ok, Mary Ann, your turn. Let's draw a number out of the jar.", said Clarisse. She was relieved to draw a four from the jar, a shoulder length cut. Clarisse was about to make the first snip when there was a knock on the door. Mary Ann got out of the hot seat to answer it. It was a middle aged man with flowers. "Hi, I'm Dan from 209. I saw your room mate's beautiful hair this morning and wanted to come meet her. May I come in?", he asked. As he came into the living room, he saw Mary Beth kneeling on the floor picking up five foot sections of her hair and lying it out on the floor to save. Dan stopped in horror. "My Gosh, what did you do to your beautiful hair? Just this morning, I saw you with beautiful long floor length hair! Why did you ruin it?", he yelled in disgust. "They are both cutting their hair tonight.", said Clarisse. "Please, don't go through with it!", he said, turning to Mary Ann. "Please, come with me, let's talk about this over a midnight snack, shall we? Your hair is still long and beautiful, and look at your room mate, ruined. What do you say, come with me.", he pleaded. Mary Ann decided to skip her haircut and leave with Dan. " Mary Beth, I had no idea this would happen.", said Mary Ann, smiling. She left with Dan, not returning until the next morning.

Mary Beth was left, sitting amongst her shorn hair. She knew in her heart that it was her, not Mary Ann that caught the eye of  Dan, but with her hair cut short, he chose Mary Ann, instead. When Clarisse left, Mary Beth went to take the money out of her purse to put it back in the shoe box. It was gone. In shock, she knew what happened, it must have fell out when she was rooting for her brush. First, her hair, taking away the chance she had for a relationship, now her life savings, her future, was gone too. Then Mary Ann double crossing her and leaving her hair long and finding Dan. Mary Beth broke down and cried so hard, she eventually had to be taken to the psyche ward of the hospital.

This is a fictional horror story, one of the Mary Beth Sawyer Hair Horror sagas. This character appeared in a few dreams, but slightly different each time over a course of a few years. The name was made up at random and doesn't depict an actual person. No real hair was destroyed....