An autistic woman is reportedly so good at masking she is frequently mistaken for a neurotypical – while the monstrous portrait in her attic withers and decays at an alarming rate.
Mary Walker, 33, nods and smiles in all the right places, says yes to after-work drinks and family dinners, and appears to others as a perpetually happy and agreeable everywoman. However, the demonic oil painting in her house grows more decrepit by the day, showing the true impact of her constant efforts.
Walker said: “If anyone saw my true form, they’d treat me with utter disgust and contempt. Because I’m so good at masking, they just disapprove of me for reasons they don’t quite understand instead. The other day, someone even reluctantly gave me a job!”
“This is something healthy and sustainable that I can keep up forever,” she added. “If I play my cards right, my sister might even let me come to her hen do! We just can’t do predrinks in my attic, for obvious reasons.”
Walker’s portrait said: “You can’t escape me forever, Mary. I am you.”
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