Remnants Behind The Mirror

The Puppeteer

Eva left, telling me she'd keep in touch despite us already doing that before Dex came around. A short wave and a feigned smile are all it takes to dismiss her. My hand refused to move from the doorknob. I closed my eyes for ten seconds, then stiffly looked over my shoulder.

"Did you think that would work?" Dex laughed, looking down at me.

Despite us being the same height, he seemed taller. The grin on his lips never wavered, plastered onto him by force.

"You know she can see right through us, right?"

"... Us?"

Dex inched closer to me, cornering me with my back pressed against my door.

"She's the only one that can. She knows our true intentions."

My mouth hung agape, brows furrowing at his statement. His once amused expression hardened to one of irritation—a glare that cut like a dagger through me.

"Let me simplify this for you," he said through gritted teeth, annunciating every word.

"You disgust her."

My confusion made itself clear.

"That's not true. I... I don't—"

"You only think that because she's nice to you. She's only stringing you along so that she can cut you off later."

Dex paced back and forth, his gaze never leaving me.

"We're merely puppets that different people maneuver, tailored to their every need and desire."

Whipping around, he seized my shoulders to the best of his ability. His features screwed up as his fingers passed through them as if he'd expected something more to happen. Snapping his head up, he met me eye-to-eye.

"You're the key to setting us both free."

Now it's my turn to laugh.

"I get what this all means now."

Eagerly, he leaned in even closer, eyes looking as if they were about to burst out of his head.

"You do?"

"I'm just hallucinating again."

He blocked my way as I attempted to move past him.

"No. No, you're not. I'm very much here. Wherever you go, I will follow."

I leaned my head back towards the ceiling, groaning internally and running a hand over my face.

"It's too early for this," I muttered under my breath. "Can't you just leave..?"

"You made me yourself, and now you don't want me to be here?" Dex huffed.

"Gosh, am I really that bad?"

I bit back my answer. Better not to rile him up even more. His earlier words echoed through my mind, making my head throb.

"You know, that's exactly how your friends feel. They have to change for you because they feel as if they're not good enough. Why do you put them through that?"

Dex's nagging comes from every direction. I slid down against the door, gripping my hair and covering my ears in a poor attempt to block his voice out.

I can barely hear my own voice at this rate.

"Just... Leave..."

"Ah-ah-ah. I can't. It's not that easy. We're connected. You brought this upon yourself."

Silence finally followed his last statement. Lowering my hands, I met his gaze. For once, he kneeled to my level, jabbing a finger at my chest.

"But you—and only you—can set us free."

"I don't get what you want me to do."

"Just keep doing what you're doing now. In no time, I'll have a body of my own."

He patted my shoulder and sauntered off, still wearing his signature holier-than-thou grin. It was only after the fact that I realized I had felt his hand fully.

Yet again, he disappeared, leaving no trace of himself behind. I've never been accustomed to anything calm, as something disastrous followed afterward. Turning on my heel, I fumbled with the doorknob and stepped outside. I recoiled back, wincing as bright, white light hit my eyes. Despite the clouds being overcast, they hurt to look at. I cast one more glance behind me before I shut the door and started walking. Taking out my phone, I popped my earbuds in my ears and switched to a jazz station, hoping it'd calm my nerves. Aside from the leaves stripped from the trees overhead scuttling down the road, all I could hear was my uneven breathing and rushed footsteps.

Away from Dex.

Away from the trouble of dealing with him.

It still didn't keep me from looking over my shoulder as I walked on.

◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

Vibrant orange light streaked the sidewalks and roads; reddish-orange leaves littered the streets. I squinted, watching as I passed by the various cracks edged deep into the sidewalk below me. I suppose it was only natural for them to look that way, given that I lived in Crooked Creek: Home of the paranormal, welcome to the weird.

Of course, that wasn't its official slogan—it just seemed to fit better in my mind. Not only were there rumors, but sightings of the paranormal and the occasional oddity, such as raining glass, cats and dogs, or knives; all of which I thought I'd be used to by now.

As soon as the 5th Dimension's Puppet Man began playing, I came to an immediate halt.

"... Take my heart and take my soul, I'm givin' you complete control-"

I turned it off, yanking out my earbuds. My gaze then shifted to my shadow's lanky, dark figure, stretching far out into the distance.

"Tsk, look at you. You're getting too thin."

I didn't have to look behind me to know Dex came back. I held out my arm, examining it and slowly turning it back and forth. My bluish-green veins slithered up my arms, painfully contrasting with my pale skin. My hands trembled as if I was jittery from a caffeine buzz—which often was the case. My surroundings blurred together, a mishmash of colors as I toppled over and slammed into the sidewalk.