Dark Side of the Mirror

Chapter 1

I'm sweating, it's hot and I'm trembling uncontrollably. I cannot open my eyes in fear of what I might see but I have no choice, I have to open my eyes. What if I am in danger of whatever is chasing me? Whatever had grabbed me from the darkness? What if they have come for me? Is that possible? Could they?

Almost involuntarily, my eyes spring open and I take a breath, expecting the worse. I'm still shaking. Too exposed. Can they see me? Can they hear me?

I hold my breath captive, not letting a single whisper escape through my chattering teeth. I search the room for any signs of life but it is too dark to even make out the dimensions of the room as the only light given is by the moon and the streetlights just outside the small window above my bed. But then - in the next room across from mine that is only partitioned by a small, single door frame - I see a boy sitting bolt upright on his bed staring straight back at me, and he's shaking too.

That wasn't the only description we shared as he too isn't wearing a t-shirt, he is soaked in sweat but his eyes, my goodness his eyes are nothing like mine! His eyes are horrifying! Bloodshot red and swollen, as though he had been in a fight and clearly came out without victory.

I lift up my hand in greeting and to my surprise - in unison with myself - the boy in the other room does the same!

He's standing up now, it took him a while, but he is up. His legs look as though they might give up any second, quaking with every step, only if there was someone there to catch him if he did fall.

I am unable to keep my breath steady, I am panting despite my best efforts to control myself. My eyes are sore from lack of sleep and obvious heat exhaustion which makes it impossible to see at all. Meanwhile, in the other room, my companion has a determined and stern look on his face but it is also full of curiosity like I am intruding in his space.

He has noticed me. He is scared but I can tell he is curious. He edges closer to me, his feet barely leaving the surface of the floor. Maybe he presumes that I could catch him off guard at any point. I suppose that is reasonable, I feel the same kind of vulnerability. It could be exactly the same because there isn't another room in front of me! How could I forget that?! There can't be, my room is the only one because I am the only occupant in this flat. Then who is this boy standing in front of me? It should be my own reflection that I see in the mirror.

There is no way I am going to go any closer to the mirror as his expression is beginning to change, he is grinning now. He clearly knows something that I don't. He is keeping something from me! He may be beaten up but he still gives off the vibe of knowing all and sharing nothing. There is a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

He smiles. He is enjoying every second of this!

I lift my finger to testify against the accused and immediately retreat as he does the same. This is ridiculous, why do I feel so threatened? Why do I not recognise my own reflection? Why do I feel so defenceless? This makes no sense!

I begin to pace around the room, each step is like stepping on nails, the more I move the more painful my frustrations become. I turn my back to the mirror out of shame. But I didn't do anything! I could have! It was not my fault! I should have been there! I was too late! I start to feel my cheeks redden and my veins bulge across my forehead, ready to burst at any point but where am I gonna focus all of this rage, I need to ventilate.

There is only me, I cannot talk to anyone else about this. But there is the mirror, maybe I can help myself. I cross the room to where my mirror companion once was but I am greeted by only an empty room and no reflection.

I have had plenty of bad dreams, but delusions like this are new! I never thought I was one who would be prone to such experiences as this. Was I becoming scared of my own reflection? Or was my reflection more scared of me? No, he was mocking me and he had no shame in making that very clear to me.

What did it all mean? One minute he was here and the next he was gone or was I gone? Am I becoming half of the person I was? Dreams usually mean something, but this kind of dream I just can't find an adequate explanation for this.

The redness in my/his eyes was horrifying! Is this how I am to live for the rest of my life? Always looking over my shoulder, constantly second-guessing myself whilst holding up a facade for the rest of the world to think that everything is fine? That can't be healthy, can it? But what else am I supposed to do? If I told anyone, they would just laugh and tell me to get over it! But that is easier said than done.

Well, it is late, I should get back to sleep. Hopefully, there are more rainbows and sunshine this time around! I joke of course only because I know that I am just stepping right back into the nightmare all over again.