The Reflecting Pool

Written By Stuart Stephens                                                                                                  

The café buzzed with its usual afternoon crowd, a soft murmur of conversation mixing with the clatter of coffee cups and the low hum of the espresso machine. Emily Hastings sat at her usual spot by the window, staring blankly out at the bustling street. Her hands cradled a cup of herbal tea she had no intention of drinking.

The weight in her chest had been building for weeks, and now it felt like an anchor pulling her deeper into herself. It had been almost a month since her daughter, Sophie, had gone missing. She had vanished without a trace—one moment playing in the park across the street, the next gone as if the earth had swallowed her whole.

The police had come, interviewed neighbors, friends, and even Emily herself repeatedly. Everyone had their theories, their whispers behind closed doors. A child doesn't just disappear.

Emily's life had become a fog of sleepless nights, desperate searching, and endless questioning. She found herself spiraling into a cycle of grief and obsession, determined to uncover what had happened, even if no one else believed her anymore.

It was at the height of this isolation that she had met Dr. Harper.

Dr. Harper had been a recommendation from her therapist, someone with expertise in trauma, grief, and "unresolved matters," as they so delicately put it. Emily had been skeptical at first, but after the initial session, she had felt a pull, as if Dr. Harper could offer her something more—something no one else had.

"Hypnosis," Dr. Harper had suggested, his voice calm but confident. "It might help you access memories, details your conscious mind has buried. Things that could help bring clarity."

Emily had hesitated. Hypnosis seemed like something from a cheap carnival act, not a legitimate treatment. But she was desperate.

"Are you ready?" Dr. Harper's soothing voice brought her back to the present.

Emily nodded, lying back on the plush leather couch in his office. The soft glow of the lamp in the corner gave the room a warm, almost dreamlike feel. She closed her eyes as Dr. Harper began speaking in slow, rhythmic tones.

"We're going to walk through that day together," he said. "But this time, I want you to see it as a reflection. Like a movie playing in reverse. Step back from it, observe it, and let your mind show you what it needs to."

Emily's breathing deepened, her body relaxing as she felt herself drift. She was back in the park. She could see Sophie playing on the swings, her little face lit up with laughter. But it was as if she were watching from a distance now, like she wasn't truly part of the scene.

"Good," Dr. Harper's voice echoed softly. "Keep going. Focus on what's around you. Who's there?"

Emily squinted mentally, her mind's eye scanning the park. Other parents. Children. The sound of a dog barking. But then, something flickered at the edge of her memory—someone standing by the trees. A man. Tall, wearing a dark coat. She hadn't noticed him before, not consciously at least, but now he stood out like a beacon.

"Do you see someone?" Dr. Harper asked.

"Yes," Emily whispered. "A man. He's just standing there. Watching."

"Watching Sophie?"

"I don't know... Maybe."

"Keep going," Dr. Harper urged. "What happens next?"

Emily's breath hitched as the scene shifted. Sophie was still laughing, but the man had moved. He was closer now, almost too close. Something about him made Emily's stomach churn, a gnawing dread creeping up her spine. And then, as if pulled by an invisible force, Sophie got off the swing and started walking toward him.