Man in the Mirror

It...

When I used to look at myself in the mirror before school every morning, it was evident that I had something no one else in my family had. It was something that shaped my younger personality as I would stand there with my sleek auburn hair. It drove me to get out of bed in the morning, to work hard at school and strive to reach my goals. Something that had the power to shape my future. Ambition. So when it happened, it hadn't quite sunk in that all my ambitions before no longer mattered and that my life was going to change forever.

I was two weeks away from being 18 years old and I really wanted to organise a party around my house to celebrate this momentous occasion; a milestone in my life. I really wish I hadn't looking back on it now.  By this time, Jamie's parents decided France was too far away from their family in Czech Republic so when we were about to begin our three years in sixth form ( three years in France), they moved back.  It was a sad separation with maybe a small tear or two because Jamie had become one of my closest friends in the short times we spent together.   But I knew I would never forget those weekends when we would go to the beach or for a milkshake.

Therefore, it is hardly surprising that organising get togethers with Jamie was incredibly challenging.  So, when my 18th birthday finally arrived, it meant she would have had to stay over for a few days for the celebrations instead.  Although she lived quite a distance away, I felt I could not have my party without her as she played such a huge part in my earlier childhood.  To say that organising a date was challenging, would be an understatement.

My birthday is 12th July which is great because it is close to the summer which means nice weather and doing nothing at school  etc.  so, initially, we organised for my party to be during the summer holidays, a weekend sometime which gave plenty of time for Jamie to come over and stay for a bit before returning to Czech Republic.  I rang her up and we agreed that she would come on the Tuesday and leave on the Sunday while my party was to be on the Friday because it seemed that most of my other guests could make that day.  The Tuesday arrived and I spent most of that day stressing about the cleanliness of her room and my room; my brother was being as annoying as hell that day as well so you can imagine I was quite vexed.

The tinkling sound of my ringtone burst through the silence and I saw on my screen, it was Jamie.  Dread flooded through my veins as I thought 'is something wrong?'

My suspicions were correct.

'I'm so sorry but I didn't realise I had a wedding on today and I have to go because it is my cousin's.'

I was absolutely gutted. How could this be? At such a close time to the party? Really??!!

'You have it without me. It's ok.'

But I couldn't, I just couldn't. Without one of my closest friends??!! Not possible. So as soon as she hung up, I rang round all my other friends, stating that there had been a cancellation.  I had to.  There was no way I was having my 18th birthday without her; my closest friend. No way. Needless to say that my actual birthday on the Friday was quite depressing. With no party and no friends to spend the day with, I ended up in my room playing cards with my brother.

So then, we arranged a week in October half term and everyone was free and Jamie promised me that no matter what, she would turn up.  I was so excited. 

31st October came like a flash and soon my whole family was rushing around the house in an attempt to clean it and make it look vaguely presentable.  We thought it would be easier if Jamie came on the day and then stayed for a few more days afterwards instead.  My parents had gathered their things and were leaving so we could get this time to party without them. They would be back tomorrow.

Of course, I was having an 18th Halloween themed party so we had decorated the house in spooky cobwebs and I even had a Halloween cake with jam spilling out the front to represent blood.  The only lights that would be on during the party were creepy flickering lanterns in an eery green colour.

The guests started arriving at about 6pm. Jay arrived first and we passed the time (because I asked him to come early) playing on the Xbox; some Fifa; some grand theft auto. He was dressed as a grim reaper with grey face paint and a cloak that hid his reaper until he planned to strike on unsuspecting guests.

The doorbell chimed it's usual cheerful tune as I opened the door to see Jamie with her suitcases, looking exhausted. She was dressed normally and explained to me how she planned to get changed for the party in her room. I took her suitcases which were incredibly heavy and lugged them upstairs. Soon, other guests started to arrive and we all had a great time with a Halloween piñata and we drank some beer too. The music blared but none of the neighbours cared because they knew it was coming and they knew I had had to wait for this milestone birthday.

Jamie came down from her room at about 7pm in the end. Her once golden locks were now hidden under a black matted wig that went down to the middle of her back. She was wearing a dress a bit like Miss Haversham's from Great Expectations with rips half way down and blood stains caking most of the 'white' colour.  She still looked quite fetching; I know she wasn't supposed to.

The party went very smoothly and we had lots of laughs but by about 11pm, people had started to leave.  In the end, it was just me and Jamie remaining-

"I'm going to go up and get changed" Jamie decided

She was about half an hour removing all her makeup and the dress she bought especially for this occasion.  When she came down, she was wearing blue skin tight jeans and a white bat wing top. I got her a glass of J20 as I knew she loved them and we stood up chatting in the sitting room.  Bad idea.

The lights were on in the living room but nowhere else in the house so the hallway behind where Jamie was standing was pitch black apart from the slither of light escaping the living room.

It happened shortly after and it was a moment little did I realise that was going to change my life forever.  Jamie and I were laughing about something but a sudden bang stopped that in its tracks.  We looked at each other but Jamie burst out laughing-

"Your face then was hilarious.  You looked so worried"

"Yeah but what was that?"

My question was answered as suddenly, someone came out from behind Jamie and put a hand around her mouth.  She screamed and fought with all her might, kicking and wriggling in their grasp.  I ran over to them and attempted to push the intruder away but they were extremely strong and much larger than me. I never stood a chance.  They used their other hand and shoved me away as I fell and slid across the floor, not very far but it gave them enough time to grab something heavy and whack Jamie over the head with it to knock her out. To stop her wriggling.  They grabbed a knife from their belt and I screamed for him to stop as I scrabbled up and ran over to them.  But it was too late. He stabbed her with a clean cut through the chest.

"Happy Halloween" they sneered