The Degeneration of Gwen Weaver

Mirror Image

"Carly?"

Even through the phone, I can sense Carly's grogginess. "Gwen? What the hell, it's three in the morning."

"It's important."

"Yeah, I'll bet it is."

"No, actually though. I hallucinated again-"

"What?!" All traces of sleep are gone from her voice. "Ohmigosh, Gwen, what happened?"

"Well, I went to the doctor..."

"And?!"

"...Nothing."

"What."

"Nothing. Nada."

"..."

"... What are you thinking, Car?"

"This is really serious."

"Carly, it's probably nothing. I'm probably just really tired."

"No, it's not that."

"Well, what could it be, then?"

"I don't know, Gwen. But I think it's serious."

"Goodnight, C."

It's probably nothing, right?

~~~

I wake up in the middle of the night, but I feel wide awake. I sit up and move aside my quilt, though I'm not sure why. Something just beyond the realm of my perception sets me on edge, tickling my spine. I stand up and walk across the room, my footsteps soundless on the hardwood. I feel compelled to open the closet door, which I do. It glides open without its usual creak.

That's it.

The silence. No cicadas, no bats, no traffic. I make no sound, not even with my breath. I am a phantom in my own world. The vacuum presses down on me, an eerie silence filling my ears. In the dim lighting from my open window, I catch a glimpse of movement out of the corner of my eye. I turn sharply and come face to face with myself.

Well, my reflection in the large mirror on my closet door. but just like the silence, there's something... off about my reflection, something I can't quiet put my finger on.

And then... it smiles. Completely free of me, its lips bend into a deep U just a bit too far up its cheeks, warping its- my face. My stomach drops through the floor, and I want to run and bury my face under the covers but I remain rooted to the spot. It stares at me, unblinking, and then I realize.

The eyes. Two glassy black marbles fill the eye sockets. A voice- my voice echoes in my mind, but the reflection's lips don't move.

Hello, Gwen.

"Who are you? What are you?" I try to say, but no sound comes out. Despite this, my reflection's smile twists even more.

Why, I'm you, of course! Don't you recognize yourself?

"You are not me, whatever you are."

Why so afraid of your own face?

"I'm not you!"

Then how come I know about your visions?

"Because this is one!"

My vision blurs like I'm looking through a foggy lense, but I still hear her/my/it's voice thudding against my skull like hoofbeats.

What's to say this isn't real?

I sit up in my bed drenched in sweat, my heartbeat loud in my ears. The ambient sounds of night flood into my head, anchoring me in a firm reality.

I'm home.

I'm safe.

What's to say it's not?

~~~

After much convincing, my parents allow me to go to school today, because "Education is important". They still make me promise that at the slightest hint of nausea I come straight home, but that's the smallest thing on my mind. I need to talk to Carly.

My mom takes the liberty of driving me to school, in order to "keep an eye on me." I'd be annoyed, but it allows me to get to school earlier than my perpetually tardy bus.

First chance I get, I dash down the hall to the pod of benches where Carly likes to sit with her Student Council friends. I slow down into the normal-est stride I can muster, because in all truth, her friends kinda scare me.

"Uh, hey Carly..."

Twelve perfectly straightened heads of hair turn towards me. One girl, the class president, responds.

"She's in the bathroom."

"Okay, thanks" I turn to leave.

"You might not wanna go in there. She's got MAJOR cramps."

"Thanks, Alexa. I think I'll manage."

I scurry away, stumbling slightly over my boots. I hear giggling and catch my name, but I ignore the feeling of twenty-four judgmental eyes as best I can.

"Carly?" I call out, my voice echoing slightly in the tiled room. A faint moan escapes from the second stall. I knock. "Carly? Are you okay?"

"Just leave me alone to die..."

"Aunt Flo's a pain in the ass."

"No, not the ass. Close."

I try to contain a giggle at Carly's out-of-character response.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Tylenol?"

"I don't have any."

"Chocolate?"

"We can go buy some. Just come on out."

"Nooooo."

"Carly, you're not acting like yourself. Is everything okay?"

"Did you seriously just ask that?"

"Besides the obvious."

"Ugh."

"Come on. We can see Faust..."

"Ugh."

"FAUST, Carly. Your boyfriend."

She sighs and slowly opens the door. I turn and catch a gllimpse of myself in the bathroom mirror. What I see makes me do a double take- my face is looking directly at me, contorted in a scream- but when I look again, there's nothing out of the ordinary.

I know I need to talk to Carly, but it can wait.

Right?

A/N Hey girl/boy/persons who don't conform to the gender binary hey... sorry for anyone who thought the last part was awkward but it was LATE and I wanted to write it. I don't know why I'm writing this author's note beyond the fact that I want to get to know the people who are taking the time to read this story. That's you! Please give me some feedback and criticism and tell me who your favorite character is so far.