Circa 1941

The Accident

"Faster! Faster! This one still alive! Get the stretcher quick!" My head was aching like crazy.

I saw an unfamiliar man looking down on me, he wore a green uniform filled with red stains. I can't see his face, my vision was blocked by the liquid that's dripping down my left eye.

I asked myself, "where am I?"

Last thing I remember, me and Dad was driving home. He fetched me from the bar where me and my band play. Yes, Dad. I wonder where he is. I tried to look around me, and saw our car lying upside down in the middle of the street. A few feet away, a wrecked truck was carelessly parked in the side of the street opposite me. Smoke coming out of it.

Then, I saw him. Dad is still inside the wreckage of our car. His hand lying by his side, seemingly lifeless.

I tried to stand up and move to go to him, but the man in green uniform stopped me, "you shouldn't move! It's too dangerous!"

I tried to resist, but I was so weak and my body was aching all over. I was having a hard time breathing, I slowly felt like I'm fading away. My vision started to blur.

Before I passed out, I heard him talking frantically, "can you hear me? Hey! Hey! Stay with me, kid! Hang on tight! Can you hear me? What's your name?"

***

"Matthew! Honey, we need to go," my Mom was standing behind me holding out an umbrella, trying to convince me to leave.

The rain was pouring hard, but I don't want to move, I want to stay there in the cemetery forever. I should have been the one inside the casket, not my Dad. If only I didn't ask him to come and watch me make music, he will still be alive.

My Mom hugged me and looked me in the eye. I saw deep sadness in those brown eyes, her eyes were different, it was swollen from crying.

The once shining eyes were gone, I turned my face away, "we need to go, Matt."

I can't even look at her, I took away the love of her life. She should blame me for this.

I let her ushered me away from my Dad's open grave. I stayed quiet until the funeral service was over.

On our way home, Mom told me that we would be leaving the city and live in her province up north.

'"Whatever!" I said.

Nothing matters now anyway. My life is a big mess.

***

"Welcome to San Fernando!" Mang Carlito said as he opened the front door.

He just given Mom the keys to our new house. Well it doesn't look new to me, the house is creepy.

And Mom said, "this house is great, Kate! It's strong! It survived a lot of storms and earthquakes. This house is one of the oldest building here in our town."

My Mom surveyed the house with enthusiasm, "thank you, Mang Carlito! This house is perfect for us! Right, Matt?"

I looked around, the house was old and rustic. It creaks every time I take a step on the sturdy wooden floor.

"Yes, it is perfect ... for a horror movie," I said sarcastically.

Mom shook her head, "go find your new bedroom."

Mom and Mang Carlito walked away, "please forgive my son for talking that way, he gone through a lot since his father died," I heard her whisper.

I explored the house alone, there were no cobwebs, and it was squeaky clean, but there was something in the house that made my skin crawl. I continued to walk until I saw a room in the end of a hallway. The door was slightly opened so I stepped in slowly.

The room was big, it was bright with big windows and it has a great view outside where you can see the nearby river. Immediately, I decided to take the room as my new bedroom, a big bed was in the middle of the room, old furnitures were still there. There was a big mirror on the corner of the room.

I walked towards it to check myself out, it was wooden with hand carved flowers. The wood was darkened it was as if it is burned, the glass was stained but still looks good.

I got curious about the burned frame and tried to touch it, "it's a pretty mirror isn't it?" I was startled to see Mang Carlito standing in the doorway looking at me.

"It's one of the original furniture in this house! One of the oldest, and toughest! It survived the fire, when this house was almost burnt down during the WWII, you like it?" he smiled and walked away without waiting for my reply.

"Weird guy," I whispered.

I turned my head toward the mirror again to continue to check myself, but instead of seeing my reflection, my heart skip a beat when I saw a young woman combing her hair in front of me.

"What the ...." I said shaking in fear, and then she vanished like a smoke in a blink of an eye.

******

NEXT CHAPTER: THE MIRROR