Chained to Me

18: Reflection

I kept on staring at the photos stuck to the white wall of the infirmary room. I couldn't believe I had cracks on my back. It really was like I was breaking. Like I was some sort of porcelain doll, ready to break completely with the next soft touch.

Brody had to bring in a friend of his, who was more qualified in the medical field, and also knew of the supernatural stuff. My lunges were collapsing and my kidney and heart were turning pitch black. Something was definitely wrong with me.

But I knew too well what was happening, and I couldn't shake it off.

I was dying.

And no one could explain why.

They began pressing me, trying to collect every ounce of information that had happened in that abandoned house. I told them everything that there was to tell. Except, I didn't. Not entirely. I didn't know what that shadow was. Or why it helped me, unlike the rest of them. And after it left, I felt empty. I wanted it back. With it, I had power, I was no longer a weak human, I was... more.

But it left.

And now, I'm weaker than before.

I rushed to the bathroom for the third time that day. For the first time, they had left me alone in the infirmary room. I knew they were worried, but I couldn't get up without them trying to help, especially Michael. He brought me soup, a change of clothes, some books to read, movies to watch. It was a bit excessive.

I took a deep breath. I had yet again threw up some blood. My breathing was irregular and getting harder to breathe with every second. I washed my face, trying to cool off. Trying to not think of what could happen, or what was happening.

Looking back at the mirror, everything started to look as if I was in the dark. As if the lights were switched off and it was in the middle of the night. But that illusion was only happening in the mirror. Not around me. My mind was playing tricks again. Hoping it would drive me insane before I meet my demise.

From the pitch black behind me, shadows emerged. But they weren't quiet shadows. It was as if my body was emitting this black fog, similar to the shadow's bodies. I slowly turned around, lifting up my borrowed t-shirt to see where the mist was coming from.

"What the-" I couldn't comprehend what was happening. Black mist was oozing out from the black cracks on my back. Then I heard someone slowly letting out a laugh. My body froze, as I lifted my head ever so slightly, about to look at the mirror, where the sound of low laughter was coming from.

It was my own reflection. Looking straight at me. My face, deadly pale, having small black cracks from the edges and my eyes as red as blood, laughing at me.

"Candle!" I heard someone yelling. I looked at the door, then back at the mirror. Everything was back to normal, minus the cracks on my back, but no mist and no creepy reflection. 

I headed out the bathroom door finding Jenny waiting on the other side. As soon as she saw my face, she ran for a hug, tears flooding her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" I slowly uttered.

"How could you not tell me? I had to find out from Nina."

"I'm sorry. I didn't want anyone to worry." She sighed, looking up at the ceiling trying to push back her tears. She gestured for me to turn around, slowly lifting my shirt to see my back. Someone had already told her everything, probably Nina.

"Oh. This." She said, relieved.

"What?" I asked, a bit alarmed. That wasn't the reaction I was expecting. She headed to close the door. Hearing the door lock, making me feel uneasy. Then she sat down.

"Sweety," she grabbed both my hands. "You've already died."

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Wanted to give you somewhat of a big update, that's why 2 chapters!

Hope you enjoyed it!