Mirror

9

The complacency I got just staring at my reflection is something I can't put into words. In all my nineteen years of existence, I have never felt so content just looking at myself. Even now, as Oliver, I can't help but be proud of my appearance, which is so unlike me, because I know I look ridiculous when I am Oliver.

I was busy admiring myself in the mirror when all of a sudden, I caught a glimpse of a figure enveloped in a black cloak walking past from behind me, making my heart skip a beat. Instinctively, my neck twisted backward and my eyes flipped around the living room to recheck if there was anyone in. It just so happened that my eyes were missing previously by chance.

My little old sofa set was all my eyes could grasp. The only piece of furniture I have in my living room. Apart from that, no living person was in sight.

Was I hallucinating?

It didn't seem so. I was almost certain I had seen someone. Looks as if Ashley's death has without a doubt taken a toll on me. I am beginning to lose my mind with all these irrational fears. I have convinced myself there is something wrong going on and now I can't seem to relax. I am paranoid about absolutely nothing and everything.

My heart hadn't even fully recovered when the sudden buzzing of my phone had me jump up in fright, nearly tripping myself in the process.

'What the hell Ocean....Can you stop being such a mouse,' I scolded myself.

Taking one long breath, I dipped my right hand in the right pocket of my pants and fished out my phone before checking the flashing screen, almost certain it was Annie who was calling but only to see an unknown caller ID. 

My face scrunched in confusion. Who could it be? I never get an unknown call. Hesitant, I swapped to the left and placed it near my ear.

"Miss Ocean?" A deep masculine voice came from the other side of the line.

"Yes?" I replied in an unsure tone, not really recognizing the voice.

"I am Jose Brown from M***** Police department," Immediately every cell in my body went on high alert. I felt like a deer caught in light. "-I wanted to ask you some questions related to Ms. Weed murder," he added.

Relief washes over me as instantly as fear had grasped me when I realized the call was not related to Max but Ashley.

"S-sure. I don't know how much help I'll be," My voice came out a bit forced.

"May I know how you know, Miss. Weed," Inquired Jose.

"I found Loki-" I began, but was interrupted by Jose. "Loki?"

"The wolf," I began, but again was rudely interrupted by him. "Oh! the one who killed Miss. Weed,"

I don't know why, but his remark offended me, but I reminded myself it wasn't his fault to have the impression.

"I don't think Loki is the one who attacked Ashley," I stated without giving much thought. I had that sudden temptation that I needed to defend Loki.

"Why would you think so?" His voice was laced with curiosity.

"I can't give you any valid reason. It's just my personal feeling. As far as I know, Loki, I don't think he would hurt Ashley," I poured out honestly.

He didn't make any comment on my remark, instead moved to the next question. For the next five minutes, he asked me all sorts of interrogatory questions. When did you last see her alive? Do you know anyone who might have wished her harm, or threatened her or any enemy? How long have you known Mrs. Weed? To which I respond honestly.

"Where were you when she was killed?" He bluntly asked.

Wow, now he thinks I have something to do with Ashley's merciless murder. A feeling of exasperation surged through me even knowing he was just doing his work and, unless the real culprit is found, everyone related to Ashley is prime suspects. 

"I really don't know when it happened," I found myself questioning in the absence of information related to the murder.

"She was murdered on the seventeenth October from around 2 to 3 am," he informed me.

Reflecting on his words for a moment, trying to process where I was since I have been doing extra time these days, when something else clicked on me all of a sudden. Ashley was murdered the same night at the same time as I had the night mare.

Realization had me horror-struck and freezing in fear, terrified to the core. My heart accelerated a hundred miles per hour and subconsciously my grip on the phone tighter.

But how is it possible? I was totally stumped and went silent for a second trying to calm my erratic breathing.

"I was at home sleeping?" It almost felt like I was asking myself rather than answering. "I'm running late for work. Is it okay if I go now?" I immediately added suddenly, not wanting to have this conversation.

"Sure-," A momentary pause came "Is there anything else you can tell me?" 

Immediately, my eyes dropped on the mirror that was still on my left hand. I had almost forgotten I was still holding it.

Should I tell him about the mirror? 

I contemplated whether I should bring it or not. If yes, what am I gonna say? Ashley parceled me a hand mirror for some unknown reason and she happened to know my address somehow which I never provided her. I quickly decided against it. 

"No," I managed to whisper.

"If you remember anything else, notify us," he said.

"Okay," was all I said before hanging up.

After the call, I was engulfed by silence and a storm of questions in my heart.

The dream, Ashley's murder, Loki's disappearance, mirror everything just can't be coincidence. I was conflicted. All this troubling mindfulness of thought was making me insane. Everything happening lately seemed unrealistic and impossible to believe and was disturbing beyond believing. 

My eyes moved back to the mirror. There is something about this mirror that I can't seem to pinpoint. Something is definitely not quite right. I dropped the mirror back on the surface of the table.

My hand came up and my finger ran through my chestnut hair and sighed loudly. Nothing was making sense.

The chiming sound of my phone cut the silence of the room. Averting my eyes on the screen only to find an incoming text on the number saved from ruby.

Who is this Ruby now?

I don't remember any Ruby nor do I remember saving this number. Its was strange. Did I really meet any Ruby save her number? And now, for some reason, I can't seem to remember her. Pushing my confusion. I dabbed on the screen, opening the message.

'It belongs to me, so I will take it back.'

What does that even mean? I don't remember taking anything from anyone. What is happening today, nothing happening seems to make sense. I brushed it off assuming someone's playing around with me and slipped my phone back on my faded blue jeans.

I spun around and was about to head to the main door when an unmistakable sound of someone murmuring echoed through the room. My limbs froze. Reluctantly turning back, I tried to find the source of the sound. 

It didn't take me much time to realize the murmuring was coming out of the mirror. Someone was continually chanting something which I couldn't make out. Grabbing the mirror with my shaky hand, I hesitantly took it near my ear, trying to make out the words. So near that the skin of my ear came directly in contact with the cold glass.

The words sounded like 'iinah milk li , lidha sa'astaeiduhu'. I have no idea what it meant, since the language was foreign to me and whoever was muttering it was repeating the same line again and again. It almost felt like a recorded tap.

Maybe it is. Maybe someone is trying to scare me, but the question is why? Why would anyone do any of this? And get what. Puzzled, I was just contemplating everything when I left some warm and sticky sensation on my cheek that was pressed against the mirror. Almost as if someone just licked me.

Before I knew it, my empty hand went on my cheek to wipe whatever it was and when my eyes fell on my hand, I couldn't believe it. It really was drool. Something or someone actually had licked me. My attention went back to the mirror and my eyes enlarged in disbelief as I saw a long-wet tongue hanging.

A scream tore from me as I threw the mirror aimlessly in the air. The mirror hit the wall and dropped on the ground, shattering into uncountable pieces. I pushed my body backward until it hit the wall at the same time, baffled and horrified by what had just happened.

My knee suddenly weakened; I was barely keeping my balance. If it wasn't for the wall that supported my weight, I would have already crumbled.

 A loud bone-chilling cry resonated through the room. So loud that I felt as if my eardrum would burst out any second. My hand rose up as I pressed my palm against the ear to restrict any sound from passing the canal, but I could still hear it.

"Stop," came out my own plea.

I don't know how long the strange cry continued, but suddenly, everything stopped as if nothing was happening. I would have levelled this incident as a hallucination but I knew what I had seen and it was no hallucination or any illusion. This mirror is cursed.

I dropped my hand when nothing happened for almost five minutes and began staring suspiciously towards the broken mirror. The frame of the mirror flew up in the air and stopped in the air.

The broken pieces that were scattered all over the room began flying back to the mirror, getting interconnected with one another.

In no time, the mirror was the same as before. There wasn't even a single crack on it.

All I could do was stare at the mirror in sheer horror. Not even a huff or a puff was coming out of my throat. I was stunned and speechless. I couldn't believe my eyes.

I don't think anything worse than this could happen to me. Just as I had thought when the mirror traveled straight in my direction at the speed of light and consumed me in the darkness