I don't like mirrors. Not because of how I look. Because they never show anything.
I find myself standing in front of one now, my hands braced against the sink, just glaring... staring.. consuming the empty space in front of me where my reflection should be. Nothing. Just the room behind me. Always the same, everything in it. The wall, the door, the light. Everything but me.
I tilt my head slightly, the room tilts with it. Just perfect. Too perfect.
As I lessen my grip on the porcelain sink, my fingers tap lightly before I realise I'm even doing it. I stop and frown. Pushing away from the sink like it doesn't matter, and it doesn't.
It's always been like this from what I can remember.
Has it? I mutter.
The sound of my voice has always felt off to me in the silence. Almost like it's too loud.
As I let out a slow breath through my nose, dragging my hand over the back of my neck, I step away from the sink. The bathroom light hums ever so faintly above me. Again, always the same sound, no uniqueness. Just the same.
I head towards the doorway and pause at the entrance.
Arrg, I grunt.
Something feels... wrong.
I step into the hallway anyway. My movements are steady and controlled, like if I keep everything normal, it will be normal. But… I just can't seem to shake it. This feeling.
As I walk down, not a shriek, crack, or a shift in the floors. Just silence. Like as if I'm floating across the floors.
My fingers drag against the wall as I pass, dragging lightly along the surface before realising what I'm doing. I pull my hand back, flex my fingers once, and then keep going.
The living room opens up in front of me… looking, glaring, analysing. Nope, nothing has changed. The couch is sitting where it always has. The table, the chair. Everything is in place like it's been set there and never moved.
My gaze lifts to see the TV across from me. Black screen. Off and Still.
I walk to the counter where I find my glass empty. I reach for it without thinking, filling it with water.
The sound… I pause.
The sound echoes too loudly in this quiet room.
I bring it to my lips and drink. As the water flows down my throat, I'm stuck in thought, completely analysing it. Cold. Normal. Tasteless.
I set it down and pause. My hands linger on the edge of the counter.
I don't remember picking this up.
I stare at the glass for a second, then shake my head slightly. It doesn't matter, I mumble.
I turn my gaze to the TV again. Yeah, it's still off. Still black. Still… still there.
My eyes lock onto it again. I don't know why, they just do. Like something is pulling them back. Like something is waiting for me to look.
What is it? This force drawing me every time. It shouldn't, nothing is there… just a big black empty screen.
My finger twitches ever so slightly.
I walk over to the TV and just stare.
Maybe, just maybe, if I stare long enough, something will appear.
The screen suddenly flickers.
For the first time, I'm not looking into nothing.
I'm in shock, but curious.
I don't blink, and the screen flickers again. It's very faint and quick, like it didn't even happen.
My jaw tightens slightly, eyes narrowing as I take a small step closer to the TV. My reflection. No, not my reflection. Something or someone shifts across the screen.
It's a figure, I shout!
My breath catches for half a second. In deep thought, wait, that's not me, it can't be. So I stare harder and harder, trying to make sense of it. This thing, this Figure becomes clear the longer I look.
In shock, I see it. It's a person. Standing there where I should be, facing me and just watching. My fingers twitch at my side.
No, this can't be.
I lift my hand slowly, and the figure lifts theirs. Now I focus. I think to myself, is this real? So again I lift my hand again. They lift theirs. Though this time, a second too late.
Again, I lower my hand. They lower theirs as well, a second too late again!!
The screen hums faintly. It's a low sound that I have never heard before. Something different. Or maybe it's always been there.
No, it can't be, I yell.
I look back towards the TV again. The figure sharpens, just enough for me to see more. What is that?
I grit my teeth, screw my eyebrows, and stare harder. It's the outline of a face. The features. Eyes, ears, nose, mouth. Just staring at me. But it almost feels as if they're looking through me.
I go closer to the screen, my heated breath just short of the screen. Close enough to see myself clearly.
I lift my hands again, this time but slower, watching to see if he follows. He does. It's like he is trying to copy me.
A quiet breath leaves me before I can stop it.
What.... is that?
My voice, it sounds... different. It's closer, like it's being caught by something.
The figure, it doesn't answer. But it just stands there watching me. It imitates something, like I feel the connection. Cold, real, and solid.
It steps forward. On its own.
I freeze. My hands still. My chest rises slowly.
A thought slips in slowly, unwanted and quiet... no, that's not possible. It's just a screen. Still watching and still waiting.
But this time, I don't look away.
For the first time since this started, I don't feel alone.