In the Mirror

In the Mirror

Wake up. Have breakfast. Get dressed. Sweater weather had always been his favourite, he thought as he felt the warmth of his favourite jacket invade his body, but for whatever reason he wished it would be sunny today. He hesitated a moment before walking into the bathroom to complete his morning rituals.

Looking at his own reflection in the mirror had always made him uneasy, even as a kid. It always felt to him as if something was off somehow but he could never put his finger on what it was. When he was younger he once spent a good fifteen minutes staring at his double while he carefully felt his face with the tip of his fingers, trying to find out whether there was something different or even missing. That happened years ago, though, and his obsession had since been diluted by more important matters, but the eerie feeling never quite left him.

There he was again. Same old face. G'morning, sleepyhead, you've got bags under your eyes, he told his reflection as they both picked up a green toothbrush. He brushed his teeth and combed his hair, staring intently into his own eyes. And then it happened.

He didn't blink.

His reflection did.

His jaw slowly dropped and he took a step back, too taken aback to scream and run even though this seemed what his body felt like doing, judging by his now racing heart. For a fraction of a second that mirror ceased to be a mere reflective surface to gain depth and become an entire world, as real and palpable as our own. He hadn't blinked. Who was he looking at now? He wasn't staring at himself any more, but at a complete stranger, a doppelgänger, an usurper who had taken away every notion he had ever had about his own identity. Who was this lean kid with brown curls and a flat nose? Who was the person who stared back at him and now imitated his every movement with utmost precision, as if to mock him for ever believing in such folly? He eventually gathered up his strength and left the bathroom and when his mother asked him why he was shaking he simply ignored her and headed to school.

He had a queasy feeling in his stomach for weeks after that and started avoiding not only mirrors, but also every other surface where the stranger could be seen. He would catch a glimpse of the stranger every now and then on people's glasses or shop windows but he soon learned to keep his head low and stare at the floor. Never before had he noticed how well the janitor waxed his school's floor.

He could feel the stranger's eyes on his back, though, and thoughts that didn't sound like his own started creeping into his mind late at night. His hair grew unruly and even though he wasn't old enough to grow a full beard, the few hairs that now poked out of his chin made him appear even shabbier. It didn't take long before people noticed and he now found himself walking into a psychiatrist's office.

“What happened?”, asked the physician, not unkindly.

He forced himself to raise his head to reply to the man and found the stranger reflected in the doctor's round, thick-rimmed glasses. His eyes welled with tears as he took a deep breath and replied:
“I have no idea who I am any more.”

Author's Note

ESL writer here, so please, do warn me about any grammar/spelling mistakes. You can criticize other stuff too, but please don't be too harsh! I'm not used to showing people my stories. BTW, this was done as a challenge/theme-trade thing. The theme given to me was 'Mirror'

Reviews

[Davi Rodrigues]

I remember having told you in person what I thought of your story, but you deserve a keep-able note.
It is with nothing less than amazement that I come again to the end of your text, which brings me such closeness to the character and such insight on many things. I feel happy to recognize talent greater than my own when it is real - even though that is not so hard, considering my stuff. xD
You should keep writing and sharing that with the public, for your gift is well-worth showing.

p.s.: Long time no see, eh?