The Mirror

by Meg McGee
(Philadelphia, PA)

“Careful with that vase!” cried a vexed Mrs. Smith.

The family had just arrived at the new house and the movers were unloading the furniture. Joan, Andrew and their cousin Carolyn had decided to stay in Joan’s new room until the movers left.

“Just bring it in here and hang it on the wall.” said Mrs. Smith, completely oblivious to the children.

The movers then brought in a large, ornate mirror and hung it on the wall opposite Joan’s bed. As Joan stared at her new mirror, she thought she saw a shadowy figure behind her.

“Did you see that?” she questioned. “See what?.” her cousin and brother said.

Joan just shook her head and turned away from the mirror. "Never mind."

A few days later Joan stood in front of the mirror, wary of what she will see.

At first there was nothing, but as she started to leave she saw something out of the corner of her eye.

Joan turned with an air of bravery, and faced the mirror head on. In the mirror was a dark shadowy man standing behind her. Tremulous, she turned around, but no one was there.

Joan was completely and utterly scared.

She refrained from screaming and instead calmly called for her brother. “Andrew! Can you come here?”

Her brother quickly came and was soon standing in front of the mirror. Joan assumed that her brother would see the shadowy man too, but when she asked, Andrew said all he saw was himself.

When Joan heard this her blood ran cold. “A-are sure you didn’t see a shadow?”

“Are you ok ‘cause you sound like you’re suffering from a slight case of paranoia.” said her brother as he left the room. Joan stood in front of the mirror and once again the shadowy man appeared behind her.

Joan gathered up her courage and started to talk to the man with suavity. “Are you trapped? Can I help you?”

The man nodded and whispered in a terrible voice, “If you wish to free me break the mirror!”

Joan was not sure how to respond to what was going on.

After several sleepless nights and the figure’s constant asking to be freed, Joan finally snapped.

She pulled the mirror from the wall, letting it shatter to the floor. At the sound of the crash Joan’s mother rushed in.

“Joan what have you done? Don’t you realize that’s seven years of bad luck?!” Mrs. Smith screeched.

Joan’s mother would never understand, so she just shrugged her shoulders and said “It was an accident. I’m sorry.”

A few weeks later Joan’s mother bought her another mirror and hung it in her room. “That looks sublime! Try not to break this one.” said her mother as she left the room.

Joan sat for hours staring at the mirror, but thankfully saw nothing except her own reflection. The next day while Joan was doing her homework a cold feeling washed over her.

She looked up into the mirror and saw a cloudy shadow. When it cleared she saw the face of a woman who began laughing menacingly at her.

Joan covered her head with a pillow and screamed “No, not again!”