With a smile upon his face a young man in his early twenty’s stands almost motionless looking into the mirror, looking at his own reflection, his cheeks are slightly raised with a shine upon his clean smooth skin, his neat light brown hair spiked up, dressed in a cool blue shirt and tie finished with a pair of black pressed trousers. Jamie rests his hands against the mirror frame, his eyes twitching looking into the mirror unfazed by how different his reflection looks, his hair longer, unwashed and messy, wearing clothes of a different colour. The reflection looks back wearing dark brown jeans with a green t-shirt slightly tucked in, his skin has no sign of shine past the roughness of his appearance. Jamie’s eyes roll over the mirror looking further in the distance at a young man sitting in the corner, the young man looks down at a clipboard in his left hand with a pen firmly propped in his right gliding on the paper. The young man sits quietly in the corner smartly dressed wearing a pressed suit, he looks up glancing over, Jamie turns his head away from the mirror looking directly into his eyes across the room, the feeling of nervousness comes across him, weary of the young man sat in the corner looking over for he also has his face, Jamie takes his right hand away from the mirror gently twitching as it rests upon his lip nervously muttering to himself.
‘You look like me but you’re not me.’ said Jamie as a tear builds up on his lower eye lid, he blinks holding tight for a moment. The tear rolling down his smooth cheek, Jamie opens his eyes causing the tear to drip in a motion of pure bliss as it splashes onto the wooden floor beside him. ‘What do you want with me? Why are you always there? Please just leave me alone.’ continued Jamie, his head arched down looking at the mantle above the fire, his lower lip wobbling desperately hoping he is alone the moment he looks up but still with the feeling in the pit of his stomach that he needs answers, he wants to know the truth about his life, about the people who share his face.
Jamie looks up at the mirror, he takes a deep gasp of air looking his reflection in the eyes, he slowly begins to shake his head in disapproval of his reflection wishing he wasn’t there. Jamie lowers his hands down by his sides, his reflection begins to shake raising his own hands up to his head, his fingers pushing between his messy hair staring back at Jamie with an evil glee upon his face, suddenly the reflection shakes his head from side to side, his eyes still watching Jamie, he stops shaking and pulls his fingers from within his hair gritting his teeth over his bottom lip. Jamie wearily watches him, in a daring glance, not wanting to look away he keeps his eyes firmly locked on those of his reflection. The man in the mirror thrusts his head forward smacking his brow off the reverse of the glass, the mirror cracks in a circle pattern around his head, he pulls back and looks forward through the cracks, Jamie takes a step forward, he reaches up pressing his fingers lightly on the mirror feeling beneath his skin smooth untainted glass, he gives a conniving smile at his reflection knowing he did not break it. Jamie takes a step back still looking him in his eyes, between them the cracks in the glass begin to fade away, unreal as if it was just in his imagination the mirror becomes clear. The reflection thrusts his head against the glass again, it cracks on the reverse leaving a circle of lines once again, the reflection repeatedly smashes against the glass but with each blow the glass repairs itself ready for the next hit.
Jamie looks away bowing his head down past his shoulder, he looks across the room, fixing his eyes on the white front door, taking one step after another he walks over. His hand reaches out trying to grasp hold of the handle, he drops to his knees for his hand did not take hold, the handle is no longer there, he looks up at the small porthole window in the door, his lower lip beginning to wobble in fear of the room behind him unable to escape. Jamie pushes himself to his feet, pressing against the door he looks into the window but there is nothing more than a white light. Turning away from the door Jamie looks across the room, opposite him swing doors like those you would see in an old western bar separate two rooms. Jamie walks over passing the mirror avoiding his reflection, he stands by the swing doors, his feet visible below, his head just barely over the top. He looks over into the room, from the corner of his eye Jamie noticed the smart man sitting in the corner place his pen down onto his clip board and look up at him. he ignores him and continues to look into the room, grey kitchen cupboards surround the room, clean sides empty from everyday items with no sign of anyone using the room, a shudder runs down Jamie’s back, he looks into the centre of the kitchen, another young man with his face sits at a table, strange and scary looking wearing a white t-shirt, his left hand stretched out on the wooden table, Jamie’s eyes continue to watch widening eager to have all in his sight. The young man grins looking down at his hand, blood stains from his own injured hand splashed down his t-shirt. A sparkle of light reflects from his right hand, glistening from the blade of the sharp knife grasped between his fingers, up and down in a quick motion the knife pierces the table over and over between his fingers. The strange young man basks in the delight of hitting the table unaware of the pain in his fingers, the pain from the gashes in his flesh, Jamie looks on in horror, he lifts his arm over the swing door stretching around the corner reaching with all his power for the switch on the wall, his fingers move lightly over the switch, his elbow catching the top of the door causes a creaking sound to echo across the kitchen. The strange man looks over, his eyes wide open grinning at Jamie; he begins to laugh to himself under his own breath, not a normal laugh but a sound that would send a chill down anyone’s spine. Jamie presses on the switch turning the light off, darkness fills the room as Jamie quickly pulls his arm out. The swing doors begin to swing back and forth slightly knocking each other leaving a tapping noise. Jamie runs across the room, passing the mirror once again but this time there is no reflection of Jamie, just an image of the room, he runs to the door, raising his arms up ready to bang the window but he stops himself, he looks at the door and still there is no handle, he can’t open the door, he fears turning around believing he isn’t safe there.
A sniggering voice from behind startles Jamie, he looks around instantly unable to stop himself from checking, watching the swing doors finally stop swinging. Wondering where the sniggering was coming from his eyes move to and fro about the room nervously twitching, his fingers finding their way to his mouth, uncontrollably nibbling his nails in fear of knowing he isn’t alone. Jamie looks over at the man in the corner smiling at him; the man picks up his pen and begins to write on the paper watching Jamie’s every move. Jamie takes his hand away from his mouth and takes a step towards the mirror; he takes a glance at the reflection now looking back. Taking a deep breath of air Jamie steps even closer to the mirror.
‘Come closer.’ muttered the reflection in the mirror smirking at Jamie.
At first Jamie hesitates, the room in the mirror darker than the one Jamie stands in, still wanting answers Jamie steps closer to the mirror again, the reflection smiles, his lip raised to one side showing his top teeth.
‘Come closer Jamie.’ said the reflection creepily glaring at him.
‘No! Say what you have to say.’ replied Jamie.
The man in the mirror glares for a second; his eyes opening wider, his smile now grim, his cheeks raised angrily holding still. Jamie takes his eyes off the mirror; he looks down at a card on the mantle.
‘Look at me!’ shouted the reflection angrily thumping his fist against the glass.
Jamie jumps his heart pounding as he looks up at the reflection, the small cracks in the glass fading away. Jamie looks at his hand surprised and confused to see blood on his knuckles.
‘Let me out of here!’ demands the reflection gritting his teeth wiping his fist from the blood identical to Jamie’s across his top.
Jamie nervously takes his eyes off his reflection looking back down at the card; he reaches out taking hold of it. His reflection continues to thump the glass, blood now trickling from Jamie’s hand. Jamie lifts the card closer to his face, the words now visible. “Appointment card, 11am, Dr Leary, St Osmond’s mental institute, room 263” Jamie’s breathing begins to rapidly speed up, he looks back and forth between the card and his reflection.
‘What is this?’ asked Jamie holding out the card for his reflection to see.
‘Let me out of here!’ demanded the reflection once again.
‘You tell me what this is right now.’ replied Jamie almost pressing the card against the glass.
The reflection in the mirror sniggers getting louder and louder, he looks down at his hand, opening his fist he reveals the appointment card. A look of horror on Jamie’s face, he looks down at his own hand, he squeezes his fist tightly crushing the card between his fingers. Tears begin to drip from Jamie’s cheeks, he looks back at the mirror, almost unable to see his reflection the mirror is shattered, circles of cracks cover the glass with blood stains from his own knuckles, Jamie shakes his head mouthing to himself.
‘No No No No No.’ slowly getting quieter.
Jamie turns to look behind him, the smart man sitting in the corner looks up at Jamie, he smiles pleasantly and places his pen down.
‘Everything is going to be ok.’ said the man continuing to look at Jamie.
Jamie turns quickly looking towards the kitchen, the light beaming into the room, a shadow cast from behind the swing doors. The man from the kitchen leans against the door frame, the shiny knife hanging from his hand, blood trickling off the blade. He looks at Jamie and smirks.
‘There’s no way out from here, you will never leave us Jamie, you can’t stop us.’ said the man as he turns and walks off into the kitchen.
Jamie raises his hand to his mouth not wanting to cry anymore and looks at the man sitting in the corner.
‘Please help me.’ said Jamie.
The man stands up from his chair, he smiles at Jamie.
‘Everything will be ok now Jamie.’ said the man.
Jamie looks around the room, the walls turn to white, the door becomes grey and cold. The room becomes empty, no windows, no mirror, Jamie looks down, he is no longer wearing his smart clothes, dressed in a cream straight jacket he looks up at the man, tears rolling down his cheeks, the man elderly looking wearing a name tag “Dr Leary” walks over to the door and knocks on the glass still clutching his clipboard. A face appears behind the glass and the door becomes unlocked.
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