The Alter

The Alter

An alarm buzzer screeched its monotonous shrill assaulted his ear. Michal rolled over and smacked the snooze button. Ten minutes later, it screeched again he chuckled in objection as he rolled over and silenced the alarm.

“Ugh!” he groaned as he glared at the red flashing 4:10 am.

He laid there another ten minutes, then hauled his thin dark-skinned frame out of bed and lurched towards his bathroom. Ill rest weighted his eyes as his fingers searched the darkness for the light switched. A bright flashed illuminated the room in harsh white light Michal winced as he walked by the sink a harsh chill swept through him. His body tensed and shook as goosebumps rode up his arms.

Oh… damn? He thought as he turned on the shower.

Steam enveloped the room. It fogged the mirrors and routed the chill from the air.

It swept the lethargy of the old day down the drain as the heat wrapped him in new vigor. Stepping out, he strolled to the sink and wiped a layer of dew and fog from the mirror. His reflection smiled. Micha’s body jolted, his eyes round in shock and snapped closed.

“What the fuck was that?” he mumbled while shaking his head. “Nah, uh. No, no, no.”

Minutes ticked by, he opened one eye to look at his reflection. Nothing happened. He then closed them both and took a deep breath. He exhaled and opened them.

His reflection smiled, “What’s up,” it said.

Michal eyes rounded in shock his heart jumped to his throat; he rushed out of the bathroom in a panicked frenzy and slammed the door behind him. His back braced against the door as slid to the ground.

The apparition laughed, “Don’t run! Ain’t no escaping this change!” it yelled then thought, They always run. Never fails.

What the hell? I must be dreaming? he asked himself as his body trembled. Wake up… Dammit Michal, wake up!

Michal clinched his eyes as he smacked himself, “I’m not crazy… I’m not crazy.”

“Come on, shake that shit off and come back in here. We need to talk.”

He hoped to wake back in his bed — that didn’t happen. Minutes passed as he tried to calm himself. He didn’t want to go back into the bathroom, but he had to. He needed to know that it wasn’t real. Cautiously, he approached the mirror and to his disbelief his reflection was there waiting.

“Oh, god I am going crazy,” Michal muttered.

“You’re not crazy. Your life is crazy,” said his reflection. “I’m here to return the sanity.”

Michal closed eyes and exhaled. He hoped that the apparition would disappear, but it didn’t.

Sanity is what I’m missing, right now, he thought then spoke, “Okay, what are you?”

“Can we cut the whole parallel universe spill it bores me?” asked the reflection. “My name is Mikhal with a K. I’m you… just a better you.”

“What do you mean a better me?”

“Let’s just say I can’t let any version of me be deemed a failure. You my brother are the worst, and one of our selves was a middle-aged mumble rapper.”

“Come on, I’m not…”

Mikhal interrupted, “You can lie to yourself. You can’t lie to me. I’ve been watching your life.”

“This is crazy I’m talking to a mirror. I have to get to work.”

Mikhal shook his head and vanished leaving the normal one behind. After he finished getting dressed, he headed to his car. He put his keys into ignition, and as he glanced up Mikhal appeared in his rear-view mirror startling him.

“Damn you again?” asked Michal. “Are you going to be everywhere I go?”

“As long as there’s a mirror and until I’m satisfied,” said Mikhal. “About this job, you should quit.”

He was the VP of New Account Accusations at his firm. He worked under the Vice President himself Lincoln Snively who was everything he wasn’t: cocky, assertive, and respected. They work side by side on the company’s high level accounts, and Lincoln pitched their plans to President. They never invited him to those meeting.

Snively always said, “The boss needs a personal touch. Some he needed a little extra convincing to come around.”

So he missed out on the after work meetings and business dinners. At first, it bothered him but Lincoln convinced him he was needed. They were a team.

“I just can’t quit my job. I just got a promotion,” said Michal as he started his car, “and why are you in my rearview? That’s not safe.”

“You got other mirrors,” said Mikhal. “You think I don’t know about the other job offer, that EVP position?”

Using the side mirrors, he backed the car up and drove away.

“How do you know about that?”

Mikhal smirked. “I’m you remember,” he said. “You have your cell, right?”

Michal patted his pocket and nodded.

As he drove, he and Mikhal continued their conversation. They spoke of pride, power, selfishness, and what Mikhal perceived his destiny to be. When he finally arrived at work, his brain was so muddled he wasn’t sure what to think. Only one thing was certain he needed a promotion or quit. The vice president’s office resided on the sixth floor, the president’s was on the tenth. As he stepped onto the elevator his heart climbed to his throat. Time slowed to crawl floor by floor the elevator stopped to let more people on. Their whispers muted by the thunderous beating of his heart. When the door opened on the tenth floor, his vision tunneled and blurred. Fear rose from his gut and eroded his will.

This is crazy! Michal yelled to himself.The risks were high and wasn’t good with risk. Michal wanted to turn back, but he promised himself he wouldn’t. With every step his stomach tightened, and he felt the overwhelming urge to vomit. His only sanctuary was a restroom a few feet away from his boss’s office., he sped walked in; he felt the stomach acid well in the bottom of his throat. Perched over a sink, he dry heaved as streams of sweat dripped from his brow.

“I can’t…,” Michal said as he stared into the mirror. “I can’t do it.”

Mikhal appeared and sighed, “Get yourself together, man,” he said. “You’re right there. Just go in demand a promotion or quit.”

“I can’t…”

“Dammit, I’ll prove that you don’t have anything to fear!” exclaimed Mikhal. “Call the other firm. See if the position is still open. I bet… matter of fact, I know it is.”

Michal splashed some water on his face, “I don’t remember the number.” “Good god man 222-2442,” said Mikhal. “Before you call please unbitch yourself.”

Michal hated being called a bitch, but the call was far too important to stammer. It took him a moment to regain his composure, after which he took out his cell phone and dial the number. It rang a few times then female answered.

“Damon Whitaker’s office,” said the secretary.

Michal exhaled, “Hello my name Michal Whitley,” he said. “Mr. Whitaker told me call. He should be expecting me.”

“Hold for one second, sir,” said the secretary.

Michal waited while she put him through.

A few seconds later, Damon Whitaker responded. “Michal, you had me a little worried,” he said. “I thought you’d change your mind.”

Michal relaxed a bit. “No, Sir I was just weighing my options.”

Of course, that was a lie, but Damon didn’t know that.

“That’s respectable,” said Damon.

“Well, sir, is the position still available?”

“It’s yours if you want it. We welcome your talents.” Michal exhaled an enthused sigh. “When do you want me to start?” he asked. “… I can start immediately.”

“That’s great,” said Damon. “But take a day or two. I’ll see you Wednesday.”

“Alright, Wednesday,” said Michal. “Thank you. Thank you very much, sir.”

Elated by the news he wanted to scream for joy, but he knew he couldn’t celebrate yet. As he walked out of the bathroom, all the years spent there flashed before his eyes. He couldn’t believe that after ten years of dedication he was going to leave it all behind. He brushed off the secretary's attempts to halt him and strolled into his boss’s office.

Michal took a deep breath, “Mr. Johnson, I quit,” he said.

Johnson was stunned, “Quit….Why? Who are you?”

Michal shook his head in disbelief. He couldn’t believe his boss had no idea who he was. After all the clients, and all the money he made for the firm Johnson didn’t have slightest knowledge of his existence.

“Michal Whitley,” said he said. “Sixth floor, VP of New Account Accusations.”

Michal sounded off the list of multi-million dollar clients his creative thoughts helped land.

“I didn’t authorize such a position,” said Johnson. “Lincoln told me all those ideas were his.”

Michal eyes widen with shock, “What do you mean no position!” he exclaimed. “… Then where did those bonuses come from?"

“He got a healthy commission from the clients,” said Johnson. “Hold on, let me call him up here.”

John called Snively up to his office, and a few minutes passed and he slowly trotted in. Snively took one look at Michal and aura of deep dread washed over him.

“Snively, Mr. Whitley said that everything was his idea.”

“Excuse me Sir,” said Snively, “Michal can I talk to you for a moment?”

Snively pulled Michal aside, “Dude, Michal you should have come to me, first.”

“You’ve been leeching off my ideas for years,” said Michal. “And what’s with this bogus VP Position.”

“Dude, I gave you the title you wanted.. You didn’t have to come up here,” said Snively. “I even paid you out of my own pocket.”

Michal’s face twisted in disgust, “He passed me over for countless promotions because of you,” he said. “You know what... It doesn’t even matter. I quit I’m done.”

“You can’t quit. What about the Cartier account?”

Michal stormed out, “Good luck landing that mother fucker without me!”

It was a quiet drive back home for him. Mikhal was silent he just smiled from his rearview perch. When he arrived home, he marched straight to his closet and prepared for Wednesday. He pulled out a three-piece Tom Ford suit with wide peaked lapels and gold cuff links. After his first meeting with Damon Whitaker, he had the suit made. He was usually frugal, but on that day, he felt the urge to spend. He freed it from its dry clean bag and tried it on. Afterwards, he strolled into the bathroom and stared into the mirror. Mikhal appeared, and he wore the same suit.

“Looking like me more and more every day,” he said as he adjusted the cufflinks.

“Why did you choose now to appear?” asked Michal. “There were so many moments I could’ve used you.”

“Timing, I’ve been doing this a long time, and I know me-us. You needed a backup plan.”

“A long time? How long.”

“Too long,” said Mikhal. “We’re not done yet. You have to show up to that new job, and poach that Cartier account. Then every other account Snively had his slimy hands in.”

Michal smiled, “You don’t know how good that sounds.”

“Trust me I know,” said Mikhal. “See you Wednesday.”

The next few days flew by, Snively called, trying desperately to get him to come back. Michal took delight in telling him off. When Wednesday came around, he was up bright and early. After he got dressed, he strolled into the bathroom looking for Mikhal’s insight, but he didn’t show. Michal didn’t know what to think at the moment, so he just brushed the incident off. He strolled to his car and sat in the driver’s seat. He stared up at the rearview mirror, hoping for Mikhal to show. Twenty minutes ticked by, still nothing. Michal had gotten used to Mikhal being there. As he drove to work, he couldn’t help but doubt Mikhal’s existence. He wondered was he just something he manifested to push through. However, he struggled to explain the sudden change without him. When arrived at work he was little down, but the sadness soon faded as he stepped onto the elevator, an exquisite woman accompanied him. She wore a form fitting black skirt, with matching shirt and blazer. She smiled at him and he smiled back.

“You work here?” she asked.

“I’m starting today,” Michal said.

“Good me too,” she said with a smile. “Hope to see you around?”

She got off a floor before him, and he couldn’t help but eye her shapely assets. Was it the suit? Was it him? he asked himself. Hell, it didn’t matter, she was gorgeous. At his old firm, the females hardly gave him a glance. When he stepped off the elevator stopped on the tenth floor. The layout was similar to his old firm. However, he was different, unlike the Monday before he wasn’t nervous. He was bursting with confidence. He strolled up to his new secretary’s desk and announced himself. Damon welcomed him into his office.

“Well, Mr. Whitley, I’m glad you decided to join us,” said Damon.

“Well Sir, I’m happy to join the team.”

“Like I said at the dinner, I heard about your old firm’s creative team,” said Damon. “Your name kept popping up in my circles. I look for the best. I need the best. Your talents will be well used believe me.”

“Speaking of talent, I know you’re aware of my former employer’s accusation of the Cartier account?”

Damon raised a single brow, “Yes I am.”

“Well, I have reason to believe they will not be too pleased with today’s presentation.”

“Interesting,’ said Damon with a smile. “Do you think you can get them.”

“Mr. Whitaker, I know I can.”

“Well, welcome to the team Mr. Whitley,” said Damon. “Or should I say, Elective Vice President Whitley. That is if you acquire that Cartier account.”

“Well, Sir get my office ready.”

Damon nodded and Michal swaggered out of his office. Elated by the outcome, Michal made a quick detour into the bathroom. He hoped Mikhal would show, so he could thank him for all he had done. The lights flickered and as a reflection appeared, the mirror cracked.

“Back to business,” Mikhal said as he proceeded to leave the restroom.

He looked back at the mirror, adjusted his cufflinks and smiled.

THE END