Mirrored Death

The mirror showed a reflection that wasn't my own.

Who is this woman? Where have I gone?

The face looking back at me smirked, as if it had already won.

“Who are you!?” I screamed, but honestly, I already knew.

This was the new me. My nightmare had come true.

I went too far. I tried too hard.

I just wanted to be beautiful. I wanted to be seen.

I never imagined the spell would backfire, but now I looked like or a horrid wench from a polluted sea.

The hair on my head was now just tangled weeds. My skin was dry and scaley, with patches of moss scattered all over my shriveled body.

My eyes were bulging. My tongue was sharp, and a hole remained in the place that used to be my heart.

My nails had pointed tips, coming out from cuticles that were filled with furry fungus.

The figure raised a finger and pointed it straight at me.

With a wink she cackled, laughing maniacally.

“No, no, no, no….” I said, shaking my head. “This just can’t be!”

I hurried back to my book and began searching the pages with anxiety.

Surely, there was something I was missing.

“You won’t find anything!” The figure said, passively. “The mirror has already broken. It is permanent. That was one wild binding. Imagine my surprise, being called from the dark, because you need your inner beauty. We are quite lovely together though, don’t you think?”

The figure was happy. Elated, actually. As for me, my heart was racing.

My feet pounded down on the floor as I began pacing.

“I don’t understand what is so upsetting. Your inner beauty is ugly, darling. The sheer irony!” she said.

“I didn’t mean for this to happen!” I exclaimed. “I thought this would make me more attractive. I can’t go outside looking this way.”

“Oh no, my dear, you misunderstand. On the outside you will now look magnificent, but on the inside, your heart will grow darker, and darker, until…” she stopped speaking, and pointed to the space in her chest where there was nothing left.

“I need some air.” I said, as I headed for the door. I was too wound up and just couldn’t take anymore. I grabbed my keys and decided to go to the store.

I needed some time to think, and maybe even get a drink. Just a little something to calm me down because I was really panicking.

In high school, I was the homecoming queen. Everybody loved me. After college, nobody even knew me. I felt like a nobody. My job had just fired me. My friends were starting to go out without me, because I could never afford anything. Even my cat was starting to act kind of suspect lately.

What was I doing? Did I just sell my soul for attention? I arrived at the store and in the window, I caught my own reflection. There she was, the inner me, and she was ugly. Confirmation.

I opened the door, and the clerk dropped the boxes he was carrying all over the floor.

“Umm, h-h-hi, Miss,” he stuttered.

“Hello.” I muttered.

I walked down the aisle to the cooler. “Better make it a sixer,” I thought out loud to myself, “take no prisoners.” After all, I already was one myself now.

As I approached the cashier, it was as if I could smell fear. He was just staring at me, not saying a word, and after an awkward long silence, I said, “Can I buy this beer, or no? Should I just go?”

“You can have the whole store.” He said, passing me the keys. “I’m not sure what I’m doing here anymore, but you – you’ve got something special in you. I see.”

The old me would have refused. This new me, simply said, “thank you,” and I escorted him and his clerk outside, locking the door behind them from inside.

Sitting there, alone in the empty building, I drank, and I cried, and I felt a piece of me die inside. After beer 3, I needed to pee. I headed to the bathroom and was surprised by what I saw in the mirror looking back at me.

It showed me my new outer beauty, and I was hot! “Maybe this isn’t as bad as I thought.” I said. I didn’t need to pluck my eyebrows or wear fake lashes, and my skin was as smooth as porcelain. There was no need for layers of makeup atop foundation and when I smiled my teeth were so sparkling white, they glistened.

I felt a sudden rush of adrenaline. What if I was freaking out for no reason? I looked great. Maybe I was just in shock from the change. I cleaned up and decided to give this new life a shot. I even had the store now! I could make my own hours and hire help. It was a dream job!

I unlocked the door and went to sit on my throne behind the counter. Finally, I was a queen again, unlike any other. I was magical. I was better.

I could smell my 1st customer arrive the moment he parked his car. It was a horrid mix that reminded me of cat urine and smoke-filled poker cards. He was old, and hunched, and could’ve probably used some help, but I couldn’t let him get close. I was gagging from the smell.

I ran to the door and locked it before he could reach it. “Sorry, Sir, we're closed, no business!” I said sternly.

“Come on,” he cried, “I have to use the bathroom!”

“Oh no, you don’t, Grandpa, not here, it smells like you already did!” Ugh! I had to cover my mouth and step back.

“Please!” he pleaded, “I’ll pay for snacks!”

Suddenly I was angry. Why wouldn’t this guy just leave? I know he heard me. I stomped back to the door and screamed through the glass.

“Listen here, you old, washed up, hick! This is my store now and I told you no! So, go! Before you don’t have any balls left to take a piss with!”

The man was so caught off guard by my attitude that he stumbled as he tried to retreat, and tripping over his own feet, he fell, cracking his skull on the concrete. From the pool of blood that was spewing out, instantly, I could tell he was surely dead.

“Well, I guess he won’t be needing to pee here again!” I said, laughing.

I was relieved as I waltzed back to my seat, and I pulled out a mirror from my bag to check my lipstick. But, when I opened up my compact, I saw her, the woman from the mirror again.

“See? That wasn’t so bad, was it? You’ve just got your first kill! Congratulations!” she said.

The words hit like a puncture to the chest, and I felt another piece of my heart fall off, like a stone pebble, put to rest. How could I have done this? He was just an old man. I couldn’t understand. Was I a murderer now? Would I do this again? I was dangerous!

“Come home, darling, let’s celebrate! We’ve got a lot to talk about and plans to make.” She said.

The broken mirror couldn’t be any clearer. In vain, I became a death wish.