After choosing “Mirror Mirror” off the library shelf because of a weathered leather binding and ornate golden text almost invisible on the spine, Sandy was on her way to an adventure she never considered possible. Hearing a strange male voice in her head telling her she now possessed the book and suggesting she read it, Sandy felt she had no choice. I don’t know what you’d do, but I’d read it at the first opportunity.
Chapter 6 – Relationship Potential
The hot shower felt great, and Sandy stood like a statue with her back to the steaming heat. While the dust came off quickly, memories of the mirror and the voice clung to her regardless of how hot or long the water rained down upon her. After she finished her shower and toweled off, she stood in front of the steamed-up bathroom mirror and froze. She slowly reached out to swipe away the fog but stopped short, never touching the mirror’s surface. Her hand hovered over the misty surface as she shook her head slowly from side to side to tell herself to relax. She needed to calm down; she was at home, so there was no need to be afraid. She left the bathroom, not touching or wiping anything off the mirror.
After slipping into a ratty old football jersey that was two boyfriends old, she climbed into bed with “Mirror, Mirror” propped up on her knees and began to read. The first several pages informed her that the book and whoever possessed it had exclusive rights to the relationship. The voice at the Hawthorne House told her as much. She continued to read and learn more about the spiritual entity behind the mirror and its concept of recognizing and rewarding righteousness, as well as punishing unrighteousness, chapter after chapter. It all seemed a bit much to her, but then there had been a dead man years earlier in that library to validate punishment, and who knows how many others before him.
On the one hand, she feared that anger could be interpreted as unrighteousness. If so, she was a dead woman walking; her fears were confirmed as thoughts of Phantastic Phil climbed into her head along with the anger he represented. That bastard violated her with unwanted touching after he dragged her into the men’s restroom at the Pearl Street Pub, a popular microbrewery in town. Were it not for another person banging on the locked door, the assault would have escalated.
Her thoughts threatened to go beyond what she fought against. Those thoughts simmered in her head and were held fast in her heart with absolute knowledge of how badly she wanted to hurt him. Indeed, those thoughts were considered unrighteous and worthy of punishment for merely thinking that way.
Sandy continued reading and learned that she had more control over her spiritual relationship with her thoughts than she realized. The book confirmed that a physical touch was necessary to draw out the entity, enabling conversation. She remembered the warmth exuded by the mirror’s surface, how the purple glow responded to her touch, and the soft, mellow voice that seemed to morph into her head. She also learned that possessing the book was the only reason her touch triggered the entity in the mirror.
After a few more pages, she realized that the relationship could be two-way and develop into a lasting positivity. She closed her eyes for a moment; did she want that? Did she want positivity…a relationship…a spiritual relationship…with an entity that lived in her head? She already had her faith, which was strong in her one and only God, and it felt like this was headed in the wrong direction in so many ways. Was it wrong, or was her overactive paranoia haunting her?
She shifted away from the book and studied her dressing mirror. Would he be there if she touched it? Was he really a ‘he’? The voice in her head sounded like a man but remained unseen. Couldn’t a spirit or an entity do whatever it wanted…be whomever it wanted? Was he the embodiment of evil, masquerading as a righteous entity? Did he play the roles of judge, jury, and executioner? That was too much to think about, and she decided not to touch the mirror. She wanted no part in this new relationship and would drop off the book at the library on her next visit to the estate.
Her eyes grew heavy, and reading further would be a waste of words. Sleep pulled at her, and her remaining consciousness resisted at first, fearful of what dreams were cued up to frighten her.
To steer any dreams to her liking, she began to think about the party and her planned cat costume. The slick, shiny black Lycra material was as tight-fitting as a second skin. The mask over her eyes also positioned a pert little cat’s nose and whiskers above her mouth. She thought the description of dangerously sexy barely described the look she would achieve.
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VIDEO Trailer & Abstract – “Mirror Mirror”
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