I can’t remember when it started, it was subtle at first. I’d look in the mirror and I’d notice slight inconsistencies with what my reflection should be. My cheeks looked a little more hollow, my eyes looked a little less bright. I passed it off as bad lighting and lack of sleep at first. I’d usually just carry on with my day eventually forgetting about it, until the next time I looked in my mirror and there’d be something else that had changed. My skin was a little more grey, my hair a little more matted than before. I didn’t understand what was happening, why was my reflection changing?
That was until this morning, when I looked again. This time when I looked in the mirror I didn’t see me at all. Staring back at me was something truly hideous, a monster trying to imitate what it thought I should look like but failing miserably. It’s skin was flaky, it’s eyes were dull and void, like there was no life in them whatsoever, it’s hair was truly lifeless now and just dangled limp around it’s shoulders. You could see the bones protruding through it’s cheeks, it looked dead. I let out a scream and wanted to run but my feet were rooted firmly in place. I couldn’t move.
We stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, as if daring the other to make the first move. I looked around for something that might help, some way to break the glass and hopefully rid myself of this thing staring back at me but there was nothing. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t call for help as I had left my phone on the bedside table and it was too far to grab. We just stood there, my “reflection” and I, staring at each other. I could feel myself panicking, I felt like I was losing my mind. Tears were streaming thick and fast down my face and my breathing was becoming erratic. I hated this thing, I hated my “reflection”, this monster that had taken my place in the mirror. I needed to end it. Either they had to die or I did, it was the only way to break free.
I banged hard against the mirror with my fists, hoping it would break, but nothing, not even a crack, just a sore hand from the impact of my fist hitting the glass. There was nothing heavy enough in reach for me to throw at it either, I was losing hope, and all the while the monster kept on staring at me, a slight smile twisted up on it’s grotesque face.
That’s when I spotted something, a glint of metal laying on the dressing table, a pair of scissors! I picked them up hurriedly, not yet sure of what to do. I banged against the mirror with them, hoping by some miracle that it would shatter and break and I’d be free from the monsters grip, but again, nothing. I screamed and hit at the mirror again and again but it seemed to be indestructible. My hands were bruised and my bones ached. Mentally i felt numb. I’d accidentally cut my skin with the scissors and blood was starting to run down my fingers. The monster smiled at that, as if that’s what it wanted, as if it wanted to see me bleed. Well if it wanted to see me bleed then I’d give it a real show! I raised the scissors to my left wrist and stuck it in deep. I dragged it horizontally up my arm, making a long deep cut. Next I did the same to the right. The metallic smell of blood hit the air and I could feel the warmth of it washing down my arms and dripping on to the floor. I didn’t stop there though. I stabbed myself in the stomach repeatedly, as if something had taken possession of me.
I began to fade, the blood loss becoming too great. I fell to the floor. This was it, this was how I was going to die.
My vision was starting to blur and in a final moment I looked back to the mirror, back to the monster expecting to see a triumphant grin on it’s face but I couldn’t see it, it had gone. In it’s place was my own reflection with a look of pure horror and realisation at what I had done. I had killed myself. There was never a monster to begin with, the monster was me all along.
*please note I am aware it is quite a short story but it was just a little too long for the short scary stories sub. I’ve not had much writing experience at all but I just wanted to get this written down. Any feedback and criticisms welcome 🙂