MIRROR IMAGE

Like Father . . .

Alexander watched the patterns stream forth from his imagination and dance their way across his ceiling. He had awoken from a turbulent sleep some time earlier and now he lay in a half dazed limbo somewhere between awake and asleep. Listlessly he scanned for visual reference until his eyes landed on the red illuminated clock. 12:03 AM it gleamed viscously. How eerie it made him feel, waking so close to midnight on Halloween seemed ominous. He dismissed the thought as childish and peeled himself from the suffocating bed sheets. Driven from the stifling room that had been his sanctuary since childhood, the willowy 12-year-old grabbed his pillow and sought a cooler climate. The heat of Summer’s edge was a relentless furnace that only let up a little at night. As he ventured down the dark hallway past the open door to his Mother’s bedroom he could see his sister’s tiny feet dangling, he wondered how anyone could sleep at all let alone share a bed. His mother and father had divorced almost 8 months earlier and now it was just the three of them.

It was about a year ago that his father had changed, he would become cruel and vicious for seemingly no reason. Until one night he was in a fit of rage, the worst any of them had ever seen. Glaring down at his son, he drew back his fist, when something in him flipped, and like a light switch, his father was his old self.

“I’m sorry.” 

Alexander’s father became still and the family held its breath. Silently he walked from their home and got in the car. That night he vanished and never come home. 

In a daze, Alexander staggered into the much cooler lounge room while wiping the damp, dusty blonde hair from his face he assessed the furniture for his best chance of falling back to sleep. The moon shone brightly through the large open window and created a shaft of cool blue light that split the otherwise near pitch black room. Alexander carefully and silently navigated his way over to the window and allowed himself to fall backward, disappearing into the darkness below. It was his favorite couch and he figured if he couldn’t get any sleep here, then it just wasn’t going to happen. In an attempt to relax, he started the breathing exercises the doctor showed him to help with the Asthma that’d plagued his entire life. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4, out for 4. It was something that always calmed him and kept otherwise intrusive thoughts at bay. He focused on breathing

…..IN….HOLD….OUT….IN….HOLD….OUT…. 

Slowly drifting, Alex began to feel his body relax and his mind wander, that sweet bliss of sleep and weightlessness approached; the couch softly cradled his featherweight.

GASP! His eyes jolted open, mouth dried and his legs tingled with weakness. He felt it. The air changed. His eyes darted around the room as they processed every detail at once, goosebumps covered his arms, hairs pinned tall and he could have sworn he was about to freeze to death. A chimera sent a shiver up his spine. It shouldn’t be here, in a panic he searched for something out of place as true fear petrified him. He thought he could almost see it, as if dread had manifested into physical form and hidden somewhere in the room, his eyes frantically tried to pierce the dark by the lamp, the stool, behind the piano, it was close and it seethed. 

Barely able to breathe his eyes snapped to the open door of his Mother’s room. From where he lay embedded in the safety of the couch, through the doorway he could see the mirrored door of the closet. On the wrong side of the mirror, a shadow vexed, everything about it was wretched, somehow even darker than the room, it violently paced the mirror. With a horrifying tenacity, it began throwing itself against the glass and fighting its way across the fragile threshold, ramming forwards without retreat it pressed its body through one piece at a time, mouth agape in a silent scream, it forced its contorted shape unyieldingly and landed at the foot of his mother’s bed. Alexander was deafened by the sound of his own heartbeat, he wondered how his sister was still asleep and watched in horror as the shadow fully stretched to its unnervingly inhuman hight.

Careful not to move, not to draw attention, he prayed for the nightmare to be over, prayed that he might wake at any moment. His ears strained and for all his effort, he could hear nothing, not the slightest sound. Not the hot breeze nor the noise of the old ceiling fan above him, not even his heartbeat that only seconds before seemed all-consuming. Everything makes a noise, no matter how quiet it’s trying to be, everything but this shadow. Alexander’s eyes were glued to the creature’s every movement, it stood perfectly still and looked around her room. Unsatisfied, it began to search throughout the rest of the house. It walked across the hallway and into the lounge room directly in front of him The boy’s mind defaulted back to a base level as it anchored him perfectly still so that just maybe he wouldn’t be seen.

The shadow was impossibly tall almost scraping the ceiling. Unencumbered it shrank only slightly for doorways; as it seemed to be looking for someone specific.

‘It ignored mum and walked away from my sister’s room’ Alexander thought, he watched rooted in fear as the shadow crossed the lounge-room again either content or oblivious enough to ignore the ‘sleeping’ child. Something about the way it walked reminded Alexander of his father, it bothered the boy and left him feeling increasingly uneasy. Mid stride, it stopped instantly. With no residual momentum, the creature paused unnaturally, defying nature. Its head snapped and two burning red holes locked on to him.

Those eye! For a moment they were red tail lights, fading in to darkness as his father drove away for the last time. They turned to the deep glowing red coals of a dying fire. The shadow took a single stride toward the boy and closed the large distance between them faster than Alexander’s mind could comprehend.

Its wide brimmed hat blotted out the rest of the room behind it, forcing the boy to look fear personified in the eye. With its face only inches away, Alex felt the cold exude above him as if he were standing in front of an open freezer. Its eyes flared in hatred and a too-long, boney finger rose to his’s lips.

“Shhhhhhh!” 

With a single whisper, Alexander’s mind nearly shattered. 

Slowly it traced a line from the pale boy’s lips up to his forehead and stopped, hovering, just shy of touching him. Sickly long nails made a clawing motion as Alexander felt a crushing pressure simultaneously tearing and pushing inside his skull; reaching the darkest corners of his mind. He couldn’t move, couldn’t scream, couldn’t think. The only thing the helpless boy could do is watch. The shadow opened its mouth wide with head cocked exposing a row of black, dagger-sharp teeth. 

Standing abruptly, it retreated. Dismissing the child as unworthy of any further attention it disappeared through the kitchen door to continue its search. Alexander lay catatonic while tears silently dampened his pillow. Afraid to close his eyes, afraid to have them open, afraid of what he might hear, afraid for his mother, his little sister.

Slowly the darkness of night receded as did Alexander’s fear with each passing moment that the creature had not reappeared. His eyes began to flutter and relax into their regular state while the world slowly turned from black to gray then to color as the Sun began to rise in full. Alexander’s Mum was next to wake up and walking into the lounge she casually asked.

“Too hot in your room?”

“Yeah, it was” Alex rubbed his eye with the heel of his palm. 

“Mum……was there…..was anyone else in the house last night?” 

A little surprised by the question, her brows rose.

“Of course not, just me, you and Olivia.”

“That’s what I was afraid of,” Alexander deflated.

“What?! What happened?” She enquired trying to keep much of the concern from her voice. 

Unwilling to stay in the lounge any longer Alexander peeled himself from the couch, finally moving from the position in which he’d been frozen. His muscles and bones ached from the hours of tension, he could barely walk. He slowly led her into the bright kitchen and nervously explained what had happened. Although she tried to remain calm, Alexander could see that she too was shaken.

“It sounds like you just had a vivid dream, sweetheart.”

“Mum, I’ve had nightmares before, I could tell this wasn’t a nightmare!” Alexander vigorously ran his fingers through his hair.

“You couldn’t tell it was a nightmare when you woke up?” She probed.

“I never woke up, because I never got to sleep in the first place!”

Her heart broke for her Son and they remained silent for some time as they sat at the kitchen table. 

“Ok, I know you don’t scare easily. I’m worried about you though, do you think this has something to do with your father leaving?”

The sound of small bare feet slapping on the slate floor down the hallway alerting them to Olivias approach.

“It’s better if you don’t tell your Sister. Let’s have some breakfast.”

Alex nodded. “Ok.”

As the family ate together, Olivia and his Mother chatted about what they were going to do for the day. Alex could think of nothing but the shadow man.

“How are you doing, darlin’?” Alexander’s Mum said wrapping an arm around his shoulder and pulling him in close to her side as Olivia chased the cat, Lilly, into the yard outside.

“I’m ok, just thinking about it.”

“Oh. Any revelations? Do you maybe need to talk to someone else? A professional?”

“What? No! I think…..I think it was looking for Dad. He ignored you, walked right past Olivia’s room and it seemed to only approached me because I saw him. It was right in front of me, I could feel it, mum, it was so close to me but it didn’t do anything to me. What if….WHAT IF,  it was looking for dad?”

Alexander’s Mum was silent, unsure of how to comfort and calm him.

“And you know what else? He walked like Dad too!” 

She gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze and they again sat in silence for what seemed like hours.

. . . Like Son

20 years later…

“I still don’t believe in Halloween! I mean, I get it. The dressing up and attending parties is fun. Kids out on the street trick or treating guarded by overly attentive parents that are trying to look casual about their children knocking on stranger’s doors. Everyone’s in a good mood as they politely compliment one another’s costumes and creativity. But as far as the one night of the year where the veil between our world and the supernatural is the thinnest….. Come on.”

Alexander monologued to his wife as they hung decorations through their kitchen.

“How can you say that! After the story you tell me every single year about when you were a kid!” Kelly replied, shaking her head in disbelief.

“You married an enigma,” Alexander said with a shrug.

“Was that when your father changed?”

“No, he started to change around the previous Halloween. That’s when he slowly became cruel and unforgiving. Eventually, we just stopped seeing him and I don’t think he cared.” Alexander replied and Kelly caught his sideways glance in to the living room.

“You’re not your father,” Kelly reassured him, gently cupping his face in the palm of her hands, she forced him to look her in the eye a moment before stretching her neck up to kiss him.

‘Ding’ The microwave sounded.

“It’s ready! It’s ready!” The excited seven year old yelled running into the kitchen.

Kelly scooped him up before he could reach the microwave, and planted a big kiss on his cheek.

“Mu-um!” The boy exclaimed through a crumpled up his face.

“You two get the movie ready and I’ll fix the popcorn,” Alexander said.

He stood watching for a moment as Kelly put their son down and with a push, sent him running to the lounge-room.

Grabbing the popcorn out of the microwave, added a little salt and butter then tossed the popcorn in the large bowl. Carrying it over to the lounge, Alexander sat at one end of the couch and Kelly at the other with their son between them.

“Ready?” Alexander asked.

“Ready!” The boy said enthusiastically.

The family gorged themselves on popcorn and candy as they watched Kelly’s favorite Halloween movie, ‘Hocus Pocus’. Not quite a movie to scare yourself senseless but besides, they wanted their son, Zach, to sleep tonight.

After an evening of misquoted movie lines, questions about virgins and the prospect of a pet cat named Binx; Kelly put Zach to bed while Alexander tidied up the lounge and kitchen. Walking into their bedroom, it was clear that Kelly was already half asleep. Removing his watch he checked the time. 11:30

“Yep, we are a wild lot around here,” Alexander muttered under his breath.

“You say something?” Kelly said through half-closed eyes.

“No, nothing hun.” Alexander closed his eyes and began to relax.

The New York lampposts glowed yellow and warm, offering a sense of comfort and somehow making the cold night air feel a little less jarring. Their soft illumination threw slanted shadows across the alleyway that ran behind the row of quaint townhouses. Alexander held his breath in a tense silence and crept slowly down the alley, careful not to make a sound. Stepping over the water-filled gutter that trickled through the alley lengthways, the silence was soon shattered by a woman’s ghastly screams.

Bursting through a rear gate from one of the townhouses she staggers to a halt, frantically her eyes dart from Alexander back to the townhouse and the terrified woman hugs her arms to her chest.

“Please, she’s still in there with it. Help her, help her.” Without conscious thought, Alexander’s feet start moving toward her, reaching out she clutches his hand in both of hers.

“Please, please, she’s still in there!”

“Who is?” He asks in confusion.

“My daughter! Please help her!”

Alexander ran through the open gate and up the small path taking the dozen or so stairs two at a time. Shoving open the back door it bounces off the wall and he takes a few steps into the unfamiliar hallway. The inside of the house was so dimly lit that it barely gave shape to the furniture or surroundings. As quietly as possible, Alexander fumbled the sides of the doorframe in search of a light switch. Locating the small toggle, he flicked it up…down…up again and… nothing happened.

“Great” Alex whispered to himself, he took a calming breath and began to creep down the long narrow hall. His sweaty palms clenched into tight fists and nervous shallow breaths only exacerbate his ever-growing anxiety.

‘Click’. The noise sounded like a thunderclap that reverberated throughout the house. Alexander froze as his mind raced, attempting to decipher what it could be. In less than a second, he’d assessed and discarded a dozen rational possibilities but his labored breath brought with it a dizziness and lack of clarity that soon led his mind to conjure more irrational possibilities. Until, looking back the way he came in, Alexander let out a sigh of relief as he saw the backdoor had completed its slow swing shut and simply latched back in to place. He nearly laughed as he put one foot in front of the other and peered around the corner of each doorway leading off the hall ensuring it was free from danger before moving on. Room after room held nothing of interest, no tipped over tables, no broken cabinetry, no sign that anything was wrong at all. No sign of the girl that the woman spoke of.

The woman’s voice echoed in his mind ‘She’s still in there with it!’

Not ‘him’ or ‘her’ or the ‘dog’ or any animal.

She said ‘It’

Alexander stopped in his tracks, a cold sweat prickled his skin and his legs suddenly felt wavy and weak.

‘GULP’ Alexander swallowed hard, caught in a stranglehold, he could feel it. The same unmistakable wrongness from all those years ago. Time had done nothing to dull the fear that flooded through every part of him as his mind recalled the look of panic on the woman’s face. Alexander’s moment of paralysis was broken by furious banging on the front door at the opposite end of the hall. The shape of a man silhouetted by blue and red flashing lights.

“This is the police, open up!” Alexander hurried quickly toward the officer only sparing a glance into each room as he went along. His eyes landed on the floor where right above on the wall was an air vent with a black iron grille half ripped off and hanging. Alexander registered the oddity of it but such was his need for help he didn’t give it any more of his attention.

As he rushed towards the front door, lights flashing rhythmically as the officer continued pounding, Alexander was so fixated on reaching the door that he barely had time see the shadow unfold from the air vent, and launch itself at him. Alexander jumped away trying to avoid the hungry fingers eager to sink their nails in to his flesh. The shadow changed direction mid strike and caught his ankle. Alexander landed awkwardly and froze as another hand sunk deep in to his thigh. Unable to move he had to watch in paralyzed fear yet again as the shadow used him to pull itself the rest of the way out of the air vent and up to its full height, but still it kept its head down.

He wanted to cry, to scream, to run away, to hide, to do anything but lay there completely defenseless. The shadow raised its head to look its victim in the eyes. Alexander let out a scream as a dark demented version of his own face screamed back at him. Its deep red eyes consumed his entire vision a moment before it stepped in to him. 

‘BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG’.

“POLICE. OPEN THIS DOOR NOW OR WE’LL DO IT FOR YOU!”

The shadow twisted and bent inside him in ways that cracked and broke his bones, as it became acquainted with a physical body. Alexander could feel himself losing all control as the presence of the sinister being flayed his mind, flashing horrific images far beyond his own darkest thoughts had ever reached. The panic and utter terror that gripped him was unlike anything he’d ever felt. It tore at him, tried to beat him into submission and kill his consciousness, it wanted full control, it wanted everything in his mind. Alexander became aware that everything he knew was exposed to this creature, people, places, his love and hate, his secrets. His fears.

“What would happen if this thing could access it all. Oh God, what would happen to Kelly…to our son!?”

The thought of his family renewed Alexander’s will to fight. With all the force he could salvage, he stretched out his fingers and holding his palms wide, he imagined pushing the thing from his body. He  held the air in front of him like a vice as he let out an anguished war-cry.

Part of the shadow started to bleed out of his palms as it clawed to stay inside him.

The front door crashed open and the police officer barged in with his weapon drawn and pointed at Alexander’s chest, walking toward Alexander at a steady and even pace, the gun never wavering, not for a moment.

Alexander’s mind became divided, distracted by the officer’s demanding tone but unable to distinguish words he continued to fight the shadow inside. The shadow seized the opportunity and gouged deep into his memory and thoughts, devouring them. Alexander couldn’t keep up, he had no choice but to relinquish the internal struggle. He tried to move but he didn’t have full control of his body. Shaking with the strain, Alexander tried to warn the officer not to get too close but it was nearly impossible to speak.

With a gun pointed at him and the officer growing increasingly agitated he had to try. Eyes closed he bore witness to the monster inside him and exhaustedly breathed through each syllable of the word.

“Po…..sse…..sion”

The officer reached out a hand and slowly holstered his gun.

“It’s going to be alright. I’m here for you, I’m here to help.”

Though he wasn’t entirely sure what the officer could do, Alexander was relieved.

The officer gently held Alexander’s shoulders.

I need to warn him again he thought.

“Po…..sse…..sion”

With a barely contained rage, the officer hisses, “SSSSHHHHHUT UP! You’ll never win. It’s only a matter of time before your mind and body are his!” And for a second, the officers eyes flicker red.

“NO……NO……HOW…..” Alexander screams in his mind as the shadow latches to the back of his skull. Burrowing through his mind, tearing off pieces of his life and consuming them, making them part of himself as he feeds greedily on thoughts and memories. Denying that this could be happening, there’s a glimmer of hope that comes from opening his eyes and seeing that the officer is gone. Vanished.

‘What if it’s a dream?’ His thought barely forms and the fight for his mind becomes furious. Alexander realizes that he has to try to pull himself out before there is nothing left of him. Alexander pulls again and again he tries to wake and with a final heave…

Kelly was resting up on one arm with her other hand on his chest as he gasped for air.

“Alex…..It’s ok Alex.” The sound of her voice is enough to instantly put him at ease. The compassion, patience and love that she had for him, was everything thing that he would ever need in this world.

The morning sun streamed through the window behind her, bathing her in a golden light.

“She’s so beautiful,” he thought and slowly began to relax in the comfort and calm she effortlessly bought him.

“It’s alright, you were just having a bad dream” She cooed.

Alexander still couldn’t speak, he didn’t trust his voice not to break.

“It’s okay. I’m here.” Kelly repeats, soothing him.

Closing his eyes, he started to breathe.

‘In for 4, hold for 4, out for 4.’

He opens his eyes and begins to explain his dream to Kelly, so intently she listens as he recalls the horrifying images and helpless feeling.

“KELLY! Kelly, why are you so small, why are you so far?” he yells. Kelly’s arm appears to stretch impossibly long to touch and comfort him, but he can barely make out her face and Alexander’s mistaken safety is ripped from him and instantly.

Coiled up inside him full of anticipation to strike it launches an all-out assault clawing to gain hold of any memories and feelings it can reach. Alexander tried to imagine a wall around them. He tried to lock it in. Cage it in a small part of his mind. The creature gains little purchase, to begin with, but progressively it builds and swells, shoving hard against the walls until they shatter. Alexander’s memories and feelings are being stolen right before him. The light and vivid mosaic that was his life are now being replaced with black holes of nothing. The war raged, every memory a new battle. Fear, hatred, and desperation drive a merciless struggle that might tear his mind asunder.

“Don’t fight, don’t fight it. Let him in, it will all be over soon.” He could hear Kelly encourage him to give up the fight. Her once sweet voice now as nails on a chalkboard tearing at his eardrums and making his skin crawl.

“It’s not her….It’s not her” he thought.

All of it had been a deception to make him feel at ease and he had been fooled by the cunning creature. It was using his memories, his love, and his greatest fears to control and persuade him, each time consuming more of him. Alexander tried again to rip himself from what must be another dream, adrenalin drives him to act as he spurts the only word that he can from.

“Po…..sse…..sion”

“Po…..sse…..sion”

“POSSESSION”

Screaming the word like a mantra, a focal point for all of his effort, and with all the will he can muster Alexander heaves.

“If I can’t have it, then neither can you.”

Alexander gives one final heave and his mind begins to tear apart rendering it useless to either of them. In an instant there’s no resistance.

Alexander woke again, his body covered in a cold sweat and while his eyes begin to focus he falls back to the bed from exhaustion and tries to catch his breath. From the corner of his eye, he sees the mirror at the end of his bed shake as a shadow disappears from its edge, but he can’t be sure and he’s entirely too tired to give it thought now.

The room is dark and cold, a scared voice whispers

“Alex?”

“Yes, sweetheart.” He replied softly as his head rolls to the side and he searches for Kelly in the darkness. His shaking and terrified wife is wrapped up in the blankets with her back against the wall, knees tucked up under her chin.

“What’s happening?”

“Nothing sweetheart, It was just a bad dream.” He lies to both of them.

You’ve been screaming……you’ve been screaming Possession over and over”

“It’s ok, I’m ok now. I’m going to turn the light on.”

Swinging his legs out of bed and dragging himself to his feet, Alexander checks the time on his phone 2:43 am. Sitting back on the bed and thinking about what had just happened, staring at the wall across the room Alexander tries to organize his thoughts. As he recalls the memories of the dream, he extrapolates.

“What happened?” Kelly’s voice shakily asks.

“I could feel its desperation to kill my consciousness and claim my mind. It needs total control in order to possess me fully in the waking world”

Alexander wasn’t completely sure how he knew that. The knowledge didn’t feel like his own. He now shared something with the shadow as if part of him had been ripped away and replaced. The hatred it had for him was extraordinary, it hated that Alexander was alive and it wasn’t. Hated that Alexander lived in a world of light and color while he was forced to reside in darkness and pain.

“It didn’t expect such a fight.”

“What?” Kelly asks confused and still frightened

Turning to his wife, he spoke in a flat, cold voice. “Next year, I’ll be ready for it.”

“Ready for what? Next year? What, Alex, I’m scared!”

“I’m sorry Kelly, I must be half asleep and not making any sense“ Alexander rolled his shoulders.

“I’m going to get some pain killers.” He looked back at his scared wife and smiled sadly.

“Everything’s going to be fine.” He lied to the both of them.

Throat dry and head pounding, he made his way into the kitchen and before he could flick on the light, a tiny stifled gasp came from the corner. Startled by the noise Alexander searched the dark almost instantly found his son, his seven-year-old huddled on the floor. His back pressed firmly against the cupboards and knees tucked up under his chin as he tries to make himself as small as possible, head buried in his arms.

Alexander tentatively steps forward and drops down to the ground in front of his son.

“Buddy. Buddy, you okay?” His voice relaying none of his own inner turmoil.

With arms still wrapped tightly around knees, Zach lifted his head and his wide bloodshot eyes darted around the room. Alexander reached out his hand and placed it on his sons knee in an effort to comfort him.

His tongue felt like sandpaper and his teeth ached as all sense of calm left him. His muscles tighten and his jaw began to flex.

Zach shook uncontrollably. “Did it leave?”

“Did. What. Leave?” Struggling to form the words, Alexander no longer had complete control of his speech.

“The shadow man that looks like you.” Zach’s drawn face stared up at him and Alexander’s grip constricted painfully around the most precious thing in the world to him.

“Dad?”

The shadow struck, this time it was all out assault and assumed control of his body. Alexander’s lips drew back in a rictus smile, exposing his teeth as he slowly raised his finger to the boy’s lips and whispered.

“SHHHHHHHHHHH”

Alexander snatched back control of his body enough to run for the front door, scooping up his car keys he barely paused to fling the door wide. He could feel the darkness pushing back as his fingers fumbled to unlock the car door. Tearing the door open he threw himself in to the car and slammed the keys in the ignition. The engine roared to life.

“Stop!” Alexander’s eyes snapped to the rearview mirror. Kelly stood terrified in the doorway with their son hugging her leg.

Alexander’s eyes brimmed with tears.

“I’m sorry” he gently whispered before shoving the car in drive and speeding away as fast as he could.

Kelly lifted her son and the boy watched as his fathers red tail lights disappeared in to darkness. 

Alexander needed to put as much distance between himself and the ones he loved. He looked at his home in the rearview mirror fading in to the distance. “I’m so sorry I had to leave you.” He said to Kelly and Zach.

Alexander caught sight his own face staring un-naturally back at him, the mirror image flickered to one of darkness and shadow. 

“I’ll never leave you.”

THE END