The Mirror by J. Morris (read dune txt) 📕

it was so obvious. She had the appearance of a child trying to keep a secret, but can’t. After a good night’s sleep, things seemed to have settled somewhat in her mind. Her initial shock and disbelief had changed to hope and excitement. Even at the young age of 22 Mary was very philosophical about life, about the universe. Unlike most girls her age who were more practical and materialistic, she was a deep thinker, and believed there were so many mysteries in the world, in the universe. She believed in love and she believed that true love will always find a way. She saw nothing to be afraid of in Danny, and she wanted to see where it takes her.

          “I’ve met a boy,” she said trying to keep her excitement under control.

Adele’s mouth hung open, her mind refusing to believe this revelation. She leaned forward across the table and asked in a low, surprised tone “You what???”

“It’s just early days, Adele, but I think I’ve found someone.”

“Well come on. Share. What’s his name? What’s he look like? When will I meet him?”

“Shhhh!” said Mary, looking around as if afraid others would hear of her secret.

“His name’s Danny,” she whispered. “I just met him yesterday. He’s not from around here and he’s kind of new in town.”

“Well come on, spill” said Adele. “What is he like?”

“Hmm. Well… he’s cute, of course. My age. Blonde hair. Nice bod. I’ve seen him with his shirt off!” she whispered excitedly, but she stopped short of divulging the full story of what she had seen.

 They both giggled and Adele’s eyes widened in amazement.

“I’ve never seen you like this Mary. This guy must be something real special.”

“Yeh,” said Mary, “I think he is. I think maybe he’s the one, Adele. But it’s only early days yet.”

“So when do you see him again?”

“I’m hoping to see him tonight.”

“Does he live around here?” asked Adele.

“He actually lives in the same apartment building.”

“What? Get outta here!” said Adele. “Fancy that.” She leaned closer and whispered “handy for those late night rendezvous, hey Mary?”

Mary blushed. She held up both hands and crossed her fingers, grinning at Adele, who laughed out loud at this rare show of humour from Mary.

“This guy is definitely good for you, Mary. It’s so good to see you so happy.”

“Thanks,” replied Mary. “We’ll see where it goes.”

Adele rose to go back to work and as she passed she gave Mary a hug from behind.

“Good luck” she said. “You deserve it.”

“And make sure you keep me up to date. Ok?” said Adele as she walked away.

Mary nodded.

 

 

 

 

           Danny Jackson lay back on his bed in apartment 27 at 2048 Stirling Rd.

The events of the previous night were swirling in his mind. Who was Mary, this girl from the future? How can it be real? Danny had always believed in paranormal occurrences, but now that he had witnessed one, it all seemed so unreal, so unbelievable. Yet he had felt Mary’s energy. He had felt much more than energy coming through the mirror. Mary was beautiful. Not in the classic sense. Not a playboy centrefold kind of beautiful, but beautiful nonetheless. There was something about her that ran much deeper than flesh, and he wanted to know more.

            Danny’s life had been far from perfect up to that point. Shunned by his drug addicted parents, he had been in the foster system since he was three years old. His parents had never tried to get him back; in fact Danny didn’t even know where they were. For all he knew they could be dead, and vice versa.

            Danny had been in and out of the juvenile system for most of his young years and had recently finished a stint in an adult prison. He had been released just 2 months before. The jail sentence had been the last straw and Danny was determined to make something of his life, to leave his life of crime in the past. His parole officer had found him a job at the local greengrocer, and Danny was trying hard to impress his boss, to repay his kindness and willingness to give him a new chance at life.

            Freshly out of jail and with no friends (he didn’t want any more contact with his old criminal acquaintances) Danny spent most of his spare time in his small apartment. He had developed a love of books while in jail, and spent much of his spare time reading. It was cheap entertainment. He couldn’t afford such luxuries as computers yet, but had bought a cheap mobile phone.

           Danny felt that he was at a crucial turning point in his life. He now had his first job.

Although he had succumbed to peer pressure and turned to crime, he had never taken drugs, he had never gone down the same path as his parents, and he knew he never would.

           Now 20 years old, he craved female companionship. Night after night Danny sat on his bed thinking about it. He wasn’t a virgin by any means. He had been with girls many times during his teenage years; girls who wanted to be part of the gang that Danny was a member of. The girls meant nothing; to him they were just a bit of fun, but Danny now wanted something more. He wanted a real relationship, someone to share their mind as well as their body, someone to love. No one had ever loved Danny. He wondered if he would even recognise the feeling if and when he found it. But the moment he laid eyes on Mary a light switched on in Danny’s mind, and looking into her eyes brought a previously unknown feeling into his heart.

            He looked into the full length mirror in front of him on the other side of the room. It was 8.30 PM. The same time Mary had appeared the previous night, and he wondered if she would again appear. He prayed that she would. He studied his reflection, at the image Mary would have seen.

           Shirtless, wearing only jeans, he rose from his bed and gazed at his image. He stood six feet tall, with blue eyes and blonde hair with a ‘prison haircut’, beginning to grow out into a normal style. He thought his face looked a little hardened. He blamed his lifestyle for that.  Still, he considered himself reasonably good looking. He was slim but toned, with a muscular chest, a wide back and large biceps, having worked out most days in the prison gym. Going to an adult prison had had its advantages, such as the job he now has, but as a young man prison life held its horrors at the hands of older inmates. On his first night in prison the guards had allowed 4 older inmates into his cell, and his life of hell had begun. After that night his cellmate claimed him as his ‘girlfriend’ and gave him protection from the others, but at a cost. Danny had done things. Things he knows he can never tell anyone about for fear of reliving them. Things he had hidden in his mind, locked away, hoping to never see them again in memory, but which kept resurfacing to torment him.

 

            Mary was a mystery. Could she really be from the future, or is his loneliness and craving for a companion causing his mind to play tricks. He recalled the first time something had appeared in the mirror, a fleeting image that he couldn’t quite make out. One moment there was a faint light in the mirror and the next there was just darkness. He wondered if Mary had seen him that night. She hadn’t mentioned seeing anything. Maybe she was just being polite, or was just too embarrassed to bring up the subject. Either way, she seemed friendly and he had seen something in her eyes that made him think she was a lot like him: lonely and in need of companionship.

            He wondered if he would see her again…if she was real in the first place. Or was it just a one-off thing, a paranormal occurrence? A glitch in time. A gate that Danny or Mary had somehow opened. Had they opened it together by thinking about the same thing at the same time? Can it be opened again or will it stay closed forever, the time/ space continuum having realigned itself. Unexplainable. And unbelievable to anyone who might hear the story from Danny.

           He recalled asking her if he will see her again, and his question went unanswered. Maybe that WAS the answer. Sometimes silence can say so much more than words.

Danny prayed for just one chance. Just a chance with Mary, but he didn’t hold out much hope. What could Mary possibly see in a parolee anyway, a guy who just started his first job…ever. Danny swore to himself right then, that if he got that one last chance, that he would be completely open and honest. He would tell her of his past and of his hopes for his future. He would tell her everything, and she could decide. He wanted to do something right in his life, something honest, regardless of the outcome.

          The image of Mary appeared in Danny’s imagination. He stared into the mirror, picturing Mary’s face, as if willing her to the mirror. His stare was so intense it could have burned a hole in the glass. The glass appeared to become hazy, frosty. His reflection was somehow distorted slightly.

          The glass seemed to clear a little and Danny thought he could see the bedsheet over the mirror, and a soft light filtering through the fabric. He stood there for what seemed like an hour, but it was actually only a few minutes.

          Danny watched as fingers appeared on the other side, pulling aside the sheet slightly, and Mary peered in. They stared at each other, wide eyed, and then Mary pulled the sheet off and let it fall to the floor and stood there, dressed in her work uniform. She went to her bedside table to get her pad and pencil, and Danny did the same.

“Hi,” wrote Mary.

“Hi,” he answered.

There was an extended few moments as they stood staring.

“Are you real?” wrote Mary.

Danny nodded. “And you’re real too, I know you are.” he wrote.

Mary nodded in reply.

“I don’t know what’s going on,” he wrote, “but this must be happening for a reason.”

“But what?” she replied.

Danny shrugged. He thought for a few moments.

“I don’t know, but I want to try and find out. I hope you do too.”

Mary quickly nodded without hesitation, and then worried that she might have appeared too eager. She didn’t want to come across as desperate. She tried backpedalling a little.

“Yes, I suppose we could,” she wrote. “I think I’d like that.”

They looked thoughtfully for a few moments, both searching for something to say. It was like being on a first date with a complete stranger and trying to start a conversation.

“So….” wrote Danny.

“So…” echoed Mary, and shrugged.

“So what do you do when you’re not working Mary? Do you have any hobbies?”
“Not really,” she replied, “but I love reading.”

“Me too” he replied. “What kind of books do you like?”

“Romances,” she wrote. “And psychological books as well, and books about paranormal subjects. Things like that.”

“Me too,” he replied. “Although not so much the romance.”

Mary smiled at that. “They say that the kind of books people read is an indication of their personalities. They say book lovers are secretive people,” she wrote.

“Are you a secretive person, Mary?”
“Yes, I think I am” she replied after a few second’s thought.

“Me too. I know I am. I have so many secrets,” he wrote.

Mary studied Danny’s face. “Same here.”

They smiled at each other, trustingly.

 “Do you like Chinese food Mary?” he wrote.

“Ooh, love it,” she replied.

“Pick up your favourite tomorrow night, and I’ll do the same. Meet you here at 6.30?”

“Ooh” repeated Mary. “Are you asking me on a date?”

“Are you accepting?”

“I asked first,” she