Through the Mirror

The windows rattled and susurration of the storm emanated as the boisterous winds bellowed against the fragile windows. The mighty trees swung to and from as they withstood the surge of the torrential downpour and menacing winds. The nature took a sinister form and unleashed its fury on that portentous night.

The table lamp illuminated the desk on which rested an open book along with a few scattered pens. Neeraj adjusted himself comfortably on the chair as he flipped through the pages of his Physics book. He glanced at the absolute sheet of darkness which lingered outside the uncurtained window. He was a bespectacled sixteen year old boy. He had a slim structure with a round head and almond shaped eyes. He had a hooked nose and wavy hair which rested over his small forehead.

He could not deny the discomfort which lingered in his mind. His attention had been diverted by the dread which lurked deep in his heart. He could feel that it was getting whispery in the house. A menacing darkness had enveloped the house; the sinister winds had been roaring outside. He had never been alone in the house before. He had always been haunted by his new residence, which rested amidst the solitary vicinity. His exams were knocking on the door, because of which he could not accompany his parents and his younger brother to the marriage ceremony of a relative. He had always boasted of having a strong heart, but now he could not. His dread had begun to engulf him; a dread which he knew nothing about. But, he propelled himself out of his menacing thoughts and made a partially successful attempt to revert his mind back to studies.

A few more hours passed. The clock displayed the time as quarter past ten as Neeraj shut his book and pushed it to a corner of the table. He stood up and rummaged through the untidy pile of books and notebooks; it was proved that he had made a vain attempt to find his Biology textbook.

As he stood in despair, it struck him that he had left his book in his parent’s room. He had to perform the daunting task of stepping out into the dark and bringing the book back to his room. A chill crept down his spine as he glanced at the dark corridor through his open door. He felt as if the menacing darkness had begun to choke him. He was being intimidated by the abode of darkness which lingered outside the comforting light of his room. His dread had begun to gulp him.

But, he mustered up his courage and reached for his pair of slippers, which rested beside the bed. He walked steadily towards the door and extended his arm to reach for the switchboard, which rested on one of the walls of the unilluminated corridor. As he pressed the switch, a buzzing sound emanated; the lights flickered for a few moments until they went off.

‘Why are the lights malfunctioning!’ Neeraj gasped in horror. Sweat trickled down his temples as he gazed at the menacing darkness which stretched on indefinitely on either side.

He lurched back towards the room and returned with his phone. He switched on the flashlight with his quivering hands and flashed it against the sinister corridor. The yellow light emanating from it scattered the darkness and formed a narrow passage.

He traced the path formed by the light as he groped through the dark corridor. He walked cautiously as he clung to the wall, grasping the phone in one arm. He could only hear the rapid beating of his heart in the solitude. His mouth had become dry and his whole body had been cloaked by sweat.

As he lumbered towards the end of the creepy corridor, he was astounded to see the silhouette of a human figure speeding through the small corridor, which stood perpendicular to the one that he was in. At that instant, he stopped dead on his tracks and his blood froze. He stumbled on the floor. His eyes dilated and his body shuddered. He gazed at the darkness ahead of him for a few moments. The enigmatic figure had disappeared into the darkness. As he returned back to his senses, he groped for his phone on the floor. As he stood upright, he clung to the wall and supported his wobbly legs. He could only hear the sound of his heavy breathing; the intimidating solitude had shrouded everything around him.

‘I – a-am on-nly hal-luci-hallucinating!’ he reassured himself, as he limped forward, in a voice infused with dread.

He turned right as the long and dark corridor culminated. He staggered towards the door opening into his parent’s room, which stood a meter ahead of him. As he came to a halt, he leaned against the door and placed his hand on the knob. A crackling sound emanated as the knob turned and the door flung open.

The room had been illuminated by a blue dim light. A large bed rested in the rightmost corner of the room, beside which stood a curtained window. A closet had been placed opposite to the bed, and a small table stood beside it. But, Neeraj’s eyes were transfixed on the large and intricately designed, oval-shaped mirror, which stared at anyone walking in through the door.

The mirror had been encircled by dark and grotesque patterns, which were intricately carved. The room had been embellished by this remarkable antique mirror. Neeraj had always experienced a discomfort when he looked into the remarkable piece of art. It had been one of the many beautiful objects their family had brought a month back to embellish their new home.

As Neeraj gazed at himself in the mirror for a few more moments, a dread began to creep down his spine. He was oblivious of the streams of sweat trickling down his temples.

“Ha ha ha!” a distant maniacal laugh emanated from the mirror.

Neeraj staggered backward as he heard the blood curdling guffaw. As his body stood transfixed to the floor, the maniacal laugh began to grow louder with every passing moment. His eyes dilated as they transfixed to the mirror ahead of him. The laughter seemed closer…closer…closer…closer. As Neeraj braced himself for the worst, the dark figure of a child walked out of the mirror. He struck Neeraj with his shoulder as he rushed towards the door. He laughed even louder in delight as Neeraj stumbled on the bed. Even in the darkness, Neeraj could see the bright and intimidating eyes of the small boy; he wore a vicious expression.

‘He is my brother!’ Neeraj gasped in horror as he glanced at the figure running out of the room and disappearing into the darkness.

Neeraj convulsed in dread and astonishment. He knew he was not hallucinating; he was not mistaken; not at least this time. His body froze as he found himself in the grasp of the darkness and the enigma around him. He felt as if the blue dim light around him had begun to grow darker; as if it had been slowly acquiring a black hue. As he lay on the bed like a living effigy, darkness had almost engulfed everything.

He was dazed by the nightmare he had been going through. As it began to grow darker and he began to lose his consciousness, he could see the fiendish figures of three human beings standing near his bed. He knew them: his mom, his dad and his little brother Raghav. But, they wore a vicious expression; they had disheveled hair with bulging eyes, which gleamed with indignation. As his eyes flickered, the figures in front of him became obscured. Soon, darkness set in everywhere.

As Neeraj regained his consciousness, his eyes flickered as they adjusted to the heavy lighting. He found himself seated on the sofa in the living room. The dining table had been embellished by the plethora of dishes assembled atop it. He was puzzled; he did not what had occurred after he had lost his consciousness. ‘Was that a hallucination? The three human figures! Where are they!’

“Where were you all this time, my son?” Neeraj was astounded by the voice of his mother. He tried to move his body to find her; but he realized that he could not move. As he strained his neck a little with great difficulty, he saw the life-sized dummies of his mom, dad and brother.

“Where were you all this time, my son?” the lips of his mom’s dummy moved again. Neeraj was bewildered; he could now see the dread and grief gleaming in the eyes of the three dummies. As he glanced at himself one more time, he realized that they had all become dummies.

“Let’s have a great dinner!” he heard a man calling to his two sons and his wife; the man exactly resembled his father. He was being followed into the living room by his wife and two sons. He could see his family rejoicing and having a feast together.

In the midst of having their dinner, the man who resembled his father spoke, “The gullible family of this world should not have bought the mirror; it grants access to our world.”

“Well, is that a problem?” his wife asked, “They have been turned into dummies and they won’t be able to raise their head again. Let us rejoice for now.”

“Sure,” the man remarked as he clutched the glass of wine.