by R. L. Austin
Emily jerked upright in her chair. “We? What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about getting out of here. All we need is the triad and the watch. I can’t get to them, but you can.”
“No!”
“Why not?”
“I can’t!” Emily stressed. “It’s impossible.”
“But you have to,” Tyler insisted. “I’ve been gone for days, and Mom probably thinks I’m dead by now.”
“You don’t understand.” Emily hunched closer to the mirror and lowered her voice. “I can’t. My uncle keeps everything in his study, and it’s locked. The only key I have is to the front door.”
“But you’re the only one who can help me. If you don’t, I could be stuck in here forever. Emily, please! Think about how your parents would feel if you disappeared. I’m all that Mom has left, and she won’t even have me if I don’t get out of here.”
Emily stared at the doll while she considered her options. If she tried and got caught, her uncle would kick her family out. San Francisco was still new to her, and she didn’t like the idea of being homeless in a strange place. If she did nothing, though, Tyler would remain trapped in the mirror and have no more reason to talk to her.
The prospect of Tyler never talking to her again felt worse than her fear of being homeless, even her fear of Uncle Mansel. Losing Tyler would be losing the only friend she had in San Francisco. The first couple of weeks had been very lonely, but she hadn’t felt lonely since she first talked to this invisible boy in the mirror. Almost unbidden, another thought flashed through Emily’s mind: Tyler might be as cute as his voice. She reached a decision. “Tyler?”
“Yeah!”
“I could try, but it will have to be on Saturday night.”
“Is that tomorrow?” Tyler asked.
“No, tomorrow is Friday. But Uncle Mansel always leaves for a couple of hours on Saturday night, and my parents are going out to dinner. It’s the only chance I’ll get.”
“That’s perfect! Thank you, thank you!”
Emily held up her hands to stop him. “But I’m not promising anything.” She hoped Tyler would not be too disappointment if she failed. “All I can do is try.”
“I know you’ll get in there.” Tyler sounded much more confident than Emily was feeling. “You’ve just got to.”
Emily was thinking once again about what would happen if she got caught, so she was unprepared when Tyler asked, “By the way, why did you run away when I asked if you heard other voices? Do you?”
She hesitated to answer, even when Tyler added in apology, “I’m sorry. I should’ve kept my mouth shut. Please don’t get mad and leave.”
When she finally spoke, it was slowly. “It’s okay, Tyler, I’m not mad.” She knew she would eventually have to face the question, but how could she explain that she heard voices, lots of them? She didn’t want Tyler to think she was weird, but if there was anyone who could understand what she was going through, it should be him. After all, he was inside a mirror. A few more seconds ticked by before she leaned forward and whispered, “All right, I’ll tell you the truth.”
Emily was looking at her own reflection, but she imagined that she was only inches from Tyler, staring into his eyes. It was a silly idea, but it made her wonder how close Tyler might be. Her nose was almost pressed against her side of the mirror, so he could be very close. The feeling of intimacy, even imagined, made it easier to reveal her secret. “Yes, I do hear voices. They come from the mirrors, all of them. That’s why I was using this one. It was the only mirror that didn’t have a voice…until you showed up, that is.”
Her secret was out, and she had exposed it to someone she barely knew. She thought it would be embarrassing, but instead it felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She released a long breath while she enjoyed the much-needed sense of relief. The secret had become a burden, so it felt good to share it with someone, and Tyler was the perfect choice. He was her age, he was in a mirror, and she was the only one who could talk to him.
Emily also thought again about how close Tyler might be, except this time she felt more vulnerable, so her blood started an unexpected rush. A feeling of warmth washed over her face, and she felt hotter than she had moments before, almost enough to fan herself. She wanted to look away, but forced herself not to.
“Do you…do you talk to any of the others?” His voice had become deep and raspy.
Emily knew that sound, and it was nice to know she wasn’t the only one affected by the shared intimacy of the moment. “No, you’re the only one who’s ever spoken directly to me. Some of them speak in foreign languages; French and Spanish, I think. Most of them don’t say anything at all, they just cry. I think they’ve gone mad.”
“Aren’t any of them normal, like me?” Tyler sounded worried, and Emily guessed he was probably wondering how long it would take for the darkness and isolation to drive him crazy.
“Well, there is another voice that’s kind of normal. Sometimes I hear a man speaking from the mirror in the dining room. He likes to recite a poem. It’s always the same one, but I don’t think he’s crazy.”
“A poem?” Tyler asked. “Do you remember it?”
“Not really, but it’s about a wolf.”
“No way!” Tyler sounded very excited. “I’ll bet the poem starts with ‘The gray wanderer calls to the rising moon.’ Am I right?”
“I don’t remember the exact words,” Emily admitted, “but that sounds close. Where did you hear it?”
“In Wyoming.”
Emily shook her head in confusion. “Wyoming?”
“Yeah, and I need you to find out his name.”
“Whose name? The man in the dining room mirror?” Emily wondered why Tyler would care about the voice from the dining room mirror.
“Yeah! Please, Emily, it’s very important.” Tyler was begging. “I don’t want to jinx it, but I promise to explain when you get back.”
The honesty of emotion in Tyler’s voice drew her in. “Okay, I’ll try, but I don’t even know if he can hear me.” She got to her feet, but sat back down again. Something had been nagging at her since the previous time they spoke, and if she was going to ask, it might as well be now. “If I’m going to do this, I want you to tell me something first.”
“Sure.”
Emily took a breath to settle a sudden set of jitters before she spoke. “I want you to tell me what you look like.”
“Oh.” An uncomfortable silence hung between them before Tyler gave a faltering start. “Well, um, I’m kinda blond, but, um, not like real blond, and I’ve got blue eyes like my dad’s. The last time I was measured, I was five feet eight inches and one hundred thirty-four pounds. But I’m trying to put on more muscle,” he quickly added. “Hey, wait. If you want to know what I look like, I’m on the cross-country team at Las Lomas High School. You can see me on their website. They’ve got tons of photos from our track meets. My name is Tyler Andrews. Look me up.”
“Okay. How about a personal web page? Do you have one of those?” Emily asked.
“Nah. Mom made me promise not to. She thinks they attract weirdoes and perverts.”
“She’s probably right,” Emily wisecracked, “but thanks. I’ll check out the school’s website.” She shifted forward in the chair, but didn’t stand up. “Tyler?”
“Yeah?” This time Tyler’s response was more cautious.
Emily smiled. “I want to ask one more thing.” A new thought had come to her, and her earlier jitters about asking personal questions had been replaced by a growing sense of self-assurance.
“Sure, what?”
“Do you have a girlfriend?”
“Huh? Well, no, I don’t. I’ve never…um…I mean, I do like girls, but I don’t have a friend that’s…a…girl…” He trailed off, sounding flustered. “You know what I mean, don’t ya?”
Emily smiled with devilish enjoyment at his discomfort. “I understand perfectly.” It felt good to be the one dishing it out
for a change. “Thanks.” She had never been so flirty with a boy before, and it made her giddy with excitement.
She stood to leave, but Tyler called to her before she could get away. “Hey, wait a minute. How about you? Do you have a boyfriend?”
His quick retort caught her off guard, but Emily wasn’t about to give up her control of the moment. She looked over her shoulder and gave the mirror a coy smile. “I’ll let you know when I get back.”
Emily bounced through the house with a wide grin, her heels clicking on the hardwood floors. She was carrying the therapy doll, even though she hated it and everything it stood for. On impulse, she grabbed the head and twisted. It was about to pop off when she noticed her mother standing in the kitchen doorway. She let go, thankful she hadn’t decapitating the stupid thing right in front of her mother. Emily waved the doll and flashed her pearly whites at her mother, who smiled back.
“There, maybe she won’t worry about me so much,” Emily muttered as she continued down the hallway.
“Dinner’s almost ready,” Jean called. “Maybe thirty minutes, so don’t go too far.”
“All right, Mom.” Emily only glanced into the dining room as she passed on the way to her room. When she got there, she tossed the doll over her shoulder, grabbed her laptop from under her bed, and climbed onto the roof.
Most of the photos of the Las Lomas track team showed young boys participating at various meets. She scanned a dozen photos before she found one that featured Tyler Andrews. He was at the front of a pack of boys running past a crowd of spectators. Seeing him brought a warm flush to her face. He was cute.
Another photo showed Tyler stretching before a race, and a third showed him holding a trophy over his head. He had a wavy mop of dark blond hair and big dimples when he smiled. He was definitely cute, she decided, especially when he smiled. The last photo showed Tyler at the end of a race. He had taken off his shirt and was using it to wipe his brow.
“Nice.” Emily stared at the photo until the warm flush returned, and this time she didn’t try to stop it. She wasn’t crazy; he was cute, and most importantly, he was real.
Emily downloaded every photo that included Tyler before she closed her laptop and tucked it away. She made her way back through the house, doll in hand, with another smile on her face. Her mother was still in the kitchen, so Emily slipped up behind her, intent on showing her mother that she wasn’t all doom and gloom.
Jean gave a start when Emily wrapped her in a hug, but quickly beamed with delight. “It’s so good to see you happy again. I was beginning to think I might never see that bright smile of yours again.”
Emily rolled her eyes. “Geeeeeez! I didn’t realize I’d gotten that bad. Okay, I’ll try for one smile a day.” She waggled her finger for dramatic effect. “But that’s all you get.”
Jean’s laughter spilled across the room as she grabbed Emily in a tight hug. “Thanks. I’ll treasure each and every one. By the way, your father is running late, so it’ll be a few more minutes before dinner, okay?”
“Sure, Mom. No problem.” Emily left the kitchen feeling happier than she had in a long time. “I should have thought of that before,” she mumbled. More smiles might be the easiest way to end her visits with Dr. Franklin.
The bounce left Emily’s step and her smile faded when she entered the dining room and saw the mirror on the far wall. It was as tall as her, and the ornate frame was a deep burnished gold that contrasted sharply against the dark red wall. She didn’t hear anything from across the room, but that wasn’t unusual. She glanced over her shoulder and into the hallway several times while she walked around the long wooden dining table and approached the mirror. When she was sure that no one was close enough to hear, she cleared her throat. “Can you hear me in there?”
There was no response.
“I’ve heard you reciting that poem, so I know you’re in there. I’m just not sure if you can hear me. Can you?”
“Yes, I can hear you.”
The man’s response was expected, but it still startled her. “Okay, that’s good. My name is Emily. What’s yours?”
“Hello, Emily. My name is Nick, or Nicholas. Nicholas Andrews.”
Andrews, of course! He’s Tyler’s dad. Emily couldn’t wait to tell Tyler the good news, but her excitement faded when she remembered to ask, “Nick, can you see me?” If he could, it meant every mirror had a Peeping Tom in it, and they had all been watching her. It was a creepy thought.
“No, I can’t see anything, and yours is the first voice I’ve heard in a long time. Where are you?”
Emily was flooded with relief that she wasn’t being watched by a bunch of strangers, but it also made her wonder why Tyler could see her if the rest of them couldn’t. “You don’t see a light, anywhere?”
“No, I haven’t seen a light since I was put here. Should I?”
“I don’t know,” she replied. “I can hear your voice, but I can’t see you or see where you are.”
“Where are you, Emily?”
She bit her lip. She didn’t want to stay long enough to explain. Somebody could come down the hallway or into the dining room at any moment. “Um, that’s kind of hard to explain. Look, I’ve got something I have to do right now, but I’ll try to come back later.”
“What? You can’t just leave!” Nick sounded desperate to maintain contact.
“I’m sorry, Nick, but I have to go.”
“Wait! Don’t leave me like this, please. I’m begging you.”
Emily almost felt overcome by shame to be leaving so quickly, and she almost mentioned Tyler, but explaining how she knew him would take much too long. “I am so sorry, Nick, but there’s someone else I have to help first. But I will come back again. I promise.” She hurried from the room to report to Tyler, but she couldn’t outrun her sense of guilt. There was nothing she could do for Nick; she knew it, but she still felt like she was abandoning him. He had been lost in total darkness for a year, and she was running away after giving him only a brief glimmer of hope.
Emily’s guilt complex was painful, but it also created a solid knot of determination to do something, anything, to help.
“Tyler, I’m back,” Emily announced. The chair she had used earlier was still sitting in front of the mirror, so she dropped into it.
“Did you get his name?”
“Yes, I did. It’s Nicholas Andrews, and he’s your dad, isn’t he?”
“Holy shit! I knew it!” Tyler shouted. “It was a guess, at first, anyway, but I figured if the triad put me in here, maybe the same thing happened to him.”
“What I don’t understand, though, is how you knew he was in that mirror?”
“It was the poem. We made it up, Dad and me, while we were on a camping trip in Wyoming. He loves that poem.”
“I didn’t talk to him very long, but he told me he can’t see any light, none at all. Can you imagine? He’s been in total darkness all this time.”
“That’s weird, because I had no trouble seeing the light coming from your side.”
“Well, maybe there’s a reason,” Emily offered, “We just have to figure it out.”
“Yeah, but…” Tyler paused. “Hey, wait a minute! I think I know why.”
“Why what?”
“Why I can see the light through the mirror and Dad can’t.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Just a sec. I’m going to try something.”
Emily glanced up and down the hallway while she waited for Tyler to finish whatever he was doing. After a short while, she heard Tyler’s excited voice.
“Hey, Emily, I figured it out. Damn, I’m good.”
Emily almost rolled her eyes at his self-praise, but she didn’t know what he had done. “What did you figure out? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I tried an experiment, and it worked,” Tyler explained. “I’ve been holding a small piece of the watch all this time. It came off when your uncle grabbed the watch from me. I set it down and stepped ba
ck. When I did, the light disappeared. As soon as I found it again, the light was back, and I could see you. That’s why I can see and my dad can’t.”
“Wow! Smart thinking.”
“Thanks.” Tyler sounded more than a little smug. “I told you I was good.”
This time Emily did roll her eyes. Tyler loved to congratulate himself, especially when he was being clever. It made her reluctant to add, “I guess that means you’re probably right about the triad too.”
“You betcha I am. And when you find it, I’m getting outta here, and I’m going to save my dad. I’ll be a freakin’ hero!”
Emily’s smile faltered at the idea of Tyler escaping the mirror and getting back with his family. I’m happy for him, she told herself, but her practical side knew that Walnut Creek was more than an hour away. How often would she get to see him, if ever? Would he even think about her after he got home? Her brooding thoughts dampened her enthusiasm to find the triad, but she was sincere when she said, “I’m very happy for you, Tyler.”
“Thanks. I want my family back, but there’s another reason I want out of here.”
“There is?”
“Yep.” He paused to clear his throat. “And…well, it’s you. I was kind of hoping we could hang out, you know, sometimes.”
A surge of joyful energy started in the middle of Emily’s chest and raced to the very tips of her fingers and toes. Tyler wanted to spend time with her. That was great! But what did he mean by hang out? Was that the same thing as dating? Emily had never hung out with a boy before. What would they do? I can’t wait to tell Tracy. She’s going to die!
“Is that okay with you?” Tyler’s voice wavered.
Emily had to suppress a laugh when she realized he was interpreting her delay as a hesitancy to accept. “Sure, we could do that.” She followed up with a smile, mostly in relief that she had managed not to blather like an idiot.
“All right! I mean…cool!” Tyler had no success matching her composure. “Then it’s a date.”
Date! The word rang in Emily’s ears, and she felt a renewed sense of purpose to get the triad and free Tyler from the mirror. “Sure, but I need to go. I’m late for dinner, and Mom’s probably wondering where I am.”