The Lying Mirror

by alvinna edwards nwoko

  Jack made his way to Linda’s door, room 249 and detected a foul but knowing odor coming from inside the room. Despair circled Jack senses as he slowly put the key inside the lock of Linda’s dorm room door, he pushed the door open slightly knocking on it at the same time just out of curtesy.

  The force of the odor coming from the room slap his stomach into a violent need to vomit. His nostrils fought the stench in the room as he tried to peer through the darken room for any sign of Linda, for any sign of life.

  A shallow breath from God came through the slightly open window and allowed just enough breeze through to push the curtains apart just enough to let a single ray of light through long enough for Jack to see the still form lying in bed.

  The Jack-Mobile was too large for the small room he found out after the difficulty he had in maneuvering his chair as he searched for the light switch in the dark.

  The stench in the room was so strong Jack thought, it could only come from death, it could only come from neglect, it could only come from giving up.

  Jack followed the ray of light to its origin and pushed the curtains back to allow in a little more sun light. He tried to open the window but because of the length of his chair he was not able to gain leverage.

  Jack then rolled his Jack-Mobile with difficulty to the bed where the stench was emanating at its strongest. Sorrowfully Jack called out to Linda in a painful voice.

  Linda. Linda.

  But Jack knew he was too late. He had never felt so defeated in his entire life.

  Linda! Jack called louder, as he tried to hold down the bile in his throat.

  Linda! Please Linda.

  Jack called again in desperation, please not like this, Jack’s anguish was now becoming agonizing, please Lord give me strength to know your wisdom, he prayed.

  Jack’s tears felled on Linda’s already bloody and tear stained sheets. He was too late; you could smell the hopelessness in the room. He didn’t act fast enough to allow Linda time. Time? What time? To know the truth? That God loved her and her flaws and so did I.

  From his Jack-Mobile Jack laid his head on Linda’s still body and wept loudly for a lost so unnecessarily given freely.

  The weight of Jack’s head caused just a slight stir in Linda’s body. Jack did not feel the movement for he was too far into his grief. He grab the paralyzed legs wrapped in the sheet and moaned harder and loudly then he grieved tightly on Linda’s legs not wanting to let her go. Not wanting what had happened to be true.

  He wanted a chance, a fighting chance and he needed just one small last chance with God’s help to bring Linda to her senses, to rescue her from herself, to be a friend. But now he was too late.

  One single ray of light fought for Linda’s life and lost. The curtains were just too heavy a burden as was her soul.

  Jack released his death grip on the tear soak sheets that covered Linda’s legs, took a deep breath and wiped his tears with the sleeve of his shirt, turned his chair around and headed for the door to call 911 for help.

  Jack thought that last thought of his ironic. Linda needed help so long ago and where was his phone call then.

  Jack started to cry again at that pitiful thought as he reached for the door knob to maneuver him and his chair out of the room. A very soft, almost silent moan came from within the room.

  Jack froze with his hand still on the door knob.

  Very slowly, very carefully, Jack wheeled his chair in the direction of the singled ray of sun that refuse to give up fighting with the darkness. Within his chair Jack struggled to pull the right side of the curtain open as far as he could, and then did the same with the left side.

  Staying by the window and starring at the shape under the sheet for a long moment, Jack was hoping, praying for another sound, movement, anything that would indicate life in this lifeless body.

  Disappointment led Jack back to the door, and then, another moan, this time with a small movement within the sheet.

  This time there was no doubt, a small faint ray of hope sped through Jacks body. Jack wheeled himself over to the bed and started shaking Linda violently.

  Linda resumed her unconsciousness. The violent shaking from Jack did nothing to revive her.

  Slap! Jack manly hand went across the burned face of Linda. Slap! Slap! Again and again the forceful rage of Jack’s hand repeated the slaps on Linda's face, and this time Linda’s unwilling senses could not deny the pain Jack’s slaps ensued.

  Noooooooo! Linda cried in the most piteous voice. Leave me alone! Get out! Get out of here! Her pitiful attempt to be forceful was wasted on Jack. He was not going to stop nor was he going to give up. He was going to get out but not without her.

  Linda’s feeble attempt to resist her savior took the remaining fight out of her and she fell unconscious again, which caused Jack to rush to complete his intention.

  Jack sped to pull the sheet from the tucks of the mattress. On one Side of the bed jack was able to remove the tucks of the sheets. But on the side of the bed closes to the wall he was not able to get his chair through the small space. He returned to the side of the bed closes to the door and started webbing Linda to the sheets like a spider. Pull and tug, pull and tug until the sheets gave way completely on the other side of the bed and Linda was completely wrapped. In haste he pulled the blanket across and over Linda’s head and body. By the time he finished the bed looked as if it had a load of dirty laundry in the middle of it.

  Jack found Linda’s head and pulled all the sheets and covers with her entangled body within across his chair and into his lap. Jack looked as if he was on his way to the laundry room the way Linda was thrown across his lap inside of her cocoon of bed covers. No one would know who or what was hidden under his bundle of despair, now he had to leave and fast.

  In the hall way outside of Linda’s room Jack called Ant for assistance. Jack explained all he could to Ant without giving away the identity of Linda, but Ant had an idea it was Linda and didn’t let on. Instead he respected Jack’s judgment for secrecy.

  I’ll be right over, Ant replied to Jack’s request.

  And bring a few more guys. I’ve got to get myself back down these twenty steps of this building fast, okay?

  Yeah, be right over, and be outside. Ant was somewhat puffed up that Jack thought he could be trusted, and he wasn’t about to let his best friend, no, his only good friend down.

  Okay girls, I’m almost finished, Jack yelled behind him as he went through the doors of the dorm that led outside. He wheeled his chair back up against the doors so no one would be tempted to come outside and investigate his urgent visit.

  Ant and his crew from the lab dropped what they were doing to rush to Jack’s aide. Within minutes they reached the dorm, hauled Jack, his Jack-Mobile and his bundle all at the same time down the steps of the dorm and into a waiting van with a lift. Up, in and away was the synchronization of Ant’s crew.

  Jack knew he had a lot of friends on campus but this team was impressive and he would be hard press to pay all six of them back. But he would find a way.

  Right now Linda needed him and she needed his speed in reacting to her situation if he was going to save her life. In the van and on their way to Jack’s apartment Linda never stirred, never made a sound and Jack several times had to search for Linda’s heart under the covers and prayed for the rhythm of a heartbeat. Each time Jack felt blessed when he felt just the slightest thud from Linda’s heart, But for how long?

  While in the van, Jack placed a call to his physician and asked him to meet him at his apartment in ten minutes. Jack explained to his physician what had happened to him and Cassy several weeks pass and how he found Linda’s lifeless body in the bed.

  You got her now? Doc asked over the phone.

  In my lap.

  And you’re not taking her to the hospital?

  Can’t.

  Is someone with you?

  Yep.

  So that’s why you started talking in code.

  Yep.

&n
bsp; What will you need?

  Everything, I might need, my respirator, and if you don’t mind my I.V. drip.

  I got ya, if she’s too far gone, to the hospital with her, agreed?

  Agreed.

  I’m over on campus now I’ll be at your place in three minutes.

  Thank God Jack physician was one of his best friends and confidant, and he did not hesitate to meet Jacks urgent demand.

  By the time the van and its occupants reached the parking lot of Jack’s apartment, Jacks physician was already inside, medical equipment already set up and ready for Linda’s arrival.

  Jack thanked the crew from the lab and advised Ant he would be getting in touch with him in a few days, and that he'll probably be missing a few days of classes but not to worry he could make up his classes with no problem.

  The lift of the van brought Jack, his chair and the cocoon down and placed them gently in the parking lot where once again Jack yelled behind him as he wasted no time in getting to his apartment, thank you guys! I owe you.

  Yes you do Ant yelled back. Yes you do.

  The van sped away with Ant smiling back at his friend’s gracious heart and his selfless act of caring for others. Ant developed a new found respect and love for a man he never thought he could like because of his color.

  All six brains from the lab convinced Ant and agreed in unison, under no certain circumstance would they allow Jack to go through whatever he was getting ready to go through alone.

  They all laughed and joked at how much fun it would be to finally be in on the action around campus, and not just nerdy lab rats with high I-Qs. immediately they started planning who would have the first watch to spy on the apartment, who came and left the apartment and to find out what Jack was up to.

  What they couldn’t agree on was how they were going to assist or how they were going to convince Jack to let them help.

  Jack’s physician was shocked at what Jack had presented to him for his care. Not only was this girl severely burned on her face and neck, but she was dehydrated to the point of near death, she had lost at least twenty pounds due to self- starvation and her mental state was so deteriorated he was not sure even if he was able to stabilize her medical condition her mental state would negate all of his efforts.

  Jack should have taken this sad child to a hospital, not to him, the doctor thought silently as he completed his examination of Linda after Jack gently placed her onto his bed and released her from the cocoon of fabric that incased her form.

  The stench that sprang from the covers and gripped the Doc’s stomach created in him a memory he will not soon forget.

  First we have to clean her up, leave her on the soiled covers for now. Finish taking off her clothes while I go and get something to clean her up with.

  But! Doc!

  Do it! Doc demanded. You brought her here now take care of her, first the bath.

  Jack proceeded to remove Linda’s clothing very slowly, he was not sure if this should be done by him, Doc or female. But like Doc said it has to be done.

  Doc, as Jack nickname his physician worked unwavering for two days straight to stabilize Linda’s condition. He had done all he could for Linda’s health, but the burns, the scars, and the skin tissue were too far degraded and out of his expertise for care. She would need a plastic surgeon, a specialist.

  Doc explain to Jack he had done all he could, wrote Jack prescriptions for Linda, told Jack which drug store to use to get the prescription filled and to keep Linda calm and in bed for at least another week, Doc told Jack, and by all means keep her indoors. I’ll be back tomorrow morning.

  Jack watched his friend Doc exit his apartment, and wondered as Doc left, how would he accomplish such a task as taking care of Linda alone? Shaking his head in defeat Jack stared out his living room window for hours unmoving trying to put this complicated puzzle together.

  He would need help but from whom? Who could he trust not to let his secret out. Linda was too vain to allow anyone to know she had felled in her task to ruin him. And he was not going to let anyone know it was Linda who did the trying.

  Chapter

  8

  Knock! Knock! Came a hard sound off the front door of Jack’s apartment.

  Jack took a couple of minutes to answer the door. He was with the still unconscious Linda, never leaving her side for three days after the Doc had left.

  When he open the door he found Ant in waiting with a large box filled to the brim with an assortment of foods, books, cleaning supplies and first aid items.

  What the hel…., are you doing here? Jack asked in surprise.

  Ant’s covert operation had paid off. The surveillance he placed on Jack and his apartment proved to be what he had expected. By watching the doctor come and go routinely and not seeing Linda on campus for weeks, he surmised with humor Linda was inside of Jack’s apartment, somewhere, probably tied up or being tortured. The first thing he’s going to do once inside the apartment, Ant laughed, is to check out Jack’s freezer for body parts. Don’t want Linda’s loyalty separated.

  I have not seen you on campus for quite a few days and thought you might be sick, Ant lied as he shifted the box weight for a better grip.

  The last time I saw you; you were quickly exiting the van with a bundle you brought from the girl’s dorm.

  You didn’t go and kill Linda did you? Ant asked with sarcasm in his voice. Are you going to let me in or are you going to let me struggle with this box outside your door?

  Jack was hesitant to allow Ant in, but noticing the box and its content he knew the box would be too heavy for him to manage, and held the door open for Ant to enter.

  Ant put the box on the dining room table, maneuvered himself around the Jack-Mobile and went straight into Jack’s bed room.

  Hey! Hey! Heyyyyy! Jack yelled at Ant’s back, as he wheeled himself speedily behind Ant hoping to stop him before he saw Linda.

  It was too late, all Jack could do was watch Ant frozen expression as he looked upon the lifeless body of Linda attached to all kinds of monitors and I-V drips.

  Linda in her unconscious state move her face ever so slightly in Ant’s direction. Ant involuntarily, unintentionally, gasped in horror at the once beautiful Linda, turned monster.

  Jack! This is what Linda wanted to do to you?

  Yes, Jack replied to Ant’s question.

  And you want to help her?

  Yes, again Jack replied.

  Why?

  Because, Jack said piteously, she’s in need of someone who cares.

  What she needs Jack is a psychiatrists and a couple of shots of clozapine or Lithium. A schizophrenic need more than I.V drips and two five hundred milligrams tablets of acetaminophen.

  What?

  She needs more than what we are capable of giving her, Jack!

  What she needs right now is for someone anyone Ant, to care about her life, first.

  How can you care about someone who tried to slice your face off with acid? Ant asked puzzled.

  Because I think she never had anyone who truly cared for her before. And as sad as her opinions may be, she needs to know that her opinions are not God’s ways but ensued by pride and vanity.

  And now that you know of my secret, Ant, What will you do with this information?

  Ant look at Jack long and hard for a moment, rubbed the back of his head then asked the question Jack longed to hear, what would you want me to do this information?

  Don’t answer that question Just yet Ant interrupted. Give me thirty minutes, and I believe you will be surprise at my decision.

  Thirty minutes later, Ant had assembled the most brilliant minds in his lab from campus. The same six that help lift him down from the girl’s dorm steps. And within that same thirty minutes all six of them plus Sunday a female physical and physiatrist therapist major had assembled outside Jack’s door awaiting entry.

  Ant took liberty in Jack’s apartment went and open the door precisely thirty minutes after he had made his phone call t
o the lab. Ant led the troop into Jack’s bed room, pointed to the bed and said “this is your assignment, fix it”

  Jack sat in awe as the brainy of the brains took over his apartment. They have all been sworn to secrecy, Ant told Jack, now give me your keys, they will all be needing a copy to let themselves in while you’re in class. Can’t have you failing because you missed too many days from class, now can we, Ant joked.

  Jack didn’t know what to say. He had prayed for Linda’s condition, but didn’t know how or where he would get the money to help her, how he was going to keep all of this a secret and for how long.

  Close your mouth Speedster, we figured out all of this on our own and we were not going to let you go through this by yourself.

  Tears of joy, tears of relief and tears of thanks flowed from Jack’s weary eyes. He held out his hand to Ant to shake his, but instead Ant reached under Jack’s arms lifted him out of his chair and gave him the biggest hug any man had ever given him. Each of the lab rats took their turn in doing the same, they were more than happy to give Jack a hand with Linda.

  By the time all the hugging was all over, one of the lab rats was in Jack’s kitchen cooking food for the rest of the day and another was doing laundry. The chemist was taking Linda’s Vitals and held discussions on how best to treat her in the apartment. Another lab rat was on the phone to Dean Becker explaining to him without much detail, that in a few days Linda would need her assignment sent to her and that they needed him to insure her professors of Linda’s honesty in doing the lessons herself. Dean Becker called back to advised, Linda’s Professors had consented to their proposal which made the first day’s task complete.

  Chapter

  8

  Because of the treatment from the lab rats, the most ingenious insightful competent nerds Jack had ever had the pleasure to witness in action, Linda slowly and in good health regained consciousness, but refused to give thanks to those responsible for her recovery.