Saturday mornings in fall felt predictable. The trees weren't fully bare, promising more chores outside. Klara didn't mind the morning chill most days. She enjoyed being outside with her brother and father, raking the leaves and squeezing them into bags.
"Oliver, grab the pumpkin bags from the basement," her father yelled. The yardwork was a job for at least four people, but they always sped things along. While Oliver went inside to search for the bags, Klara leaned on the rake, hoping her father wouldn't notice her slacking off.
Every Halloween, Oliver and Klara would try scaring each other. They'd compete to pull off the creepiest story or prank. She lost last year when Oliver covered himself in fake blood and pretended to be in an accident. Their parents grounded him for a month, but he definitely won. All she came up with was putting a spider in his cereal. It grossed her out more than him.
A tap on her shoulder made Klara flinch, losing any ideas she had to reclaim her throne this year. She turned to see Oliver and her dad smirking at her. They had already filled one of the pumpkin bags with leaves. They always used those for decoration.
"Are you going to make another pile for us or what," Oliver teased. She started raking again, shaking her head at how easily she got scared. She reached hastily at the fallen leaves, hoping to grab an idea.
A couple more bags were filled before they stopped to eat lunch. Her mother had soup and crackers ready for them. Her brother and father started eating while Klara went to wash her hands. She studied her face in the bathroom mirror briefly and remembered playing a game with the mirror. She watched a smile form across her face and went to eat.
Much later that night, Klara waited until everyone was asleep and tip-toed downstairs to the bathroom. She recited the "game rules" in her mind as she experimented with the mirror. She turned off the light and leaned closer toward her reflection.
It was hard to see without the light, but that's how the game is played. She started whispering the name of her deceased grandmother, concentrating on any visible change to her reflection. After repeating it over and over, she was worried that someone would hear her. Klara decided to give up, but only momentarily.
As she headed back to her bedroom, Klara remembered that there's a mirror on her bedroom door. Her curiosity rushed her up the rest of the stairs. No longer needing to use the bathroom mirror, she could try stirring up ghosts in her own mirror. She felt uneasy with even less light to see with, but still she stood in front of it and stared deeply into her reflection. She whispered her grandmother's name again and saw something change.
Klara's eyes were shocked and amazed. Her facial features were changing. Her eyes grew darker and sunken in and her lips became thin. She felt her jaw drop and a strong feeling of fear wash over her. Klara flipped the light on, which is said to "reset" the mirror and send the ghost back. This game was exciting, but she still felt scared. She reasoned with herself that it was the darkness messing with her. Maybe she'd show Oliver to make sure she wasn't imagining things.
The next morning was dark and gloomy. Klara was asleep until she heard knocking on her door. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Oliver peek in.
"Morning," he said, approaching her bed. "Mom and dad are out. I'm surprised you're still asleep."
"Why's that?" Klara sat up, somewhat confused.
"You did go to bed before anyone else. Are you feeling alright?"
"Oh. I'm fine." She started making her bed, then remembered the mirror. "Hey, Oliver. Have you ever heard of that silly ghost in the mirror game?
Oliver snickered and rolled his eyes. "Maybe. What's it matter?" He closed the door and made faces at her mirror.
"Stop that. I'm serious." She knew he was teasing, but she wasn't sure it was safe to be joking about it. "So?"
"So what? You're not seriously asking me about that." He continued looking and began chanting in a low voice. "Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary."
"I thought that bloody Mary thing was something else," Klara commented. She was waiting for Oliver to make a sarcastic remark. She fluffed and replaced the pillows on her bed. "Wow! No comment from the smart-," Klara rushed to Oliver's side.
He was swaying in place, in a deep trance and still murmuring. His eyes weren't focused. She grabbed Oliver's shoulders and tried pushing him away from the mirror, but he wouldn't budge. Klara was in a panic.
"Oliver! Oliver! Snap out of it!," she screamed as loud as she could.
"Klara! Why are you screaming?" Klara's father sounded annoyed. She didn't know what to tell him. She peaked her head out of her room and saw him peering at her from the bottom of the stairwell. "Well?" He tapped his foot impatiently.
"It's...um. Oliver and I..." Klara felt her face turn red. How can it be explained without her parents thinking she's crazy?
"BOO!"
Klara screamed and whipped around. Oliver quickly smirked at her and waved at their father. He pushed her aside and went to tell him of how he got her this year, or so Klara assumed. Getting her yelled at was one thing, but using her own plan against her? Even the prettiest of flowers can have an ugly side to them and right now, she felt like a Venus fly trap.
The week flew by. Klara and Oliver were busy with school and homework, which meant most times they interacted only at the dinner table. Their parents were on the strict side when it came to schoolwork, keeping "outside influences", as they called it, to a minimum. Despite the lack of a normal social life, this left Klara with plenty of time to rethink her plan with Oliver.
Klara should've known he was messing with her. Bloody Mary was a whole other myth, although it was dark enough that day for something to happen. She didn't know what happens if a ghost really does appear, but it's been said that they can get angry and try breaking through to possess the person that disturbed his or her slumber. That's when the light switch comes in handy, since it's supposed to send the ghost back.
What about my grandmother's ghost? Klara remembered what happened last weekend. She didn't see her grandmother in her final days, but that reflection did look a lot like her, just older. Is there some truth to the game rules? Or was the darkness just playing tricks on my eyes? She decided she wouldn't rest until she knew more and even better, use it against Oliver.
Around two in the morning, Klara's cell phone alarm went off. It had more volume control than her alarm clock. The house was quiet. So far so good. She slid out of bed and walked over to her mirror. The floor creaked under her feet and with each careful step, she'd freeze in place and hope that no one else heard it.
As Klara looked at her reflection, the room got darker, like everything she could see was in a shadow of another shadow. She went to her window and saw the streetlight was dark. Pleased with a rational explanation, she approached the mirror again.
"Any ghost," she whispered. Yes, any ghost. She didn't want something that was once familiar to be haunting her, be it a family member or someone famous. She didn't want to make up a name, since who knows the consequences of that?
"Any ghost." Moments passed and she didn't even realize that there were changes in her reflection. When she did notice, she stopped talking. Klara wanted to closely observe every change from her wirey, stringy hair to the missing flesh along her jaw, revealing her back teeth and parts of her mandible. This person has seen better days she thought. She kept calm and decided it was time to send this ghost back. It wasn't a bad experience, although it was more graphic than she imagined.
Click. It was done. Klara's mirror was reset. Her reflection was that of her own. She flipped the switch back off and went back to bed. Before she could pull the covers off and slip under them, she saw the hallway light on. Then she heard a light tapping on the door.
Klara's eyes widened, not knowing what was standing beyond the door. The ghost shouldn't be there, but the timing is too perfect for something to go this wrong. The tapping started again, a little louder this time. Or was that her heart pounding in her chest? She quickly pulled the covers over her head and turned away from the door, not wanting to know what just entered her room.
The footsteps were light. Klara wasn't imagining them though since the floorboards creeked in the same spots as they did with her. She kept still and silent, hoping whatever it was would leave. She could sense it getting closer and almost hear shallow breathing, like it was trying to keep quiet too.
"Alright, enough. Leave me alone," Klara said, throwing the blankets away from her legs. She was surprised by her sudden courage, even more surprised to see a dark figure standing a few feet away from her. "Oliver, that better be you." She ran toward the light switch. She was about to turn it on when something grabbed her arm and pulled her away.
Klara turned around and saw beady, dark eyes piercing into hers. She couldn't see anything else. The thing started to growl, almost sorry sounding, but then grew in intensity and ferocity. She slapped at it and fought blindly to get away. The thing then laughed and turned a flashlight on it's face. All she saw was matted hair and teeth. Klara opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out.
It took advantage of Klara's inability to move or talk. It took large steps toward her, growling and panting. Klara started to cry, dreading what was to come in the next minute. As if it sensed her fear, it handed her the flashlight and removed it's skin.
"Do I win," a voiced mocked. Klara pointed the flashlight at the floor. A werewolf mask was slumped against her bedpost. She turned the flashlight off and her bedroom light on. Oliver had black rings painted around his eyes. "I think I definitely won." She hated it when he acted arrogant.
"Get out," Klara sneared. She opened her door and motioned for him to leave.
"Don't you want to-"
"I said get out. I don't care what you want to say. Get out before I wake mom and dad."
Oliver hunched his shoulders and left without a word. Klara closed the door behind him and turned her light off. She stood by the door, waiting for the light from the hallway to go off.
It was late, but there was no way she could rest. Klara couldn't remember the last time Oliver made her this mad. His accident prank was scary, but didn't anger her. This crossed the line. In a few hours, she'd have to get up and help with chores. Even if she did get sleep, it wouldn't be enough at this point.
Klara noticed the mask was still on the floor. Oliver didn't take the flashlight with him either. She grabbed the flashlight and sat on the floor in front of the mirror. She was too tired to stand. She wanted one final encounter with something that could terrify the confidence right out of her brother.
"Any ghost."
Anything? Anyone? Any would do.
"Any ghost."
A face, more decomposed than the last, faded in and started to replace Klara's reflection. It seemed like this face was smiling. It was hard to tell since there weren't any lips, just chipped teeth and crepe paper skin covering what's left of the skull. She leaned in closer and saw the reflection of her neck had changed. The light in the room became dim, but she figured it was just the streetlight going out again.
Klara's eyes scanned what used to be her nose. It was missing, just a notch now. Her father must've turned the heat up in the house. It was getting harder to breathe. She pushed the sweaty matted hair away her eyes. In the mirror, a brittle, bony hand mimicked her movements. Klara's vision went black as she saw the empty eye sockets and furious change in this ghost's face. Klara screamed. She faintly heard a noise start to come out. She shivered as she realized no one could hear her screams. They were just rattles in her bones.
"Klara?"
Oliver opened the door. Something blocked it from being opened more.
"I know you're still mad. Let me in," he whispered. He was sure she could hear him. When he heard nothing, he squeezed into her room. Something didn't feel quite right.
Oliver's foot knocked something over. It was the flashlight. He heard a low humming as he bent over to grab it. He looked at himself in the mirror. He looked as guilty as he felt. His eyes looked down toward the bottom of the mirror. There was a shadow there, but nothing was there to cast such a shadow.
He clicked the flashlight on and the light went through the shadow. He moved it around and saw that in the mirror, a figure was fading in and out.
"Klara, you can take the win for this year. Just come out." He started searching around her room, thinking- no, hoping he'd find what's making these illusions. "I'm sorry. I mean it." He kept looking around for any sign of her.
Oliver sat on her bed and picked up the werewolf mask. He tossed it back and forth between his hands.
"Seriously, Klara. I'm getting scared." He got up and walked over to the mirror. "Don't make me get mom and dad involved." Oliver dropped the mask and shined the flashlight over the mirror. He saw the figure more clearly. "Klara?"
It looked like her reflection in the mirror, but her face wasn't the face he knew. Oliver flashed the light over the shadow and it went through it again. He got down on his knees right next to it. He heard a low humming and whirring kind of sound. He moved in place to get closer to wherever the noise was coming from. It changed pitches and he seemed to pick up on what it was.
It was Klara's echoes, screams that were coming from the mirror. Oliver touched the mirror. There were vibrations buzzing throughout it. Suddenly, the mirror seemed to push back. Oliver jumped and coughed to catch his breath.
Klara and Oliver's parents weren't happy to be up before sunrise.
"What's all this damn noise," their father stammered.
"Let us in now," their mother chimed.
They pushed their way into the room. The shadow was moved, like it had to be directly across from that particular part of the mirror. As they walked in, Oliver's heart sank. He wanted to yell for them to stay out. It was too late. The light switch was flipped on and everything was back to normal, except for Klara.
Klara won the last ever Halloween competition between them. Oliver never could figure out how she pulled those stops, but knew her main tool. He tried explaining it to their mom and dad. They were too upset about Klara disappearing and sent Oliver to live with relatives until they could find her again. They knew she was upset with him prior to the events that night. Before leaving, Oliver reasoned that he might be able to get her back by using her mirror. He didn't know if it would work or not, but offered to give it a try. However, their father was getting tired of crazy myths and broke her mirror out of frustration.
"Oliver, grab the pumpkin bags from the basement," her father yelled. The yardwork was a job for at least four people, but they always sped things along. While Oliver went inside to search for the bags, Klara leaned on the rake, hoping her father wouldn't notice her slacking off.
Every Halloween, Oliver and Klara would try scaring each other. They'd compete to pull off the creepiest story or prank. She lost last year when Oliver covered himself in fake blood and pretended to be in an accident. Their parents grounded him for a month, but he definitely won. All she came up with was putting a spider in his cereal. It grossed her out more than him.
A tap on her shoulder made Klara flinch, losing any ideas she had to reclaim her throne this year. She turned to see Oliver and her dad smirking at her. They had already filled one of the pumpkin bags with leaves. They always used those for decoration.
"Are you going to make another pile for us or what," Oliver teased. She started raking again, shaking her head at how easily she got scared. She reached hastily at the fallen leaves, hoping to grab an idea.
A couple more bags were filled before they stopped to eat lunch. Her mother had soup and crackers ready for them. Her brother and father started eating while Klara went to wash her hands. She studied her face in the bathroom mirror briefly and remembered playing a game with the mirror. She watched a smile form across her face and went to eat.
Much later that night, Klara waited until everyone was asleep and tip-toed downstairs to the bathroom. She recited the "game rules" in her mind as she experimented with the mirror. She turned off the light and leaned closer toward her reflection.
It was hard to see without the light, but that's how the game is played. She started whispering the name of her deceased grandmother, concentrating on any visible change to her reflection. After repeating it over and over, she was worried that someone would hear her. Klara decided to give up, but only momentarily.
As she headed back to her bedroom, Klara remembered that there's a mirror on her bedroom door. Her curiosity rushed her up the rest of the stairs. No longer needing to use the bathroom mirror, she could try stirring up ghosts in her own mirror. She felt uneasy with even less light to see with, but still she stood in front of it and stared deeply into her reflection. She whispered her grandmother's name again and saw something change.
Klara's eyes were shocked and amazed. Her facial features were changing. Her eyes grew darker and sunken in and her lips became thin. She felt her jaw drop and a strong feeling of fear wash over her. Klara flipped the light on, which is said to "reset" the mirror and send the ghost back. This game was exciting, but she still felt scared. She reasoned with herself that it was the darkness messing with her. Maybe she'd show Oliver to make sure she wasn't imagining things.
The next morning was dark and gloomy. Klara was asleep until she heard knocking on her door. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Oliver peek in.
"Morning," he said, approaching her bed. "Mom and dad are out. I'm surprised you're still asleep."
"Why's that?" Klara sat up, somewhat confused.
"You did go to bed before anyone else. Are you feeling alright?"
"Oh. I'm fine." She started making her bed, then remembered the mirror. "Hey, Oliver. Have you ever heard of that silly ghost in the mirror game?
Oliver snickered and rolled his eyes. "Maybe. What's it matter?" He closed the door and made faces at her mirror.
"Stop that. I'm serious." She knew he was teasing, but she wasn't sure it was safe to be joking about it. "So?"
"So what? You're not seriously asking me about that." He continued looking and began chanting in a low voice. "Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary."
"I thought that bloody Mary thing was something else," Klara commented. She was waiting for Oliver to make a sarcastic remark. She fluffed and replaced the pillows on her bed. "Wow! No comment from the smart-," Klara rushed to Oliver's side.
He was swaying in place, in a deep trance and still murmuring. His eyes weren't focused. She grabbed Oliver's shoulders and tried pushing him away from the mirror, but he wouldn't budge. Klara was in a panic.
"Oliver! Oliver! Snap out of it!," she screamed as loud as she could.
"Klara! Why are you screaming?" Klara's father sounded annoyed. She didn't know what to tell him. She peaked her head out of her room and saw him peering at her from the bottom of the stairwell. "Well?" He tapped his foot impatiently.
"It's...um. Oliver and I..." Klara felt her face turn red. How can it be explained without her parents thinking she's crazy?
"BOO!"
Klara screamed and whipped around. Oliver quickly smirked at her and waved at their father. He pushed her aside and went to tell him of how he got her this year, or so Klara assumed. Getting her yelled at was one thing, but using her own plan against her? Even the prettiest of flowers can have an ugly side to them and right now, she felt like a Venus fly trap.
The week flew by. Klara and Oliver were busy with school and homework, which meant most times they interacted only at the dinner table. Their parents were on the strict side when it came to schoolwork, keeping "outside influences", as they called it, to a minimum. Despite the lack of a normal social life, this left Klara with plenty of time to rethink her plan with Oliver.
Klara should've known he was messing with her. Bloody Mary was a whole other myth, although it was dark enough that day for something to happen. She didn't know what happens if a ghost really does appear, but it's been said that they can get angry and try breaking through to possess the person that disturbed his or her slumber. That's when the light switch comes in handy, since it's supposed to send the ghost back.
What about my grandmother's ghost? Klara remembered what happened last weekend. She didn't see her grandmother in her final days, but that reflection did look a lot like her, just older. Is there some truth to the game rules? Or was the darkness just playing tricks on my eyes? She decided she wouldn't rest until she knew more and even better, use it against Oliver.
Around two in the morning, Klara's cell phone alarm went off. It had more volume control than her alarm clock. The house was quiet. So far so good. She slid out of bed and walked over to her mirror. The floor creaked under her feet and with each careful step, she'd freeze in place and hope that no one else heard it.
As Klara looked at her reflection, the room got darker, like everything she could see was in a shadow of another shadow. She went to her window and saw the streetlight was dark. Pleased with a rational explanation, she approached the mirror again.
"Any ghost," she whispered. Yes, any ghost. She didn't want something that was once familiar to be haunting her, be it a family member or someone famous. She didn't want to make up a name, since who knows the consequences of that?
"Any ghost." Moments passed and she didn't even realize that there were changes in her reflection. When she did notice, she stopped talking. Klara wanted to closely observe every change from her wirey, stringy hair to the missing flesh along her jaw, revealing her back teeth and parts of her mandible. This person has seen better days she thought. She kept calm and decided it was time to send this ghost back. It wasn't a bad experience, although it was more graphic than she imagined.
Click. It was done. Klara's mirror was reset. Her reflection was that of her own. She flipped the switch back off and went back to bed. Before she could pull the covers off and slip under them, she saw the hallway light on. Then she heard a light tapping on the door.
Klara's eyes widened, not knowing what was standing beyond the door. The ghost shouldn't be there, but the timing is too perfect for something to go this wrong. The tapping started again, a little louder this time. Or was that her heart pounding in her chest? She quickly pulled the covers over her head and turned away from the door, not wanting to know what just entered her room.
The footsteps were light. Klara wasn't imagining them though since the floorboards creeked in the same spots as they did with her. She kept still and silent, hoping whatever it was would leave. She could sense it getting closer and almost hear shallow breathing, like it was trying to keep quiet too.
"Alright, enough. Leave me alone," Klara said, throwing the blankets away from her legs. She was surprised by her sudden courage, even more surprised to see a dark figure standing a few feet away from her. "Oliver, that better be you." She ran toward the light switch. She was about to turn it on when something grabbed her arm and pulled her away.
Klara turned around and saw beady, dark eyes piercing into hers. She couldn't see anything else. The thing started to growl, almost sorry sounding, but then grew in intensity and ferocity. She slapped at it and fought blindly to get away. The thing then laughed and turned a flashlight on it's face. All she saw was matted hair and teeth. Klara opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out.
It took advantage of Klara's inability to move or talk. It took large steps toward her, growling and panting. Klara started to cry, dreading what was to come in the next minute. As if it sensed her fear, it handed her the flashlight and removed it's skin.
"Do I win," a voiced mocked. Klara pointed the flashlight at the floor. A werewolf mask was slumped against her bedpost. She turned the flashlight off and her bedroom light on. Oliver had black rings painted around his eyes. "I think I definitely won." She hated it when he acted arrogant.
"Get out," Klara sneared. She opened her door and motioned for him to leave.
"Don't you want to-"
"I said get out. I don't care what you want to say. Get out before I wake mom and dad."
Oliver hunched his shoulders and left without a word. Klara closed the door behind him and turned her light off. She stood by the door, waiting for the light from the hallway to go off.
It was late, but there was no way she could rest. Klara couldn't remember the last time Oliver made her this mad. His accident prank was scary, but didn't anger her. This crossed the line. In a few hours, she'd have to get up and help with chores. Even if she did get sleep, it wouldn't be enough at this point.
Klara noticed the mask was still on the floor. Oliver didn't take the flashlight with him either. She grabbed the flashlight and sat on the floor in front of the mirror. She was too tired to stand. She wanted one final encounter with something that could terrify the confidence right out of her brother.
"Any ghost."
Anything? Anyone? Any would do.
"Any ghost."
A face, more decomposed than the last, faded in and started to replace Klara's reflection. It seemed like this face was smiling. It was hard to tell since there weren't any lips, just chipped teeth and crepe paper skin covering what's left of the skull. She leaned in closer and saw the reflection of her neck had changed. The light in the room became dim, but she figured it was just the streetlight going out again.
Klara's eyes scanned what used to be her nose. It was missing, just a notch now. Her father must've turned the heat up in the house. It was getting harder to breathe. She pushed the sweaty matted hair away her eyes. In the mirror, a brittle, bony hand mimicked her movements. Klara's vision went black as she saw the empty eye sockets and furious change in this ghost's face. Klara screamed. She faintly heard a noise start to come out. She shivered as she realized no one could hear her screams. They were just rattles in her bones.
"Klara?"
Oliver opened the door. Something blocked it from being opened more.
"I know you're still mad. Let me in," he whispered. He was sure she could hear him. When he heard nothing, he squeezed into her room. Something didn't feel quite right.
Oliver's foot knocked something over. It was the flashlight. He heard a low humming as he bent over to grab it. He looked at himself in the mirror. He looked as guilty as he felt. His eyes looked down toward the bottom of the mirror. There was a shadow there, but nothing was there to cast such a shadow.
He clicked the flashlight on and the light went through the shadow. He moved it around and saw that in the mirror, a figure was fading in and out.
"Klara, you can take the win for this year. Just come out." He started searching around her room, thinking- no, hoping he'd find what's making these illusions. "I'm sorry. I mean it." He kept looking around for any sign of her.
Oliver sat on her bed and picked up the werewolf mask. He tossed it back and forth between his hands.
"Seriously, Klara. I'm getting scared." He got up and walked over to the mirror. "Don't make me get mom and dad involved." Oliver dropped the mask and shined the flashlight over the mirror. He saw the figure more clearly. "Klara?"
It looked like her reflection in the mirror, but her face wasn't the face he knew. Oliver flashed the light over the shadow and it went through it again. He got down on his knees right next to it. He heard a low humming and whirring kind of sound. He moved in place to get closer to wherever the noise was coming from. It changed pitches and he seemed to pick up on what it was.
It was Klara's echoes, screams that were coming from the mirror. Oliver touched the mirror. There were vibrations buzzing throughout it. Suddenly, the mirror seemed to push back. Oliver jumped and coughed to catch his breath.
Klara and Oliver's parents weren't happy to be up before sunrise.
"What's all this damn noise," their father stammered.
"Let us in now," their mother chimed.
They pushed their way into the room. The shadow was moved, like it had to be directly across from that particular part of the mirror. As they walked in, Oliver's heart sank. He wanted to yell for them to stay out. It was too late. The light switch was flipped on and everything was back to normal, except for Klara.
Klara won the last ever Halloween competition between them. Oliver never could figure out how she pulled those stops, but knew her main tool. He tried explaining it to their mom and dad. They were too upset about Klara disappearing and sent Oliver to live with relatives until they could find her again. They knew she was upset with him prior to the events that night. Before leaving, Oliver reasoned that he might be able to get her back by using her mirror. He didn't know if it would work or not, but offered to give it a try. However, their father was getting tired of crazy myths and broke her mirror out of frustration.
