Don't Smile For The Camera

"Do you think there's a way to fix it?" I ask.

The cashier picks up my camera and doesn't say a word.

"The battery isn't dead. The day before-"

"You're going to need to buy a new camera," the cashier interrupts.

I nod and start looking around the store. I don't think they have the exact camera I own. They don't have many options here.

I look back at the cashier scrolling on his phone. He's the only employee here and I'm the only customer. This place is not doing too well but it's the only store open at this time.

"Are there any more cameras?" I ask.

"We have a camera in the back, but it's for free," the cashier responds.

I walk towards him as he walks to the back of the store for the camera. I hope he knows that I'm here to buy a good camera, not a dollar-store camera.

The cashier comes back with a camera that looks exactly like mine.

"Here it is," he says.

"That looks like my camera," I comment.

He reaches down and pulls out my old camera. He places them side by side.

"Do you want the camera?" he asks in a croaky voice.

"Well, why is it free?"

"It's used. Someone returned it, saying that something's wrong with it- I think it works fine," he says dodging eye contact.

"I'll take it."

On October 18th, I had my first model with the new camera. When the photoshoot was over, I reviewed the pictures so I could see what I could edit. One by one each picture was distorted, except for the last picture. The last picture was terrifying. I remember how uneasy it made me. Laying on the floor left with a wound on her back, next to a puddle of blood. The model was dead, she was just killed. My hands were shaking and sweating. I was not able to hold the camera anymore. I dropped it on the wood floor. I picked up the camera and saw the same horrifying pictures. I quickly called the model to check on her. I explained to her what had happened but she hung up. I was completely sober. Nothing was wrong with me. I don't have problems with my imagination. I'm not crazy. What I saw was real. I did not make it up. I couldn't have made it up.

I haven't heard back from the model, but I assume it's because she's mad. I promised her those pictures by Monday and I sent her nothing. I wasted her time and her money. I offered a refund, yet no response.

I took a few weeks off from photoshoots with clients. I would photograph scenery outside and nothing bad came of it. The pictures were perfectly normal. I started to question if I did in fact imagine that haunting image.

I had my next photoshoot on the 2nd of November. I felt prepared for that photoshoot. That time I made sure to show the client how the pictures turned out. As a result, the pictures came out normal and nothing was wrong with them. Once I transferred the pictures to my computer, everything changed. The model had been badly hurt on the other side of the road after speeding into another car. I slammed my laptop shut and sat there in disbelief. The same thing happened with the pictures. I knew I wasn't crazy. What I saw in those pictures was real. I should've gotten rid of the camera since the first incident. I just couldn't believe what I saw.

This is my final test.

I get up and grab my camera. I head into my bathroom. I turn on the light and take a deep breath in. After this picture, I am destroying the camera.

I look into the mirror and take my picture. Before I get the chance to look at my camera, I feel something peering over my shoulder. I look back at the mirror only to discover a figure standing behind me.