Mirror People

Jennifer never thought anything could really be of nightmares. Then her Uncle moved in. Thereafter, every night she survived; became a living nightmare. The smell of alcohol lingers and follows the man. The only warning she had that her Uncle was coming once again to take more pieces of her away. After he had his way with her. He'll wrap his large hands around her throat to choke her.

“Don’t you dare tell anyone. I will kill you. I will Jennifer.” His threat the last thing she heard before she lost consciousness. Dawn breaks waking her from the restless sleep. It’s been weeks since he first came. Every morning the cruel reminder that she lived. Nothing brought a smile to Jennifer’s face. Her high energy snuffed out. Another day. Night will come and the nightmare begins all over again. No amount of soap made her feel clean. She scrubbed and scrubbed till she felt nothing. She dressed in a turtleneck to hide the marks on her neck. And pants. Covering as much of her skin as she possibly could. Looking in the mirror the dark circles under her eyes and the dead expression of her face made her look more like a decaying corpse. Without brushing her hair she walks back to her room. Sitting on the floor to pull on her socks and slip on her worn sneakers.

“Let’s go Jen!” Her oldest brother beckons. Jennifer stands up grabbing her backpack, putting it on her shoulders as she heads out of her room to the front door. Keeping her eyes on the floor so not to look to her Uncle who sat on the couch sipping coffee. Slipping out the door she follows her brothers. Jennifer the only girl out of four boys. Only older than one of her brothers. Ian, Jennifer’s oldest brother led the way and the rest followed behind like little ducklings following their mother.

“Hey sis did you here Nana is coming to visit us today?” Lucas, Jennifer’s little brother says catching up to walk beside Jennifer.

“Cool.” Jennifer answers her eyes looking to the ground. There wasn’t much that would make her look up or even talk much. Lucas didn’t push for a conversation only walked ahead of her. Jennifer walks a little slower. It took the little strength she still possessed not to break down crying. The storm raged inside her. Eight year olds shouldn’t have to be so strong. At school she works in silent. The students around her participating. Jennifer use to be like them. Raising her hand and shining bright in her class. Her teacher took notice but assumed it was nothing more than financial struggle. It was no secret that Jennifer’s family was poor. They wore second hand everything and participated in the free lunch program. When field trips came up they would stay behind because they couldn’t pay the fees. Today her teacher kneel beside Jennifer noticing she didn’t complete her school work.

“Jennifer do you want to go see Mrs. French?” Her teacher asks. Jennifer nods and gather her stuff leaving the classroom quickly. She could feel the eyes of the other students watching her. Mrs. French and her Special Ed room was sanctuary to Jennifer. When she walks inside she finds it empty. Usually was at this time of the day. So Jennifer puts her stuff on a table and goes to the quiet area and curls up on a bean-bag. A moment later she fell into slumber. Being in the quiet area was the only place she felt safe enough to sleep. Nothing there could touch her, hurt her.

“Jennifer.” Mrs. French whispers lightly shaking Jennifer awake. Wiping the sleepiness from her eyes she sits up looking to Mrs. French. Noticing that Mrs. French was pulling down her turtleneck. Jennifer freezes, squeezing her eyes shut. Mrs. French gasps seeing the marks than slowly pulling the turtleneck back up. "Who did this to you? Was it your mom or stepdad? One of your brothers?” Jennifer opens her eyes shaking her head furiously.

“No! They would never hurt me Mrs. French! It wasn’t them.” Jennifer defends the tears welling up in her eyes and stinging as they start to spill over streaming down her cheeks.

“Calm down Jennifer. It’s okay. Listen. Is there anyone else in your home?”

“Just Uncle Pete.” Jennifer chokes out without thinking.

“Did he do it?” That question makes Jennifer cover her face and curl back up on the bean-bag.

“I’m not suppose to tell. Please don’t make me! Please!” Jennifer became hysterical, her words barely audible. Mrs. French takes hold of Jennifer’s hands and pull them off her face seeing the terror in her wet eyes.

“Jennifer it’s okay. You are safe.” For a moment Jennifer just stares at Mrs. French before falling into the woman’s shoulder. She buries her face in it as she continues to cry.

“I’m scared.” Jennifer whispers after long minutes pass.

“Jennifer sleep. It’s okay.” Mrs. French peels Jennifer off of her and Jennifer fell back into the bean-bag curling up tightly. But it took less than a minute before she fell back to sleep.

“Look I don’t know what happened. But I am certain there is physical abuse. Jennifer use to be the happiest girl regardless of her circumstances. These past seven weeks she stop talking almost altogether. Her assignments are turned in incomplete. She looks like she never sleeps anymore. I come in here and find her at least twice a week sleeping in the quiet area.” Jennifer heard Mrs. French talking as she came out of the grogginess of her sleep. Blinking and seeing that she is talking to the Principal. A very tall, older man that she met a few times before.

“Did you call the police Mrs. French?” He asks and Jennifer bolts to her feet.

“Yes. They sent a patrol officer over there. He was home.”

“How could you!” Jennifer screams. They both turn to her to see she was shaking and crying all over again. The fear she felt made her hit her knees and cover her face.

“Jennifer it’s okay. Nothing will happen to you.” Mrs. French tries to reassure but Jennifer knew better. She knew exactly what her Uncle is capable of.

“Calm her down. Then make sure she gets on the school bus.” The Principal orders and quickly leaves the room. Jennifer couldn’t think. Only thing that’s on her mind was facing her Uncle. After several minutes she finally calmed down enough to put her backpack on and walk out of the room. The halls are crowded as Mrs. French held her hand and led her through the sea of students. They reach the main doors walking through them and to the buses parked one in front of the other.

“Jennifer everything is going to be alright. I will see you next week.” Mrs. French smiles giving Jennifer’s hand a final squeeze before walking away. She waited in line for the bus to open.

“Jennifer! Dan and Mickey and I are going to our dads. See you Sunday sis.” Ian calls out and Jennifer turns seeing three of her brothers pile into the familiar Toyota their dad owned. Jennifer felt less confident about facing him but at least her little brother will be there.

“Jen! Tell mama I’m staying at Troy’s tonight!” Jennifer watches speechless as her little brother jump into a truck. As she climbed on the bus everything inside her told her to get off at any stop but her own. Run away. Far away. Jennifer didn’t have the courage to get off at any other stop. There was no place for her to run to. Going home was her only option. She had to face her Uncle. Jennifer was tired of being scared. She was ready to die. To think an eight year old could be ready for such a thing? Jennifer got off the bus and slowly made her way home. Pulling up as much courage as she could so not to turn and run. Reaching the front door she grabs hold of the knob turning it and pushing it open. As the door swung open she pees herself. Her eyes squeezed shut waiting for him to grab her and kill her. After what seemed like minutes she opens her eyes to find he wasn’t on the couch. Jennifer steps inside. Looking around and finally calling out. No answer. Taking in a breath she calms down. Going to her room and grabbing a pair of panties and pants. In the bathroom she takes a quick shower then dress. The waits in the living room. Watching the door and holding her breath every now and then when it sounded like a car pulled in. Around seven the door opens and her mom, stepdad and her nana enters.

“Hey sweetie. Your Uncle Pete called us a few hours ago and said he’s going back to Texas. So he won’t be coming back.” Her mom says seeing her daughter sitting there almost too still. Jennifer breathes out slowly. Getting up to give her nana a big hug before retreating to her room.

That night Jennifer lies clutching her teddy bear tightly as she watches the shadows dancing in the mirror that laid heavily against the opposite wall. Something inside her told her that he might come and steal her away. The more the thought slither in her head the more intense the shadows in the mirror became. Something solid seem to move in the mirror. It seemed far away just on the other side of the mirror. An awful, distorted face with fresh bleeding cuts. Jennifer felt like she was in a nightmare and covered her blanket over her head and begged herself over and over to wake up. When everything felt still she breathe slowly thankful she woke up. Before she could pull her blanket off her head something grabs her ankle. Her scream catching in her throat she is pulled from her bed and dragged across the floor. She looks behind her to see that same thing she saw in the mirror only this time it wasn’t in it. It dragged her across the floor and slips into the mirror. Now Jennifer screams. Clawing at the carpet trying to escape it. It pulls her into the mirror and she feels an intense, moist heat on her legs. Her nana runs in just as her shoulders are about to be swallowed. Without hesitation the woman takes hold of her granddaughter’s hands trying to pull her back out. The things are too strong and her head is pulled through into the mirror and her body twists. Jennifer screams as they rape her. Choke her. They repeat the same process over and over after she regains consciousness. Her screams stop after hours of the continuous torture. Her body falling limp. She closes her eyes and cry.

“Kill me. Kill me. Kill. Me.” She begs the creatures. They continue the same torture. The very thing her Uncle did to her for all those weeks. “What did I do? I’m sorry. Please. Please. Kill me.” When hope finally left her she is yanked from the world and felt the arms of her Nana holding her tightly.

“¡Rompe el espejo! Ahora. Break it!” Adhering to Nana’s words Jennifer’s mother breaks the mirror with a hammer. Hitting it a few times to shatter it completely. Jennifer curls into her Nana more squeezing her eyes shut. “Jennifer what is your secret?” Nana asks slowly her English choppy as she spoke.

“Uncle Pete has come into my room and raped me every night since he moved in. When he was done he choked me.” Jennifer lets out in one breath hiding her face in shame,

“Mama her hair is to her back. Her nightgown barely fits, she’s bigger.” Jennifer’s mom points out in awe.

“Elena that world is different. Time is different there. Five minutes here has been years there.” Nana explains slowly so her English came out clear.

“Mama what are we going to do?”

“Help her forget.”