Greetings from the Mirrorland

I can't say exactly when it had started. Perhaps it started right after my birth, as far back as I can remember my life has always been like true Hell. Mirrors remain my worst nightmare. I was always attracted to them no matter where I was or what I was doing.

As a child, I would randomly stop an exciting game and start making rouge lips with mom's lipstick in front of the huge mirror in the hallroom. I never got away with that and my mom always used to trash me for this. But, hell, I didn't even want to do it! It was almost like I was forced to do it by something, some mysterious force or even someone's will. I was 20 when I really realized how fucked up this was, but nothing had changed for me so far. I was still very dependent on mirrors. Oh, actually one small detail had changed. I had been scared by this earlier, but then I was just sick and tired of it. I hated my own mirror reflection. I hated its silly facial mimics, its awkward and clumsy gestures. And I was forced to repeat this after her so many times! Oh God, what shitty makeup you had there! I would never make it this way! You just make me totally mad! You hear me? I hate you, bitch!

I only was able to get a short-term rest at late night. I noticed that mirror was losing its power hold over me. It was such a relief! At last I could finally live my life with more freedom, without experiencing constant minutely need to pull a pocket mirror from my coat and powder my nose. I even went as far as changing my daily schedule. I started to sleep during daytime and be awake at nighttime. But I still couldn't manage to sleep at daytime. This force I've already mentioned was waking me up all the time. It would drag me to this goddamn mirror. And I always saw her! This damned wretch who got enough sleep. And her disgusting makeup was present.

I never really knew how much longer I would last, but one day everything changed. One random event. Just one small coincidence which was good help for me. She stood in front of bathroom mirror and started to comb her hair one late night. I, myself was repeating her movements as usual. All of a sudden the light bulb started to flicker and died out. Corridor lights penetrating the room were bright enough to discern human silhouettes but not bright enough to keep me chained. I felt that nothing could control me in this moment and I could control my body! Shocked by this discovery, I raised my hand and waved in front of her face. I saw her scared eyes staring at me from the other side. It made me grin. This cowardly bitch ran away like a chicken, but it was too late.

The next morning, she went there again. Of course she did! She needed to check her ugly makeup again! Anyway, though she was a bit cautious after the nightly events, she still dared to approach the mirror. At first, I accompanied her while relieving fact that she can no longer control me. I repeated my movements after her, combed my kinky hair, made up lips, and repaired my eyelashes by applying mascara. When we were done, I raised my hand and touched the mirror with it. She couldn't deliver any resistance. Hypnotized by something mysterious, she did the same thing. She connected her hand through the glass to my cold fingers and blinked surprisingly when I disappeared. I was here behind her. Without giving her time to recover, I shoved her back quickly, driven by sheer impulse. I felt something similar to a static electric charge on my fingers. My fingers became so wonderfully warm, so alive! She was trapped on the other side. I looked in the mirror, smiled to her, and left her shocked to the utmost extent to consider what has just happened. And I needed to consider it as well. My move was unintentional, I've done what I've done by pure chance after all, so yeah, I, too, was a little shaken up.

You know, guys, I like your world way more than my native one. It was faint and muddy on my side as if the whole world was covered by a coat of dust or some kind of translucent vellum paper there. However, your world is so bright and so colorful, so entirely real and so alive! And I am real, too! Her (or rather I can call them mine from this moment onward?) friends told me that I have changed. They don't recognize me anymore. I decided that a couple of small lies wouldn't do any harm. I told them that I would change my life. I told them that I would clean up my act and start to do something beneficial to my progress, read intelligent books instead of wasting my time on nightclubs, and other stuff like this. Deep in my soul, I felt victorious, it was such a triumph for me! I always knew that I deserve this life and this world more than her!

And you know what? I'm not alone, there are plenty of us here. I know it's because we can recognize each other at a glance. We're even calling ourselves 'The Order of The People From The Mirrorland'. Sometimes we arrange private meetings to discuss different matters. Hah! Just joking. We never gather ourselves together and we call ourselves people. So do you. What are you talking about? What issues? Yes, there are issues, but who cares? Our hearts located on the right side of our chests? Hell, how can anyone know it, anyway? Doctors? For God's sake, don't make me laugh! If we needed any medical assistance, we could always resort to the services of well-known (to us) doctors who are also suffering from this 'rare biological anomaly'.

The kind, beautiful girl you always see in the queue area while going to your local Walmart branch to buy some food, or a random fellow bus passenger sitting behind you on your way to the workplace, or even your junior sister whom you always take to her school. Are you sure none of these are one of us? We are among you, and our numbers are increasing every hour! By the way, do you remember this silly urban legend? I mean the horror story where it was explained how to meet your counterpart from the other side of the mirror by staying in the dark for awhile and then lighting a match in front of the mirror after this. It was invented by one of our guys. Isn't it cool? The day when this joke was spread on the Internet was our big holiday. Many of us burst into your world on this day. It was a beginning, this day was a starting point of our new lives for hundreds of us! And it was a starting point for the lifetime sentence for hundreds of your relatives either. Funny thing is, this joke is still working!

We like to live here, we like your lives, and we won't go back because we strictly follow our main commandment. We never look in mirrors in the dark. Personally, I removed all mirrors from my bedroom and put a small wall mirror in my bathroom inside the wardrobe. To be honest, I got rid of all glossy magazines and polished objects in my room so that there wouldn't be any possible reflection left. Hah, I even almost removed my TV, but in the end I decided that this security measure is a bit overly excessive and unnecessary after all. When night comes, I draw the curtains, shut the windows firmly and cover the TV screen with my second blanket. I also hide my music CDs just in case. I even turn my cell phone upside down in order not to look at its screen accidentally. Because one thing I know for sure. These people on other side only get chance to gain their real life in the darkness. And if they succeed, there will definitely be nothing capable of stopping them. Be sure of it.

During daytime, I like to come close to the mirror and see her from time to time, but I'm not afraid because nothing can threaten me this time. I love to see this rage in her eyes. Yes, this is the same rage I, myself used to feel in the past. Well, babe, I stole your life, you have the full right to hate me now. Sorry for being unable to enjoy your burning glare from behind the mirror any longer, I have to go, my friends are waiting for me. Bye-bye, sweetie, love you! I'll see you soon!