Reflection

After a long week of classes and stressful events at work, Morgan decided to join some of her classmates shopping over the weekend. Plus she secretly loved going into local vintage shops, browsing through used clothing she couldn't afford when on sale at the big box stores. It wasn't her fault textbooks were so expensive.

Yet while they browsed, Morgan's attention swayed toward an old, wooden mirror. You could hardly notice it, hidden among a wall of old funky stuff, yet Morgan couldn't take her eyes off her reflection within the mirror. She enjoyed it so much she spent one hundred dollars to purchase the mirror which surprised all of her friends, considering how frugal she normally was with her money. She could earn the money back eventually. The mirror was too precious to pass up she convinced herself.

She couldn't stop gazing at her reflection. Throughout the day, when Morgan was in her dorm, she couldn't stop, glancing at her reflection. She started realizing her reflection in the mirror was slightly different. Her mirror self was more beautiful. Her skin was softer, curvier, and elegant. The version of Morgan from the mirror was who she truly desired to be. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror constantly. Over the next few weeks Morgan's appearance slowly transformed into the mirror's reflection of her. Even her friends as well as boyfriend started to notice.

Yet the real version of Morgan appeared now within the mirror. She begged and pleaded to be let out. But the new mirror version of Morgan hated seeing her old appearance, so she took the mirror and stuck it into her closet, trapping herself within the mirror itself. Mirror Morgan enjoyed being admired and complimented by everyone, yet in the back of her mind she could still hear her old self, wanting to be released. She returned to her dorm, pulled out the mirror and had a chat with herself.

" I understand you want out of the mirror, but if I let you out I won't be so beautiful anymore," Mirror Morgan told her old self like talking to an imaginary friend who was actually real.

" But you must let me out. I can't be trapped within that stupid mirror forever,"

" Why not? It's the perfect place for you," Morgan told herself which honesty felt sort of wrong.

" Please.... I'll only be out for a little while then I'll return and you'll be free,"

" Fine, but only for a few hours alright?" the mirror Morgan swapped places with old Morgan, bringing her back into the real world. But Morgan didn't keep her promise. Instead of returning, she took the mirror back to the thrift shop for a refund. She didn't even care about getting the money back. She knew that mirror was wicked and wanted nothing to do with it.

Mirror Morgan didn't give up so easily. At night when the shop was closed she figured out a way to knock the mirror over, freeing herself. She took a shard of the glass from the mirror back to Morgan's apartment, breaking inside. She stood above her bed while Morgan slept.

" I'm truly sorry Morgan, but there can only be one of us and honestly I'm better," Mirror Morgan said, reaching down to pull back the sheet and slice Morgan's throat. Yet Morgan wasn't there.

" You're right.... You're better, yet I'm real," Morgan said, standing behind her, pushing Morgan into another mirror then she pulled a hammer out of her desk and smashed the mirror, trapping her alternative self forever. Morgan never purchased another classic mirror ever again.