Part 4
Constable Malcolm Liddle arrived home around 8.00 PM. His wife Tessa was busily making the tea for their two boys, Anthony and Kyle. There was a lot of commotion. The 10 and 12 year olds were arguing about what channel to watch on the TV, Kyle being the eldest, insisting he got first pick. They stopped their yelling when they saw their father, and jumped up to greet him. He had a good relationship with both sons and laughed heartily as they both tried to tell him about their day at school, each one shouting over the other.
Tessa came in and said, "Enough boys, leave your father be, he's had a heard
day." She crossed the living room and kissed Malcolm lightly on the lips.
"Tea will be ready in five minutes, so wash those hands," she said to her husband before departing for the kitchen once more.
"Eeew," Kyle said in distain, obviously kissing wasn't on his priority agenda as yet, and only viewed girls as nuisances. Malcolm looked at his son, and
smiled; he'd soon change his mind in a year or two.
Anthony noticed that his father was carrying something in his hand in a plastic bag. "What's that dad?"
"Ssshh, it's a surprise for your mother, I got it from lost
property," he said lifting up the ornate mirror.
"That looks a bit old and knackered," Kyle said, screwing his nose in disapproval.
"It looks antique; your mother likes things like that."
Malcolm took the hand mirror out of the plastic bag and examined it in his hand. The gilt patterns framed the mirror beautifully. He didn't mean to just take the mirror, but he couldn't find Irving that evening, and he did promise him the mirror two weeks ago. He had left a note for the old boy before he left the station.
"Dinner's ready" shouted Tessa.
The boys ran cheering into the kitchen. They normally had tea at 5.30 but Tessa decided it would be nice to wait for Malcolm and have a family meal together for once. The family all sat down at the table, and the usual banter began, discussions between Tessa and Malcolm about their respective days at work, the boys arguing over the biggest potato on their plates.
"Dad, why don't you give mum her surprise," Anthony squealed.
"Idiot it's suppose to be a surprise!" Kyle replied, slapping his little brother playfully on the arm.
"Surprise?" Tessa said looking at her husband.
Malcolm raised his eyebrows, clarification that he had been rumbled.
"Come on then," she said, "What is it?"
Malcolm got up and went the living room to retrieve the mirror. The boys giggled in anticipation at their mother's reaction to the
present, both of them thinking she would hate it because of its age and condition.
Malcolm handed it to her. Immediately Tessa's eyes lit up.
"OH MALCOLM! Its beautiful!"
She leapt up and kissed him fully on the lips. The boys gazed in amazement; they could never ever work their parents out.
"I got it from lost property. I've had my eye on it for ages but I had to wait the required period of time in case someone came to claim
it," exclaimed Malcolm.
He and Tessa had put the boys to bed and were snuggling on the sofa like two young lovers. 15 years of marriage and still the spark remained.
"I love it, its great, I've been wanting an antique hand mirror since I was a little
girl. I think its got something to do with all the princesses in fairly tales having one to brush their
hair," Tessa said, smiling.
She held the mirror it in her hand and gazed at her reflection. As she peered into it she noticed that although she was smiling her reflection was not. The face that stared back had a cold sinister expression. Lips pursed and eyes narrowed.
"Aaaaaaah" Tessa screamed as the mirror dropped onto the carpeted floor.
"What's wrong?!!" Malcolm exclaimed, think she might have cut herself on the handle of the mirror or
something.
"The..The mirror...its...I mean it wasn't me..." Tessa stammered, she was physically shaken.
The boys, hearing the screams both came running down the stairs.
"Its OK boys, your mother spooked herself."
"I did NOT spook myself" said Tessa indignantly. "There's something wrong with the mirror, look see for yourself" she said, pointing to the offending item still lying face down on the floor.
Malcolm bent to pick it up, as he did so he noticed the handle of the mirror was very hot.
"Blimey, that's warm, what did you do to it?" he asked, turning to his wife
"Nothing! Why, what's wrong??"
"Its hot, look."
He held out the mirror for Tessa to take but she backed away
"NO WAY, I'm not going near that thing again, sorry love but its
freaky."
Suddenly, a large shaft of brilliant light came shooting out from the mirror, bathing the living room in an unearthly unnatural daylight. Tessa and the boys screamed and huddled
together. Malcolm tried to drop the mirror but found he couldn't let go; it was like it was glued to his hand. He shook his hand more.
"Shit, I can't get rid of it! It's stuck. Get the boys out of here," he shouted at his
wife. She was rooted to the spot in fear.
"TESSA, GET OUT!" he shouted once more.
This time she seemed to snap out of her trance and pushed the boys out of the room, looking behind her. She shouldn't believe what she was seeing.
Malcolm's arm was being dragged into the mirror's small portal. Already it had him up to the elbow, it was surreal. Tessa ran towards him to try and help, but he backed any, not wanting her to come any nearer. Tessa's screams were drowning out the ones of her
husband's, who was slowly and impossibly disappearing into the mirror. First his arm, then the side of his face, then the whole top half of him was dragged straight in leaving the bottom half of his torso and legs exposed, then the mirror zoomed towards the floor, swallowing the rest of him up. Then silence.
The room was still. The screams had stopped. Tessa and the boys stood for what seemed an eternity, but in reality no more than a few minutes. Eventually Tessa went towards the mirror.
"Mum don't!!" shouted Kyle; fearful the same fate awaited his mother to that of his father.
"Its okay, I'll be careful," she said.
She bent down and flipped the mirror quickly over. It looked normal now. No flashing rays of light, just reflecting the ceiling above, it was only until she looked into the reflection that she saw not her own face but that of her husband, mouth screaming in agony, as someone behind him cut deep into his throat.
Tessa opened her mouth to scream but nothing came out. All she could do was stare in horror, looking at the images as though it were a film being played. There was no sound just rapid movement of her husband slowly falling down, throat bleeding, gaping wound of severed flesh seeping the life blood from him, and from behind Tessa came face to face with her husband's murderer.................it was herself!
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