Short Stories

It was the middle of the fucking night when Raven texted me.

“Mark, I need poison and a pillow.”

It made me scowl enough to realize that I hate how quickly she relapses into the darkness. Her poison is weed, her pillow is me. I’m just about done being the comfortable guy to cry on the shoulder of, but one to forget entirely when the days are good.

I drove the fastest I could, blasting AC/DC loud enough to announce my arrival on the highway to hell. My anger had subsided by the time I reached Raven’s place. She was my best friend after all; The only friend I had left after ghosting everyone. An eccentric person like me couldn’t be around normal people.

I switched to a soothing playlist because I knew I’d be playing it in Raven’s room for the comforting background noise to fill any sad silences.

She lived in a rather three-storeyed apartment building with two families sandwiching her apartment in the middle. I tiptoed through the stairway, not wanting to disturb their peace, and knocked on Raven’s door. It was open. A vein popped up on my forehead. I was just appalled at how careless she was.

Sighing, I entered the gloomy room. Darkness spread everywhere. A tiny bulb was lit in a mini wooden temple hung on a wall. I maneuvered my way up to her room with ease, as my eyes are good in the dark.

Sobs echoed in the room, louder than any scream. She was on the floor, leaning against the bed, hugging her knees.

“It’s the 3rd boyfriend this year. You need to stop falling in true love each time,” I said to her as I clicked on the dim chandelier light and sat beside her.

“But I thought he loves me too–hic,” she sobbed, and I sighed.

“He did. Until he got what he needed from you and realized that now it’s fading. People mistake everything for love these days,” I stated the truth. She sobbed louder. I pulled my arm across her shoulders and sighed.

“Am I…not good enough for anyone?” Raven asked guiltily. A pang rippled through my heart.

“No one is good enough for you,” I said, rubbing her shoulder softly. “Stop selling yourself short.”

She sobbed some more, sinking into me while I turned to hug her. Her head was buried into my chest, and at some point, she turned her ear right above my heart to hear my heartbeat. It’s one of the things she does. And it’s awkward.

“I brought weed. Had to mow through three police barricades and a military base,” I revealed.

She giggled and wiped her teary face on my shirt before moving away. “Lemme bring out the paper,” she said and crawled to her dressing table’s drawer on all fours. Her round hips moved hypnotically. I had to look away.

Soon, she was making a joint, processing the marijuana. I watched her silently while lo-fi music played in the background, echoing in the room. I watched and watched. She was wearing a low-cut shirt, and her deep cleavage was unnerving. Her breasts almost fell out as she hunched over, crushing the leaves in her palm. I didn’t look away this time. I stared hard, wondering why my hormones aren’t boiling up and my heart isn’t throbbing as it should. She’s beautiful after all. Not like a princess, but still beautiful in her own right. She has a kind heart, a sweet smile, a wild imagination, a pretty face, exotic dark skin, and perfect lady lumps.

And my heart doesn’t throb. I looked at my reflection in the mirror of her dressing table. A different man stared back at me from it. I licked my dry lips and sighed, frowning. Raven was done rolling the paper. She scuttled close to me and lit it up.

Her face glowed up in that fiery light. I wanted to keep staring at her, wishing the moment would freeze.

She inhaled several deep puffs before humming as it finally hit her. She eased into the mellow music and sat beside me again, offering me the joint.

“I can’t,” I rejected, even though I was craving it.

“Why?” She pouted.

“Body rejects everything unhealthy now,” I revealed and sighed.

“Oh, how? What happens?” She seemed worried.

“I throw up. Can’t get high anymore, can’t eat meat, can’t even sniff smoke.”

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” Raven said, putting away the joint and waving the smoke away from me. “It’s rather odd, don’t you think?”

“Hmm. Small thing. I have bigger issues,” I said, looking into the dressing table mirror again. This time, a different man peered back. I stared.

“You okay? Wanna talk about it?” Raven asked while reaching for the ashtray.

“I’m fine. You can smoke, don’t worry,” I said, putting on a mask.

“No, it’s okay. I’m done with the poison. I just need the pillow now,” she said, stubbing the joint and crawling over me until she was lying half on the floor and half on my lap. I cradled her in my arms like a baby and folded up my knees just enough to make it comfortable for her.

She raised her hand, touching my face, poking my nose, playing with me.

“You look too handsome to be single,” she muttered. I glanced at the mirror. A different face than the last time showed up. I sighed, exhausted.

“Define my face,” I asked her. She tilts her head a little, curiously.

“Hmm… Caramel white skin, chiseled nose, square jaw…” she spoke, running her hand through them, caressing my face. “… black eyebrows, deep black eyes…” she used her thumb ever so gently, “faint reddish lips…” she spoke, touching my lips and stopping there.

I was staring at the mirror the whole time, noticing how the shaggy ruffian-looking man in my reflection differs from her perception of me. I blinked, and this time there was a pale Russian man with blue eyes in the mirror. I blinked and blinked, and each time, there were different men in the mirror. I don’t think I’ve ever seen my real face.

I glanced down at the girl who was staring dazedly at me, her thumb still on the corner of my lips. She arose, bringing her face to mine, and kissed me all so suddenly.

The damn heart throbbed at long last. For the first time, in ways it hadn’t ever before. Gosh, were her lips so soft and delicious? I sucked in the breath she exhaled, tasting her as she tasted me.

“God damn it Raven…” I muttered as I pushed her away abruptly, breaking the sweet kiss, “You’re high,” I huffed.

“Yes. And I want to get higher,” she said, gazing into my eyes and leaning in for another kiss. I didn’t push her away this time.

Our hands ran on each other’s bodies, our breaths escalated, blowing on each other’s skin, our clothes dropped one by one, and we were naked by the time we climbed up on her bed.

“Are you sure about this?” I asked, regretting it immediately. But she nodded, gazing at me with her deep black eyes.

“Love me…,” she said emotionally. I could not reject. This girl needed to be loved. She deserved to be loved.

I didn’t fully know what love truly was, but it surely meant taking care of each other, and I was certain I could take care of her better than all those jerks she had dated so far.

More importantly, my dead heart was finally beating. It brought a new kind of rush that washed all over me, filling me with energy I had not known before. A heat that only increased as my body rubbed against hers. My hands groped her soft breasts, and she let out a whimper, which got buried in our kiss immediately.

She was more eager than me. She needed me all over her and inside of her. Her legs parted and wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer until my throbbing, hard erection was pressed against her steamy, wet entrance.

We were panting as I lifted myself off a bit to look into her eyes.

“I didn’t bring any protection,” I said apologetically.

“Fuck protection,” she huffed, grabbing my neck and pulling me down to her lips for a deep kiss.

I adjusted my torso and shoved into her almost ruthlessly. She whimpered again, but I kissed her passionately while beginning to thrust inside her. My tongue slid into her mouth, tasting her hot tongue while my shaft explored her tight cave.

We made love for a long time. I fucked her speedily, propping myself up through the palms as I watched her breasts move up and down with each thrust while she clenched the sheet above her head. Her eyes locked onto mine, and her moans stirred me endlessly.

We kissed countless times and made love all night long. Whenever we finished, we cuddled and kissed and sighed against each other’s necks while music played on in the background. It was perhaps the best night we’d ever had. Her eyes were no longer teary, her broken heart mending with each moment that we spent together.

At last, when she clung to me, sleeping, I exhaled deeply, wondering where we go from here. Do we pretend this didn’t happen? Do we stay friends? Can we stay friends? Or, do we become lovers? Do we marry and settle down? But…

I glanced at the mirror and saw a different man in the reflection, clinging to Raven. It unsettled me at long last. At that moment, I decided that I must visit either a psychiatrist or a priest, whichever would swindle me less.

—

Raven took a contraceptive before she went to the bath. We hadn’t spoken a word after waking up. I finished dressing up and making coffee for us. I chugged mine down while leaving hers in the kettle.

At some point, I decided to leave. Raven was taking too long in the bathroom. She was perhaps avoiding the conversation about us. I took a hint and bolted. Just yesterday morning, she was in love with another man who broke her heart in the afternoon. At night, she was in my arms, and this morning she couldn’t decide what to do. Hearts are not machines that can be reprogrammed quickly. It’d take time for her to process and sort her thoughts out. I could get some therapy in the meantime and get my head straight.

—

I went to the church first, as they don’t charge a hefty sum just to see you. But I waited fruitlessly in the confession chamber. The priest didn’t show up until late. And when he did, along with a hot nun, he just ignored me, as if I were thin air.

Baffled, I left and went to the local psychiatrist named Jared.

—

“You see men in the mirror?” Jared enquired again with a frown. Jared was a man in his 40s. Tall, neatly combed, sleek black hair. He had oval glasses and sharp facial features. He wore a white suit and black shirt, with a white tie.

I was still taking in his office décor. It was rather spacious with everything screaming ‘costly’.

“Lots of patients? Or just a few rich ones?” I inquired. Wrong & rude question, but corrupt money-grubbers piss me off.

“Patrons. Rich. I don’t rob ordinary people. That’s the government’s job.” He answered. I leaned backward on my chair.

“Yes,” I answered his question from before, “there’s a different man in the mirror each time I see it,” I answered.

“When did this start?” He asked.

“I’ve never seen my real face,” I replied after a pause.

“…What do you think about God?”

I blinked. “What has God got to do with my situation?”

Jared kept staring at me silently. It’s a gaze I’m very familiar with. The men in the mirror look at me the same way. I gripped the armrest, narrowing my eyes.

“Honestly, I think God is a load of bullshit,” I snarled. He smiled immediately.

“We were right in choosing you.” He said, getting up slowly and walking toward a full-sized mirror on the wall. My gaze followed his movements carefully.

“What do you mean? Who are you?” I frowned.

“People think mirrors reflect light,” he spoke cryptically, ignoring my questions. “…but it’s just glass, right? Light can pass through it, too. And so can darkness…” he reached out for the mirror, and his hand entered it!

I jumped up, astonished as Jared walked into the mirror and turned around, facing me. I walked toward the mirror unknowingly until I was standing right in front of it.

“When humans peer into the mirror, we peer back at them. They don’t see us. But you do,” he spoke, smiling creepily.

“What the hell…” I muttered, lost for any other words.

“Hell is not far away. It’s not that bad either. Come. It’s only yours to claim.” He offered his hand, which stretched outside the mirror. I took a step back.

“Fuck… fuck off!” I yelled and bolted. I wasn’t crazy. Or maybe I was. But if I wasn’t…!

I ran out of the hospital and jumped into my car. My heart was thumping aloud. Adrenaline rushed through my veins like a drug. I adjusted the front mirror only to see Jared staring at me through it!

Bam! I broke the mirror. Its shards cut into my left fist, and it bled, but I ignored it. I set the gear and drove off. I rushed to Raven’s place. Those men in the mirror had seen me with her last night! I had to ensure she was safe!

I honked a couple of times as I pulled over before killing the engine and rushing up. I barged in through the door. It’s always open. This fucking careless girl!

“Raven! Raven!!” I screamed, looking everywhere. There was only silence.

I called her phone, but it rang on the floor. Panic seeped into my heart like molten glass. And then I looked at the mirror that I had been subconsciously avoiding. And there were men in the mirror, all staring at me silently. But this time, there were creepy smiles on their faces. Bastards had taken her!

I closed my eyes and frowned, exhaling. They all turned around and walked into a rocky landscape. The last man remaining was Jared, who held out his hand to me with a smirk.

I finally sighed and took his hand.