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Taking a deep breath, I opened the attic door, fumbled around till I found the light switch, and<br />
clicked on the attic light. Then I made my way slowly up the steep stairs, leaning all my weight on the<br />
banister, trying my hardest not to make the stairs creak.<br />
It seemed to take forever to get all the way up. Finally, I stopped at the top step and gazed<br />
around, letting my eyes adjust to the yellow glare of the ceiling light.<br />
The attic was hot and stuffy. The air was so dry, it made my nose burn. I had a sudden urge to<br />
turn around and go back.<br />
But then my eyes stopped at the doorway to the small, hidden room. In our hurry to leave, we had<br />
left the door wide open.<br />
Staring at the darkness beyond the open doorway, I stepped onto the landing and made my way<br />
quickly across the cluttered floor. The floorboards creaked and groaned beneath me, but I barely<br />
heard them.<br />
I was drawn to the open doorway, drawn to the mysterious room as if being pulled by a<br />
powerful magnet.<br />
I had to see the tall mirror again. I had to examine it, study it closely.<br />
I had to know the truth about it.<br />
I stepped into the small room without hesitating and walked up to the mirror.<br />
I paused for a moment and studied my shadowy reflection in the glass. My hair was totally<br />
messed up, but I didn’t care.<br />
I stared at myself, stared into my eyes. Then I took a step back to get a different view.<br />
The mirror reflected my entire body from head to foot. There wasn’t anything special about the<br />
reflection. It wasn’t distorted or weird in any way.<br />
The fact that it was such a normal reflection helped to calm me. I hadn’t realized it, but my heart<br />
was fluttering like a nervous butterfly. My hands and feet were cold as ice.<br />
“Chill out, Max,” I whispered to myself, watching myself whisper in the dark mirror.<br />
I did a funny little dance for my own benefit, waving my hands above my head and shaking my<br />
whole body.<br />
“Nothing special about this mirror,” I said aloud.<br />
I reached out and touched it. The glass felt cool despite the warmth of the room. I ran my hand<br />
along the glass until I reached the frame. Then I let my hand wander up and down the wood frame. It<br />
also felt smooth and cool.<br />
It’s just a mirror, I thought, finally feeling more relaxed. Just an old mirror that someone stored<br />
up here long ago and forgot about.<br />
Still holding onto the frame, I walked around to the back. It was too dark to see clearly, but it<br />
didn’t seem too interesting back here.<br />
Well, I might as well turn on the light at the top, I thought.<br />
I returned to the front of the mirror. Standing just inches back from it, I began to reach up for the<br />
lamp chain when something caught my eye.<br />
“Oh!”<br />
I cried out as I saw two eyes, down low in the mirror. Two eyes staring out at me.