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