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12<br />
When the glaring light dimmed, I stared hard into the mirror.<br />
The reflections were bright and clear. Against the back wall, I could see April, slumped on the<br />
floor, staring intently at her watch.<br />
Lefty stood near the wall to the right, gaping at the spot where I had stood, a silly grin on his<br />
face. Zack stood next to him, his arms crossed over his chest, also staring into the mirror. Erin leaned<br />
against the wall to the left. Her eyes were on the light above the mirror frame.<br />
And where was I?<br />
Standing right in front of the mirror. Right in the center of it. Staring at their reflections. Staring<br />
at the spot where my reflection should be.<br />
Only it wasn’t.<br />
I felt perfectly normal.<br />
Experimenting, I kicked the floor. My invisible sneakers made the usual scraping sound.<br />
I grabbed my left arm with my right hand and squeezed it. It felt perfectly normal.<br />
“Hi, everyone,” I said. I sounded the same as ever.<br />
Only I was invisible.<br />
I glanced up at the light, casting a yellow rectangle down onto the mirror. What was the light’s<br />
power? I wondered.<br />
Did it do something to your molecules? Make them break apart somehow so you couldn’t be<br />
seen?<br />
No. That wasn’t a good theory. If your molecules broke up, you’d have to feel it. And you<br />
wouldn’t be able to kick the floor, or squeeze your arm, or talk.<br />
So what did the light do? Did it cover you up somehow? Did the light form some kind of<br />
blanket? A covering that hid you from yourself and everyone else?<br />
What a mystery!<br />
I had the feeling I’d never be able to figure it out, never know the answer.<br />
I turned my eyes away from the light. It was starting to hurt my eyes.<br />
I closed my eyes, but the bright glare stayed with me. Two white circles that refused to dim.<br />
“How do you feel, Max?” Erin’s voice broke into my thoughts.<br />
“Okay, I guess,” I said. My voice sounded weird to me, kind of far away.<br />
“Four minutes, thirty seconds,” April announced.<br />
“The time went so fast,” I said.<br />
At least, I thought I said it. I realized I couldn’t tell if I was saying the words or just thinking<br />
them.<br />
The bright yellow light glowed even brighter.<br />
I had the sudden feeling that it was pouring over me, surrounding me.<br />
Pulling me.<br />
“I—I feel weird,” I said.
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