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21
I stared into the mirror for a moment, waiting for the glare to fade from my eyes. It was always such a
shock. That first moment, when your reflection disappeared. When you stared at the spot where you
knew you were standing—and realized you were looking right through yourself!
“How do you feel, Max? How do you feel?” Erin asked, imitating me.
“Erin, what’s your problem?” I snapped. It wasn’t like her to be so sarcastic.
“Just giving you a taste of your own medicine,” she replied, grinning.
Something about her smile was lopsided, not normal.
“Think you can beat my record?” Zack demanded.
“I don’t know. Maybe,” I replied uncertainly.
Zack stepped up to the mirror and studied his reflection. I had the strangest feeling as I watched
him. I can’t really explain it. I’d never seen Zack stand in just that position and admire himself in just
that way.
Something was different. I knew it. But I couldn’t figure out what.
Maybe it’s just my nervousness, I told myself.
I’m just so stressed out. Maybe it’s affecting the way I look at my friends. Maybe I’m making all
this up.
“Two minutes,” April announced.
“Are you just going to stand there?” Erin asked, staring into the mirror. “Aren’t you going to
move around or anything, Max?”
“No. I don’t think so,” I said. “I mean, I can’t think of anything I want to do. I’m just going to
wait till the time is up.”
“You want to quit now?” Zack asked, grinning at the spot where he thought I was standing.
I shook my head. Then I remembered that no one could see it. “No. I might as well go the
distance,” I told him. “Since I’m here, I might as well make you look bad, Zack.”
He laughed scornfully. “You won’t beat thirteen-twenty,” he said confidently. “No way.”
“Well, you know what?” I said, angered by his smug tone of voice. “I’m just going to stand here
until I do.”
And that’s what I did. I stood in place, leaning against the mirror frame, while April counted off
the minutes.
I did okay until a short while after she had called out eleven minutes. Then, suddenly, the glare
of the light began to hurt my eyes.
I closed my eyes, but it didn’t help. The light grew brighter, harsher. It seemed to sweep around
me, surround me, fold over me.
And then I began to feel dizzy and light. As if I were about to float away, even though I knew I
was standing in place.
“Hey, guys?” I called out. “I think I’ve had enough.”
My voice sounded tiny and far away, even to me.