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Reflecting - Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Four

Vincent stood still, partially shielded behind the mirror, cautiously watching the four strangers before him. He could feel Catherine close by, but she wasn’t among this group. And the ranting of the strange man who had just died confused him even more. Unaccustomed to meeting four people at one time, he turned to leave.

“Vincent, wait!” the old man shouted, stepping forward from the group to stand close to the mirror, but away from the body of the madman.

Turning, Vincent looked back at the man. The feeling that Catherine was nearby was still so strong. “Who are you? How do you know my name?” he asked the man. The surprised faces of the younger three didn’t shock him. He was used to the amazement people expressed when someone who looked like him spoke so well.

The old man walked around the other side of the mirror and approached Vincent. “My name is Jack Marshak. And I know who you are,” he began, “because Catherine told me all about you.”

Vincent’s eyes went wide with this news. “You have talked with Catherine? She is alive then? I feel she is close but I cannot see her.”

Out of habit, Jack called over to Johnny instead of Ryan, to help him turn the mirror. He didn’t want Vincent to see Catherine for the first time while standing over Casares’ body. Together, the men turned the mirror, facing Catherine away from her dead tormentor, toward her returned love.

At first, Vincent was confused. Why were these men showing him a mirror? Did they want to mock him and his unique appearance. But then he realized he had no reflection in this mirror. The hallway they were in was mirrored inside the glass, but he was not. Yet, there was movement, so he stepped closer to the glass. The next moment caused his heart to jump.

Before him, in the looking glass, stood Catherine. Beautiful Catherine.

“How is this possible?” he said, unable to take his eyes away from her.

A smile wide across her face, her eyes happier than they had been in over a year, Catherine raised her hand and placed it on the glass, on her side of the mirror.

Vincent copied her motions, raising his fur-covered hand and placing it against her own. The cool glass barely separated them, for he felt her, in his heart and in his mind, if not to his touch. “Catherine.” he said, looking deep into her eyes.

She mouthed his name back at him and smiled again, and her smile filled a void in his heart that he thought he would carry with him forever. He felt joy, he felt happiness, he felt loved once more.

With all the strength that he could muster, Vincent looked away from her towards Jack. “How is this possible?” he asked, quickly returning his gaze to the mirror, for fear she would vanish if he kept his gaze away too long.

Jack scratched his beard. “Well, my friend, that is a very long story.” Jack began to explain what he had learned of the mirror and Casares’ obsession with Catherine, but stopped when a noise from down the hall near the servants stairs drew the attention of everyone.

Johnny stepped to one side of Vincent and raised the gun he still held in his hand.

Before he could call out and ask who was there, a red fez hat announced the arrival of their friend.

“Rashid!” Micki called out as she and Ryan stepped close to Jack. “What are you doing here?”

The mystic came up to the group and reached out and shook Jack’s hand.

“It is very good to see you, my friend.” he said, smiling. “It’s good to see you, too.” Jack winced, as Rashid shook his hand a little too quickly, the pain in his shoulder still fresh.

“Rashid,” Ryan said now, repeating Micki’s question. “What are you doing here?”

Opening his mouth to answer, the mystic instead caught sight of their companion, the unusual Vincent. His mouth fell open completely as he stood, speechless.

Jack introduced them to each other and Vincent nodded slightly. Rashid, for what was the first time any of them could remember, remained stunned.

Ignoring the pain in his shoulder, Jack reached up and grabbed his friend’s arm, shaking him out of his trance. Looking at Jack, then at Ryan, Rashid regained his composure.

“Yes, I am sorry. Please,” he said, looking at Vincent, “forgive me for my rudeness.” Then he noticed Catherine in the mirror and nodded at her.

She smiled at the curious looking man, confused as to what was going on with everyone outside of the mirror, but still elated at finally seeing Vincent again.

Rashid was waving his hand over the mirror, amazed that there was no reflection. “Very interesting.” he said.

“Rashid.” Jack snapped, his exasperation growing. “Why did you come here?”

“Ah yes, of course.” he answered. “I found it Jack. I found the answer to the mirror, to getting her out of there and back to the real world!”

Jack smiled. “Rashid, you are amazing. Which spell did you come across?”

“Wait.” Micki said before Rashid could answer. “I though the antiques were permanently cursed? That there was no way to break them?”

Rashid nodded. “Yes, Micki, that is still true. However, my method does not involve breaking the mirror or the curse, whatsoever.”

“Well, then how are we going to get her out?” Johnny asked, looking at the mirror itself, feeling the frame. Noticing Vincent’s eyes watching him, he slowly pulled his hand away from the antique. “Sorry.” he said in a small voice, looking away.

“We have been trying to find a way to break the curse on the mirror.” Rashid said to everyone. “That was our mistake. Lewis paid for that curse with his soul. We cannot break it. What we needed was to find a way to enter the mirror, to pull her out.”

“Well, great.” Ryan said, smiling. “I’m guessing you found a way, so let’s get her out of there before we run into anyone else here.”

Rashid slowly shook his head. “There is a problem. The only way to get her out of the mirror world and safely into ours, for good, would be for someone to switch places with her.”

Micki looked at the mirror and smiled at Catherine, who was trying desperately to follow what was going on here. “How long would the person have to remain in the mirror? Just until we got her out?”

“No.” Rashid said, his voice quiet. “The person would have to remain in the mirror.”

“Forever?” Johnny asked, incredulous.

Again, Rashid shook his head. “No, Johnny, not forever. Just until the next full moon. Then, if the curse on the mirror doesn’t get it’s payment of a death, the person trapped inside would die, for good, lost to eternity.”

The meaning of Rashid’s words hung heavy over the group.

At last, Vincent spoke, his voice booming in the narrow hallway. “I will do it.” he said, looking towards Catherine. He couldn’t help but feel sad, having finally been reunited with her only to be separated once more.

“No.” Jack said suddenly. “No, that is very noble of you, Vincent, but no. I will do it. I have experience in the mirror world and I am, quite frankly, an old man.”

“Jack, no!” Micki said desperately, grabbing his arm. “You’re not an old man.”

Ryan and Johnny added their protests to Micki’s, but Jack shook them off.

Vincent spoke again. “I appreciate your sacrifice, but I cannot allow it.”

The small debate that rose up was quickly halted by the deafening boom of a shotgun blast to the ceiling. Plaster fell onto the carpeted floor, and their all eyes turned towards the source of the blast, at the end of the hallway, in the direction of the main staircase.

“Enough.” the wielder of the shotgun said, loud enough all to hear. “I’ll do it. And anyone who cares to argue can talk to my friend here.” And with that, Carlos reloaded the shotgun he held in his one good arm.

#friday the 13th: the series #80s tv #micki foster #ryan dallion #jack marshak #johnny ventura #beauty and the beast #catherine chandler #vincent #fanfic #reflecting

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