Broken Mirror
Sorry about the mess…
But, do me a favor and try not to track bloody footprints all over my recently cleaned carpets – as they are hellishly expensive to clean.
Since I only got a few moments of life in me before I bleed out – I’d better cut to the chase and tell how I ended up in this deplorable situation.
So no questions… Okay? Just listen… I only got a few minutes left before my jealous Master shows up – sose there ain’t no use you tryin’ to patch me up or call for help.
And where I’m going, Buddy – I’m gonna need an asbestos suit.
So take your paws off me, sit your ass down and stop screamin’.
That’s better. Take a few deep breaths if you need to – that’ll help
It all started with my last customer.
Hard to describe him… cause he looked bland as Wonder Bread – in other words he was the kind of man that could blend into wallpaper.
The only exceptional thing about this hombre were his eyes.
He never blinked, not once.
As a professional Fortune Teller – checkin’ folks eyes during a Readin’ is an essential part of the job.
It gives a Reader the confirmation on whether or not the Customer is buyin’ the bullshit your tellin’ him.
So when a customer just stares at you without blinkin’ and wearin’ a self satisfied smirk on his face – like he’s enjoyin’ some kinda private joke… Well sir, you know you got a strange bird on your hands.
Claimin’ he was a Detective – he said he needed my help in locating a Serial Killer he thought might be in the area.
So I named my fee.
He paid cash – thank the Lord, as I get so tired being paid in goats, chickens and bullshit I ain’t got no use for.
Taking an old mirror off the shelf, I spat on it and used my dress sleeve to wipe the dust and grime off the surface.
“Looks like that hasn’t been used in awhile.”
“Haven’t had any requests to use it,” I said. “Most folks jest want thar palms read or have me look at the cards to tell them thar future.”
“How does it work?”
“Too complicated to explain… but, if the mirror is used correctly – Ah can see through the eyes of the killer … places he’s at… people he’s stalkin’… stuff like that. Stuff can help yew find the sumbitch… that is if Ah can find him.”
****
The mirror’s image was foggy at first – then it cleared showing a darkened street illuminated by a Bar’s neon sign.
A man and woman stagger out of the Bar. They drunkenly embrace. The man says something to the woman. She shakes her head and walks away to her parked car leavin’ the man alone. He walks down the darkened street. He is illuminated by shop windows. He passes by an alley and it looks like he is swallowed up by darkness. He takes a few steps before collapsin’ clutching his stomach as oily intestines leak through his bloody fingers. A dark red stain spreads out around his body. A woman’s piercing scream shatters the mirror’s surface and it turns dark.
****
The mirror shows a bathtub runnin’ water and an attractive woman steps into focus. She lets a slinky green robe drop to the floor as she climbs into the tub. After washing herself sensually the woman sighs, closes her eyes and leans back in the bath. She hears a noise and opens her eyes. Looks around for a few moments and then settles back with a frightened expression on her face. The bathroom light snaps off. There is a sound of water splashin’ then silence. The room is illuminated by a struck match that lights a cigarette. The woman’s neck is neatly severed. A black gloved hand comes into focus that grips the woman’s hair lifting her partially decapitated head up. Another gloved hand produces a large serrated knife.The Killer proceeds to saw off her head. The tub water is blood red.
****
“Can you tell where these murders were committed? Any ideas on their location?”asked thuh Detective.
“No, dammit! So far Ah haven’t been able to see anythin’ that could help pinpoint the Basturd.”
“What about the Bar? Do you recognize that Building?”
“Nope… could be any Bar downtown. But, if Ah hazarded a guess… Ah’d say the murder occured on the lower east side.”
Producing a notebook the Detective made a few notes in it.
“Keep looking and see if you can get an idea where he might be.”
I wish I had told him that I didn’t want to keep lookin.’ Cause at this point I was gettin’ pretty sick of watchin’ the horror show in the mirror.
But, he had paid me up front so there weren’t nothin’ I could do but continue on with my scrying.
****
An image of a young teenage couple come into focus in the mirror. They are sitting in a darkened movie theatre eating popcorn. Illuminated by the flickering light of the movie screen. The boy puts his arm around the seated girl and she snuggles closer to him. He kisses her and she responds passionately for a few moments before breaking their embrace. The girl says something to him, gets up and exits out of focus of the mirror. The boy gazes off at her retreating form and sulkily resumes eating popcorn. A black gloved hand appears from behind him and covers his mouth preventing the boy from crying out. The boy struggles until a large stiletto knife is cruelly shoved deep into his right eye socket. The exiting blade pins his head to his seat. Pinned like an insect, the boy sits upright and lifeless in his chair. The black gloved hand helps itself to several handfuls of popcorn before disappearing. The girl comes back into the mirror’s view and sits down next to the boy. She whispers something to him. He doesn’t respond, she shrugs and takes a handful of popcorn to eat. Unaware that the popcorn is covered in blood. That is until the house lights come back on. Revealing a young girl whose mouth is smeared crimson with gore.
****
That’s it! Ah can’t take anymore,” I said.
“But, we haven’t learned anything.”
“Ah don’t care this session is over! Ahm puttin’ this damned mirror away. “
As I reach for its gilded frame, the mirror’s surface ripples and I see my house in the distance in it.
Slowly the image of my home got bigger and bigger – lettin’ me know someone was headed in our direction.
Lord have mercy… we’d better barricade the front door I thought jumpin’ up.
“What’s wrong?!”
“Ah got a sneakin’ suspicion that maniac followed yew heah – help me push this table against thuh front door.”
We got the door barricaded and I went to check the back of the house to make sure it was secure.
I cursed when I saw the winder in my bedroom was wide open.
Checkin’ the room carefully I made sure no one was hidin’ anywhere.
With a sigh of relief I shut and fastened the winder latch.
Turnin’ around I walked back into my Parlor only to find the Detective deader than bacon and lyin’ face down in a pool of blood.
Glancin’ around the room I felt the hairs on my neck stand straight up.
That’s when I felt the blade pierce my back and slide into my chest cavity.
Damn! I didn’t see that coming.
Lookin’ at his face I recognized him immediately.
Grabbin’ a bottle I try to defend myself but the man cuts my hand with his large knife – causin’ me to drop the bottle to the floor.
Tryin’ to dodge past him – I made a break for the front door.
He caught me by my dress collar just as I hit the threshold.
The knife he was holdin’ pierced my chest and stomach like a woodshop drill causin’ me to collapse to the floor.
Layin’ there I gasped – “How’d yew git in yew Basturd!”
“Been here for a while. Watched your sinful little show from behind those bookshelves behind you.”
“Why?”
“There are a lot of Sinners in this here Town, Cassie… and my purification of filth like you needs to be completed… Completed before I’m forced to retire next year.”
Father Silas, the Pastor of our local Baptist Church kicked my body savagely out of the way and walked out the front door.
I blacked out.
****
That is until you found me and woke me up with all your pawin’ and screamin.’
“But listen… gulp…Damn… can’t think straight… lost too much blood. But, listen heah…since you came by Ah got one last fortune tew give…”
“Can’t breathe… Thar ain’t much…gulp… time left…”
“Ahm tellin’ yew now… about your car… make sure… check your car backseat… Ah’m warning ye… don’t… FOR GAWD’S SAKE…DON’T DRIVE IT! … listen… He’s waitin’ for ye… Runnins your only …”
Finis
*
About this story or Inside the Coffin
October or “Rocktober” (a nickname given by early FM DJs) is one of my favorite months of the year and I wanted to give everyone a cool, scary story to read since I have been absent from my short story blog for the last three weeks.
Raised on old black and white horror movies and mysterious candy of dubious origin (Anybody remembers those wax fangs filled with glow n’ the dark Kool-Aid that you could wear and eat later?) I have remained a fan of all things macabre and spooky over the years.
So, I wanted to try my hand at writing a horror story that was an homage to some of the films and books that scared the crap out of me as a young man. Just to kick-off your early Halloween reading.
I had several tales picked out for this month’s publication, but this one seemed to be the right combination of suspense and humor.
I hope you enjoyed reading “Broken Mirror” and I look forward to entertaining you again next month with a different kind of story.
I promise it won’t be scary.
All My Best,
Charles R. Bucklin
(That’s me! The author. In case you forgot already.)
