Facing The Man In The Mirror

I look about, it's still dark. The clock reads 5:30 AM. In my groggy stupor I look into my room and find that it's the same as ever, to the absolute "T." Eventually, I rise, and walk myself into the hallway, past the computer, and to the bathroom. 1

And it's there that I meet my nemesis. 2

I can't help but look at my disheveled self in the mirror, everybody does. My brown hair is mussed, my hazel eyes, irritated.3

Looking to see the battle that I need to fight in order to look, "decent." 4

And I look in the mirror, and see myself. But, something's different..5

"Why do you bother?"6

I look, knowing that nobody's up, and that I have to be hearing things. 7

"You know who's talking to you."8

Again, I look around the cream colored bathroom, and scratch my head.9

"It's rude to ignore people."10

Now I'm on edge.11

"Stop it."12

Looking around, Frantic.13

"Oh, now you're just being stupid. Look at me when I'm talking to you!"14

I mutter, "What the fuck.."15

"I SAID LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU!"16

I again, look around until my eyes start to move toward..17

"You're getting warmer.."18

Closer yet...19

"Warmer."20

Right Next to...21

"You're Burning Up.."22

The Mirror. 23

I haven't said anything..24

My reflection speaks?25

"Of course I'm talking to you, stop being dense and pay attention."26

"Hey now, I'm not gonna play this game." I speak quickly.27

"But you already are, if you want to call it a game."28

"No. No. NO. I am not hearing this." I whisper.29

"You know full well what you hear and what you don't."30

I begin to twitch. 31

"So why don't you understand yet?"32

"I'm not crazy, this is a dream, I'm not crazy." Slowly becoming my mantra. 33

"So here's lesson number one, I'm here to stay." 34

"I'm not crazy, I'm not crazy...This is a fuckin' dream, and I'm going to wake up." I say quickly.35

"Aren't you the one that said you couldn't wake up from life?"36

"I..." I can't finish the sentence.37

"You already know you did. I know you did. I heard you say it, my little self help guru friend, ."38

"What...the...hell..." I begin to say, again slowly.39

"You know, It's a tad hypocritical, in the least, to help others, when you yourself are in need of help."40

"What do you know about me!" I speak, angrily. 41

"Please..I know everything about you, your name, your address, your social security number, I know what cologne you wear, your favorite drink, the songs you play, the things you write, the things you hide, who you care about, I know..you."42

"Bullshit." Without hesitation.43

"Your name is Chris, your adress is 213 High St., Scottsdale, AZ. Your social security number is 721369750, You wear Axe Phoenix Cologne with matching deodorant, you favorite drink is Crown and Coke, you play everything on your guitar from Nirvana to Necrophagist, I know you write stories with an alias called "Gatekeeper", I know that you never told anyone that you have PTSD, and I know everyone of your friends, and where they live. I..know..you..."44

"Who the fuck are you, and what the hell are you trying to do!" I'm screaming now.45

"Neither of those things matter because, you, will listen.."46

"No, I won't." Convinced.47

"Why do you help others in order to mask your own problems?48

"Leave me alone!" Exclaiming.49

"Is it because you're afraid to face me?"50

"Who are you?" Questioning, Frantic.51

"We'll get to that." 52

"I'm not afraid to face you, whoever the hell you are." Angered.53

"Then why haven't you looked me in the eyes yet?" 54

I slowly look to see that the man in the mirror is...me.55

"That's right, now we're getting somewhere." 56

"How is that.." I slowly speak.57

"Possible, It's not, but. Again, you're the one that said, we make our own possiblilities. Maybe, It's the fact that you aren't looking at things the right way? Maybe, you need to wake up." 58

And with that...I fell to the floor, my body collapsing, and my head hitting the sink with a dull thud, then everything went black. 59

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