The Lying Mirror

by alvinna edwards nwoko

  Linda took a step out of the darkness from around the corner of the building where she was hiding, she peeked a look when she heard the distinct hum of the Jack-Mobil motor approaching.

  The Jack-Mobile was already upon her when she cover her head and face with her hoodie then stepped out from around the building to deposit the contents of the vile on her designated target. She tripped over the guide cane of the blind passenger Jack was taking across campus free of charge.

  Cassy told Jack she was running late to work in the library and would her knight in racing stripes get her to Sherwood Forest library before Robin Hood sent his merry men looking for her.

  In laughter Jack gave her a short bow of the head, waved for Cassy and voicing her on to my trusted steed Maid Cassy and I shall be honored to deliver you safely to your castle of books.

  Off they sped laughing and enjoying the rest of their satire.

  Excuse me Maid Cassy, how can one work amongst book if thou are blind? For I surly believe that one such as yourself would place literature starting with the Letter W where the A’s are located.

  I assure my fair Robin Hood that ever should you find a W in the A’s it was not I, for I am the orderer of books not the placer.

  Loudly laughing and having fun over Jack’s ridiculous question. Cassy was more than pleased to have Jack escort her speedily to the library.

  When Linda stepped out from around the corner of the building where she was waiting, Jack barely had time to maneuver his chair out of her way.

  Cassy’s guide cane caught between Linda’s legs and when Jack turned his Jack-Mobile to the left to avoid injuring the shadowed person, Linda tripped sending the contents of the vile into the air, and behind the heads of Jack and Cassy.

  Small droplets landed on Jacks hand burning with a fire that was indescribable. Cassy’s hair had a foul smell from the smoke Jack noticed at the top of her head. Jack grabbed his water bottle from its grip on the side of his chair like a gunfighter on the count of ten, pulled the trigger and fired, poured some water on Cassy hair first then used the rest of the water on his burning hand, all in a matter of one minute.

  Jack and Cassy were lucky, any slower and the complete contents of the vile would have surely covered them both.

  While Jack was administering emergency treatment to Cassy and himself, Linda fell backwards around the corner into the shadows from which she had been hiding, turned, and ran for dear life stumbling, crying and wiping her hands and face all the way back to her dorm room.

  Linda’s right hand, face and neck were burning, fire crept into her skin, her mind and now her fears.

  The more she wiped the more she spread the contents of the vile on her skin. The content of the vile mixed with sweat ran from her brow like the fear that was running through her heart, foolishly she used that fiery hand to wipe at the beads of sweat that were tormenting her eyes, spreading her fear further.

  Chapter

  5

  Jack sped Cassy to the emergency room on campus where he and she was treated and released with only minor burns thanks to Jack’s quick thinking.

  Cassy being blind did not understand fully what had just happen. Jack under played the attack because he wasn’t sure if Cassy was the target or he or both of them. Regardless someone was careless enough to carry an open container of whatever that foul mix was.

  Jack was outraged and wanted to know exactly who would have done such an awful thing to them.

  Cassy is one of the most helpful and friendliest person he had met on Campus. Jack desired a relationship with Cassy but until she made the first move he was content in being her friend. They had fun on campus everyone act like they loved them. We’re disabled, for heaven sakes, and minding our own business.

  Jack could not complete his thought because of anger, his last question to himself was why?

  Well he was going to find out, and bring that person before the judicial system of the city or the campus courts.

  Jack waited for Cassy at the campus emergency room so he could continue their trip safely to the library, he deposited Cassy quickly and shouted behind himself as he sped off again that he would return at closing to pick her up and make sure she got home unharmed.

  Jack returned to the scene of the assault to find shards of broken vile on the side walk still wet with whatever foul substance was inside of it. He removed his right side guard of his Jack- Mobile brought forward his backpack placed it in his lap and looked inside for something to gather up and contain the evidence. And prayed he would find the person who did this to Cassy and deal with them severely.

  Jack recovered the broken pieces of the vile with a bit of liquid still clinging to them and placed them into a small plastic empty pill bottle he had found in his backpack. He then slowly and carefully maneuvered his chair on to the grass to see where the darkness might lead him. To his surprise, but not, it led to Linda’s dorm.

  At that point Jack turned his chair around and headed back to his apartment to ponder over this evening’s event and wait for Cassy to get off from work.

  The next day Jack took the shard pieces of the vile to the chemistry lab and asked one of his friends if he could find out what was inside of it. His friend Ant, as Jack called him, because of his short statute, red hair and fiery personality asked Jack why?

  Because, Jack replied as he turned his Jack- Mobile around to leave, someone tried to pour it out on me and Cassy last night, it burned us both Jack yelled back to Ant, as the last part of his Jack- Mobile went out of the automatic stainless steel doors of the lab.

  Ant stood there with the pill container still in his hand and placed it very slowly and gently on the stainless steel table, then went for gloves and safety goggles.

  Ant would not hesitate to help Jack because Jack helped him ace a very important exam that would make or break his career. Even though Jack major is not Bio Chemistry. Jack studying and memory techniques is invaluable towards Ant’s success with acing exams.

  Three days later Jack received a call from Ant to get over to the lab right away, you won’t believe what I’ve got to show you.

  By the time Jack reached the lab, Ant had everything ready and set up in one of the experimentation work rooms. It was important for Ant to show Jack what he was up against.

  Jack wheeled his chair further into the room to be closer to Ant.

  Come Jack, closer to the table, you have to see this.

  Jack position himself on the opposite side of the table so not to impede Ant in doing his experiment. On the table Jack noticed an array of different items all laid out in a straight row. Jack prayed silently that this will not be another one of Ant’s nerdy aha moments.

  Okay Ant let’s see this, Jack said in his don’t bore me voice.

  You’re not going to believe this Jack, but watch this.

  Ant proceeded to pour a drop of clear liquid on to iron, nothing happen. Then a drop of the same liquid on to a piece of wood, again nothing happen. Now on to glass, plastic and a host of other surfaces still nothing happened.

  Okay Ant what’s this all about Jack asked in boredom.

  Now watch this Ant replied. Ant went to a refrigeration unit pulled out a piece of raw chicken with the skin on it and said, watch this.

  Ant placed his safety goggles on and poured a singled drop of the clear liquid onto the raw chicken, the liquid started to sizzle, smoke and eat its way through the skin of the chicken.

  Whoa! Jack yelled as he was moving his Jack- Mobile away from the table speedily. What is that stuff? Was that what was thrown at Cassy and me the other night?

  I’m afraid so, Ant answered.

  Well dude, what is it? Jack asked.

  I wish I knew, mindlessly Ant answered.

  But I can tell you this; Professor Klinehauser gave a lab exam as a makeup test to those who were failing his class. His requirements were for you to use any combination of chemicals in the lab and explain why you used that particular combination of ingredients. The practical us
es for the formula is how Professor Klinehauser graded you, this lab exam was your final and most important exam for the semester.

  This particular combination, Ant said nervously as he held up the vile containing the formula, was used to remove skin moles, warts and dead skin and possibly on burn victims to remove scars. But! This combination was way too strong for living tissue and the person who created it failed because of that reason.

  The Professor wanted to consult with the student who designed the formula in hopes of changing the formula strength, reevaluate the final grade and possibly market her formula. But the student got angry with the Professor assessment and stormed away never going back at the Professor request.

  Only one person had this exact formula.

  Linda Laakenworth, Jack answered for Ant.

  How did you know? Ant started to ask, but Jack beat him to the punch.

  History my friend, lots of history.

  Thanks man I owe you, Jack yelled shaking his head in disbelief as he left the lab.

  That formula had to be the reason why he had not seen Linda on campus for days. Some of it must have spilled on her when she tried to throw it on me, not Cassy, Cassy was never the target.

  That person came from around the shadows of the building and tripped, he remembered. Cassy’s cane was sticking out in front of my chair and when that person stepped out to pour the liquid on to me, they didn’t realized I had a blind passenger with a lead cane and tripped.

  Thank God only a little drop got on Cassy and me.

  The problem is now, how much of that foul concoction got on Linda and where is Linda now?

  CHAPTER

  6

  Beauty was always Linda’s addiction and the mirror was her drug of choice. At first she only needed a fix once or twice a month. But now she needed to see herself in the mirror once or twice daily. She actually place her desk in front of the mirror so she and her mirror could have regular conversations.

  Linda was beginning to fall in and out of consciousness, she had not eaten for weeks and now she was losing the fight with existence.

  Lean, lean… Not to your own understanding, Linda in her groggy state tried to remember the words. Someone told me that once.

  Linda’s breathing is becoming labored, her thoughts shallow and week. No longer does she have the strength to open her eyes, and even if she could it hurts.

  This is what you can expect from your envy Linda, she whispered to herself in the dark. Stupidity has no boundaries, seek the wisdom of others, learn by example and respect your fellow man. Fellow man, I had no fellow man, I had no one, and I’ve never had anyone, but my mirror. Where’s my mirror. Linda tried to open her eyes but time was running out, her strength was running out and her will was running out. Only now are these words of wisdom coming into mind? Only now these words of wisdom were coming to me too late. Too late.

  Linda laid in bed unmoving for several more days, the burns on her skin from her acid formula had now turned into oozing scabs and scars. Across her brow, right cheek, on her chin and from her right ear down to her neck, her beauty was no longer, she had hid herself from the world and from herself. Her window drapes closed, lights off and lots and lots of agonizing regretful tears. Tears that wouldn’t stop, couldn’t stop. There was only one thing she could do now to make the tears stop, to make the pain stop, die.

  Linda life was no longer in her control, she had not gotten out of bed for weeks, and the odor of death in the room encouraged Linda’s senses to welcome her demise.

  Slow and ugly is what you deserve, Linda whispered through her tears. No one ever came to visit so I don’t have to worry about any interruption. And my dorm fees have been paid in full for the year, everything is all set except for me.

  Linda tried to hug her odor filled pillow while crying but there was no resolve, her arms would not move, her legs would not move and as hard as she tried her regret would not move.

  Now in total isolation, Linda knew that the time has arrived for her to remove herself from the world, and now she can die quietly.

  But torment for what had happen to her now took over her remaining thoughts, took over her body and took over her life. She could not believe she was now one of the ugly ones she had so rudely denied respect.

  The pain from her burns had subsided now but her face and eyes were swollen and red. Some of her hair near her brow where she wiped the sweat away laid detached from her scalp next to her on her pillows. Her skin where it was burned was a little raw but no longer seeping.

  But her pillows, her pillows and bed covers were soaked with the blood and puss from the oozing of her burns and the sweat and tears of her foolishness. The only thing she could do now was struggle to watch the wind fight with the curtains and wait to die.

  CHAPTER

  7

  Jack asked around campus to Linda’s classmates, Professors and employer if they had seen or heard from Linda. They all answered in the negative, no, that they had not and some of them actually replied that it was a relief not to have her around.

  Sadden by so many ill remarks about Linda, Jack felt the situation had become more severe than he had originally thought.

  Out of desperation Jack went to Dean Becker to advise him what had happened to him and Cassy and that Linda Laakenworth might be behind the hold scheme.

  Jack made sure the Dean understood that he did not want any of this information getting out to the other students. It appeared she was not well liked and it was not necessary to give her enemies any ammunition against her.

  The Dean agreed and was willing to give Jack the information he required. Dean Becker was also aware of Jack’s integrity and reputation with the other students, and had no problem believing Jack was acting in the correct manor and in Linda’s best interest.

  With his blessing Dean Becker gave Jack Linda’s phone number, address, and the key to Linda’s dorm room, then advised Jack to keep him inform of his progress and to do all he could in his own way to take care of the problem.

  Before the Dean let Jack leave, he made sure Jack understood the situation he has placed him and the school.

  Discretion Jack, very important now. If you need any further help make sure you come to me first. Me first Jack. Do you understand?

  I understand completely Dean Becker. And thank you so much for your immediate attention with this situation.

  Well, I hope you find her quickly Jack, she’s now dangerously close to flunking out of school. She’s too smart to let that happen. Help her Jack, it’s obvious she needs you now.

  Jack left the Dean’s office grateful he was able to at least let someone know what had happen to Cassy and him. He was also more than grateful that the Dean acted as quickly as he had and allowed him to take care of the problem. Hopefully there won’t be a problem.

  First Jack tried calling Linda’s phone immediately after leaving the dean’s office, but received no answer all that week. During the same week he stationed himself at her favorite spots to see if she would appear. Unfortunately that whole week was a waste of time, all he did was wait, and watch and wait some more.

  Jack was becoming desperate. It felt as if time was running out for him and Linda, if it hadn’t already. He decided he would give her a visit, weather she wanted one or not.

  Maybe she went home to mama, Jack thought hopefully, but I’ll try her dorm anyway.

  Faced with a dilemma he was not prepared for, Jack sat there starring at the steps. The women dorm was not suited for wheelchair accessibility. He would need to be lifted up the stairs to get to Linda’s room and then lifted down again to get out. Jack gave quick thought to his dilemma reminding himself his next project would be to make the women dorm wheelchair accessible, especially if he was going to be visiting Cassy.

  A quick thought indeed, because Jack was back at the task at hand, how to get up those stairs. At the bottom of the steps in his wheelchair Jack counted twenty steps in all, twenty! How would he get his Jack-Mobile up twenty steps, how
would he get his chair up even one step? His chair weighed more than three hundred pounds, and this was not going to be an easy task for anyone. Jack had been stewing over his dilemma for three hours outside the girl’s dorm in the very same spot he had stopped. He was still at the bottom of the dorm steps when his friend Cassy happened by and smelled his deodorant.

  Jack? Is that you?

  Yea, Jack answered somberly.

  What’s up, what’s wrong? You waiting for me? You sound troubled Jack, Cassy had determined just by the sound of Jack’s voice he was distressed.

  Nope, I’m actually trying to figure out how to get my chair up those steps, Jack answered in his puzzlement.

  Well that’s not so hard a task Cassy laughed. Stay right where you are, I’ll be back in a moment.

  Cassy using her cane sped up the stairs keeping count of her steps and disappeared behind the glass double doors of the dorm.

  Jack watched her in awe as Cassy didn’t trip once as fast as she was moving up those steps. God is good was all he could say in her wake.

  Cassy returned to Jack with a host of girls on her heels. All of them smiling and giggling and glad for once they could help him instead of the other way around. Not one of them asked Jack why he was so desperate to get inside the dorm, but they were thinking it though. They knew Jack well enough to know if Jack wanted them to know he would tell them.

  Without asking they turned Jack chair backwards removed Jack from his chair and carried him one step at a time up the steep steps of the dorm. Rested Jack on the top step comfortably, then repeated the task this time with his heavy chair.

  Once Jack was placed safely back into his chair, he thanked the ladies for their resourcefulness, for it only took thirty minutes to get him and his chair up the twenty steps and into the dorm hall way.

  Jack thanked them all again and asked if he could have a bit of privacy for at least an hour. He knew by asking the girls to stay in their dorm rooms would peak their curiosity even more. You’ll have to trust me on this one he told them. And without hesitation the girls went back to their rooms somewhat disappointed that they would not be in on the rest of the mystery visit.