The Lying Mirror

by alvinna edwards nwoko

Something like that, Jack replied to Linda’s assessment of herself.

  Bible study was a big success. They read from the Bible, settle controversies and went away enlightened by the evenings events.

  Jack wheeled his Jack-Mobile over to where Linda was sitting on the sofa reading more of Psalms 24.

  Are you ready for this Linda? Jack asked.

  Well, from what you guys said, nothing changes until you make the first step, right, I mean hell, what do I have to lose? Every damn day of my life I’ve been a fool, everything I’ve touch turn into shi… Jack’s eyes flew open wide at Linda’s choice in words.

  Oops! I have to work on my language, huh, Linda said in laughter. You did say one step at a time, right, Linda smiled sheepishly.

  Yeah we did say one step at a time but you didn’t answer my question. Are you ready for tomorrow? Jack asked again.

  Yeah I’m ready, but I’m also scared shitless…., I mean, I’m scared to death.

  And Jack, thank you.

  Chapter

  13

  Ms. Eevan was asked by Ant and the Professor to come to the lab and oversee all the testing and paperwork that had already been done. She was also asked a series of questing as to the formula’s application.

  Ms. Eevan assured them that the formula had endless applications, and if they didn’t mind she would like to be in on Linda’s treatment.

  The problem with Linda’s situation is, that she had no treatment after her accident and the scabbing and scarring was deep and wide. We would have to know how much for how long and how many times a day to apply the formula. This may truly take some time, but it would be well worth the research for Linda’s mental health.

  The pig’s treatment only took two weeks to its completion, while Linda’s treatment had already gone pass her fourth week.

  At first the application soften and open the scabs making them loose and oozing again. They needed to do this to get the scabbing area back as close to the original day of the burn as possible.

  Then after another two weeks the scabs dried up very tightly, shrank just a little and crumbled away from the skin leaving reddish raw streaks in their place. This is exactly what the lab rats wanted to happen, for them so far so good.

  The next application was applied to the redden streaks, hoping for the same effects, softening, oozing, drying and shrinking. But after a week the reddish streaks had not shrank, leaving Ms. Eevan worried that Linda’s treatments may not work as well as the pigs.

  Ant being worried himself after the first three weeks called his team together at the lab and announced, we still have a problem and a lot of work to do. The shrinking and redness on Linda face and neck is not improving with the fourth application, we need to know why, and we need to fix it.

  This is the biggest project this school has ever had. The reputation of this lab and this university are in jeopardy. And I for one will not let one negative appraisal come out of this lab. Now let’s get off our butts and fix this problem. People lives are depending on us. And if we pull this off think of what this will do for our careers.

  The brainy lab rats with high I.Qs, scrambled to their notes, vials and microscopes. Through the rest of the day and night and not stopping to eat or sleep, they tested and tested and tested again the original formula. After a second day of desperation and testing the formula, in the wee hours of the morning, one of the lab rats ran to Ants office and screamed in and at him, I think we got it. Not waiting for Ant’s reply ran back to the lab just as urgently.

  Ant was out of breath by the time he reached the lab. The nerdy lab rat grabbed Ant’s lab coat and pulled him to his microscope, look he said to Ant, and Ant leaned down to take a look, only to come up from the microscope with a look of shock on his face.

  Is that all we forgot? That small of an ingredient?

  Yes! The lab rat practically screamed and laughed his reply.

  Yes! The oldest remedy known for burns and we left it out of Linda’s recipe.

  Are you sure? Dead sure? Ant looked around the lab to all present and received the same jubilant nod of consent, yes.

  One of the Lab rats pulled on Ant’s lab coat again leading him to a desk filled with papers. It took him a minute to push papers around but finally found what he was looking for.

  Look he said to Ant, this is Linda’s formula and this one is ours. What’s missing?

  Aloe! Ant screamed, then ran back to his office.

  Ant called Ms. Eevan at three-o-clock in the morning and advised her of his… their findings.

  Aloe! We forgot the aloe! Ant hung up the phone before Ms. Eevan could ask questions, leaving Ms. Eevan sleepy eyed and blank.

  Ms. Eevan returned to the coziness of her bed pillow, smile to herself and said, “God Is Good” and without complication drifted back off to sleep.

  Secretly behind closed doors in the bathroom, Linda removed her bandages to witness her progress, only to find the red lines on her face and neck had not changed at all, they looked deeper redder and in some places still oozing.

  In fact the burn tracks were uglier than the scabs itself. Depression enveloped her like the cocoon of her death bed.

  I thought they said this would work. Why? Why is this not working like it should? I put my trust in them and I need this to work. Linda gave thought to her formula and couldn’t understand why everything else the formula was supposed to do was happening except the shrinking of scars and the reddish streaks.

  Linda returned to bed. Restless she dreamed of making people happy with her formula, she dreamed of saving people from self-destruction, for once she wanted to make a difference.

  Ant, the lab team and Ms. Eevan met up at Jack’s apartment at the same time. Jack answered the door and was practically run over as the visitors made their way straight to Linda’s bedroom.

  Linda! Ant yelled with excitement, we… Linda cut off his sentence with her own revelation. Aloe, not enough aloe Linda finished.

  We forgot to even put it in, Ant announced. You ready?

  Linda anxiously sat in the chair next to the window where the light was natural and the brightest. Ant and Ms. Eevan applied the thick gooey formula to Linda face and neck and the other lab rats and Jack watched. Linda face and neck was wrapped again gently and another couple of days allowed time to prove its worth.

  Three days later the same crew returned to Jack apartment again and this time Jack moved out of the way as to not be run over by the team, ignoring Jack, the team went straight to Linda’s bedroom to examine the application. The wrappings were removed, and stares embraced her face. A second application of the formula was administered to Linda’s face, clean wrappings and a lie telling Linda if she remove the wrappings she would negate all they are trying to do for her sake. They did not tell Linda if her treatments was working or not and they all left as fast as then came in.

  Linda prayed earnestly that night to God, for the way the team was acting, a negative result must have been what they found and they didn’t want to tell me.

  Please Dear Lord whichever way this treatment go, I want what Jack has, peace of mind. And thank you Lord for bringing Jack into my life.

  The following three days were the worst for Linda. She had made it a point to go into the bath room and take a peek at her progress, but now she was afraid, she did not want to ruin what the team from the lab was trying to do for her, so she left her bandages alone until she heard a knock on the door, looked at the time, then raced to the chair near the window.

  Jack open the door sped before the team this time to Linda’s bedroom and took a prime position to anxiously watch the unveiling, with extreme anticipation as Ant and Ms. Eevan removed the bandages from around Linda’s face and neck.

  The lab rats, Ant and Ms. Eevan looked to one another without a word after the wrappings were removed.

  Complete silence filled the room and glossy eyes with the hope of restraint fought to hold back tears.

  But for Jack, poor, poor Jack, who had waited so long, th
ere was no holding back, there was no restraint. Jack slumped over into his chair and hid his face in his arms on his knees and wept like a baby.

  Oh! Sweet Jesus no! Linda leap out of the chair and ran to the mirror in the bathroom. She wasn’t sure what she was looking at. The red tracks… gone, the scaring gone and the oozing all gone. Linda turned to her new friends watching her through the bath room door, and cried tears that could not be controlled.

  Linda walked calmly over to where Jack was still crying, put her hand on his shoulder and simply said thank you.

  Jack tried to lift his head but couldn’t, Linda’s revival was just too overwhelming for him.

  Can you guys escort me over to my place, if the room is still mine? There’s something I have to do and I want you all present.

  Oh no, Jack was concern the room had not been entered since that night he found Linda. If Linda go back to her place to soon she might revert back into that old mental state of vanity and selfishness.

  It should be okay Jack, Ms. Eevan convinced him. This might prove positive.

  At Linda’s dorm room the stench of death lingered and Ms. Eevan had to open the window to stop gagging. Jack could see more clearly the signs of depression, the hopelessness of Linda’s vanity.

  The mattress smelled of soaked blood and puss and the pillows revealed the pain of an acid eaten face. The room was a mess and Jack wanted to leave, Ant and the lab rats wanted to leave, but Ms. Eevan wanted to understand. What would bring someone down this low?

  Linda stood in front of her seven foot beautiful mirror and stared at herself too long.

  Jack looked over to Ms. Eevan and shook his head as to say let’s stop this before it’s too late.

  Ms. Eevan held out her hand to Jack to stop him from interfering with whatever Linda thought she had to do, whether good or bad. When Ms. Eevan shook her head no to Jack, then and only then did Jack remain silent, remained still.

  Linda couldn’t take her eyes away from the mirror. Disgusted, Linda picked up a vase that held the death of beautiful red roses and smashed it into the mirror. Ant and his crew had to duck and hide their faces from the mirror’s flying splinters of glass. Then Linda did the strangest thing. She removed the beautiful wood frame without the mirror from the wall, looked at Jack and said. “Now I can go on”.

  Why? How? Jack stammered.

  The mirror had lied to me, Linda told Jack. All these years the mirror lied.

  Back at Jack’s apartment, when he and Linda was a lone, Jack asked Linda a question he very much wanted the answer to.

  Linda?

  Yes Jack?

  What did you mean when you said the Mirror had lied, I didn’t understand why you made such a statement.

  Because it was true. Since I was a little girl I always stood in front of that mirror and talked with it. You know ask it questions.

  And did the mirror ever answer you back?

  All the time. But this is what I found out. I wasn’t just talking to the mirror, I was talking to myself. I was giving myself all the answers I wanted to hear, not the true answers. My mother didn’t care much for conversations and she wouldn’t let me out the house to play much. So my mirror became my best friend, my confidant in a way.

  Now that your friend is gone now what? Jack asked concerned.

  I really don’t know Jack.

  Well if you don’t mind me saying, I think it’s time for you to find a better friend, one that won’t lie to you.

  What do you mean?

  Well let’s start on campus.

  No! Linda shouted at Jack. Too many students hate me. They don’t want to be around me. Remember I disrespected them.

  Linda the semester is ending soon, when you come back for the next term they will see a new Linda. Oh and by the way did you know you aced all your classes?

  The Dean sent you a letter on congratulation and I forgot to give it to you because of all the excitement in the apartment.

  Jack went to his work desk to retrieve the letter, found it and gave the letter to Linda. Will I be seeing you next term?

  Linda was already opening the letter and reading it when Jack asked the question. Absentminded Linda brushed him off with a yeah, yeah.

  Disappointed just a little, Jack expected Linda to have more enthusiasm in her voice.

  I sorry Jack but there is more to this letter than you know. Dean Becker says I did pass all my classes, but I have to go before the Student Board of Ethics before I can return for the next term. He says based on academics I would be allowed to return for next term. But if the Student Board of Ethics votes me out, I will not be able to return.

  Jack! What am I’m going to do now? How could they do this to me? Their just jealous of my… Linda statement trailed off.

  Jack looked at the old Linda still buried deep within her. He was so disappointed. At this juncture the most he could do was leave Linda to herself.

  Ms. Eevan please. Jack called Ms. Eevan to advise her of the situation that just showed itself, he wasn’t sure if he should be concerned but right now, he was.

  Hello Ms. Eevan, please excuse me calling you without notice but I got a situation here you might want to know about.

  What is it Jack?

  Today I gave Linda the letter the Dean wanted me to give her. There was some good news and some bad news in the letter. When Linda got to the bad news, I’m afraid I saw the old Linda surface.

  What actually do you mean the old Linda?

  I never told you how Linda got burned. Because of envy, she tried to ruin my popularity by dashing her original formula in my face. I was carrying Cassy at the time and Cassy’s lead cane tripped her up and most of the formula back washed into her face. Ms. Eevan I’m scared, if Linda is rejected by the Student’s Board of Ethics I believe she’ll go back to her old friend the mirror.

  Jack? What are you saying?

  She talks to her mirror and it talks back.

  How long has this been going on?

  Since she was a child she told me.

  And now her best friend is gone, Ms. Eevan said somberly.

  Jack? Jack! Hello, hello.

  Yeah I’m still here.

  Where are you now Jack.

  I’m at the bus stop trying to decide whether to come to your office or not.

  No, there no reason for you to come to my office. I don’t think we have to worry about Linda today.

  No Ms. Eevan I mean for my sake.

  Not today Jack. But I do need Dean Becker phone number. Have you got it?

  Yeah. Jack gave Ms. Eevan the numbers to the Dean’s office and his cell. I need your help Ms. Eevan, I think I might have overstep my boundaries. I feel like I’ve made more of a mess than I helped. And Ms. Eevan, I can’t be responsible for another woman’s life.

  Jack! Don’t talk like that, you did the right thing at the right time. We all did, but what we didn’t know was how deep her scars went.

  I’m going to call the Dean right now, see what I can do, see if I can help. Okay? Talk to you tomorrow.

  And Jack?

  Yeah.

  Thanks for calling me. Bye now.

  CHAPTER

  14

  After Jack disconnected from talking with Ms. Eevan, he sat at the bus stop watching buses come and go, looking for his old friend Hard Drive. Hard Drive was always a good listener, and he always gave great advice. Boy could I use him now.

  The sun gave way to the darkness as it overtook the day and Jack’s mind. When Jack realized Hard Drive wasn’t going to drive by he chose to return home and face whatever Linda had to say about her slip up.

  I felt it was too soon, he voiced to himself. We should have waited until we knew she was completely stable. Once again I held information that prove critical to someone’s life.

  The smell of food emanated from the apartment has Jack open the door. Something smell good Jack called out as he wheeled through the living room.

  Linda met Jack at the door of the kitchen, teased him and told
him he couldn’t come in until she was finished.

  If you need anything from the fridge you just gonna have to tell me and I’ll get it for you. Tonight meal is a thank you and I don’t want you spoiling my thanks.

  Hey Lin have you given any thought when you’re be leaving for home at the end of the semester.

  I won’t be going home Jack. I’ve got a lot of work to do here at school. You know the Student’s Board of Ethics? I might get suspended Jack. I need to talk to people on the board and see if I can get them to vote yes for me to remain here at this school. This one Jack. I can’t go to my mother and tell her I had to go before a Board of Ethics, and that they voted to suspend or expel me.

  Jack notice Linda’s agitation and wanted to see how far she might go with it. He sat quiet and watched.

  Look Jack I can’t tell my mother I failed. She’ll kill me. I can’t tell my mirror beauty didn’t work the way it said it would.

  Jack’s head popped up and his eyes met Linda’s confused expression when she said the mirror told her.

  I’m sorry Jack, I mean I can’t tell my mother beauty didn’t work the way she said it would.

  Linda went back into the kitchen stirring in a pot of something that smelled delicious and didn’t come out again until she was finished cooking.

  Jack did not intrude, he wanted Linda to think about what she had just said and come to him when she’s ready to talk about it.

  After a time, when she felt Jack was more relaxed. She peep her head around the kitchen door and yell to him, Jack I invited the guys from the lab to join you in my thanks, hope you don’t mind. They’ll be over around 7:30pm. Can you set the table for me? Everything you need is in that box on a dining room chair. Thanks.

  How? Where? And when did Linda have time to do all this. I was only gone for a couple of hours. Plates, silver ware, table cloth, everything you need to set an elegant table for nine. Is this strange? Or is this Linda?

  Hey Lin, Jack called out, I’m going to need your help getting the leaf in this table and the extra chairs in the bedroom and living room if you can help me with that also.