When I looked in the mirror I saw a monster. It creeped in the back of my room just staring at me as I stared at it through the glass. Oh? You thought I would talk about myself? Nonsense, I’m wonderful, pleasant, and everyone adores me. Atleast that’s what I thought until they locked me in this room with this seemingly harmless monster.

The monster was much shorter than what I imagined and more demon like. The two protruding horns on the front of its forehead made it very intimidating. Its skin was a reflected red to purple combination. It had lean muscles with sharpened claws. All the better to rip out someone’s throat I thought. I am a very modest woman, at least that’s what they told me but I looked anyways and found it was indeed wearing a tiny pair of shorts. At least this demon had some decency. It’s bottomless pit black eyes never left my gaze which was unnerving since it never blinked and I looked away out of respect not fear. No, they said I was fearless.

The room I was in looked to be an old attic. There were all kinds of antique trinkets everywhere but what caught my attention was the alien looking circle in the middle of the room. I wonder why they would lock me in here. I’m not even really sure who they were since I don’t think I’ve ever seen their faces. I thought I was loved. I thought I was special. I wonder how they knew about this thing haunting me.

I looked back behind me to see if it was really there. Nope gone. Then looked back at the mirror. Yep there just making eye contact with me but … did it get closer? Fear rose against the surface of my skin. Hmm. I looked away for a few moments and then looked back to see it had gotten closer with an obvious grin to its face. Was it mocking me?

From there I decided this was going to be my tomb if I didn’t escape. I’m not running from my imagination, I’m escaping this obvious jail they put me in. I grabbed the mirror and moved in a slow circle to survey my surroundings. The demon did not follow but when it reappeared in te mirror, it was closer and this time I saw it blink. Great. But I saw what I needed. A window and some rope. How can I do this?

I traced my steps to the far side of the room never loosing eye contact with the demon and picked up the rope. The monster didn’t move and I was a step closer to being free. I didn’t want think about what would happen if it didn’t go away after I left this room. No it would surely disappear. Surely

I made my way to the window the same way as before but then I tripped. I scrambled so fast to grab the mirror but I didn’t need it to know it was directly behind. I could feel its hot breath at the back of my neck. It must be short like me. Poor thing I thought but my hands were shaking. I tied the rope around the heavy table nearby and tossed the rope out the window. I sighed shakily. I just need to leave. That’s easy.

I climbed up on the window sill and tossed one leg over and again came across my predicament of the mirror and climbing one handed. I decided to take a chance. I gave the mirror demon the finger and tossed the mirror at it and climbed the rest of the way out the window holding it with a death grip. I screamed and screamed louder when the leg of the table snapped and I fell. It felt like forever but then it stopped and pain was all I knew. The numbness of my body told me I broke plenty of bones. My foggy and unclear vision told me I was dying.

I didn’t see it but I definitely felt the demon crawl on top of me and its breath against my neck again. I wanted to sob but it came out as a haggard gasp. What did I do to deserve this? I thought as my vision darkened and eventually went black. I assumed it bit my neck claiming my life once and for all, but then I woke up.

Her watch beeped letting her know it was time. It would be a waste to have lunch here she thought. They sky would cry any moment. She gather her belongings and zipped up her bag intentionally leaving out the tarp.

In record time of 2 minutes her makeshift tent was set up and she was inside drinking chamomile tea which always brought her a small moment of joy. Any moment now she thought.

Finally the rain began and she could here the forest plans hissing as if they were in pain from the poison fall from the sky. She closed her eyes and envisioned the raining was breakfast and the ground was a sizzling pan cooking it all. The smell was an exotic spice from the legendary people of the coast. Her heart slowed and a faint smile approached her face. Everything would be okay.

I shivered at the feeling of a midnight breeze caressing my skin. Wait a midnight breeze? I turned quick because it’s the middle of the afternoon and there shouldn’t be a cool breeze anywhere in this humid jungle. I spotted a mirror hanging from a wall. I stood in its line of sight and felt the breeze again.

What in the world.

I creeped closer and started hearing the faint whispers of the breeze. It sounded like I was on high up in the sky. As I crept closer the mirror shimmered and the imagine changed into a dark scene. A midnight sky full of stars I’ve never seen on top of some kind of building. I froze when I saw a dark figure sitting on the ledge staring at the stars. I know good and well that’s not my reflection.

Standing at the mirror I took a closer look at the person as they rode from their sitting position. That’s when I noticed the shoes on the other side of them neatly laid. Wait no.

I screamed, “No don’t do it!”

The person turned around and I was face to face with the purest blue eyes I’ve ever seen. They were almost glowing in the dark. They turned towards me and walked toward me without breaking a stride. In his deep tones he barely whispered, “who are you?”

“Why won’t you tell me what’s going on?” Her words felt like venom poisoning me with a single touch but she’s the one hurting. My lies are the real venom poisoning her. This ends now.

I nodded acknowledging her fair question and pulled my shirt over my head exposing my inked chested. Designs I created flowed and intertwined with other designs painting my body as its canvas. Faint designs could resemble animals but others looked abstract. Only I know what they mean.

I looked her in her eyes and noticed a slight shock but full of determination. She came to this world by chance but never stopped fighting for her survival. She is the most amazing woman that I love through and through but will she accept me? Gently one of my tattoos began to glow and move with a life of its own. It merged and formed into an elegant outline drawing of a 3D animal with pointy ears. The determination morphed into shock and then … elation?

She smiled and squeaked, “what a cute kitten!” She got on her knees putting a hand out, “here kitty kitty. Meow!”

Now it was my turn to be shocked. A cat? What is a cat?

I didn’t know it would turn out like this. Me floating in space hundreds of thousands of light years away from my home planet, Earth. How I’m alive also baffles me but it soon transfers into the fear of the unknown and again death. Mortality. I do have that right? So how did I get here and how do I know exactly where I am? But I’m alive. I’m alive. But how did I get here? Why am I here? My thoughts will swirl around and around to become my greatest enemies. What did they say in therapy? Stay in the present moment? I’m floating. Wandering. Floating and panicking. Floating and drifting from sanity. Floating and dying slowly.