My alarm blared, dragging me out of the warm comfort of my slumber.

“It’s a beautiful day here in Campbellsville, Kentucky! The sun is shining, the birds are singing—” the radio host chirped in his “so sickeningly cheerful it made me gag” tone.

“Today’s temperature will be in the upper 70s, with nighttime lows dropping to around—”

“No, no, nooo!” I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut in misery. All I wanted was sleep. Or maybe to throw a tantrum.

I indulged in a few moments of childish rage, pounding my fists against the mattress and screaming into my pillow. Finally, I rolled over and slapped the snooze button so hard it wobbled. Silence. Blessed silence.

I hated that man’s voice. Hell, I hated anything that wasn’t as miserable as I was.

You might be wondering why I was so miserable. The truth? I couldn’t tell you. My mind was a dark place, and I was trapped in it. Angry, bitter, depressed—mad at the whole damn world.

With a sigh heavy enough to shake the walls, I threw the covers off and sat on the edge of the bed. I stumbled clumsily through the minefield of dirty laundry and last week’s takeout boxes, making my way to the dresser. Grabbing my hairbrush, I froze.

I heard a voice. My voice.

But it wasn’t coming from my mouth.

It was coming from the mirror.

My head snapped upward. My reflection stared back, but the eyes weren’t quite right. They burned with anger as my reflection spoke.

“You really need to stop being such a little bitch and learn to be grateful,” she snapped, glaring at me.

My mouth dropped open, words refusing to form. The reflection paced on the other side of the glass like a tiger in a cage.

“Wh-wh-wh—” I stammered.

“No!” she barked, cutting me off. “You don’t get to talk! It’s my turn now. And it’s your turn to shut the hell up and listen.”

I stood there, frozen, as she stopped pacing and locked eyes with me.

“Do you remember the time Felicia and Chasity asked you to drive them home after you all went clubbing that night?” she asked. Her voice was sharp, commanding.

“Y-yeah…” I stammered.

“And you told them no because you’d been drinking?”

I nodded, my throat tight. “Yes. They got pissed at me. I thought Felicia was going to fight me when I took her keys away. I ended up calling someone to come get us.”

The reflection nodded, her lips curling into a small, knowing smile. “Yeah, well, it’s a damn good thing you did that. Because if you’d given in—like you usually do—here’s how that night would have ended.”

Before I could respond, the mirror cracked. The jagged lines spread like lightning, and my reflection disappeared.

In its place, I saw… myself.

But this version of me was in a hospital bed. Tubes snaked down my throat and into my nose. My mom, dad, and little brother Adam stood around me. Adam clung to my mother’s waist, sobbing uncontrollably. My mom stared down at my unmoving body, tears streaking her face.

My father’s hand rested on her shoulder, his expression grim.

A nurse entered the room, her voice soft but firm. “I’m sorry to bother you. I need to change her feeding tube real quick.”

My father looked up, desperation etched into his features. “She’s been in this coma for weeks. Give it to us straight. Is she ever coming out of this?”

The nurse shifted nervously, her eyes flicking between my father and me. “I’m not a doctor, but… it doesn’t look good. If she does wake up, she might never be the same. The lack of brain activity…” She trailed off, her words hanging heavy in the room.

My mother broke down, her cries filling the air. Adam ran to my bedside, clutching my hospital gown.

The real me stared into the mirror, a tear sliding down my cheek.

The mirror cracked again, and the hospital scene vanished. In its place were two headstones. Felicia Evans. Chasity Rakes.

I choked on a sob, covering my mouth. “Oh my God,” I whispered.

The reflection returned, her expression hard.

“You could’ve killed them. And yourself. But you didn’t. So be grateful.”

I nodded, still trembling.

“Now,” the reflection said, her tone softening just slightly, “let’s move on. The main reason you’re so miserable—it’s because Anthony left you, isn’t it?”

My gaze dropped to the floor. “Yes.”

The reflection rolled her eyes. “Well, let me show you what would’ve happened if that asshole hadn’t left you. Remember the bonfire party you were supposed to go to with him? Remember, he said he had a little surprise for you? Something special he wanted the two of you to experience together for the first time?’’

I nodded hesitantly.

The mirror cracked again.

When the cracks cleared, I saw another version of myself. I was slumped in a lawn chair by the fire, a blue tourniquet around my arm and a needle sticking out of my vein.

Anthony stood over me, panic stricken, as he felt my neck for a pulse.

“Baby, wake up!” he whispered harshly, slapping my face lightly.

When I didn’t respond, he began pacing back-and-forth frantically. “Shit, shit, shit!’’ he hissed, yanking desperately at his dark black hair with both fists. He glanced around, as if to make sure nobody was watching. He shook me once again. But when I still failed to respond, he jerked the needle out of my arm, tossed it into the bushes, and ran.

I literally could not believe what I was seeing. He just… left me there.

The real me gasped. “What the fuck?!”

The mirror cracked again, and this time, I saw a headstone with my name on it.

Joanna Nelson. Gone but not forgotten.

The scene widened, and I saw my own funeral. My friends and family were there, dressed in black, their faces streaked with tears. The one person missing? Anthony.

The mirror cracked again, and the reflection reappeared.

“That’s how your love story would’ve ended,” she said, her voice cold. ‘’ a heroin overdose. How romantic.’’

I clenched my fists, rage boiling inside me. “That piece of shit!”

The reflection’s gaze softened. “Would you like to see the next path, or have you seen enough?”

I shook my head, tears streaming down my face. “I’ve seen enough.”

The reflection nodded. “Good. Then don’t waste this life. Be grateful. Make it count.”

I wiped my tears, determination replacing despair. “I need to call my parents. And Adam. And Felicia and Chasity. They need to know how much I love them.”

I grabbed my phone, scrolling through my contacts. The screen buzzed, and Anthony’s name popped up.

I could feel myjaw tighten as my entire face hardened into a glare, and I hit decline.

“Aw, HELL nah… fuck that shit!’’ I heard a giggle come from the mirror.

“Hell yeah!’’ my reflection shouted with pride. And for the first time in ages, I actually smiled.