It was a cloudy, overcast morning. The sun was blocked by the gray clouds but a few rays shined through. I didn’t pay much attention to them, but for the purpose of this telling of my encounter with this identical parallel universe, I feel as though it sets the tone.

Have you ever felt your own breath on your face? I’m sure most have. For those who haven’t, it’s when you’re close to a surface opposite you. You exhale and you feel your own breath cover your face like fog covers a city that’s waking up.

What if that breath was from something else though? You don’t know what’s on the other side of that wall, but what if whatever it was was breathing on you as you breathe? I believe something like this wild concept occurred to me.

Here’s some more information.

My name is Ryan, and I was getting prepared for another job interview, this time for a company known for selling televisions with the best picture quality. Anyhow, I was tying my black tie around my neck. Then, it was on my way to the bathroom.

I stepped into my bathroom, it had a black and white checkerboard pattern as if it were a 1950s diner. I stood in front of the mirror, brushing my teeth, washing my face and combing my hair. I then looked at myself, seeing my face seem more presentable. Something looked off about the way my reflection stared back at me.

That glare it emitted upon me. It did not feel like the way I was staring at it. This reflection’s eyes were wide, as if it was surprised. Meanwhile, I remember that I wasn’t surprised at all. I didn’t think much of this bizarre occurrence, and so I rushed out of the house. Not knowing what I had just unleashed.

I got accepted for the job, so I was in a bright mood opening the door to my house. I remember seeing a sentence on my refrigerator door. It was written in lowercase.

𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑒𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑏𝑜𝑟𝑠 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢 s⃠c⃠r⃠e⃠a⃠m⃠.⃠

I thought I was just tired when I saw what was in the bathroom. It wasn’t a rat, an insect, nor was it an infection. It couldn’t have been anything that made me feel like screaming.

It was me.

It stood in front of the mirror, brushing its teeth, washing its face and combing its hair. It then looked at the mirror. It was doing the exact same things I did when I was in the bathroom with the checkerboard floor.

It then walked out of the bathroom, walking right through me. What was I witnessing in front of my eyes? Then, I started to feel like I was experiencing deja vu. I stood in front of the mirror, but instead of brushing my teeth, washing my face or combing my hair, I just stared. I watched at how my reflection just glared at me, as if they were observing me.

My reflection, well, the one that was in the same room as me, left the room. And I sat there, looking at the figure in the mirror, observing it. It looked exactly like me. No differences whatsoever.

The reflection was standing there. It stared into the mirror, at myself. It then brushed its teeth, washed its face and combed its hair. It then left the bathroom. I felt a weird feeling to climb through the mirror, so, I did. The world felt exactly the same as the world I just exited, except the directions were reversed. I turned around and looked back at the mirror.

Ryan entered the bathroom, staring at the mirror. He brushed his teeth, washed his face, and combed his hair. He looked at me, as if I looked off. It was as if I was glaring at him. Ryan then shrugged and left.

I climbed back through the mirror, to my side. My universe. I stared at the empty other side of the mirror. The door to my universe then opened.

It was me.