“Thanks. Did Dad already leave for work?” Adelyn
stepped into the walk-in closet and picked out one of Mom’s
many black shirts.
“Yes,” Mom’s voice faded as she walked downstairs.
“He had to go in early.”
Adelyn went back to her room, got dressed, and
checked herself out in the mirror. She smiled, liking her new
look.
She walked over to the end table and grabbed the
mirror. “You’re coming with me to school today, so you
don’t get misplaced again.” She shoved the mirror into her
backpack.
“Who are you talking to?” Mom hollered.
“No one.” Adelyn used the restroom and went
downstairs.
Mom stopped Adelyn before she walked out the door.
“I heard you talking to someone.”
“Oh, yeah, I forgot. I was texting Marissa out loud.”
Mom raised her eyebrows. “I thought you were about
to tell me that I was hearing things.” She kissed her cheek.
Adelyn turned away and grimaced. “Mom, stop kissing
me. It feels like you’re a pedophile.”
Mom gasped and stepped back. “Why would you say
that?”
“I was kidding, but I don’t like it anymore when you or
Dad kiss me. It’s gross.”
“Okay, fine, I won’t show my affection for you
anymore.”
“Good call.” Adelyn opened the front door and walked
out without shutting it.
“See you later tonight,” Mom said with disappointment
in her voice.
Adelyn ignored her, got into the truck, then took off.
At school, she decided to go into the bathroom instead
of meeting up with Marissa and Nellie. Adelyn didn’t feel like
it that day. She wanted to be alone. Alone with the mirror.
Adelyn went into the bathroom stall, sat on the toilet,
and took the mirror out of her backpack. She looked in it
and smiled when her scar slowly vanished. “Who did you
belong to?” she asked.
As she stared at her reflection, not expecting a response,
the right side of her face slowly morphed into an old woman
with white, straw-like hair and a huge lump on her pale,
wrinkled face. Her beady black eye stared back at Adelyn as
if she wanted to kill her.
Tears fell down Adelyn’s face as she tried to lower the
mirror but she couldn’t. It was as if someone was holding
her hand still. She was forced to raise her free hand and point
at herself in the mirror.
Take the mirror back where it lay, or Muma Pădurii will make
you pay.
Adelyn now knew the face behind the Romanian accent
she heard too many times, but she was confused. “W-ho is
Muma?” her voice trembled.
The woman grinned, showing her rotten chiseled teeth.
“Me, thief.”
The bathroom door creaked open and someone walked
in, interrupting them. The side of Adelyn’s face turned back
to normal. Muma appeared and rested her chin on Adelyn’s
shoulder, glaring at her in the mirror. Adelyn tried to scream,
but she couldn’t. She strained to get up, but an unseen force
held her still.
Muma twisted her head—her neck cracking, sending
chills through Adelyn’s body.
When the girl went into the stall next to them, Muma
scowled at the stall then turned to Adelyn and licked her face
with her long black tongue—the slits in it oozing green slime,
which ran down Adelyn’s face. Adelyn managed to move her
feet, but then the unseen force held them still.
“Is anyone in here?” the unknown girl asked.
When Muma grinned at Adelyn then vanished, Adelyn
dropped the mirror, rushed up, and ran out of the bathroom
without looking back.
Outside the girl’s room, she wiped the slime off her face
as she held onto the wall and crouched, crying in disbelief of
what just happened. That’s impossible. She couldn’t be real. I had
to be seeing and hearing things. She’s not possessing me. I won’t believe
that.
didn’t say anything to Adelyn and hurried down the hall,
holding her stomach.
You better get my mirror back, or I will kill your friends, Muma
ordered.
“If you’re real, then why are you just now showing up?”
I show myself when I wish. Now, go get my mirror, thief.
Adelyn grabbed her head from Muma’s high-pitched
tone. She didn’t know what to believe, so she sat there
looking at the lockers across from her, not sure of what to
do. She refused to believe Muma was real.
Go now or I will torture you from within, Muma bellowed.
Adelyn grabbed her head from Muma yelling, trying to
ignore her. “You’re not real.”
Let the torment begin, Muma said.
When a sharp pain shot through Adelyn’s stomach, she
grunted, convinced it wasn’t in her head and Muma was in
fact real. She jumped up and ran back inside the bathroom
and pushed open the stall. When she didn’t see the mirror,
she took off out the door and ran after the girl, stopping her
just before she opened the classroom door.
“Hey, give me the mirror back,” Adelyn ordered.
The girl looked over her shoulder. “What are you talking
about?”
Adelyn took a deep breath and her body jerked. She
stared the girl down. “I know you have it, so just give it to
me.”
She ignored Adelyn and turned the handle of the door.
As it opened, Adelyn slammed her body into it, closing it.
“Give it to me, Mary,” Adelyn said in Muma’s voice.
Mary scurried to the other side of the hall and backed
up against the wall. “How do you know my name? And why
the hell are you using that voice, freak?”
Adelyn glanced at Mary’s shaky hand holding her
stomach. She stepped closer to her. “What are you hiding in
your waistband?”
Mary looked down. “Nothing. Get away from me.”
The classroom door swung open, and Mr. Clark walked
out. He glanced at Adelyn, then turned to Mary. “What’s
going on out here?”
Mary pointed at Adelyn. “She’s crazy. She … she tried
to attack me.”
“Liar! You stole my mirror. Now, give it back to me.”
“Calm down, Adelyn,” Mr. Clark said. “And stop trying
to scare her with that devilish voice.”
“She has split personalities,” Mary blurted. “She didn’t
have that voice a minute ago.”
Mr. Clark turned to Mary. “Stop it. Now, did you take
her mirror or not?”
Mary looked down the hall. “No.”
Adelyn sneered at her. “Yes, you did. It’s in your
waistband. Now hand it over or you will pay.”
“No, it’s not,” Mary teased in a raspy tone, mocking
Muma’s voice.
When kids laughed from inside the classroom, Adelyn
glared their way and back at Mary. She opened her hand.
“Give me the mirror. Or you’re … going … to … die.”
&n
bsp; Mary pointed at her. “Don’t threaten me, you wannabe
witch.”
“Adelyn! Mary! That’s enough!” Mr. Clark yelled and
stood between them.
Adelyn moved around him and charged her. Mary fell
to the side—the mirror falling onto the floor—cracking it
more. Adelyn picked it up and glared at her, wanting to snap
her neck where she stood. “You’re going to regret that, you
fucking bitch.”
“That’s it!” Mr. Clark shouted. “Both of you follow me
to the principal’s office.”
Adelyn stood up and grimaced at him. “Go home and
fuck your old lady.” She smiled. “Oh, that’s right. She’s dead.
I guess you’ll have to go dig the old bitch up to fuck her in
her skeletal socket for a pussy, won’t ya?”
When kids gasped and laughed from inside Mr. Clark’s
classroom, Adelyn turned to them taking turns looking out
the small window. She glared their way with pure hatred in
her eyes until they ran. She looked at Mr. Clark’s shocked
expression, and he stepped back with fear in his eyes like he
was trying to hold back his tears.
“Go to the principal’s office,” Mr. Clark choked.
Adelyn walked off down the hall like nothing ever took
place, smiling in the mirror.
Moments later, Mr. Jacobs ran up to her. “Get in my
office, right now, young lady.”
Adelyn glared him up and down. “Why? Do you want
to fuck me? I see the way you look at me.” She rubbed her
crotch and sexually licked her lips, moaning.
Mr. Jacobs looked around the hall and back at her.
“Why are you speaking to me like this, and why are you using
that accent?”
Adelyn grabbed her breast and rubbed them while
licking her lips. “Does it turn you on?”
Mr. Jacobs looked past Adelyn and waved for someone
to come over to them.
Adelyn couldn’t take her eyes off his. She wanted to
snap his neck just like she wanted to do to Mary.
“What may I help you with?” Ms. Smart asked Mr.
Jacobs.
“Please escort Miss. Mae to my office. I’ll be there
momentarily.”
She nodded. “Follow me Miss. Mae.”
Adelyn wiped the sweat off her forehead and scowled at
the cross on Ms. Smart’s neck, wanting to rip it off.
Ms. Smart placed her hand over the cross and began
walking ahead of her. Adelyn followed her into the office,
where she sat and watched Ms. Smart rush over to the front
desk, which was a good distance from where Adelyn was.
Ms. Smart leaned over the counter. “Watch Miss Mae.
She’s not acting right,” she whispered.
The lady behind the desk glanced at Adelyn and nodded.
Adelyn crossed her legs, her top leg bouncing up and
down fiercely while grinning their way. “Hey, sluts,” she said
in Muma’s voice. “Maybe you want to be a little more
discreet the next time you talk shit about someone.”
Ms. Smart peered over her shoulder. “Watch your
language.”
“How did she hear you?” the lady whispered. “And why
is she speaking with an accent now?”
“I can hear you, tramp.” Adelyn’s eyes flickered to Ms.
Smart. “I dare you to make me shut up.”
Ms. Smart gasped and walked behind the desk.
Adelyn turned away from them and narrowed her eyes
on a student, who was sitting at another desk. She licked her
lips his way while grinning. The boy got up and rushed into
an office behind him, slamming the door closed.
Marissa stormed into the office with Mr. Jacobs behind
her. “Hey, what’s going on with you?” she asked out of
breath. She knelt in front of Adelyn and touched her face
gently. “Adelyn, you’re burning up.” She turned back to Mr.
Jacobs. “Go get the nurse, please. She has a fever.”
Adelyn pushed her hand away. “Don’t touch me.”
Marissa looked into her eyes. “What’s wrong with you?”
Adelyn’s stomach churned. She rushed up and pushed
Marissa out of the way, trying to find the nearest garbage can.
As soon as she spotted one, she picked it up and puked in
it—her stomach muscles contracting violently.
Adelyn puked again and faced them. She wiped the puke
off her lips with her sleeve and glanced around the office at
everyone, who was grimacing while looking away. “Someone
is inside of me—”
“That’s enough,” Mr. Jacobs scolded and looked away
with concern.
Marissa ran over to her. “Are you taking drugs?”
“No. I’m serious. I-I saw her in the bathroom—in the
mirror I took. She’s … she’s real. I-I tried to tell you before,
but I was scared you’d think I-I was lying and stop talking to
me.”
They will never believe you, Muma said and cackled.
Adelyn hit the side of her head. “See, she’s talking to me
right now.”
Marissa shook her leg. “Adelyn, please calm—”
Dad stormed into the office. He grabbed Adelyn’s hand
and pulled her into Mr. Jacobs’s office. “Sit down,” he
ordered. Dad looked out the door. “Mr. Jacobs will you
please come in here.”
“Mr. Mae, Adelyn has a fever,” Marissa yelled out.
Mr. Jacobs walked into to his office, keeping his
distance from Adelyn.
Adelyn looked away from his glare, went to sit, and the
room spun. When she found Dad, his face faded to
nothingness, and she collapsed onto the floor.
delyn shivered violently like she was left in a
freezer. She could hear people talking, but she was
unable to open her eyes. She thought someone
glued them shut.
“Adelyn,” Mom’s voice called out as she gently shook
her back to full consciousness.
Adelyn managed to open her eyes and she found her
parents, three nurses, and a doctor, who was covering her
with a cooling blanket to lower her temperature.
Make them stop! Muma’s voice shouted.
Adelyn stared blankly at Mom as she grabbed the rails
of the bed—her eyes rolling back. Her body began shaking
violently and the gurney bounced off the ground a few times
then abruptly stopped.
“She’s having a grand mal seizure,” the doctor shouted.
“Push ten milligrams of benzodiazepine, stat.”
“How did the gurney lift off the ground like that?” Dad
asked.
“It must be a malfunction,” Mom replied in a shaky
tone.
Adelyn bolted upright and jerked forward, hissing
wildly, while her body shook vigorously. The gurney lifted a
couple of inches off the floor and slammed back down
nonstop. Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang. “Help me!” Adelyn
screamed. “She—”
Hands pushed Adelyn back down and held her still, but
it didn’t work.
Adelyn glared the nurse down, who was about to put
medicine into the intravenous line. “Don’t you dare put that
into me,” Adelyn scolded in Muma’s voice, “you fucking
inbred cunt!”
The nurse gave Adelyn’s mother a nasty look.
“Cathy, hurry up. She’s extremely strong,” another
female nurse said in a shaky voice.
“I’m so sorry, Cathy,” Mom said. “My daughter never
speaks that way.” She held down Adelyn’s legs. “Honey, stop
fighting us,” she begged. “The seizure will stop in a second.”
Cathy put the medicine into the intravenous line. “It’s
in,” she said and backed away from Adelyn.
Adelyn’s body jerked and the shaking slowed down to a
stop. She found Mom and Dad looking at her with tears in
their eyes.
Cathy leaned close to Mom’s ear. “She should be
sedated from the meds,” she whispered.
“I know,” Mom replied while giving Adelyn a puzzled
look.
“I should be knocked out?” Adelyn grabbed Mom’s
hand and pulled her down to her. “Mom, I’m scared.
Something is wrong with me. Please help me before she
comes back.”
Cathy gave Adelyn a confused look and walked over to
the male nurse cleaning up. “How did she hear me
whispering to her mother?”
He shrugged and looked over his shoulder at Adelyn,
then back at Cathy. “I have no clue. I’m still wondering why
she spoke in that Romanian accent and how the hell the
gurney jumped off the floor like that.”
“I don’t know about the gurney,” Cathy replied, “but I
know for a fact that she isn’t Romanian.”
Adelyn took turns looking at them. “I-I can hear
everything you guys are talking about.” Her eyes flickered to
Mom. “You know something isn’t right with me. Help me,
please,” she begged. “I’m possessed.”
The male nurse gulped and walked out of the room with
Cathy and the other nurses following him.
An older man moved closer to Adelyn. “I’m Doctor
Diaz. You’re far from being possessed. You’ll be fine, dear.
Your fever is what caused the seizure.” The doctor leaned
over Adelyn and listened to her heartbeat with his
stethoscope. He had a baffled look and studied her face as
he slid the stethoscope to the other side of her heart. He
smiled. “Oh, I thought I heard you talking to me.”