Wylan has just gotten up for the day when he stops in front of his mirror. It is a full-size, black-framed thing in the corner of his room that usually goes unused, especially recently. He doesn’t need to look at himself to know he’s still losing weight. The smoothies seem to only be enough to keep him alive, rather than help him regain some of his lost mass.
However, today’s glance does not occur as a result of checking himself for improvement. No, instead, Wylan can see himself, bloody and broken as it crawls out of the frame. He sucks in a breath as he kneels down beside the beaten down version of himself. How could this be happening?
“Are you alright?” Wylan asks his doppelganger, despite knowing deep down that his twin is most definitely not okay.
“Father,” the mirror image replies and Wylan knows exactly what he’s just endured. “Father.”
Wylan’s about to call out for help when his mirror image reaches up for him, grasps Wylan by the lapels. There’s so much blood, Wylan needs to call for some kind of help, but then his doppelganger interrupts him.
“Get revenge” his mirror image gasps out before going quiet and still in Wylan’s arms.
Before Wylan can comprehend what’s going on, another reflection steps out. One far more confident in his posture as he stands beside the frame.
“Relius was right about you,” mirror Wylan begins. “You weren’t made of the right materials for the soul alchemy.”
Wylan looks down to where the battered Wylan should be and finds nothing there except the remaining blood. It’s just enough of a distraction for the new mirror image to slug Wylan. The impact sends Wylan sliding across the floor into his shared wall with Wash, leaving Wylan, once again, without a chance to get his footing before he’s kicked this time.
“What was so hard about hating your father?” the mirror image spits at Wylan. “Why can’t you be less worthless?”
Bracing against another hit, Wylan takes a boot to the hand, but is grateful it only hit his hand and not his head.
“Because hating my father does nothing for me,” Wylan replies, his voice sharp. “It only keeps me in the past. I can’t live for now if I continue to remember what he did to me.”
Another kick glances off his wrist and Wylan isn’t entirely sure it hasn’t been broken, but he regards the mirror image with a frown.
“We’re going to try to work things out and process them with therapy,” Wylan doesn’t sound so sure, but he’s working on standing. That is until mirror Wylan brings a lamp down on top of him and Wylan crumples to the ground again. “We promised Koronai to try.”
“You’re no one I ever want to be,” Wylan replies, voice tight with pain. “You can’t ever be my future.”
Mirror Wylan sucks in a breath before pieces of him begin to fall off, in shards and Wylan leans his head back against the wall.
“I will never be you,” he murmurs low as the final pieces fall away.
Clutching his arm to his chest, Wylan starts to stand again and spots a third reflection coming through the mirror.
As Wylan backs away, the reflection holds up a hand.
“I’m not here to hurt you,” the third mirror Wylan explains. “I’m only here to help.”
Wylan raises his head, curious but on edge.
“I’m here to show you that you can be happy,” mirror Wylan continues.
“What?” Wylan asks in return, curious.
“You need to go to therapy, with Wash and Korone if needed, but there’s a way to be happy if you allow others to help you,” mirror Wylan explains. “You have other friends here who can help you. You can trust them, you only need to reach out.”
The mirror Wylan kneels down next to Wylan and taps his wrist.
“Starting with this,” he continues. “Ask for help.”
And then as quickly as he came, mirror Wylan disappears, leaving Wylan behind, sitting amongst a pile of glass and clutching his wrist.
Reflections
However, today’s glance does not occur as a result of checking himself for improvement. No, instead, Wylan can see himself, bloody and broken as it crawls out of the frame. He sucks in a breath as he kneels down beside the beaten down version of himself. How could this be happening?
“Are you alright?” Wylan asks his doppelganger, despite knowing deep down that his twin is most definitely not okay.
“Father,” the mirror image replies and Wylan knows exactly what he’s just endured. “Father.”
Wylan’s about to call out for help when his mirror image reaches up for him, grasps Wylan by the lapels. There’s so much blood, Wylan needs to call for some kind of help, but then his doppelganger interrupts him.
“Get revenge” his mirror image gasps out before going quiet and still in Wylan’s arms.
Before Wylan can comprehend what’s going on, another reflection steps out. One far more confident in his posture as he stands beside the frame.
“Relius was right about you,” mirror Wylan begins. “You weren’t made of the right materials for the soul alchemy.”
Wylan looks down to where the battered Wylan should be and finds nothing there except the remaining blood. It’s just enough of a distraction for the new mirror image to slug Wylan. The impact sends Wylan sliding across the floor into his shared wall with Wash, leaving Wylan, once again, without a chance to get his footing before he’s kicked this time.
“What was so hard about hating your father?” the mirror image spits at Wylan. “Why can’t you be less worthless?”
Bracing against another hit, Wylan takes a boot to the hand, but is grateful it only hit his hand and not his head.
“Because hating my father does nothing for me,” Wylan replies, his voice sharp. “It only keeps me in the past. I can’t live for now if I continue to remember what he did to me.”
Another kick glances off his wrist and Wylan isn’t entirely sure it hasn’t been broken, but he regards the mirror image with a frown.
“We’re going to try to work things out and process them with therapy,” Wylan doesn’t sound so sure, but he’s working on standing. That is until mirror Wylan brings a lamp down on top of him and Wylan crumples to the ground again. “We promised Koronai to try.”
“You’re no one I ever want to be,” Wylan replies, voice tight with pain. “You can’t ever be my future.”
Mirror Wylan sucks in a breath before pieces of him begin to fall off, in shards and Wylan leans his head back against the wall.
“I will never be you,” he murmurs low as the final pieces fall away.
Clutching his arm to his chest, Wylan starts to stand again and spots a third reflection coming through the mirror.
As Wylan backs away, the reflection holds up a hand.
“I’m not here to hurt you,” the third mirror Wylan explains. “I’m only here to help.”
Wylan raises his head, curious but on edge.
“I’m here to show you that you can be happy,” mirror Wylan continues.
“What?” Wylan asks in return, curious.
“You need to go to therapy, with Wash and Korone if needed, but there’s a way to be happy if you allow others to help you,” mirror Wylan explains. “You have other friends here who can help you. You can trust them, you only need to reach out.”
The mirror Wylan kneels down next to Wylan and taps his wrist.
“Starting with this,” he continues. “Ask for help.”
And then as quickly as he came, mirror Wylan disappears, leaving Wylan behind, sitting amongst a pile of glass and clutching his wrist.