The Face in the Mirror

The Mirror

Missy Anderson woke. Pale ethereal light seeped in through the sheers hanging in her window.

“One more day 'till Halloween, “ she thought excitedly to herself.

She lay in bed a while longer thinking about her costume, and waiting for her mother to call her down to breakfast.

There were only a couple of finishing touches she needed to make her witches costume perfect, and Andrew, her friend was bringing one of them to school today. It was an amulet he found at a pawn shop.

“I saw it in there when I was looking for guitars, and I thought of you right away,” he had told her.

Andrew was Missy's best friend, and she suspected he wanted her to be more than just a friend, but they had known each other so long, he seemed more like a brother than a friend.

“That would be way too weird”, she had confided to her journal.

Anyway, he was still a great friend, and not as stupid as most of the other boys in her class. It was really nice of him to think about her costume. Andrew had a great eye for detail, and he had meticulously described it to her. It was an inverted pentagram, made of green stone, encircled with a bronze ring. Andrew explained how it felt strangely cold as he had turned it over in his had to examine the other side, which was covered in strange symbols, runes, he had called them.

“Mi--ssy!” her mother called her in a sing song voice.
“Missy, time for toast!”

“Oh Mother!” Missy shouted exasperatedly, “Can't you just say breakfast like everyone else?”

“I suppose so dear, but that doesn't make very good alliteration!”

Missy mouthed the words sarcastically as her mother said them, she had hear them so many times before.

“Oh, I'm coming,” she moaned as she faked groggily pulling herself out of bed. The truth was, she could barely contain herself as she plodded down the steps.

When Missy arrived in the kitchen, her father was sitting at the table sipping a cup of tea, and poring over a notebook.

Missy's parents couldn't have been more opposite. Kathleen, Missy's mother, was slender, neat, and organized enough to nauseate a librarian. She was already dressed in a bright skirt, and blouse, protected with an immaculate apron. Missy wondered why she even bothered with the apron, she was virtually incapable of spilling anything. Her hair was perfect, and she gave the impression of floating around the kitchen without actually touching the floor as she busily prepared breakfast.

Missy on the other hand was more like her dad, who seemed incapable of getting out of his pajamas before lunch. It was a miracle if his bushy brown hair was ever combed. The contrast between her parents was most apparent in the morning. Kathleen would shake her head in mock disgust at Allen, who would sarcastically call her June Cleaver, whoever that was. Then they would both laugh.
Missy's mom set a mug of hot cocoa and a couple of slices of cinnamon toast down on the table in front of her. She loved to play along with her parents morning game.

“Oh mom! Cocoa and toast again!” she whined. It was really her favorite breakfast.

“Morning dad,” Missy said to her father, waving a hand in front of his face trying to get his attention.

“G'mornin' Miss. Your fingernails are dirty,” he said without even looking up.

“Dad!” Missy exclaimed, quickly withdrawing her hand and snatching a peek at her nails under the table.

“So how's the costume,” Kathleen inquired, while Missy greedily dipped her toast into the cocoa, and took a big soggy bite.

Missy had been talking about the costume for several days, and her mother could sense her growing excitement.

“Just a couple of finishing touches. I've still got to make my broom, but I've already got the straw, and Andrew got a cool pendant for me at the pawn shop. He's gonna bring it to school today,” Missy mumbled over a mouthful of soggy toast.

“Ooooh that sounds scary. You've really worked hard on it. Why the sudden interest in Halloween?”

“Well, I figure this is the last year I'll be able to go out, so I sort of looked at it as a grand finale”

Missy popped the last bit of toast into her mouth and gulped a final mouthful of cocoa.

“Well. I've gotta be off to school.”

Missy's mom whisked her dishes from the table and wiped up the crumbs. Missy, forgetting about the tired act, bounded up the stairs to get ready for school.
Missy arrived at school and hung out around her locker waiting for Andrew to arrive. She grew increasingly more irritated at his lack of punctuality. Andrew came jogging down the hall only minutes before the bell for first period. Missy greeted him icily.

“What took you”, she snarled.

“Hey, I was checking some stuff out on the web. Look, here it is”

Andrew shook the amulet out onto his hand from a paper sack. Missy's irritated mood vanished immediately. The amulet was a perfect addition to her costume. The green stone of the pentagram shone brilliantly and the bronze ring was fashioned with ornate detail that seemed time worn. Andrew placed the amulet into Missy's open hand, and she turned it over to inspect the back. It was covered in faded markings just as Andrew had said.

“I was looking up some of these markings on the internet. I found a sight about 3rd century Druidic writing. It seems that the Druids believed that writing itself was a form of magic, and so they protected their secret written language. Normally, the Druids just memorized everything. It took about 20 years to learn all of the ceremonies, poems, lore, and well... spells. Sometimes the well educated would borrow Greek or Latin characters to write out memory aids, you know, kind of like cheat sheets. There was an web site by some researcher in Holland who had discovered a Latin translation of some of these Druidic cheat sheets and he was speculating on what some of the words mean. Anyway, he had pictures of the markings he had translated, and one of them”, Andrew took the amulet from Missy, and pointed at a strange symbol on the back of the pentagram, “ is the marking for a sult òrdugh, or fertility rite. I think what it means is that this thing is really old.”

“Cool! This is going to be perfect! I can't wait to try it on.”

Missy slipped the twine over her head and the amulet fell in to place on her chest.
“Wait Missy! Weren't you listening? I'm not sure that's such a good idea”, Andrew exclaimed. But just then, the bell for first period rang, and Missy looked up at Andrew with a devilish grin.

“Well, gotta go I'm late. See ya in biology”, and with that, Missy sped down the hall and disappeared into her English class.

“Hey! Wait, Missy!” Andrew called after her. He figured out it was useless after a couple of seconds, and wandered off to his first period.

First period English was kind of a blur to Missy. She had dropped the amulet down her shirt, because she didn't want anyone else looking at it, especially any teachers, 'cause they'd be sure to take offense at it and take it away. She couldn't seem to get her mind off of it the whole period. When the bell finally rang, Missy noticed she hadn't written a single thing in her notebook.

Missy grabbed her things and stuffed them into her backpack. She swung her backpack up over her shoulder, when she heard the dull thud. Her pack had obviously hit someone, and from where Missy was standing, there was only one person she could have possibly hit. It was Sandy Corbin. She and Missy went together like oil and water ever since they had first met in 3rd grade.

“Watch what you're doin' Ander-Suck, before I pound your face. Oh wait, I see someone beat me to it! How does it feel to be the only girl in school who doesn't need a costume on Halloween?!?”

Missy turned to see Sandy glaring at her, with her gaggle of goose-necked compadres close at hand. Missy felt her heart pounding in alarm. This is not how she had wanted to start the day, picking a fight with her nemesis, while vastly outnumbered. She wanted to eek out an “I'm sorry”, but the words seemed to stick in her throat. She wanted to run too, but her feet seemed planted to the floor, almost like being in a dream. Just when she thought the panic would overwhelm her, a new feeling began creeping up her spine, and up the back of her neck. It almost felt like electricity prickling across her scalp, making her hair stand on end.
Her fear had been totally replaced by this new feeling; like she was powerful, like she had nothing more to fear from the mob in front of her than a dozen ants.
And almost without a thought the words were out of her mouth.

“Uist galla!”

Sandy stepped back, having never seen this look in Missy's eyes before, and being quite sure she wasn't keen to ever see it again.

“Wha.. What did you call me?”

Missy felt like a giantess, in complete control of the situation, and this trash in front of her was simply not worthy of the wave of her hand it would require to destroy them. She casually turned and walked out of the classroom.

“D-Don't ever call me that again, “ was the only retort Sandy could manage. She and her friends waited several minutes after Missy left, before venturing out into the hall.

Meanwhile, Missy's friend Ann caught up to her as she walked down the hall.

“Missy! Hey Missy wait! Where ya going?”

Missy continued marching down the hall, oblivious of her companion, until Ann was finally close enough to place a hand on Missy's shoulder. She immediately froze.
“Missy?! Where ya goin'? Lit's downstairs? What's up with you girl? One second I though Sandy was gonna clobber you, an the next you're all crazy eye, blibber-blabber, n' stuff. Heck ya even scared me. What was that you called her anyway?”

“Huh? Called who what?” Missy looked as though she had just awoke from a dream.

“Sandy! Just a minute ago you smacked her with your backpack, an she was gonna kill you, an 'en you go all crazy, 'an start jabberin' on about Carla or somebody? What's up with that!”

“What are you talking about Ann?”

“No! What are you talking about! Don't try to tell me you don't remember, 'cause it's way to close to Halloween for me to be buyin' any of that sad act! Go ahead, girl, you have your little game. I just thought it was cool the way you put down snooty ol' ape woman. But if you want to keep your friends out of the joke too, well I guess that's your own business.”

Ann frowned at Missy and marched off toward the stairs, and Lit class.

“Wait Ann”, Missy called.

“I wasn't making it up. I really don't remember saying anything to Sandy. Ann! Come on”, Missy continued to call after Ann, but she didn't seem to be listening.
“What am I doing up here?!” Missy thought to herself, at last noticing that she was in the upstairs hallway, and Lit was downstairs.

Just then, the bell rang, and just as though it was the starting gate for a race, Missy sprinted for the stairs.

Lit went by pretty normally, except that Ann was a little icier than usual. Missy, wasn't too bothered by that, Ann seemed to get agitated about one thing or another at least a couple of times a week, and Missy knew that it would blow over by the end of the day. Besides, it was Andrew she really wanted to talk to. Maybe he would be able to tell her more about the amulet, and the 'sook ordoo', or what ever it was he had called it. Missy thought she could barely wait for 4th period Biology.
After Lit, Missy stopped by the girl's bathroom. The usual group had already congregated by the door, and were filing in. Most of the stalls were full, but that was O.K. because Missy didn't really have to go, it was just what everyone did after 2nd period. She walked over to the mirror, and stared at the shape the amulet made underneath her shirt. She became absorbed in the amulet and didn't seem to notice how quiet the bathroom had become. She stood there, watching the amulet, when suddenly, she became keenly aware of another set of eyes peering around her shoulder. They were deep set, old and gray, not the youthful sort of eyes Missy was accustom to, and in some indescribable way, malevolent.

Missy spun around, bravely prepared to confront the owner of those eyes, but emptiness filled the ten or so feet behind her to the bathroom stall door. Tentatively, Missy turned her head to look back in the mirror, but found only her own confused face looking quizzically back at her.

“Whose face was that! Was there even a face at all, or just eyes?” Missy's mind was flooded with questions. Funny, but the eyes had been so powerful, Missy couldn't seem to remember any of the other features of that face.

“Yo Missy!” Ann called to her, breaking her concentration as she tried to remember more about the face.

“Andrew's waitin' for ya in the hall”, Ann punctuated this with a sarcastically blithe smile.

“Oh grow up!” Missy though, although she keep silent, not wanting to prolong Ann's angry mood.

Missy marched out of the bathroom, and found Andrew waiting for her across the hall.

“Alright Andrew! Just what is a sultry doo?” Missy shot at him, in lew of a greeting.

“I dunno... hot hair?”

Missy glared at him.

“You know, that thing on the back of the amulet!”

“That would be a sult òrdugh. It's Gaelic for fertility rite. I think it was some kind of ritual to make the wheat grow or something like that.”

“O.K, so who performed this rite? It wasn't like witches or something, was it?”

“Well, no, not like you would think of. They were usually druids, the priests of the community. They were thought of as knowledgeable people. People you'd take your problems to, and get advice. Why are you so agitated anyway?”

“Well ever since I put on your amulet, weird things have been happening to me, like Ann telling me I was trying to pick a fight with Sandy “Mighty Joe Young” Corbin, and then having strange people following me around in the bathroom!”

“Missy! It's like I was trying to tell you. I think that thing is really old, and well... who knows, maybe it really is magic.”

“O.K. I'll take it off. But so help me Andrew John Pendleton if I find out you've been pulling my leg, so help me I'll.... well I... I don't know what, but you'll regret it mark my words!”

Missy cringed after she said it.

“I couldn't have sounded more like my mother if I had tried,” she thought to herself.

Andrew, who was always the perfect gentleman, had simply forced his snicker into a good natured grin, which made Missy all the more angry with herself. She pulled the amulet out of her shirt, and pulled it over her head.

“I'm not giving it up though, “ she said to Andrew warily, her eyes narrowed into a distrustful frown. With that, she dropped the amulet into her backpack and glared at Andrew, who seemed to sigh with relief.

“O.K. Now you're makin' sense Missy, “ Andrew said with a sigh.
“Just let me do a little more searching around on the internet. I'm sure it's probably nothing, but I'd feel better if you just let me find out a little more about it before you go wearing it around.”

Missy looked right into Andrew's eyes, searching for any hint of guile. Several seconds passed, and Andrew, sensing that Missy was looking for some sign of duplicity, forced another smile, which seemed to reluctantly placate his friend.
The rest of the day went by uneventfully for Missy. School was school, and although she ran into Sandy and her henchmen a couple of more times that day, they didn't seem interested in pursuing any argument.

“Odd,” Missy thought.

That night after supper, Missy finished her homework, and decided that she would use the rest of the evening to work on her costume.

“I still need to make the broom, anyway, even if the amulet doesn't work out”, she though industriously to her self.

Missy got the straw she had bought at the craft store, and sat in her room, with all the materials she would need close at hand.

“Straw, twine, scissors, wait... where are the scissors?”

Missy irritatedly hunted around her room, overturning books, backpack, and tossing her clothes about. Knowing beforehand that it would likely be a mistake, she relented, collapsing onto her floor in defeat.

“Mom! Mo....m” Missy called.

“Have you seen the scissors? I just had them, and now I can't find them again!”

“Perhaps it would be easier if your room wasn't so untidy!”

It was exactly the response she expected.

“O.K. Mom your right. If I was the perfect child, I'd be organized and clean and everything else, but right now, can't you just please help me?”

“What do you need to cut dear?”

“Just some twine for my broom. Maybe a couple of straws too.”

“Well I have a small knife down here in my closet. You could use that, if you promise to put it right back.”

“Oh thanks mom! I will put it right back, and I'll clean my room right after I'm done too.”

Missy heard her mothers footsteps approaching in the hall.

“Let's not get carried away with promises you're not likely to keep, “ her mother's face appeared in her doorway.

Missy blushed, as her mother handed her the knife, and surveyed the room disapprovingly.

“Thanks mom” she finally squeaked.

After her mother left, Missy went to work on her broom. First she push aside a pile of clothes and sat down on the floor near the contents of her backpack, which she had emptied onto the floor during the search for the scissors.

Missy carefully trimmed the straw to the proper length and began to loop the twine around each straw to form a crude mat. It was painstaking work, but when she had finished, she carefully rolled the mat around the oak staff she was using for a broomstick. It was rough and full of knots, and most of the bark was missing.

Finally, Missy needed a couple of more strands of twine to tie the straw onto the end of the broomstick. She measured out three lengths of twine and carefully cut them. When she was finished with the knife, she flipped the blade back into the handle, but her little finger was not completely out of the way.

“Ouch!” Missy screamed.

She dropped the knife, and cupped her finger in her hand.
“Ooooo...” she wailed getting up and running to the bathroom.
Deep red blood was flowing down her finger, to match the tears flowing down her cheeks.

“Hey what's the matter Miss!”

Missy's dad popped into the bathroom.

“I cut myself on the stupid knife!” she sobbed.

“Oh honey, let me take a look.”

Missy's dad examined the cut, and said, as he usually did when such things happened, “Well, looks like we'll have to amputate!”

Missy was not really amused, but she tried to smile a little to make her dad feel a little better.

Alan told his daughter he'd be right back and he went to fetch a band aid and some antibacterial ointment. He left Missy rinsing her finger under some cold water. When he returned, Missy's tears had dried, and she let him doctor her finger which was not cut very badly.

Missy returned to her room with a freshly bandaged finger, and dried eyes. She sat back down to finish her broom, an noticed several drops of blood on her floor.
“Oh that's gross!” Missy thought, and began to pick up the blood spattered things from the floor. Two rather large drops had splattered her amulet, which she had spilled out of her backpack.

Missy carefully picked up the amulet and walked back down the hall to the bathroom. She turned on the tap and began to run a little water on the amulet to wash off the blood. She placed the blood soiled amulet into the stream of water flowing from the tap and gently rubbed the stone with her finger. The blood briefly colored the water in the sink before it washed away down the drain. Missy smiled at the now clean stone, and looked up to give herself a broad smile in the mirror. When she did, she immediately saw the same pair of eyes peering at her from over her shoulder.

Missy screamed and dropped the amulet into the sink. Her heart raced, and within moments she heard the pounding of feet coming down the hall. The bathroom door flew open and her mom and dad were both standing panic stricken in the doorway.
“Missy what's wrong?! Did you cut yourself again?” her mother asked, her brow furrowed with lines of concern for her daughter.

Missy stood there frozen, staring at her mom and dad in the doorway, her hand to her mouth. It felt like she couldn't breathe, let alone talk, and so she just pointed to the mirror, a look of dread on her face. She expected to see the eyes again, but was met with only her own pallid visage, and outstretched index finger.

“Missy, what is it? What did you see?” her dad asked imploringly.

When she finally recovered her voice, Missy said “I... I thought I saw someone looking at me in the mirror.”

Kathleen and Allen exchanged a worried glance.

“I think you've been working too hard on this witch costume, honey,” Allen said, gently putting his arm around Missy and guiding her out of the bathroom.

“But... But my amulet...” Missy protested.

“Don't worry dear, I'll keep it safe. You just go on to bed. It's almost 10 o'clock anyway, and I know your tired. Tomorrow is Saturday, so you'll be able to sleep in a while” Kathleen went on consolingly while she scooped up the amulet from the sink.
Allen guided Missy back into her bedroom, and told her to get to bed. Missy nodded and waited for her dad to leave. She picked up her broom, and set it in the corner.
“I must be seeing things” she thought to herself, while she got into her pajamas. She kept thinking of the eyes she saw in the mirror, or at least thought she saw. Timidly she looked in her dresser mirror, and found only her own green eyes staring back at her.

“That's a relief!” she thought.

She looked on for a moment at herself in the mirror. Her long red hair flowed down over her pajamas. She smiled at her image in the mirror. Impulsively she turned to her closet and took out her black witches robe, and held it in front of herself before the mirror. She tossed her hair over the shoulders of the robe, and considered the costume. It was good, and she thought it really goes perfectly with my hair and eyes.

Missy set the robe on the chair by her desk, and flopped into bed. She did not turn off the light, rationalizing it to herself.

“I'm already in bed, and the light won't bother me anyway.”

Missy was tired, and she was surprised when she woke, with light already streaming through her bedroom window. She felt refreshed.

“God, what a baby I was last night. I guess I just let this whole Halloween thing get to me.”

She jumped out of bed and looked at her broom. The twine was still laying where she had left it. She plopped herself down on the floor with her broom and quickly fastened the straw to the handle. It looked perfect.

“I just can't wait for tonight!” she though excitedly.

She bounded downstairs to find her mom and dad busying themselves around the kitchen.

“Morning mom, morning dad” she said cheerily as she entered the kitchen.

“Hi Miss, sleep well?” her dad asked, with a note of concern in his voice.

“Yeah, sure did. I guess I really was tired” she replied.

Missy's mom and dad both eyed her warily for a moment as she breezed around the kitchen, collecting a bowl, and some Captain Crunch.

“Everything O.K. today,” her mom enquired?

“Yeah, sure. I was just tired last night, I guess. I'm fine today, though. Can't wait for tonight!”

Kathleen gave Allen a quizzical look that undoubtedly said “Kids?!?”

The day passed slowly. She could hardly wait for 7 o'clock, when Andrew was supposed to pick her up. When 6:30 finally rolled around, Missy began to dress for trick or treating. She carefully gathered her robe, hat, and broom.

“Hey mom, what did you do with my amulet?” she called to her mother, who was busy cleaning up in the kitchen.

“I set it on your dresser, dear” Kathleen called back to her.

Missy hunted around, and found it next to a pile of folded shirts she had neglected to put away.

“Got it. Thanks mom”

“Missy, are you sure your going to be alright with that amulet?” her mother called back.

“You were pretty upset last night. Maybe you could just do without it. Your costume will still look great.” Kathleen said.

“Oh mom, I'm fine. It's like I told you, I was just tired last night, and I've had a good rest since then.”

“Well, if you're sure,” Kathleen replied, with some uncertainty in her voice.

Missy closed her door, and slipped on her robe. She placed her hat on her head, and looked at herself in the mirror, as she tied the rope belt around her waist. Finishing with the belt, she picked up the broom. The contrast of her fiery red hair flowing out from under her black pointed hat down over the black robe, and her emerald green eyes against her fair skin made just the effect she had been looking for. She let out a test cackle, tossing her head back as she did.

“Sounds like we've got a real witch up there!” her dad called jovially from downstairs.

Missy smiled to herself.

“Just one finishing tough,” she thought, picking up the amulet from the dresser.

Missy slipped it over her head, and replaced the hat to look at herself once more in the mirror. When she did, she saw she wasn't alone. The same burning eyes she saw the night before were on her again. She did not scream this time.

“I'm just imagining this! It's not real” she repeated nervously to herself.

The haggard form crept up more closely behind her. Missy, not wanting to spoil the evening, continued to try to convince herself.

“Your not real!” she said.

Now she could see the lines on her face, and the straw hair poking out from under a similarly pointed hat. The old woman was right behind her now.

“fàiltich dachaidh”, the old woman said, a sardonic smile blossoming across her wrinkled face.

Missy mysteriously understood the phrase, “welcome home”, as the woman hand reached forward. Missy felt the grizzled fingers close on her shoulder.

Kathleen bustled to the front door in response to the bell.

“Hello Andrew, Missy is expecting you. I think she's still upstairs getting ready...”

But Andrew didn't wait for Missy's mom to finish. He burst in excitedly.

“You've got to stop Missy. You can't let her wear the amulet. Quick we've got to stop her!”

Andrew rushed excitedly towards Missy's room, with her mother at his heels. He threw open the door. Kathleen was busy objecting, but Andrew ignored her.

Missy stood in the middle of the room, arms outstretched. Dreamlike she turned to look at Andrew and her mother as they burst into the room. Her entire aspect had changed. She glared contemptuously at Andrew and Kathleen, quite unlike the Missy they were accustom to. The amulet shone brilliantly against her black gown.

“”Missy! Missy take off the amulet!” Andrew shouted.

Missy, or at least her effigy, simply laughed,

“Why would I do such a stupid thing!” She cackled.

Kathleen screamed, and ran off to find Allen. Andrew watched as Kathleen's figure vanished through the door, and down the hall. He had the sinking feeling of abandonment, watching Kathleen run away. When he turned back, frightened, to see what Missy was doing, he discovered her hovering only inches away from him.
Missy muttered words Andrew couldn't understand, while gesticulating wildly. Suddenly Andrew felt weak, as though he just run a marathon. His legs began to shake, and perspiration beaded on his forehead. He began to realize he needed to think his way out of this, and think fast! How could he defend himself against a 3rd century witch? There wasn't any magic in the 21st century, people had grown beyond that! Or had they...?

A plan began to form in Andrew's mind. It might work, but he'd need help, and right now, he was alone.

“How does it feel to have your youthful essence drained? Eh boy?” Missy hissed at Andrew.

Missy's voice had the dry edge of age to it, which was most noticeable to Andrew when she laughed. He felt weaker, and collapsed on the floor in front of her.

“It's been a long time since I've tasted the vital energy of youth, boy!” Missy smiled as she spoke to Andrew.

He lay at her feet, unable to even lift his head to look at her. He lay crumpled on top of his back pack, which he hoped to shield from her view. Andrew forced his hands down into the back pack, as he lay on it. Inside his hands found his camera, and more importantly, his flash. He carefully freed it from the camera, and slid the power switch to on.

Just then, Missy's parents, Allen and Kathleen burst through the door. Kathleen screamed at the sight of her daughter, knife in hand, preparing to strike Andrew, who lay in an crumpled heap at her feet.

Missy looked up at her mother in shock. It was just the break Andrew needed. He pulled the flash from the back pack and rolled over to his right, his legs colliding with Missy's. When she looked down at him, realizing he was escaping, he held the flash pointed at Missy's face and pressed the button.

There was a blinding pop from the flash, followed by the soft whine as the unit readied itself for another shot. Missy screamed, and fell backward as she tried to retreat, her legs becoming entangled with Andrews as he writhed on the floor.
“Get the Amulet!” Andrew yelled, as Missy's dad ploughed into the room. Allan yanked the amulet from her neck as she fell, breaking the string that held it.

Andrew felt his strength returning as soon as Missy's concentration was broken. He sat up and demanded the amulet from Allen, who willingly handed it over to him. Allen was more concerned with his daughter, lying in a limp heap on the floor.
Andrew charged into the bathroom and, without hesitation, flung the amulet at the mirror. Kathleen watched the entire macabre scene in silence. She expected a crash from the mirror breaking when the stone struck it, but the amulet merely disappeared as though the mirror were a surface of water. It was all too much for Kathleen. She collapsed on the floor. Andrew drew a deep breath, collecting himself and gathering his remaining strength.

Andrew stumbled back into Missy's room as she lay cradled in her father's arms. She looked weak and disoriented, and Allan gently brushed her wild red hair from her face. Andrew merely looked on and smiled.

“What's goin' on?” Missy asked tentatively of her dad as she recovered herself.

“I dunno honey.” Allan replied.

“You just sort of went crazy! It must have been all the time you've spent working on that costume.” Allan chided her.

“Actually, I think it was the amulet. I think it had some sort of druidic spell on it. When I saw the reflection of the old woman in the mirror, I just threw it at her. That must have broken the spell.” Andrew mused.

“Well I'm just glad it's over.” Allan said in an excessively father-like tone.

“I think I've had enough Halloween for this year,” Missy replied tentatively.