[Original Fiction] Blue Moon, Chapter 2: The Wrong Reflection

Chapter 2: The Wrong Reflection

Jan 1, 2018
12:10 am

Samuel shook off the irrational fear that had suddenly gripped him. So the call was coming from a dead man's phone. That didn't mean in any way that it was from the man himself. Although he couldn't imagine why anyone would call in the middle of the night using a dead man's number, especially on a celebratory night like this. That in itself was extremely strange.

He took a breathe. He was a scientist, a rational man. In his experience, there was a reasonable explanation for everything that happened, one just had to find it. And in this case, there was exactly one way to do that.

He picked the call.
"Hello? Dr. Samuel Bransen."

"Bransen," came the reply from the other end. His blood ran cold again. The voice was Edwin's. "I need your help."
Samuel's throat was constricted. What was this? He had to swallow before he could respond. "Who is this?"
"Bransen... it's me, Edwin. Edwin Branth." His tone was urgent. "Listen --I know how this must seem, but we've got less than a minute, and I can't explain now."
"Okay, enough of this!" Samuel replied harshly. He'd had it --if the lab wanted to play a new year prank on him, this was grossly inappropriate. "Whoever this is-"
"Samuel! Listen, there's no time! They will be coming for you right now, you need to get out of there, now!"

Samuel recognised the tone at once. Back when they had worked together, Edwin had been notorious for his impatience and bossy attitude. But Dr. Edwin Branth was dead! The entire lab had been burnt down, and his body had been found scorched beyond recognition. This couldn't be him. What was this... a conspiracy movie?

The voice on the other end was still talking. "Don't go home, and ditch your car. I can prove everything to you, but you have to do everything I say. Bransen, are you listening? You have to do everything I tell you, unless you're dead! Do you hear me?"
Samuel bristled. "Is that a threat?"
"No! I'm trying to save your life! This call is going to end any second, immediately it does, do what I say. Immediately! Please, Bransen, this is for both our sake!"
Samuel wasn't feeling the least bit cold anymore. His heart was racing. The man sounded scared. If this was a prank, it was a very good one. But if it wasn't...
"We have ten seconds," Edwin's voice rang. "Once the call ends, get out of the car, get to the passenger's side, and look into the side mirror! Understand?"
"What?"
"Now, do it now!" Then he added softly, "I'm sorry, Bransen."

And the call ended.

Samuel sat a moment, trying to catch back his breath. Then it hit him --the caller had known he was in the car, which meant he was around somewhere. He opened the door and stepped back into the cold winter night. He looked around frantically, but it was new year's eve, and there were many people about, all wrapped up against the intense cold. The caller could be anyone. He walked briskly to the other side of the car, still glancing around. He was aware this could be more than just a simple prank --it could be an elaborate robbery, and he might be walking right into it. But there was nothing and nobody on the other side. Not even on the mirror.

The mirror.

As he glanced at it, a light flashed out and flashed off again. He turned around startled, but there was nothing there that could've produced the reflection. He bent to take a closer look, and saw his own sharp brown eyes looking back at him. Someone was standing behind him.
Samuel whipped around, his heart in his throat. A drift of snow blew across the hood of the car. A group of laughing people walked into a shop a little distance away. But there was no one beside the car with him.
He turned back to the mirror and looked again. It was unmistakable. Edwin Branth stood behind him in it's reflection, also bundled up against the cold and holding what looked like an ordinary ipad.
"What the heck is going on?"

Then, as he watched, his reflection in the mirror moved. It turned around towards Edwin, apparently in conversation. Then, although Samuel was standing still, the Samuel in the mirror moved backward and Edwin came forward, until Samuel was looking into his wary blue eyes. He raised the ipad to the mirror.

In large blue letters were written the words: Follow my Instructions.

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Watch HERE for Chapter 3: Mirrors

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