The Gaussian Mirror

Janet’s ears finally popped. She smiled at her husband; glad she could hear clearly again. Patting his knee, she leaned back to watch the scenery as he drove. A flashing montage of pine trees, rocks, and cliffs passed her by, revealing the ancient mountain they were traveling.

As the elevation increased, the drive became smoother. She could feel her husband’s relief as the road straightened out. Passing another horse ranch, he winked at her and said, “Almost there, just a few more minutes.”

True to his word, a little mountain town began to come into view. Janet sat up, excited to stretch her legs and breathe in clean air. This was their first time visiting Wayward, and she admired the town’s intricate shops, its tiny theater, the cozy restaurants.

Parked beneath a tree with pineapple-sized pinecones, Janet and Jim wrapped themselves in gloves and scarves.

“It might snow while we’re up here,” Jim remarked, closing the car door.

The air was beyond chilly. Janet buttoned her coat and tossed her colorful purse into the trunk.

“You’re not taking your purse?” he asked.

“No, it’s too heavy. I have my phone and cards with me,” she responded. Taking his gloved hand in hers, she pulled him toward a line of shops. “Let’s start here!”

A chime sounded as they entered a quaint boutique with lights strung across the ceilings. “This is so cute!” she whispered loudly to her husband. He nodded and wandered off in his own direction.

Janet took her time smelling each candle and bar of soap on display. With her arms full, she approached the teenage clerk and asked if they had a hand basket. With wide eyes, the young woman pointed to a stack of baskets near the umbrellas.

“Oh, thanks,” Janet said mildly. The clerk nodded sharply and turned away.

As she filled her basket with soap, candles, and bath bombs, Jim told her he saw a cigar shop next door and would be right back.

“Okay, I’m just going to look around for another minute and then I’ll check out. Meet you outside?”

He answered her with a kiss on the cheek. She heard the door chime and glanced him heading left.

As she shopped, she couldn’t help but notice the clerk was strictly avoiding eye contact with her. The teenager would smile and speak to the few other customers in the store, but not her.

After she had her fill of scents, she placed her basket on the counter. The clerk silently rang up each item, wrapping them in pieces of wax paper and carefully stacking them in a shopping bag. Janet observed her hands trembled slightly and felt bad for her, maybe the girl was sick or very shy.

Not looking up from the register, the teenager spoke so quietly, as though it were a secret. “Your total is $72.58. Would you like this added to your account?”

Janet smiled brightly with confusion, “My account? No, I’ll put it on my card.” She handed her VISA to the girl, who made efforts to take the card without touching her hand. After placing the receipt in the bag, the girl nodded curtly and dashed to the back of the shop without a thank you or goodbye.

Back outside, Janet checked her phone and discovered she had mistakenly left it on silent. Jim had called her three times – oops. She hit redial and squinted up at the abnormal pinecones in a nearby tree. A hand gripped her shoulder, and she squeaked in surprise.

“Oh Jim, you scared me!” Janet laughed and put her phone in her pocket, making sure the volume was turned up. “You know I don’t like you sneaking up on me!”

“I scared you?” He asked incredulously. “You’re the one who snuck off to check out that occult store.”

“What store? I didn’t go anywhere,” she looked at the line of shops, spotting the strange store he was talking about. The windows were lined with dark candles, books, crystals, and statues. It was called Dragon’s Breath. The head of a dragon protruded from the front door, where a knocker would be.

Stomping her feet in the cold, she said, “I didn’t go in there! Why would I go in there? To buy a new tarot deck or maybe get my fortune told?” A good Christian, she did not mess with the supernatural.

“No seriously,” Jim said as he took her bag and began to walk to the next store. “I was in the cigar shop about to pay; I looked out the window and saw you making a beeline for that store. After I paid, I followed you out and called your name, but you were too far away. Tried calling you, and figured I’d wait for you outside like you said. Then you just turned up here.”

He opened the door for her. Inside the treats shop, Janet felt warm and happy surrounded by chocolate and jam. She playfully asked Jim how he could confuse her with another woman.

“You were both wearing the same thing. Dark pants, black coat, red scarf. Same hair and everything.”

She examined a jar of apple jam and chided, “Huh, weird. I still can’t believe you’d follow another woman, though.”

She elbowed him in the side and continued to admire a pyramid of homemade spreads on a table. Jim elbowed her back and made a face. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Do you notice that everyone in here is staring at us?”

Janet looked around casually. Yes, everyone was watching them and then darting their eyes away, just like the clerk in the candle store. She felt a flutter in her stomach and pushed it away as hunger, telling herself she did not get the heebie jeebies.

She whispered back, “Yeah, it’s weird. The cashier in the first store was like that too. Maybe they don’t get a lot of out-of-towners?”

“Guess not,” Jim said, “Anyway, did you get all the sweets you wanted? Let’s get out of here.”

She nodded and they headed to checkout. The shopkeeper anxiously looked from Janet to Jim before forcing a tight-lipped smile. After ringing them up, he asked Janet if she would like the total added to her account. Startled, Janet opened her mouth to say no, and Jim laughed.

“Her account? Have you been coming here without me, honey?” He chuckled, handing over his card.

“No, of course not! That’s the second time someone’s asked me that. It’s so strange.”

The shopkeeper handed Jim a small brown bag. Janet smiled brightly at him and said, “Excuse me, why did you ask if I wanted it on my account? Is there like an inn nearby that does that?”

The man stuttered, “Oh, n-no ma’am. I apologize. I thought you were Ms. A-Adams. I’m so sorry.”

“No problem, I was just wondering,” she said. They thanked him and left.

In the recreational store next door, the couple sensed the aged owner and shoppers watching their every move. Janet and Jim exchanged glances, feeling stranger by the minute. Jim asked to see a tactical knife beneath the counter, and the old man froze before bending down to unlock the door. Carefully placing the knife on the counter, he kept his eyes down.

Reminding herself to be polite, Janet asked him how his day was going. The man seemed startled and babbled, “I’m fine Ms. Adams. Thank you for asking. How is your cobra doing, he all better now?” Although trying to make conversation, he sounded stressed.

“Oh my goodness, I’ve never had a cobra,” she giggled. “I’ve never even been near a snake. No, I’m much more of a cat and dog person myself.”

His mouth hung open, so she kept talking, “You’re the second person to call me Ms. Adams though. Is she a local around here?”

“I’m so sorry,” he apologized, “You look just like her. Yes, she owns one of the shops here.”

“Wouldn’t happen to be the dragon store, would it?” Jim asked with a childish smile.

The old man nodded curtly. The couple exchanged wide-eyed glances. “Oh, that’s interesting,” Jim said, “maybe we should check it out?”

Janet shook her head. After Jim bought the knife and they walked outside, she admitted she couldn’t take it anymore.

“Jimmy, I feel weird. Let’s go eat and then head home, I don’t want to stay any longer.”

Her husband scoffed, “After we drove all the way up here? Come on, Jan. We barely hit like 3 shops.”

She held his arm and leaned into him for warmth.

“I know, I’m sorry. I just have a weird feeling. Everyone keeps staring at us and calling me Ms. Adams. Even you thought she looked like me,” She laughed, hearing herself. “Maybe my blood sugar is just low. Let’s grab some food and then we can shop some more.”

Inside the Sycamore Steakhouse, the couple was seated near the fireplace right away. When their server appeared, he poured each a glass of merlot with a shaky hand and told them it was on the house. While they looked over the menu, the waiter stared at Jim from afar. He cocked his head toward the door as though he were signaling to him. Jim shook it off as jerky neck stretch.

The restaurant was dim and warm with several people seated around them. Jim reached for his wife’s hand and felt all eyes on them. Feeling uneasy, he told himself maybe they were just interesting or attractive to these mountain people. When the waiter returned, he asked Janet if she wanted the usual.

“Um, what’s the usual?” she asked politely, thinking he meant the special. The waiter gawked and responded slowly as though he were being tested.

“The ribeye, bloody rare with a side of raw oysters, Ms. Adams.”

She made a face, “Oh, no thank you. I would actually like the roasted chicken with garlic mashed potatoes, please.”

He scribbled her order down, his face beet red. Janet added, “Everyone keeps confusing me with this Ms. Adams person. She sounds interesting…”

The waiter nodded briskly and took Jim’s order. After pouring them more wine, he took off as though his apron caught fire. Jim and Janet raised their eyebrows at each other, communicating one word: weird.

Their dinner was fantastic. Janet’s chicken was tender and aromatic, and Jim’s steak was perfectly seared. Despite all the staring, they were able to savor each bite. After dessert, Janet excused herself to use the restroom. Walking to the back of the restaurant, she overheard a woman ordering her dinner in a low, sultry voice.

“I will have the usual,” she purred. Janet froze.

It was like looking into a mirror on Halloween. The woman had long, dark wavy hair, a shade or two darker than her own. Her eyes were a deep gray and lined in thick black eyeliner. She had pale ivory skin without a trace of freckles or hint of blush. Her lips were painted a deep scarlet. As the waiter began to walk away, she touched his arm and murmured one word, “Bloody.”

The waiter rushed off and Ms. Adams turned her attention to Janet. Janet’s heart began to race, the adrenaline surging through her. Ms. Adams stared into her soft face, making her feel like she was seeing into her somehow. She motioned for Janet to sit with her. Her legs trembling slightly, Janet made her way over but did not sit down.

Eyeing her with curiosity, the woman spoke quietly, “I knew I would see you soon.” She looked around calmly, “Where is the husband? He looked quite tasty.”

Scared, confused, and protective of her husband, Janet felt her face flush. “Who are you?” she demanded.

Ms. Adams cocked her head and grinned with red-stained teeth. Janet wondered if they were sharper than normal or if she imagined that. She motioned for Janet to sit again.

“Sit, and I will tell you.”

Goosebumps blanketed Janet’s arms. Her breathe caught in her throat. The longer she stood near her doppelganger, the louder something dangerous screamed inside her. She shook her head and backed away, forgetting about the restroom.

“Leaving so soon?” Ms. Adams called after her, letting out a sinister laugh, “I was hoping we could sit and chat about the weather.”

Nearly colliding with a table, Janet rushed back to Jim.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, glancing up from signing the bill. Janet was trembling and paler than usual.

“Nothing, let’s just go. I want to go home now.”

Janet headed for the door, Jim trailing behind. “What? I thought you wanted to shop more?”

“No, Jim! Let’s go now! I need to get out of here!”

Outside, it had begun to snow steadily and the road shone with ice. Janet ran to the car and jumped in the passenger seat. Jim closed her door and walked around to his side. Looking back at the restaurant, she saw the woman standing in the front window, laughing at her. She laughed so hard, she held onto her side, her edged teeth gleaming in the light.

Janet stared back in horror, feeling like it was all a nightmare she needed to wake from. As they descended down the mountain and out of Wayward, she desperately wished they had never come.