Like Dust; Part 2

"He's been acting so strange lately. I'm just worried about him, that's all."

"Mary, I'm sure he's fine. You know how teenagers are."

I snuck back into my darkened room, taking care not to make any noise as I gently closed the door behind me. My heart was racing as I remembered the hushed conversations they had been having about me for weeks. I slumped down in front of my mirror, staring at my reflection with a deep, heavy sigh. Slowly, I began to accept the strange, jet-black eyes that stared back at me. "Did you hear that? They're worried about me."

My reflection shrugged indifferently. "So what?"

The figure before me seemed to have a life of its own, as if it were an exact duplicate of myself. Its lips moved in perfect synchrony with its voice, but the sound seemed to bypass my ears and transmit directly to my mind. The vibrations of its voice echoed and bounced off the walls of my skull, creating an eerie sensation that left me feeling as if I were in a dream.

I frowned deeply. "My point is they're going to find out. I can't keep doing this," I whispered to my reflection. "When does this end?"

"Patience, Ryan. 'Good things come to those who-'"

"'-wait', yeah, I know." As I stood up from my mirror, my eyes wandered around the room, and I couldn't help but notice the gentle moonlight pouring through the windows. The silver beams of light covered every inch of the room, delicately dusting my carpet and bed, creating soft shadows that danced over the pictures hanging on the wall. The peaceful scene was mesmerizing, and the stillness of the night was only interrupted by the sound of crickets outside. Despite the tranquility of the moment, a strange feeling of unease crept up inside me, and I couldn't shake off the nagging feeling that something was off. "I don't know how much longer I can wait," I whispered to myself, my voice trailing off into the silence of the night.

The sun gradually descended towards the horizon as I made my way home from school. The air was thick and heavy with humidity, making breathing difficult. My shirt clung to my damp skin, and my backpack felt unusually heavy. Every step felt like an effort as if I was walking through quicksand. The sun's rays were blinding, and I had to squint to see the path ahead. Despite the discomfort, a sense of contentment washed over me, and I smiled. It was just another day. Everything felt normal.

“McKarthy!”

Even that.

“You ignoring me, McKarthy?” I was grabbed by the shoulder and spun to come face-to-face with Travis Keane. How cliche, my head echoed.

“Shut up,” I murmured at my shoes.

“What’d you say to me, fag?” Travis pulled me closer by my backpack straps.

“I-I wasn’t- I didn’t-” I stumbled over my words. Quite a predicament we find ourselves in.

“That’s what I fuckin’ thought.”

“What do you want, Travis?” The words came out without my permission. If there were a mirror nearby, I’d see my reflection smirking.

“Hey,” He shoved me against a nearby lamppost, “don’t you dare fucking talk to me like that, you hear me? You’re nothing compared to me.”

“For someone calling me a ‘fag’, this is an awful intimate position you’ve put us in.” Again, my mouth moved to form words that never even came to my head.

Mortified, Travis stepped back, wiping his hands off on his jeans. “Yo, what the fuck is wrong with you!”

I pushed myself off of the lamppost and took a step toward him. Whatever was in me had gained control of my limbs. “What’s wrong with me, Travis, is that I don’t tolerate ignorant assholes that peaked in the fifth grade.”

Travis stood there for a moment, processing the words. “Wha- you little-”

I watched in horror as a large fist came hurtling towards me at an alarming speed. It was as if time stood still, and I had an eternity to react. My instincts kicked in, and I quickly jerked my head out of harm's way. A rush of sound echoed in my ears as I felt the edges of my vision begin to blur and darken. My body felt numb, and I could hardly feel my limbs. 

As the fist missed me, I instinctively reached out and grabbed Travis' wrist, pulling him forward and causing him to stumble. I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins as I pulled him towards me, and I could see the surprise in his widened eyes as he turned to face me. 

I took a moment to compose myself, trying to catch my breath as I took in my surroundings. The air was thick with tension, and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. But as I looked at Travis, I could see that he was just as surprised as I was.

“What the fuck happened to your eyes!”

“That’s the least of your worries, Travis Keane.” I heard my voice saying the words, but my lips didn’t move that time. “If I were you, I’d run. Far and fast.”

“Whatever… fuckin’ freak…!” Travis abruptly turned and strode away, his footsteps echoing in the stillness of the street. As he disappeared from view, I slowly regained sensation in my limbs and my blurry vision came into focus. I gasped for air, taking a moment to compose myself before hastening my pace and marching home with a newfound determination.

With a sudden burst of energy, I threw my backpack across the room and slammed the door shut behind me. I walked over to the mirror, feeling a mix of frustration and confusion. As I looked at my reflection, I saw a sly grin staring back at me. "What on earth was that?" I demanded, hoping for an explanation.

"That, Ryan," my reflection replied, looking away indifferently, "was me saving you."

"I didn't need saving," I protested.

"Really? Think back to all the times you encountered him before I came along," my reflection challenged me, leaving me speechless and unable to come up with a response. "See what I mean?" my reflection continued. "Anyway, you're welcome."

Feeling disheartened, I pushed myself off the ground and flopped face down onto my bed. My eyes felt heavy with exhaustion, and I struggled to keep them open. Just before drifting off to sleep, I mumbled into my pillow, "Thanks, I guess."