The Hollowed Look

The room was dark, an eerie glow from the moon shining in through the window. Evan peeked his head inside. A single candle flickered on the counter.

“Do I have to?” he asked, glancing nervously over his shoulder.

“Aww, quit being such a wimp,” Carter said, shoving him forward.

“Yeah, we’re right here,” Susie added, her melodic voice making Evan’s ears burn.

He quickly faced the bathroom again and stepped inside. The moment he cleared the doorway, Carter slammed the door shut.

“Alright Evan, I’ll let you out once I hear you say it!” he shouted through the door.

Evan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Could they hear how fast his heart was pounding? He wouldn’t be surprised.

He opened his eyes and stared into the mirror.

“Bloody Mary…” he whispered. His voice cracked.

“Louder, bro.” Carter’s muffled voice called through the door.

Evan rolled his eyes. He squared his shoulders, steadied his breath and tried again.

“Bloody Mary,” his voice came clearer and more confident.

“One more,” Susie called.

Evan smiled, despite his current predicament, ears burning again.

“Bloody Mary,” he said as loud as he could.

He blew out the candle and darkness crept in. For several minutes, he just stared at his reflection, unsure what he was even supposed to see.

“Do you see anything?” Susie asked.

“No,” he started, but then stopped.

His eyes in the reflection looked… hollow.

Before he could process what he was seeing, the door burst open and light flooded the room. Evan jumped. Carter stepped inside and patted Evan on the back.

“Good job, man. Congrats on facing your fears – for once,” Carter laughed.

Evan blinked and the hollow look was gone. Susie flashed him a smile and he smiled back. As they all walked out of the bathroom, Evan glanced once more at his face in the mirror, which had gone back to normal. He decided not to say a word and followed the others back to Carter’s room.

The three spent the rest of the evening pigging out on popcorn and sodas before Carter’s mom called up the stairs.

“It’s getting late. Time to go home everyone!”

Evan and Susie grabbed their things and waved good-bye as they stepped out into the cool night.

“Be safe,” Carter’s mom called from the doorway.

“We will!” they replied in unison.

Evan and Susie lived only a block apart, so it was routine for him to walk her home. Tonight was no different – though something in the air felt a little off. Maybe just leftover nerves.

Evan matched his pace to hers.

“So… how do you feel?” Susie asked. Her eyes were warm, lit faintly by the moonlight. A smile tugged at his lips.

“I feel… pretty good.”

“Not scared anymore?” she asked, teasing gently.

Evan sighed. Just yesterday, he’d admitted to them that he had never done the age old ritual of Bloody Mary. The moment they found out, they were determined to fix that.

“You’re sixteen, man,” Carter had said. “It’s like you missed a rite of passage or something.”

“It’s not that bad,” Susie added with a smile.

That was all it took. Evan had caved. He sulked the entire way to Carter’s house after school.

“My heart is still racing a little,” Evan admitted finally to Susie’s question.

She smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“It’ll be ok,” she reassured.

They continued to walk and chat with each other until they reached a large grey house with blue shutters and they both stopped at the walkway.

Susie turned, gave Evan a big, warm hug and, before he could even think, planted a quick kiss on his cheek before running to her door.

“Have a good night!” she shouted and then walked inside.

Evan stood stunned for a moment – Susie had never kissed him before. Sure, it was just on the cheek, but still – that had to mean something, right?

He tossed his hands toward the stars, as if they might lift him into the air, his heart soaring already. It was pure ecstasy.

A rustling of branches across the street snapped Evan back to reality. He froze and stared at where he heard the noise, but the street light over his head couldn’t quite reach.

He stared at the spot, heart thudding again. He glanced at Susie’s house and then ahead – toward his own home. Without another thought, he ran.

Evan practically launched himself up his driveway and burst though the door, slamming it behind him.

His mother was sitting on her favorite spot on the couch. She had her legs tucked under her and was reading one of her books. She paused to look up at Evan – who was out of breath.

“Everything alright?” Concern swept across her face. Evan smiled, trying to catch his breath.

“Yeah, mom, everything is fine. Just got spooked a little while walking home,” he told her. She folded her book and stood to walk over.

“Really, mom, I’m fine,” Evan urged, but she kept walking closer, reached out and wrapped her arms around him.

“I’m glad you made it home safe. I understand how scary it gets late at night. If you ever want a ride–”

“Mom!” Evan groaned and she stopped. Pulling back, Evan could see his mother furrow her eyebrows at him. He sighed.

“I know you’re here for me mom, but you need to trust I don’t need you all the time. I really am ok,” he told her.

“Alright, you’re right.” She threw her hands up in defeat. “I need to back down. You’ll let me know when you need me?”

“I promise,” he told her and gave her a better hug before heading up to his room.

Normally, Evan would jam out to some music on his Pandora station while playing video games into the night, but he was beat. He kicked off his shoes and was asleep before his head even hit the pillow.

Evan jolted awake, heart pounding.

Just a bad dream, he told himself.

In his nightmare, he had been running through a cold and foggy forest. He was being chased by a tall, pale woman in a blood-soaked gown. Her eyes were hollow. No matter how fast he ran, she just always right behind him.

Eventually, he found a small cellar door and jumped inside, slamming it just in time.

Everything went quiet and his heart slowed.

Then – BANG. The cellar door flew open. Eyes locked on his, Bloody Mary opened her mouth and consumed him whole.

Evan sat upright, drenched in sweat. One hand on his chest, the other gripping a small bit of fabric from his blanket.

Just a dream, he repeated like a mantra while slowing his breathing.

In and Out.

In and Out.

He glanced out the window. The moon was hidden behind a thick layer of clouds, leaving his room pitch black.

His eyes caught something by his closet door – tall and dark.

He froze. Was something there?

His eye locked on the figure but it wasn’t moving, just standing there.

His palms became sweaty and his breathing quickened again.

Internally, he screamed at himself to move, but his body stayed frozen to the spot. Then, the clouds shifted and the moonlight spilled into the room.

He let out another sigh – it was just his jacket, hanging up on his lamp.

He gave a nervous laugh. “Such an idiot,” he muttered under his breath. He must have forgotten he tossed it there after getting home.

He pulled the blanket back up around him and laid back down.

The next morning, Evan met with Susie and Carter in the cafeteria. They greeted him with more grins and congratulations.

The three grabbed breakfast and hung out until the bell rang and they split off for class.

Evan took his usual seat in Biology and opened his notebook.

“Genetics – What do we inherit and who do we inherit it from?” was written on the white board. Beneath: “Please grab a worksheet and a mirror from the table. Complete and turn in for daily credit.”

Evan glanced at his teacher’s desk, there was a substitute sitting in her seat, scrolling through something on her phone. He rolled his eyes and walked over to grab the worksheet and small plastic mirror before returning to his seat.

First question: Hair color.

Well, that’s easy, Evan thought. His hair was naturally brown, like both his parents. He wrote that information down.

Second question: Eye Color

Third: skin color

Fourth: Hairline shape

Evan paused. He lifted the mirror and started to examine his hairline. Did he have a widow’s peak? No – his was more rounded.

He went to lower the mirror but his eyes caught on something and he looked back at the mirror longer. Were my eyes just black?

He blinked and looked again.

Blue, like always.

He stared for a few more heartbeats, like he expected them to change again, but nothing.

Shaking his head, Evan turned back to his worksheet. He finished quickly and turned in his assignment to the sub. She took it without even looking at him.

“Self-study,” she flatlined.

Evan glanced at her phone – who plays Candy Crush anymore? He stifled a groan and turned back to his seat, pulling out his notes for review.

At lunch, he met back up with Susie and Carter. The three grabbed their usual table closest to the exit.

“Ok,” Evan leaned in. “Weird thing happened in Biology today.”

They both perked up.

“First, Ms. Keller isn’t here today – so it’s just a worksheet,” He explained.

Carter gave a small fistpump and Susie frowned.

“I like Ms. Keller. The subs never care enough to help,” Susie whined. Evan nodded.

“This one’s no different. But the assignment was about genetics and Ms. Keller left us mirrors to check for certain features.”

He hesitated.

Carter raised an eyebrow. “And?”

“When I looked in the mirror, I…I thought I saw…my eyes looked different - black…like hollowed out. Just for a second, but it was weird,” Evan explained.

Carter tilted his head curiously. “Do you think Bloody Mary followed you?”

Evan forced a laugh.

“No…I don’t know, I’ve just been feeling on edge since last night,” he admitted.

“Can’t let your fear control you, my guy. You faced it, and that’s what matters,” Carter encouraged. Evan forced a smile.

“Yeah, I know I shouldn’t worry,” he resigned.

“Look, we’re here for you, no matter what.” Carter added and Susie nodded.

“We promise.” She encouraged Evan. He nodded, still unsure what to believe.

“If it makes you feel better, my mom always tells me, ‘Your fears are only as scary as you make them.’”

“Thanks guys.” Evan smiled at his friends, but inside, the image of his eyes hollowed out still clung to him.

That evening, Evan walked Susie home like always before turning toward his own home.

The sun was still out, casting long shadows across the sidewalk. He paused at the same bush he had heard the rustling noise from the night before. Beneath it, a small tabby cat sat with it’s tail flicking slowly. It was staring at him with curious eyes.

He stared back for a moment before letting out a quiet laugh to himself.

So that’s what I heard.

He continued the rest of the way home and tossed his book bag by the steps.

His mother was in the kitchen, cooking dinner.

“Did you have a good day at school?” she called out and he joined her.

“It was alright,” Evan started. His mother paused and looked at him, then turned back to cooking.

“Alright?” she asked.

“Something weird happened today,” he said. “And…last night.”

She reached up and lowered the flame on the stove before turning her attention completely to him.

“Tell me,” she gently requested.

He told her everything – about Bloody Mary in the bathroom, the creepy noise on the walk home, the nightmare, the mirror – the hollowed eyes.

His mother listened intently while he spoke, nodding every now and then in understanding. When he finished, she was quiet for a moment.

“Well, I can understand why you were in a panic,” she said finally. Evan looked at her confused. She smiled and sat down beside him.

“Let’s start with Bloody Mary. That’s a very old wives’ tale. I’m pretty sure even your great-grandparents did it when they were kids. So, if she’s real, I think she would have several other billions of people to collect along her way. I doubt she would solely focus on you.”

“I don’t think she’s ‘coming to get me’ exactly,” He laughed.

“Right,” she nodded. “You’re smart, you know that not everything is as it seems!” she agreed. “But, even though you are CONCIOUSLY aware she’s not coming for you, it doesn’t mean you SUBCONCOIUS isn’t still reacting.”

She rubbed his arm gently.

“Fear doesn’t always make sense, but we can still face it.”

She pulled out her phone and started typing into it. She turned the phone toward him and Evan could see an article titled “The Bloody Mary Phenomenon. AKA the Troxler Effect”

He scanned the page. The article explained how the “Troxler Effect” was a strange phenomenon that happens when someone stares into a mirror for an extended period of time. The brain started to “tune out” visual input – which causes certain features to appear faded or distorted. Some people even have reported seeing their faces twist, stretch, or even take on monstrous qualities.

“So, you think this is what happened?” He looked at his mother hopeful and she nodded.

Relief washed through Evan. “That… actually makes me feel better. Thanks, Mom.”

She flashed a smile, winked, and gave his arm another quick rub before standing and returning to dinner.

“I’m here anytime you need me,” she told him.

He smiled and went to his room. He turned off his bedroom lights, letting darkness settle more in the room before grabbing his mirror.

Evan stared into it for several minutes. At first, his reflection stared back – tired, but determined. Slowly, it morphed. He watched as the edges of his mouth blurred, his cheekbones sank inward, and his eye darkened.

He didn’t blink. He didn’t flinch. Instead, he smiled.

“Well, hello, Mary,” he said. “Such a pleasure to meet you.”