Shattered Reflections (busy editing)

Prologue

Prologue

It was an ordinary summer's evening in Arbington. The air hot and heavy, feeling as though you were carrying it with you on your shoulders.

It was already past ten, the rows of ceiling lamps were being shut off, section by section.

Mandy read the last sentence on the page and glanced at her watch. Her eyes widened as they read the tune and she frantically started packing up.

She knew her mom was probably in a state of panic, wondering where she was so late on a Sunday evening, the day before senior year.

She hated upsetting her mom, like most people do. You see, Mandy's mom tends to be a tad overprotective. Even in a small, safe town like Arbington.

She was always worrying that Mandy might not make it home. Which is a normal part of being a parent. She quickly sent her mother a message, assuring her that she was still alright and had just lost track of time.

When you're reading, that can happen easily. As more and more sections of ceiling lamps started to switch off, a shiver ran down her spine.

She couldn't pinpoint exactly why. Not fear, she thought, probably just paranoia. Reassured she quickly ran to the bathroom, she knew a full bladder wouldn't be the best company on her ten minute drive home.

She washed her hands as the bathroom light suddenly surged. Not just paranoia is what she thought, but she rinsed her hands of the lavender scented soap and dried them off.

As she looked up, there it was, her paranoia. It suddenly felt as though someone was squeezing her heart, hard, tightly and quick paced. Those piercing blue eyes looked straight through her.

"W-what do you want?" She asked, trying to sound demanding, not afraid, but the crack in her voice proved otherwise.

Not a single sound escaped from the masked strangers lips. She hesitated but eventually turned around, very slowly, as though not to startle a wild animal.

"Please," She begged, a tear trickled down her cheek, "Please don't hurt me. Just tell me what you want! I'll do anything."

The masked stranger just smiled. A smile that made her skin crawl. A smile that carried death in-between it's lines.

Suddenly she heard glass shatter behind her. The mirror had been smashed into pieces with the strangers bare hands.

Suddenly she could no longer control herself. As if she had lost all say over her body. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, she had fallen to her knees begging for mercy; her hands covering her face.

The stranger bent down, a chunk of mirror in their hand, that bone chilling smile still plastered to their face. The stranger took her hands away from her face, causing her to jump ever so slightly.

Confusion filled Mandy's mind, not understanding this persons motives or what they might do next. All she saw was a blank look in the masked strangers eyes, and a bland smile. But something about their nature was almost gentle.

"Mandy dear." Finally they spoke. He spoke. That's when she knew this was personal. She wasn't just a psychopaths random target, and she wouldn't live to tell her story of survival.

He moved the shard of mirror in front of her face. She stared at herself. The shock sinking in, the fear, the heart wrenching reality. The fact that she wouldn't have the experience of being a senior in high school, going to college, get married, starting a family. She would never see her friends again, her mother.

"What do you see?" He asked.

"M-myself." She stuttered as she hoped that was the answer he was looking for. The answer he wanted.

"Wrong." He said and her heart sank, "A sinner."