In Your Eyes

The Lady In The Mirror

A cold gust of air made her skin prickle. Through she warmed again quickly, goosebumps stayed on her skin. She ran a hand over her arms and left the same peculiar feeling she had the other night… She wasn't alone.

Angie shivered as cold wind embraced her. The curtain flew as the wind blew from an open window as the light from the outside post flickered. She sat on her queen-sized bed. Her feet frozen. I never open the window in my room. Glanced around in her cold dark room, the light from the bathroom streaming in between the door left ajar. She went inside the bathroom.

Angie gasped as she stared at the mirror. A woman with bloodshot eyes stared back at her. It's not her reflection but someone else's. She gripped at the head of the faucet, trying to get a hold of herself. She stared in utter disbelief. "I must be dreaming." She splashed herself with cold water on her pale face freezing the heat that has somehow enveloped her entire body. Her head spun like a whirlwind, making it hard for her to keep her feet on the ground. Angie shut her eyes counting 1 to 10 wishing everything goes back to how it has always been. Angie gasped for air as she opened her eyes.

At some point, she recognized the person staring back at her. Tears were falling on the woman's eyes. On the mirror, the letters

"H E L P M E "

Scribbled in red lipstick, right before her eyes. A soft wind blew, sending tiny hairs at the nape of her neck and arms to shiver. Her heart was pounding against her chest, making it hard to breathe. Her dry throat made gulping difficult.

Angie took a step back as the image transformed into a man. The vision was crystal clear as if she saw it right before her eyes. The man was prompted against the toilet bowl hanging on to his dear life. Water everywhere. She heard faint gasping in between sobs. The woman was now standing next to him, stroking his head longingly. Fog circled the two images on the mirror as if swallowing them into darkness.

"No! Stop, please… "Angie curled into a ball in the corner and buried her face in her lap. She was shaking and panting heavily as if a huge rock was dropped on her chest. The loneliness and pain transcended the space, making her realize her emptiness. She hugged her knees like a shield that would comfort her from her grief. I must be crazy. And this was the last thing she wanted to hear when everything around her is a mess.

Door opened. "Angie, are you alright?" She recognized her mom's voice right away. Thank God, I am still alive. She stood up, clinging to her mom's arms, bursting into tears. "It's alright, my darling. I am here. You must be tired."

"Mom, please stay until I get to sleep." Her mom kissed her on the forehead until she fell asleep.

Angie woke up with throbbing head the next day, making it difficult to even stand up or open her eyes. My eyes. There was a burning sensation in her eyes when she opened it up, she can barely see anything. "Mom, I can't see anything," yelling at the top of her voice.

Her mom ran to her room. She looked at Angie all disheveled -- her hands outstretched as if trying to grasp anything around her. "Angie, calm down, my dear. Let's go check your doctor."

A few minutes later, they were at the hospital. On the way, Mrs. Hernandez called her doctor to meet them immediately at the hospital.

"Ms. Angeline Hernandez," the nurse called out. Angie stood up and followed her as she led her to the doctor's clinic.

The doctor said it is normal for anyone who has gone through a corneal transplant to have this condition. Over the counter medicine and wearing a pair of eye protectors will help. He put some drops of solution and gave Angie some medicine. This helped Angie a lot who can now see clearly. He advised her not to scratch her eyes to avoid infection. He then mentioned that there was someone who wanted to meet them. This person was the guardian of her cornea's donor.

Mr. Lee is+

his name, they were told. The doctor pointed to a man with his back towards us. He was talking with another doctor from the corner of the lobby. As he turned around, Angie felt her heart pounding with every step he took. She reached out for her mom's hand for strength. Step after step, his features became more explicit. He stands 6-foot tall, broad shoulders with a well-built physique which is evidently against the tight fit black shirt he is wearing. His hair is neatly waxed, but his whiskers have grown, craving for some shave and his almond dark brown eyes screams of loneliness. Angie's body shook in recognition of the man in front of her hiding behind her mom.

"Hi! I am Vince Lee. I am glad to meet you." His deep voice was raspy and comforting.

"We are thrilled to meet you as well, Mr. Lee. Our family will forever be grateful for giving my daughter another chance to see again." Tears welled up in the eyes of Angie's mom. Her voice was warm and inviting. "Angie, here, had a tough night, so she is feeling a bit unwell. But please accept our sincerest gratitude. Would you be available for coffee today, perhaps?

"I would love to," he smiled. "Hi, Angie. I have wanted to meet you. I am sorry it took a while." Vince peered behind Angie's mom.

"Hi, Mr. Lee," Angie replied with a voice as soft as a whisper, cowering behind her mom. There's that gnawing feeling that she has seen him somewhere. But, she can't put her finger on it until...

"Please call me Vince."

Her stomach lurched as if she was falling into a bottomless pit as she stared in his eyes. There she was standing behind him - the lady in her mirror.

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