BEYOND THE SHADOWS CHAPTER 4 REFLECTION PART I

4. REFLECTION PART I

“What’s up there, Grandpa?” questioned Ryan as he pointed to the ceiling. He exchanged a nervous glance with his younger brother, Joe.

“Let’s go up and find out, boys.” Ryan’s grandfather smiled mysteriously while he opened the door to the attic stairs. Grandpa Frank’s greying hair betrayed his mid 60s age. He was still very fit other than an occasional problem with asthma. He loved pulling pranks on the 10 and 8-year-old brothers. He always had a mystery that involved a thrilling scare prepared for his grandsons. The boys loved going over to Grandpa’s house because they never knew what was in store for them. Grandpa had been a principal before retiring a few years ago. He loved making school an exciting place where anything could be possible. Now, he enjoyed doing the same for his two grandsons. They were naturally curious and loved having adventures with Grandpa. Ryan, being the older brother, tried to act fearless in front of Joe.

Grandpa began climbing the stairs and motioned for the boys to follow. He had a small flashlight in his left hand, and when he reached the top, he turned around to help the boys up into the attic. Grandpa installed a floor years ago to make it easier to move around in the large room. The boys could make out several large, spooky objects in the dim light.

“UHHH-OHHH!” Grandpa’s favorite catchphrase elicited an audible gasp from the boys. They braced themselves for something to happen. Their eyes grew wide in horror, as out of the shadows a glowing, white figure flew straight toward them.

“Oooooooooooo,” shrieked the eerie apparition. Ryan and Joe instantly jumped behind Grandpa. They knew they couldn’t escape, so they closed their eyes and waited for the ghost to pull them back into the shadows and beyond.

“Ha-ha.” Ryan slowly opened one eye as he heard his Grandpa’s familiar laugh. He saw Grandpa holding the ghost in his left hand, or at least what Ryan and Joe had thought was a ghost. It turned out it was just an old t-shirt with a flashlight inside. They could see Grandpa had rigged it on some fishing line and a motor. The boys laughed.

“Show us how it works, Grandpa!” they exclaimed. Grandpa proceeded to show them the motor he had hidden in the corner and the fishing line. The boys continued to talk excitedly about the ghost until Joe spotted something else.

“Hey, what’s this Grandpa?” Joe pulled out a dusty book from underneath an old curtain. The book was beginning to fall apart, and the cover was half missing.

“Be T Sha” it read. Joe began turning the pages and scanning the book.

“Hey, this looks pretty cool! Is it a good book, Grand…ACHOO?” Joe sneezed mid-sentence, sending dust flying.

“I don’t know, let me see it.” He began turning pages and reading a little bit from the book. “I don’t remember reading this book. I’m not sure boys. It does look fascinating…and SCARY!” he shouted. Both boys instantly sprang back.

“Readers of this book, BEWARE!” Grandpa smiled as the boys flinched again. He handed the tattered book back to them. Ryan started turning the pages when something on the other side of the attic caught his eye.

“Is that another ghost you set up, Grandpa?” Ryan expected more tricks.

“It could be, you never know,” Grandpa intoned as all three of them crept closer to the enormous shadowy figure in the opposite corner.

“UHHHH-Ohhhh. Watch out!” Joe slowed down as Grandpa’s voice sent shivers down his spine. “What is it? Be careful!” Grandpa warned. The boys slowly approached the massive monster who was dressed in a long flowing robe.

“Ahhhhhhhh!” the boys screamed as the creature seemed to reach out for them. Grandpa burst out with laughter and flipped on a light, illuminating the giant beast. The boys could now see it was a massive mirror covered by a dingy blanket. It stood at least three feet taller than Grandpa and wide enough for three people. The distressed, bronze, décor trim of the mirror would fit perfectly in a haunted house. An inscription adorned the top of the frame.

“Vae qui dicitis malum bonum, et bonum malum.” Ryan did his best to pronounce the strange words.

“What does it mean, Grandpa?” Joe asked.

“I have no idea. It must be in another language.” Grandpa inspected the mirror closer. “I don’t remember this being up here either. It must have been Grandma’s, or maybe the previous owner. It looks like there is another inscription down here at the bottom. “Non est verum. Tanquam in speculo considerare velis, ne seducerentur claritatem. Utraque enim nummus habet, ita hic in loco a eros. Hoc enim videtur bene limen viam adtendite autem vobis ingredimini quae egreditur foras?” Grandpa read off the strange words.

“I don’t know boys. This one has me baffled.” Ryan and Joe tried to read Grandpa’s face to see if he could be fooling them again. His face didn’t betray any deception. Suddenly the lights flickered off, and the mirror produced an eerie green glow. A strange humming noise emanated from the antique. Ryan and Joe saw Grandpa’s reflection turn green. The humming grew louder, and the boys shut their eyes tight. Grandpa’s reflection took on a sinister grin. His eyes became fiery red and lightning flashed behind him in the mirror. The boys took a peek and saw Grandpa wink at them. Suddenly the mirror turned completely black. The humming stopped, the attic light turned back on, and the reflections returned to normal.

“Cool!! How did you do that?” the boys asked Grandpa excitedly.

Grandpa gave them a smirk. “I can’t tell you those secrets,” he laughed. “Come on, boys. It’s time to climb back down.”

The boys followed Grandpa toward the exit. Joe glanced back at the creepy relic and then hurried to catch up with his brother. He didn’t trust that mirror.

“Okay, boys, would you like some lunch before your dad comes over?” Grandpa asked them when they reached the bottom. He closed the attic door with his right hand and flashed a smile at the boys.

“Yes! Grandpa, can we have sandwiches?” the boys exclaimed. They had healthy appetites, and so Grandpa knew he better make them two sandwiches each.

“What kind would you like?” Grandpa asked.

Ryan and Joe exchanged glances. “Salami and cheese like always, Grandpa.”

Grandpa got out the bread, salami, and cheese and fixed them four sandwiches total.

“Grandpa, you forgot to cut off my crust. Can I have a knife?” Joe asked Grandpa.

“I’m sorry, Joe. I must have forgotten. I’ll do it for you.” They wolfed down their sandwiches while Frank worked on his computer. A knock at the door interrupted lunch.

“Now who could that be?” Grandpa wondered.

“It’s Dad!” Ryan and Joe excitedly yelled as they ran for the front door.

“Hi boys, did you have a good time with Grandpa?”

“Yeah, it was great! We went up into the attic! It was so cool!”

Rick grinned at the boys. “Thanks for watching them, Dad.”

“Sure, no problem,” Grandpa replied.

“Is everything okay?” Rick asked.

“Yeah, everything is great now,” Grandpa smiled.

“Okay, well we are going to get going. We will come by and see you later this weekend.”

“Bye, Grandpa! See you later,” the boys called out as they left. They lived about half a mile away from Grandpa, and so they walked home with their father.

“Did Grandpa seem okay to you guys?” Rick worried about Grandpa. He had breathing problems ever since Rick could remember. Two years ago Grandpa had undergone quadruple bypass after they found major blockages in his arteries. Thankfully, he had recovered well. Still, Rick remained cautious with him.

“Yeah, he did. We had a lot of fun,” Ryan said.

“Well, he did forget to cut the crust off my sandwich,” Joe groused.

Ryan rolled his eyes, and Rick laughed. “Maybe he just has a lot on his mind. So what did you guys do up in the attic? Were there any monsters up there?” Rick enjoyed the same entertainment that Grandpa did.

“A ghost flew right by us!” Joe exclaimed. “It was glowing and everything!”

“Yeah, then Grandpa showed us how it worked. It was awesome.” Ryan loved building things and had a talent for anything mechanical.

“Wow, that sounds impressive. Maybe you can build something like that one day, Ryan. I’m sure Grandpa would help you. What else happened up there?”

“We found a spooky book that said, ‘Readers BEWARE,’ and Grandpa had a haunted mirror up there! The mirror scared us the most! It lit up green and made a weird noise. All the lights went out, and I saw lightning in the mirror! Grandpa’s reflection turned hideous. It was awesome!” Ryan animatedly told the story.

“I didn’t like it,” Joe chimed in as he stared at the ground. Rick and Ryan paused.

“What’s wrong?” Rick asked.

“It was too scary,” Joe whispered.

“That is what makes it fun. I’m sure he showed you the trick. Once you know how it works, then it isn’t terrifying.” Rick ruffled Joe’s blonde hair, trying to reassure him.

“He didn’t show us.” They could barely hear Joe’s voice now.

“What?” Rick asked.

“He said he couldn’t tell us this trick,” Ryan volunteered. “He pretended he had never seen that book or mirror before. He said it must have been Grandma’s.”

“Oh. Well, maybe Grandpa has another trick he wants to do with it before revealing the secret. I’m sure he will show you next time. Grandma didn’t have an antique mirror. I’m sure Grandpa built it, and this is just part of his story for you,” Rick reassured them. It wasn’t like Grandpa not to show them how something worked.

“I don’t want to see it again,” Joe blurted out.

“That’s okay, Joe. You don’t have to see it again,” his father comforted him.

“I do! It’s Grandpa’s coolest trick ever! I want to know how it works.” Ryan eagerly showed his courage.

Ryan continued trying to figure out how the mirror worked on the walk home. Joe tried to forget the petrifying scene he witnessed, and Rick couldn’t quite shake the feeling that something was off. He put it out of his mind when they got home so he could play with the boys. Ryan and Joe challenged their dad to a game of basketball. By the time the game finished Mom had dinner ready, and Dad had forgotten his worries about Grandpa.

“Let’s say prayers, boys,” Rick said as they started to pick up their forks. All four of them made the sign of the cross.

“Bless us, o Lord, and these thy gifts that we are about to receive from thy bounty, through Christ, our Lord. Amen,” they recited the meal prayer.

“Did you boys have fun with Grandpa?” Mom asked.

“Yes!” Ryan said. He then proceeded to tell Mom all about the attic. Joe silently ate his food. “Can we go over there again tomorrow?”

“We will call Grandpa, and see if he would like another visit,” Mom replied. Joe frowned. “What’s wrong, Joe?”

“Nothing,” Joe mumbled.

“He’s afraid!” Ryan laughed.

“I am not!” Joe shot back.

“That’s enough boys,” Dad interjected. “There is nothing wrong with being afraid. Even the bravest people get frightened. It’s choosing to act in the face of fear that takes true courage. You don’t know how brave you are until you face a situation that scares you, and you reach down inside and do the right thing. It’s wise to pray to God for the courage to act, and the wisdom to know what to do.”

“Yes, sir,” Ryan and Joe replied.

Mom smiled. “Now who won the basketball game out there?”

“We did!” the boys shouted. “At the last second, Joe passed it to me, and I made a layup.” Ryan beamed with pride.

“Yep, they defeated me. If you boys stick together, work hard and help each other…”

“We can do anything we put our minds to,” they finished their father’s favorite saying. Rick loved ingraining the mantra into their heads. Ryan and Joe grinned. Even though they had heard it many times before, it always proved correct.

In the morning, Ryan asked, “Can we go over to Grandpa’s today?” The boys were off of school for Easter break.

“He said he would love to have you again for a couple of hours,” Mom replied.

“Thanks, Mom!” Ryan said excitedly. Joe didn’t appear as enthusiastic.

“You’re welcome. After you eat breakfast, get ready, and then we will walk over there.” The boys slammed down their breakfast and bolted upstairs to get dressed. The radiant spring sunshine greeted them on the walk to Grandpa’s house.

In no time, they knocked on Grandpa’s door. After a minute, the door slowly swung open, and the boys peered inside. Grandpa’s house sat in darkness, but they could see the kitchen table illuminated by candles. Instantly, the boys braced themselves for one of Grandpa’s spine-tingling pranks.

The eerie quiet of the house unnerved the boys. Mom stifled an anxious laugh. She didn’t share the boys’ love of being spooked. Slowly, they approached the candlelit glow of the kitchen. When they came within 10 feet of the kitchen table, a shadowy figure stepped out from around the corner. Startled, they hastily took a step back.

“Hello, boys.” Grandpa’s familiar voice had a strange edge. He inched forward, and they could see his face half illuminated by the candles. He had a crooked smirk plastered on his face. “Are you ready to have some thrills today?”

“Uh, yeah,” the boys stammered.

“Is everything okay, Frank? Did your power go out?” Mom hoped there was a conventional explanation for the dark house.

“Everything is fine now,” Grandpa replied calmly. “I just wanted to use a few candles this morning. I’ll turn the lights on for the boys.” Grandpa whirled around and blew out the candles. The sudden blackout caused the boys to gasp.

After what seemed like an eternity the lights flipped on. “Is that better?” Grandpa asked still smiling.

“That’s better, Grandpa.” Ryan felt relieved, although he would never admit he had been a little fearful.

“Okay, boys, listen to Grandpa and behave. I will be back in a couple of hours. Have a good time. Thanks for taking them, Frank,” Mom said as she headed for the door.

“Bye, Mom,” the boys replied.

“You’re welcome. See you later.” Grandpa waved slowly. When Mom closed the door, he turned to the boys. “Do you want to have another adventure in the attic?”

“Yes!” Ryan shouted. His mind had been fixed on the mirror since yesterday.

“No, thank you, Grandpa,” Joe replied softly.

“Why not?” Grandpa asked. “It will be exciting.”

“I’d just rather play with the toys.” Joe told a half-truth.

“It’s because he is a coward,” Ryan teased his brother.

“There is nothing to be frightened of up there, trust me,” Grandpa coaxed.

“I would like to play with the toys,” Joe repeated.

“Suit yourself,” Grandpa said. “Come on, Ryan, I have more to show you.” Grandpa and Ryan marched to the attic door. Joe worried about them, but he couldn’t bring himself to go up there. Instead, he wandered to the playroom. Joe half-heartedly played with a few of the robots, but his mind was preoccupied with what might be happening upstairs. He usually enjoyed Grandpa’s tricks, but something was different about this one. Joe couldn’t shake the feeling that the mirror held a terrible secret.

“It’s just your imagination. It’s another one of Grandpa’s pranks,” he told himself. “They will be fine.” Joe looked up and noticed a powerful flash of light radiate through the ceiling. He heard Ryan yell, and then Grandpa laughing. Joe trembled with dread. He hoped Ryan had just gotten startled. Joe stopped playing and strained his ears to listen. He detected footsteps descending the attic stairs. They got closer and closer until the door creaked open. Joe heard them whispering, but couldn’t make out what they were saying.

The footsteps continued toward Joe until Grandpa turned the corner and entered the playroom. Ryan soon emerged right behind him.

“You missed out,” Ryan smiled crookedly at Joe.

“Yes, you did. Ryan had a good time,” chimed in Grandpa. “Do you want to go up there now?”

Joe scrutinized their faces for a clue as to what happened up there. They just stared back at him with those crooked smiles. “No thank you. Maybe next time,” Joe lied.

“Okay. Next time,” Grandpa and Ryan replied in unison. They retreated to the kitchen to talk. Joe felt relieved that they weren’t going to force him up there today. Joe strained to hear what Ryan and Grandpa were discussing, but he couldn’t make it out.

After what seemed like an eternity, Joe heard a knock at the front door. Feet shuffled toward the door, and then he heard it unlock.

“Hi, Frank. How were the boys?” Joe breathed a sigh of relief. It was Mom. He didn’t know why he still felt so anxious.

“They were wonderful, Nancy. We had a great time. Joe is still a little scared of the attic though.” Joe turned red.

“I don’t blame him,” Mom laughed. “Come on, boys. Time to go home.” Ryan and Joe followed Mom out Grandpa’s door.

“Bye, boys. Don’t worry, Joe. We’ll go up into the attic next time.” Joe glanced at Grandpa and saw that crooked smile staring back at him. He quickly turned his head and didn’t look back. Mom talked most of the way home, but Joe didn’t hear anything she said. His mind filled with thoughts about Grandpa, the mirror, and the attic.

When they arrived home, Ryan secluded himself in their room, leaving Joe downstairs by himself.

“Do you want something to eat, Joe?” Mom asked him.

“No thanks, Mom. I’m not hungry.” The nervous feeling upset his stomach. Joe fiddled around by himself in the living room for a while. He hoped Ryan would come down so he could ask him what happened up in the attic. A half hour passed by and Ryan did not appear. Joe decided to go up to their room and ask him. He trudged up the stairs and ran down the hallway to the second door on the left. He found it shut, which was a little unusual. Ryan never closed their bedroom door. Joe turned the knob and walked inside.

Ryan had drawn the curtains, and the gloominess surprised Joe. After his eyes adjusted to the dark, he could see Ryan sitting on the bed facing the corner. He wrote furiously in a notebook located on his lap.

“What are you doing, Ryan?” Joe asked as casually as he could muster. Ryan kept his head down and continued writing. Joe scanned the room to see if anything else was amiss. He had excellent observational skills. He always noticed anything out of place. Joe had a near photographic memory. Now he hoped this skill would help him figure out what Grandpa and Ryan had done up in the attic.

Ryan’s action figures caught Joe’s eye immediately. Ryan didn’t play with them much anymore. However, he always would have his figures lined up in a particular order on the shelf above his bed. Ryan often would stop what he was doing to make things exactly the way he wanted them. Ryan always had his Star Wars figures first, then his Transformers, and finally his superheroes. Joe realized they were now in reverse order.

“Hey, Ryan,” Joe said much louder than the first time. “What’s up with your toys? How come they are backward?”

Ryan paused for a second and glanced up. “It was time for a change,” he said and then put his head down and continued writing. Joe noticed he was writing in the notebook with his left hand, even though Ryan was right-handed.

"What are you writing, Ryan?” Joe asked.

“Can’t tell you,” he replied.

Joe looked at him sideways. “How come you are writing left-handed?”

“Huh?” Ryan glanced up with a puzzled smirk on his face. Joe motioned at his left hand. “Oh, I just thought it would be challenging to practice with the other hand,” he said abruptly and then continued to scribble in the notebook.

“It seems like you are pretty good already. You sure are writing a lot.” Joe continued fishing for clues. Ryan just nodded. “Hey, what happened up in the attic with Grandpa today?” Joe got straight to the point.

Ryan dropped his pencil. “You should have come up there with us. It was illuminating. Grandpa showed me everything about the mirror. I’ve never seen anything like it. You missed out.”

Joe searched his brother’s face to see if he could figure out what happened. Ryan just gave him the same smile.

“Well, what did he show you?” Joe asked curiously.

“I can’t explain it. You have to see it for yourself. We will take you up there tomorrow, and Grandpa will show you everything,” Ryan earnestly replied.

Ryan always shared how things worked with anyone who would listen, especially Joe. “What is his problem?” Joe thought frustrated.

“Yeah okay,” Joe mumbled dejectedly as he walked out and headed downstairs.

“What’s wrong, pal?” Dad asked. He could see Joe’s long face and slumped shoulders.

“I don’t know, Dad. Ryan just seems different,” he mumbled.

“Oh, I get it. Well, son, sometimes this happens as you are growing up. Ryan’s interests and personality will change, and so will yours. You guys will always be brothers. You need to stick together, but there might be some difficult times as you grow and change. You will get through it. Do you want me to talk to Ryan?” Rick always wanted to help fix a problem if he could.

“No, that is okay, Dad. I don’t think it is just a small change. He seems like a completely different person than he was this morning. Even Grandpa has acted bizarre the last couple days. I don’t know what it is, but it seems like ever since we went into that attic…” Joe’s voice trailed off because he knew what he was thinking was crazy.

Dad looked at Joe a little sideways. “I’m sure it’s nothing. Maybe they just aren’t feeling well. You’ll see, Joe, this will pass. Do you want to go play catch?”

“Sure,” Joe replied even though his heart wasn’t really in it. Joe retrieved his glove and made his way out to the front yard. After a few minutes, he began to forget about Ryan, Grandpa, and the attic. He enjoyed playing catch with Dad, and today ended up being no different. Rick loved baseball and threw left-handed, just like Grandpa. He had passed down his love of baseball to Ryan and Joe, but not the left-handed gene.

As they continued to throw, Joe noticed that a figure approached from down the street.

“Hey, Dad, how’s it going?” Rick asked Grandpa.

“It’s good. I came to check on my family.” Grandpa still had the same smirk.

“We are doing well. I’m just playing a little catch with Joe before dinner. Why don’t you throw with him, and I’ll go see if Ryan wants to join us.” Rick handed Frank his glove and headed inside. He examined it for a moment and then slid it onto his right hand. Joe felt unnerved by his mannerisms but reluctantly threw the ball. Awkwardly, Grandpa lifted his arm up and snagged the throw. He pulled the ball out of the glove with his left hand and reached back. Grandpa’s arm motion was stiff and uncoordinated as he let the ball go. It floated toward Joe but landed five feet short.

“What was that Grandpa? Are you messing around?” The words left Joe’s mouth before he could stop them.

“Huh? What do you mean?” Grandpa looked puzzled for a moment, but then he quickly added, “Oh yeah, I was just messing with you.” He chuckled, and then put the glove down. “I’m going to go see how Ryan is doing.”

“Something is wrong,” Joe thought to himself. He followed Grandpa into the house and found his parents having a discussion in the living room. Ryan was nowhere to be seen. Joe caught a glimpse of Grandpa going up the stairs.

“Where’s Ryan?” Joe asked his father.

“Oh, he said he didn’t feel like playing catch.” Joe could see the disappointment on his dad’s face. Joe just shook his head. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he knew something wasn’t right. The attic and that mirror held the key. After about a half hour, Grandpa returned down the stairs.

“You want to stay for dinner, Dad?” Mom asked.

“No, thank you, dear. I have to get home,” Grandpa answered as he marched outside without saying goodbye to Joe.

“I’m worried about him. I hope his health is okay.” Joe heard his mom whisper to his dad. Joe knew he had to get some evidence about the mirror so his parents would believe him.

During dinner, he began devising a plan. Ryan remained silent for most of the meal, while Mom and Dad discussed remodeling their home. Joe knew Grandpa and Ryan would endeavor to get him up in the attic again. He needed information so he would have to play along. He kept his father’s words at the forefront of his mind. “It’s choosing to act in the face of fear that takes true courage.”

Joe spent the night playing out scenarios in his head. In the morning Joe rolled out of bed and trudged downstairs. He trembled at what he had to do today. Downstairs Ryan sat at the table silently eating breakfast and writing in his notebook. Joe exchanged a look with his Mom to see if she found Ryan’s behavior odd. She didn’t betray any feelings as she fixed a plate for Joe.

He began eating the eggs she had prepared, and then he heard the words he had been dreading since last night.

“Grandpa asked if you boys want to come over this morning,” Mom said as she scrubbed the egg pan. Joe clenched his teeth, but he knew he needed to face his fears to get answers.

“Sounds good,” Ryan answered without looking up from his plate. “I’m ready to go now.”

“Well, let’s wait for Joe to eat and get ready, and then we will walk over there,” Mom replied.

“Are you going to come up to the attic this time, scaredy cat?” Ryan chided him.

Joe clenched his jaw again. “Yes, I am.” He glared defiantly at his brother.

Ryan looked a little surprised, but then the familiar smirk spread across his face. “Excellent!”

Joe methodically ate his eggs while going over the plan in his head. Ryan adjourned to the other room and pulled out his notebook again. Joe didn’t have complete confidence in his plan, but he had to try. He hoped it would help him decipher the mirror’s secret.

“Hurry up, Joe. Grandpa is expecting us.” Mom rushed him. Her patience had reached its limit. Joe put the last bite of egg into his mouth and brought his plate over to the kitchen sink. He trekked upstairs to finish getting ready. A couple minutes later he emerged from his room prepared to face the music – or mirror to be exact. Ryan lurked by the front door.

“Are you ready, brother? You will love it. This is going to change your life.” Joe couldn’t understand why Ryan was so excited for him to go up there.

“I’m ready,” Joe replied. They embarked on the short trip to Grandpa’s house. In no time they were knocking at the door. It swung open seemingly by itself, and Joe could see the house was blacked out just like yesterday. They crept in and made their way toward the lit candles on the kitchen table.

“Hello, boys. Thank you for coming again. We are going to have fun,” Grandpa whispered as he came out of the darkness. It sent chills up Joe’s spine. Grandpa had always spooked him with his pranks, but they were invariably in good fun. This time was different, but Joe didn’t know why.

“Yes, we are,” Ryan replied as he strolled over to Grandpa, seemingly unafraid. Joe turned around and saw the front door close.

“Did Mom shut it on her way out?” he wondered to himself. It didn’t matter now. He was on his own, and there was no turning back.

“Okay, boys, let’s go,” Grandpa whispered as he ushered them toward the attic.

“Time to put my courage to the test,” Joe thought. He walked as calmly as possible and scanned the hallway for any other dangers. They climbed the stairs together. A tiny bit of light flickered from under the door. A sense of foreboding overcame Joe when they reached the top of the staircase. Slowly Grandpa turned the doorknob, and the weighty oak barrier creaked open.

“Come on in,” he chortled.

“What have I gotten myself into,” Joe thought. “This plan is a bad idea.” Still, his feet moved forward into the creepy, cluttered attic. Joe glanced to the left and spied the crumbling book they had found the other day. He shifted his gaze over to the corner where Grandpa’s mechanical ghost had been.

“I guess Grandpa took that down,” Joe thought. “Why couldn’t he have removed the mirror?” Eventually, Joe worked up the nerve to scan the back center of the room. The old mirror waited there menacingly.

“Come on over, Joe,” Grandpa cackled. “I want to show you something. Actually, this isn’t a mirror.”

“What is it then?” Joe asked softly. His mouth was dry, and his palms started to sweat.

“To find out the answer, you have to read what it says,” Grandpa encouraged him.

“Vae qui dicitis malum bonum…” Joe began.

“NO! Not that one,” Grandpa roared. Joe jumped at his sudden change of tone. “Sorry, Joe. You have to read the one at the bottom of the mirror,” he whispered again.

Joe peeked at Grandpa and then back at the mirror. His hand reached into his pocket. “Non est verum,” he began. “Tanquam in speculo considerare velis, ne seducerentur claritatem,” he continued. Suddenly the lights flickered, and the mirror began emanating a green glow. Joe could hear a low humming noise begin. Much to his shock, Joe’s reflection began to change. Grandpa and Ryan grinned wickedly.

Swiftly Joe pulled his hand out of his pocket with the small metal flashlight he had concealed there. His thumb flicked the flashlight on, and he pointed it at the mirror. The light did not reflect off of it, just as Joe suspected. Instead, the beam continued on through the mirror illuminating the space behind Grandpa and Ryan.

He did not see a reflection of the attic in the mirror as you would expect. Joe saw a deep, dark cavernous cave, and several sets of eyes peering back at him. Something to the left caught his eye, and his vision shifted in that direction. Joe could make out a figure in the recesses of the cave. He aimed the flashlight toward the rear of the cavern to get a closer look. The beam of light illuminated a short, old lady. Joe’s keen observational skills noticed her wrinkled skin and her hair pulled up into a bun. She scowled back at him from behind spectacles. Joe could see her mouth curl up into a smirk similar to the one Grandpa had.

“What is going on here?” Joe thought to himself. The dreadful feeling grew stronger in his stomach, and he felt the urge to escape. Joe reached his hand back and fired the flashlight with as much force as he could muster toward the mirror.

“NO!” He heard Grandpa and Ryan scream. Joe waited for the sound of glass breaking, but it never came. Joe watched in amazement as the mysterious old lady flew toward the front of the cave with both of her arms outstretched and palms up. Joe’s flashlight changed direction about six inches in front of the mirror as if it had just struck a wall. The beam switched off. The attic was engulfed in darkness again except for the glowing green light of the mirror. Joe used the distraction to make a mad dash for the exit. Grandpa lunged for him, but Joe was running scared, and they could not catch him. Joe flung the door open and scampered down the stairs. Behind him, he could hear snarls and groans coming from the attic. Joe didn’t even glance back as he sprinted out of Grandpa’s house and all the way home.