[ WP ] You check yourself out in the full length mirror before going to bed . You bend down to untie your shoes . As you are nearly finished , you see with your peripheral vision your reflection stand up seconds before you do .

I woke with a start and took a moment to process where exactly I was. The bathroom? Ridiculous. I could fall asleep anywhere these days. Realizing I had to be back at work in a few short hours, I decided that jogging was overrated and sleep is too precious to waste on exercise when you work the third shift. 
 
 Lazily I bent over to untie my shoes, resting my head on the wall. It seemed like a tedious thing, and when it was done, I was tempted to just lay down on the tile. I took a sharp breath and tried to stand, but my body hesitated. Then something moved right by my face, and as I looked up I went dead cold. 
 
 `` Shit,'' muttered the man in the mirror. 
 
 Suddenly my whole body sprung to life with an energy I had n't felt in years. Bursting into the bedroom, I heard my voice shouting from the bathroom, `` Get to the kitchen! Cover the exits! MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!'' 
 
 And boy, did I move. As I passed my wife's china cabinet I heard my voice reporting my movements, and when I came in sight of the dining room window I heard myself reporting that the front door was covered. Turning a left into the kitchen, my wine cabinet called an audible to get to the back door. So I ran straight to the open window, only to have it slam shut in front of me, and I stopped dead in my tracks, looking at the person that was n't me. 
 
 `` Bitteroldfella,'' he said, `` we ca n't let you leave this house. Think of your daughter.'' 
 
 `` What did you say?'' I asked through clenched teeth, but I did n't give him time to respond before I put my fist through the window. `` WHAT ARE GON NA DO TO MY DAUGHTER YOU FUCKING PIECE OF GLASS?!'' 
 
 The man in the mirror looked short of breath. Wounded. 
 
 `` Bitter!'' I called from my bedroom, `` Come here. We need to talk.'' 
 
 I tried opening the back door, but my bloody hand could n't get any leverage on my doppelganger, who just shook his head, saying, `` I ca n't let you do that, sir.'' 
 
 The pain in my hand started in as the adrenaline wore off. A million thoughts ran through my head. I finally snapped. This ca n't be real. How am I gon na explain any of this to my family? How am I gon na explain this to anyone? Damn, I'm so tired. 
 
 `` Bitter, look at me,'' said my reflection. Reflexively, I did, and flinched when I saw my little girl at her desk in her classroom, eagerly raising her hand. It lasted only a second, and then my transparent face appeared on the glass again, replacing the vision. `` Think about this for a second. Come to the bathroom, fix your hand up, and just hear me out for a second.'' 
 
 `` Why ca n't we talk here?'' I demanded. 
 
 He knocked on the glass, `` We ca n't exactly have a face-to-face if we ca n't see each other. And we need to figure out some kind of deal here that works out for everybody. Besides,'' he gestured toward the broken window, `` I'm a little worried about my safety here.'' 
 
 I thought about his suggestion for a while. When I could n't think of a better plan, i reluctantly started my way back to the bathroom. Nervously, i looked at each reflection i passed, seeing fear, disgust, and anger on my face in various panes. 
 
 As I entered the master bathroom, it was as if nothing happened. My reflection moved where I moved, imitating my every action as I applied antibiotic and bandage to the gashes on my hand. Then I leaned back and looked at myself, waiting for some kind of proposal. 
 
 `` It's not always easy, is it?'' he said, `` looking at yourself. Seeing what you've become. Considering possibilities and opportunities you let pass you by. What-ifs and how-comes slipping through your fingers like water. When you look at yourself, Bitteroldfella, what do you see?'' 
 
 When I did n't answer, he continued, `` I'm just being polite, really. I know what you see, because that's what I am. And I know that you hate me. All that bitterness and frustration and hopelessness, standing in front of you every day, reminding you of all that you should have been. 
 
 `` So here we stand, staring at one another, waiting for the other one to blink first. And I have to ask you, how do you see this working out for yourself?'' 
 
 `` Simple,'' I snapped, `` I'm going to go get my little girl, and anything that gets in my way is getting smashed.'' 
 
 `` And how will you get her, Bitter? Where do you see this going? You're going to tell her that there's an army of reflections hiding in the glass, tracking your every move? You'll be put in a hospital. And what would you do to protect her from us? Keep her from ever seeing her reflection again? Please, Bitter. You're smarter than this.'' 
 
 `` Then cut to the chase!'' I screamed. 
 
 With a smirk, he cointinued in a condescending tone, `` It's simple, Bitter. You get a front row seat to watch your daughter's youth pass you by, as yours did. You'll see her every day, watch her grow, and be a... presence in her life. All you have to do,'' he concluded, `` is get back to work.'' 
 
 `` What?'' I puzzled, `` what are you talking about?'' 
 
 `` It's a simple concept, Bitter. Continue your duties as my reflection, and --'' 
 
 `` Woah, woah, woah,'' I chuckled, `` I think you're a little confused, pal.'' 
 
 `` Am I?'' he sneered, `` I'd like to know how.'' 
 
 `` Buddy, if you're trying to confuse me, it's not gon na work.'' 
 
 `` It seems you've already confused yourself, Bitter. Maybe you can answer this, then; of the two of us, which is where he wants to be?'' 
 
 When I did n't answer, he laughed, `` Oh, Bitteroldfella! Poor soul! When is the last time you did anything in life, besides watch? And you think I'M the mirror? Enough of the chat. I have to get back to work in a few hours.'' 
 
 As he left the bathroom, I found myself following him. I marched in time with him, moving towards the door. Moving towards darkness. And racing through my mind were thoughts of my girl. I wondered what kind of dad this monster would be, as i just stood here and watched it all pass me by. 
 
 I swung at the mirror with my damaged hand, and watched the world change.
