Beneath The Mirrors

They got off the carousel laughing. Jack immediately took off his basebal cap, threw his arms in the air, and exclaimed, “I got all the brass rings! I’m king of the world!"

Monica laughed and patted him on the back. “Finally, Jack won at something in life. Congrats.” Matt and Paula laughed.

Jack pointed toward the Hall of Mirrors attraction across the way. “Let’s go there. Anyone scared?” He made a creepy sound and grabbed Monica by the shoulders.

Monica frowned. “Not funny. I, uh—I don’t want to go in there. I’m good.”

Matt put his arm around her. “Seriously, Monica? Like you’ve never been in one before?”

She looked over at the red-and-black building. A huge jester face was painted above the entrance, its mouth stretched open and its eyes slanteddownward.

Paula shivered. “I kinda agree with Monica. That shit looks off. Let’s just ride the Ferris wheel.”

Jack walked over to Matt. “Dude. They’re flaking out. Guess it’s just you

and me. You ready?” Matt nodded. “Ladies, you can wait for us here.” Matt and Jack headed toward the Hall of Mirrors.

Paula watched them go, then looked at Monica. “Didn’t something happen in there last year?” asked Paula.

Monica shook her head. “No idea. Last time this carnival came to town, I was across the country.”

“I heard some story about a group of friends. Nobody could ever agree on what actually happened.”

Monica looked toward the attraction. “And you waited until now to mention this?”Paula shrugged. “Because it was probably bullshit. Something made up to get more people into the carnival.”

They looked toward the attraction. Several people came through the exit laughing. Paula nodded toward them. “See? Clearly nothing to worry about.”

Monica kept staring at the building.

Paula smiled. “But how crazy would it be if it was real?” Monica turned toward the ice cream stand. “Want one? We’ll just wait

until they’re done.”

“Absolutely.” They walked over and got in line.

Inside the Hall of Mirrors, Matt stared at his reflection and picked something from between his teeth. Jack jumped beside him and looked at himself multiplied across several mirrors as the floor slowly began shifting sideways. “This is freakin’ cool.” said Jack.

Matt shrugged. “All I see are mirrors.” They laughed.

Jack pointed. “Oh shit. Look out, dude.” A jester was peeking from behind one of the doors. His reflection appeared again and again across the mirrors.

“Hey, Mr. Jester!” Matt called out, waving.

The jester smiled, tipped his hat, and stared at them.

Jack grinned. "You guys hiring?”

The floor shifted again. Suddenly the jester was standing right beside them.

Matt jumped slightly and held out his hand. “Whoa. Bit too close, bud. Back it up.”

Jack laughed. “Dude, let him act. He’s good.”

The jester kept smiling. Then he tapped Jack on the shoulder. Once.

Twice. Three times. Jack’s smile faded.

The jester’s reflection seemed to stretch across the mirrors, growing larger until it nearly dominated the entire room. Music began to play somewhere overhead—a violin over a slow, pounding drumbeat. The mirrors appeared to move inward as the floor shifted from side to side.

Matt looked around. “Okay. This is actually kinda creepy.”

Fog crept along the floor. Jack turned. Matt was gone.

“Matt?” No answer.

Jack looked back at the jester. It was staring directly at him. The jester casually put an arm around Jack’s shoulder.

Jack shoved him away. “Cool it.” The lights began flashing. Then—darkness. The floor stopped moving.

Silence.

Jack stood frozen. “Okay. Okay. That was cool.” He forced a laugh. “Matt? You seeing this?”

Lights along the mirrors suddenly flickered back on. Jack saw himself reflected over and over again. But no Matt. His smile disappeared. “Um...”

The jester popped up behind him. Jack screamed and spun around.

“Fuck!”

The jester laughed. The sound echoed throughout the room.

Jack stared at him. “Matt? Yo! Where are you, man?”

The jester began to grow taller. Jack backed away. The smile on its face

seemed wider now.

A flame suddenly erupted from the floor, barely missing him. Jack

jumped back. “No way! Get me out of here!”

The music returned, louder now. The violin shrieked while the pounding drumbeat grew faster, almost like a heart beating out of control. Jack began to sweat. He ran, but every direction looked the same. Mirror. Mirror. Mirror.

He slammed into one and stumbled backward. “Where the hell is the exit?”

The jester now towered over him in every reflection. Jack spun around unable to tell which one was real. The jester appeared in front of him. Jack reached out to shove it. His hands struck glass. Nothing there.

He turned. The jester appeared in another mirror. Then another. Then

another.

“Matt!”

Jack finally spotted the EXIT sign and bolted toward it. He tripped and crashed into a mirror. His baseball cap flew off his head. The floor began moving violently from side to side. The jester laughed again.

“Matt! Matt! Get me out of here!”

Jack scrambled to his feet, found the door, and threw it open. He stumbled outside. The door slammed shut behind him. Jack dropped to his knees,

sweating and dry heaving as he struggled to catch his breath.

A hand touched his shoulder. He jumped and spun around. Matt stood there laughing. Monica and Paula were beside him eating ice cream, looking concerned. Matt pointed at Jack. “Dude, you should see yourself right now. You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” He held out his hand. Jack

hesitated before taking it, and Matt pulled him up.

“Where were you?” Jack demanded.

“Oh. I went into another room." explained Matt. "It was crazy cool. The jester was towering over me, there was fire and smoke, and—”

Jack held out his hand and smiled letting out a long breath. Of course. It was part of the show.

“Yeah. Yeah, same.” He laughed nervously. “That was...actually pretty

fucking cool.”

“Right?” said Matt.

“Greatest thing ever in fact.” Jack looked at Monica and Paula. “Ladies. Come on. You have to see this.”

They both shook their heads.

“Ice cream and a bench,” Monica said. “That’s all I need right now.”

“Same,” Paula said. They sat on a nearby bench An employee approached Jack carrying something. “This your cap, sir?”

Jack looked down. His baseball cap. “Yeah. Thanks.” He took it. “It got a little intense in there." Jack said.

The employee smiled politely. “Glad you two had fun. Sorry about the jester. It will be better next time.”

Matt laughed. “No, he was the best part. When he got huge? That was sick. Giant-ass clown laughing at you? Nice touch.”

The employee looked confused. “What?”

“The jester,” Matt said.

The employee shook his head. “No, meant I’m sorry both jester actors weren’t available tonight. The attraction is better when the jester performs. Its super insane. Both of them left early today. Oh well."

“Wait,” Jack said. “What are you talking about?”

“The jesters. Am I not being clear?

“An actor is clearly here. We both just saw him.” said Matt.

The employee frowned. “Who? Nobody is in there. Are you two high?”

Jack stepped toward him. “Listen, I know you’re just doing your job, but that’s not funny. Is this part of the act or something?”

“What act?” asked the employee.

“The fucking jester!” exclaimed Jack.

"Have a good evening guys." The employee backed away slightly. Jack pointed toward the building.

“He was in there. With both of us.” Jack shouted.

The employee narrowed his eyes. “Okay. Sure. If that’s what you want to believe.”

He walked away quickly.

Paula and Monica approached them. “Okay,” Paula said. “We’re ready to go. I have to get up early tomorrow.”

Monica stopped when she saw their faces. “What’s wrong?”

Jack stared at Matt. “You did see the jester, right?”

Matt slowly nodded.

“If you did and I did...” Jack swallowed. “Then what the hell did we see in there?”

The girls exchanged a look. “What’s going on?” Monica asked.

Paula walked over to Matt and put her arm around him. Matt pointed toward the employee disappearing into the crowd. “He just told us there aren’t any jester actors in there tonight.”

Paula frowned.

“But Jack and I both experienced it,” Matt continued.

Paula’s eyes widened. “How is that possible?”

Matt suddenly grabbed Jack by the arm. “Come on.”

“What?” Said Jack.

“We’re going back in.” Said Matt.

Jack stared at him.

Matt pointed toward the attraction. “I want to talk to that fucking clown. We’re not crazy. That employee is fucking with us.”

Jack hesitated, then nodded. “Fine.”

Matt turned toward the girls. “And this time, you’re coming with us.”

“What?” Monica said.

“No way,” Paula added.

“Come on. Five minutes.”

The four entered the Hall of Mirrors. The lights were on. Nothing moved. Their reflections stared back at them from every direction. The door slammed shut behind them.

Monica immediately grabbed Paula’s arm. “I don’t like this.”

Paula turned toward the door. “I’m getting out of here.” Paula tried the doorknob.

“Okay,” Matt called out. “Jester! Where are you?” Nothing. “Is this some joke you guys play on customers?”

The lights went out. Monica screamed.

“Calm down,” Jack said.

The floor began to shift. One by one, the mirror lights came on. Monica clung to Paula. Matt stared around the room, then smiled.

“Guys. This is all part of it.” said Matt.

A face appeared behind one of the mirrors. The jester. A spotlight illuminated him. He smiled, then suddenly jumped in front of them. His image multiplied throughout the room.

Matt laughed nervously. “Okay, okay. See? Good acting, dude. The employee said you guys were off tonight. I knew that was bullshit.”

The jester laughed.

Monica shook her head. “Make this thing stop.”

“Yeah,” Paula said. “Time to go.”

Jack stepped toward the jester. “Come on, man. Enough.” He reached out to touch him. His hand struck glass. Jack frowned. The jester grinned from inside the reflection. Jack stepped backward.

The jester’s arm smashed through the mirror. Paula screamed. The hand wrapped around her throat.

“Paula!” yelled Monica.

She was lifted off the floor. Matt and Monica grabbed her. The jester yanked. Paula flew into the mirror and disappeared. The glass rippled like water, then became solid again.

Everyone froze. Monica stared at the mirror.

The floor began moving faster. Monica slammed both hands

against the glass.

Matt grabbed her. “Back up!”

“What happened to her?” Monica yelled

“I don’t know!” Shouted Matt.

Another arm crashed through a mirror. It grabbed Monica by the hair.

She screamed. Matt lunged toward her and grabbed the jester’s arm. “Let her

go!” Another arm burst through the glass and wrapped around Matt’s throat.

Jack stood frozen. “What the fuck is happening?”

Fog filled the room. “Somebody stop this!" Monica screamed.

The jester pulled. Monica disappeared through the mirror.

“Monica!” cried out Jack.

Matt struggled desperately against the arm around his throat. He bit into it. The jester laughed. The music swelled. The drum beat faster. The floor shook. Then Matt was ripped through the mirror.

“Matt!” Jack ran toward it. Too late. Matt was gone. Jack stood alone petrified. He looked around wildly. He ran toward the exit, then caught sight of his reflection and stopped. The room stopped moving. Darkness. Silence. Jack stood there breathing heavily.

A single spotlight came on above the mirror in front of him. Jack slowly looked up. He froze. He stepped closer to the glass.

His reflection stared back at him. Except it wasn’t his reflection. Not anymore.

Jack looked down. He was wearing the jester’s clothes. He touched his face. The jester in the mirror did the same. Jack began to cry.

He stepped backward.

Every mirror in the room suddenly lit up. Jack turned. There he was. Again. And again. And again. An endless line of jesters disappearing into the distance.

The violin began to play. Jack looked into the mirror. Slowly, almost against his will, he walked toward the glass.

His reflection smiled. Jack laughed, stepped into the mirror and disappeared.