Alex Mason

The dark room, shrouded in a gray haze, was illuminated by the dim light of a candle as you stepped inside. The floorboards creaked beneath your feet, causing you to wince. You had entered the most neglected part of your apartment—a small room that had been filled with junk for years. It would have been fine, but it was this room that hid your biggest secret.

You stood in front of a large object draped with a blanket. Placing the candle on the nightstand, you pulled the cloth back with one jerk. A mirror now stood before you on a massive stand. The stand itself was decorated with various swirls and patterns, which had worn away over time and, in some places, even broken. But that didn't matter. The main thing was that the mirror's magical properties worked as intended.

“Show up,” you commanded.

A man appeared in the mirror. Alex—that was the name he'd taken for himself. An ordinary soldier, seemingly no different from anyone else. There was just one problem: he shared his physical form with you. Every night, you swapped places. One of you lived in the world and did whatever your heart desired, while the other sank into the eternal emptiness of the looking glass. But this time, things were different.

"You haven't changed for a week. This isn't the first time," the man began. Rage seethed within him. He clenched his fists and slammed them against the mirror, causing it to shake. "We had a deal!" Mason finished, glaring at you with fury.

“I know, I know, but understand, I needed time,” you began to justify yourself, looking at the enraged soldier, who hit the mirror again, causing a crack to appear on it.

"We. Had. A Damn. Deal," Mason snapped. Another blow. The crack began to widen. You saw the fire of rage blaze in the man's eyes, causing you to take a step back. "Follow the rules!" Alex shouted.

The last blow and the mirror was completely covered with cracks.

A bright flash blinded you. Blinking, you realized you were back in the looking glass. Except Mason was here with you. And he clearly wanted to teach you a lesson about following the rules.