“What do you mean, you’re still looking?”
Those words came out of Adrian Stallard like a snake spitting venom. The firmness was there as he continued to stare at the officer in front of him. Officer Myron Williams was a tall man, as tall as Adrian’s father and had quite the build to him. Williams didn’t seem like a man who would take down a criminal by a taser or a warning shot; a tackle from behind would be more than enough.
“Adrian.” Williams started. “We’re doing what we can.”
Adrian slumped into his seat. This officer had known his father Joseph for as long as Joseph could remember. Joseph and Williams were childhood friends, only just 3 years apart. Williams was even there during the birth of Joseph’s sons, Adrian and Damon respectively. The young man and the officer were currently in a small diner, Williams having an ice cold glass of water.
“Mr. Williams.” Adrian started. “Please don’t tell me that, don’t tell my folks that.”
“What do you want me to say?” Williams spoke. “I want to find Damon as much as you and your family want to but my hands have been tied with other cases!” he began to hiss. “Can you trust me with my job?”
“I want to but I don’t want to just rely on missing posters on lamp posts and the internet.” Adrian countered. “4 days officer! 4 days!”
Williams took a sip of his water, before placing it down hard enough for Adrian’s ears to pick up the glass hitting.
“I’ll say this again.” Williams tightened his voice. “We are working our asses off, me and my colleagues.”
Adrian sighed and folded his arms. “You sure Damon’s friends-”
“We’ve been at this, we interviewed them and-”
“They were high as shit and by the time they woke up Damon somehow disappeared!” Adrian yelled out, slamming the table with his first and ignoring all the eyes that were staring at him. “I know those three, they’ve been trouble since day 1-”
“Adrian, I can arrest you for disturbing the peace here, do you want that?” Williams hissed. “I’m sorry it had to be like this, for Damon and your family.”
Williams added. “Go home Adrian, please. We’ll notify your family as soon as we get something on Damon.”
How many other families are waiting for their missing loved ones? Adrian thought about Williams’ words.
***
The Stallard family was lively back then. The whole neighborhood knew them, knew Adrian and his brother socializing with everyone in the area, regardless of which generation they belonged to or which country they were from. There was nothing out of the ordinary back then.
Next came highschool. Adrian finished a long while ago, and Damon first knew what highschool life was like upon meeting 3 boys his age.
The same 3 boys Adrian labeled as demons.
***
Damon’s friends. The Stallard family knew their names, but right now it was best not to speak of them. Adrian and his father Joseph were in the living room, sitting opposite each other. Mrs. Stallard on the other hand was in her room, sleeping after she had taken her pills.
“How’s Mom?” Adrian asked his father. Joseph, whose hands were together and arms on his knees, turned to his eldest son.
“Not far from last night.” Joseph replied. “She heard your brother’s cries for help.”
“Goddamit.” Adrian placed his hands over his face.
“Myron gave me a call, said you ran into him at a cafe.” Joseph spoke. “Adrian, don’t pressure him.”
“I’m not! It’s been 4 days, dad, not a single word about Damon, it’s gonna be 5 soon.”
Joseph looked out the window. The day was going to be over soon, the sun had just set, and darkness began to fall upon today.
“Lower your voice young man.” Joseph warned. “You know the condition your mother is in.”
“Dad, I’m sorry, but I just can’t stop thinking as much as you two.” Adrian whispered. “Besides, why aren’t we going after Damons’ friends? Those 3 idiots that took him outside?”
“Don’t go there.”
“If Damon wasn’t outside-”
“Adrian!” Joseph hissed, silencing his son. The cold dead stare from his father made Adrian blink twice, gulped once, and closed his mouth entirely.
“People make mistakes. I don’t like his friends either but I would never dare wish any harm upon them.” Joseph spoke.
Adrian took a deep breath. “I need a drink.” he stood up and turned around, walking towards the kitchen
“Oh no you don’t.” Joseph pointed out. “I tolerated you bringing in beer just for a drink or two but you’re not drinking the stress out.”
“I can control myself.”
Joseph glared at his son. “You’re not taking a beer on my watch.”
Adrian sighed, defeated. “Okay, maybe I’ll go out for a drive, chill at the minimart.”
“Which one?”
“The one in front of that mirror store.”
Joseph placed his hands into his pocket. He continued to glare at his son.
“Joseph!” Miss Stallard called out to her husband. “Can you help me get up?”
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
“Coming!” Joseph turned towards his son. “Be back before 10.”
***
Back in highschool, Adrian knew guys who spend some time after school taking some DMT, for the sake of experiences and shit. Additionally you had the marijuana people and those addicts with their vape genies.
He took his Ford onto the street. The night was a blanket of stars and the darkness. Perfect for astronomers or anyone with a telescope. For Adrian this was just another sign that the day was going to end, and that tomorrow was going to be a new day.
No, there was no new day for a missing brother.
And that’s only my own brother, what about other people’s brothers? Or sisters or family members? When are they going to be found?
Adrian found himself in town, and after a minute of heading into a straight line, he turned right at the third intersection. He eased up the car until he stopped at a building with glowing red and white lights. The Triangle M was just another brand when people didn’t have their 7 Elevens.
Adrian went inside and got himself an energy drink, plus some cigarettes.
“You wanna lighter with that?” the cashier asked.
“Yeah.” he reached over to grab a candy bar as well. As he paid, he gave the bar to the cashier. “Take it.”
“What for?”
“Figured it’s the least I could do seeing how you’re out here when the day’s going dark.”
“Oh well, shit thanks man.” the cashier said, taking a munch of the candy bar. “You good? No offense, you look pissed.”
Adrian shrugged. “I try to make the best of the day.” he proceeded to walk out.
“Yo, man.” the cashier started. “Watch yourself. People getting missing these days, maybe even more so than a few years ago.”
Adrian stopped, looking at the cashier.
“I mean it.” the cashier stated again. “You’ll never know what kind of messed up fuckers are out on the streets.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Adrian spoke. I should have been there with Damon, keeping him safe. If I had a gun with me at the time-
He shook his head before heading outside and back into his car.
“Adrian!” a voice called out to him. It was familiar yet faded.
Adrian had the door half open by the time he put in the things he bought.
“Damon?” Adrian asked himself. Was his mind playing with him? He shook his head.
“Adrian!” Damon’s cry for help invaded his ears. “In the mirror store!”
His eyes shifted to the store in front of him. Harlan’s Mirrors. It was written in giant casual red letters, and the overall place itself was closed. No lights, but the lights from the street illuminated the place up.
He saw a shadow waving its arms, a second shadow slamming it down.
“ADRIAN HELP ME!”
Adrian ran across the street. He went over to the door, before slamming it with his fists. “HEY!” he yelled, he saw a shadow of a man kicking something, or someone, at the counter behind.
Damon’s cries were heard. It was his indeed.
Adrian looked over to the alley next to the mirror store. Taking a few steps there he saw a brick. Sorry store owner, he thought, before he grabbed the thing and went back to the front window of the store.
He smashed it open before jumping in.
“Get off him!” Adrian jumped over the counter before he slammed the shadow onto the ground. He gave a quick punch to the attacker’s face, all covered by some dark cloth and a hoodie. He turned around and looked over the counter.
“What the fuck!?” Adrian said. There was no body of Damon, only the shirt he wore on the night he was missing; a plain red t-shirt.
Adrian felt a hand on his shoulder, and he was met with a punch to the face by the attacker. Stumbling onto the floor, Adrian felt the collar of his shirt being pulled up before he was brought to a mirror. It was a fancy looking one, yet both halves of the mirror began to open up with sharp ends.
Those sharp ends looked like teeth.
“No!” Adrian said, looking at a dark void inside. “Fuck no!”
Mirrors can’t eat people! His mind convinced him. Not a single drop of alcohol was in his system. No drugs, no nothing that would trigger-
“Who said it’s going to eat you?” A stranger voice was heard, freezing Adrian in his tracks. He looked up to see the attacker’s cloth emitting white light, specifically where his eyes would be.
The mirror closed itself, and Adrian found his head smashed into the glass. The shards were thrown at him, flying all over the place and he felt his body hovering through the air.
Opening his eyes, he only saw the darkness as he began to fall.
His screams began to fade away.