Mirror in the Forest: Book One (28 page)

Jessica knew all along that she would never fit in. The basketball team was winning a lot of games, and she was the starter, she was the top scorer, and she had her fans from the school, but she knew, she always knew she would be an outsider. And, she knew who was causing it. She just didn’t know what to do about it.

The team was well on their way to the championships, but after every game most of the team still ignored her. She knew there were a few times they threw the games to make her look bad, and she could feel the frustration and anger setting in as time went on.

She thought she would be the hero in school by now, but she realized that it wasn’t the situation. She would look into the stands, still seeing signs cheering on Kelly and her group. “
Do it for Mandy!
” Some of them would say.  The only ones who cheered her on with sincerity were Tessa and Alex. She had to give Danny some credit, he did start talking to her again and gave her encouragement, but it was not the same.

There was another thing that was bothering her and that was Tessa’s health. Over the holidays she had gone to the hospital twice for complications from her diabetes and was not looking anywhere near healthy anymore.

Jessica was starting to wonder if Tessa would make it to prom or even graduation. She wondered if her best friend would even become the doctor she always dreamed of becoming.

There was one thing that Jessica was happy about, and that was the weight she had lost from playing basketball. The standard uniform had barely fit her at the beginning of the season, but now it was getting looser, and she would stand and admire herself in the mirror when she wore it.

It was now after Christmas, and she recalled she was also shocked to see the
1978 Monte Carlo
sitting in her driveway on Christmas morning.

She burst into tears as she spotted it that morning, and hugged her parents for the longest time when they handed her the keys.

She loved it. She took it for a drive all day that day with Tessa, who insisted she was feeling better, and even saw Mark, who stood admiring the car when she was bragging about it.

She felt bad that he had duty that day, but he insisted he was fine with it. She also felt bad that he was missing his mother during Christmas, and he said working was a distraction for him.

He came to more of her games when they were on home court, and she was really happy to see him there. They hadn’t really spoken privately ever since Rick Tanner committed suicide, but they would get into conversations here and there.

Since she had been so busy with school, basketball, and her new car she had almost forgotten about The Spirit of the Mirror.

Now, she was on winter break, and her mother had gone in that night. Her father was working late locally right now, so she had a chance to finally make it into the woods to see her guardian angel, as she referred to him.

Jessica stood there as her booted feet crunched the hard snow that now lay on the ground.

She admire the beauty of the area. It had snowed hard the night before, and was so quiet and pristine that she just wanted to enjoy the moment.

The sun was peeking out from the puffy clouds in the sky, and she was looking forward to the New Year, even with other things going on.

She wiped her face as some snowflakes blew towards her in the gentle wind, and The Spirit appeared before her.

“Jessica, it is so very nice to see you, child,” The Spirit said with his reflective smile.

“You too, Spirit,” she answered, returning the smile.

His feet also crunched in the snow, reminding Jessica that her angel was still very real, and not a figment of her imagination. “I have not seen you in a while. I think I know what is troubling you,” he said.

Jessica was very frustrated, answering, “I am sure you probably know what is bothering me.”

Jessica kicked some snow with her boot and looked up to The Spirit. She could feel the tears coming, but she tried to blink them away.

“I guess I expected better from these people, but I was wrong,” she said with her voice catching slightly.

The Spirit looked down at her sympathetically.

“You are winning games?” He asked.

“Yes.”

“Your team is well on its way to a state championship?”

“Yes?”

“You and the Sheriff are friendly?” He asked.

Jessica’s head shot up at the mention of the Sheriff. “Yes,” Jessica answered, still kicking around the snow.

“Then what is it that troubles you child?” He asked.

Jessica took a deep breath, and wiped her now wet eyes.

“I still don’t fit in. They ignore me all the time, and I have not even been invited to parties they have. They have thrown games on me, and I just don’t know what to do,” she said with a slight sob.

“Is there something else?”

Jessica walked around the snow with her hands in fists. “I know this is all on purpose. They think I did this to take revenge on Mandy……..”

“In a way, you did,” he pointed out.

“Yes, but it is not about that anymore. It is about doing what my parents always wanted me to do,” Jessica said. “I am doing it, and I’m still miserable.”

Jessica growled slightly and kicked some snow out of frustration.

“I have learned Jessica that most people do not change, they stay the same no matter how much you try to make them. A human will take habit over changes any day. You are a threat to these girls and their status at the school, one that they have held onto for so long even without Mandy Cooper’s presence. She was just a part of it. I tried my best to help Rick Tanner, and in the end he did not want to change either,” The Spirit explained. “I can only do so much for those I help.”

Jessica turned and looked at The Spirit and asked, “Did you know Rick was hanging only feet from us when he was found?”

The Spirit turned and looked to where they found Rick Tanner. “I did, but I did not want to alarm you.”

Jessica nodded believing him. “Did he come to you before he hanged himself?”

Jessica thought she saw a flash in his white eyes, but it happened so fast that she wasn’t sure if she’d imagined it.

The Spirit faltered before answering her. “He did, but I could not save him.”

Jessica could see that The Spirit didn’t want to talk about it, and she decided not to push the issue. Rick Tanner was dead, and he no longer posed a threat to exposing her or The Spirit.  She should just leave it at that. Yet, something was tugging at her conscience, and she tried to shove it away.

The Spirit of the Mirror has done nothing but great things for her, so why would she even doubt that he was capable of anything else? Was he?

The Spirit picked up on her doubts and came closer to her. Jessica could see her reflection in his face, but his glowing white eyes seemed to be sincere.

“Jessica, I want you to erase all doubt from your mind about Rick Tanner. I could not save him. I am only able to speak with special people here on Earth, and you are one of the chosen ones,” he further explained to her.

Jessica looked straight into his glowing eyes again. She noticed how his eyes gleamed in the darkness of the forest, almost taking her breath away with their beauty. It was mystifying. In fact, she could not pull away, and she finally had to force herself from his grasp.

She could have sworn something came over her while he held her shoulders, like she just lost something, but she tried to shake it off. She turned to look at the spirit, and said, “I know, and you really have no idea how much I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”

The Spirit smiled slightly and said, “The Sheriff seems to be on your mind as well.”

Jessica scoffed. “Among other things.”

“Will this be your next wish? Would you like help with him?”

She stood there and thought about it for a moment. Mark was an honorable and stand up kind of guy. He was a good Sheriff, and well liked in the community.

Any girl would be lucky to have him, and Jessica knew she had strong feelings for him. He had treated her with nothing but respect these past few months. She knew he was still holding back because of her age, and she had to admit as much as she hated it, at the same time she would not want him to ruin his career.

She knew all she had to do was give The Spirit a gift, and the Sheriff would be probably be head over heels in love with her.

She smiled to herself from the thought.

However, the smile only lasted so long as Jessica concluded something. She knew she could have so much with The Spirit of the Mirror helping her, but she also knew the consequences of wanting those things.

She lowered her head. Who knew what could happen with Mark, but to her he was untouchable to the Spirit.

After a few more moments she turned to The Spirit who patiently waited for her answer and said, “No. Mark is out of reach.”

The Spirit nodded, answering, “As you wish, Jessica.”

Jessica thought about Tessa too, but now was not the time to ask for help with her best friend. She would wait and see what happens next.

“You seem to be torn Jessica,” The Spirit prodded a little.

Jessica agreed, still lost in thought. “I am, but I think I am going to go. I want to wait and see what happens next with school, and the team.”

“Of course.”

“Will you still be here Spirit?” Jessica asked hopefully.

“I am always here for you child,” he answered smiling.

Jessica stood in the locker room, almost a month later, after practice and eyed the other girls warily as they got dressed to go home that night.

Jessica gazed down at her practice uniform truly feeling alone inside of the locker room.

Her birthday was in two weeks, and she wanted to have a party to celebrate turning eighteen, as well as the team making the playoffs based on ranking in their division. Jessica was proud to be a part of that, but she knew she was still a pariah on the team.

She decided she would try one last time to make peace with Kelly Martin and the other girls and prove her joining the team was not about Mandy at all.

She put her uniform in the locker and shut the door. Taking a deep breath, she approached the other girls.

“Hey Jess,” Amber said. Amber was really the only teammate who was ever nice to her.

The rest of the girls turned and staring at Jessica, trying to make her uncomfortable, but she lifted her chin in defiance. She was inwardly trying to gain confidence.

Kelly stopped changing to stare Jessica down, waiting for her to say something out of the corner of Jessica’s line of vision.

“I was wondering if….ummmmm…..well it’s my birthday in two weeks, and I wanted to have a party. Since we made the playoffs, I thought we could……”

Amber gave her a genuine smile.  “Your birthday is coming up? I think that would be perfect.”

No emotion showed on the other girls’ faces except Amber’s and Jessica was about to give up and just leave when Kelly shocked her and spoke up.

“That sounds like a great idea!” Kelly said, suddenly smiling at her.

Jessica was taken aback by Kelly’s enthusiasm and apparently so was the rest of the team including, Amber who looked astonished at Kelly’s sudden change of attitude. A few mouths gaped open.

“Really?” Jessica asked, her eyes darting to the other girls.

Kelly shrugged a little and said, “Yeah, why not. We need to blow off some steam before we go to the championships.”

“I agree! I think a party is a great idea, and your birthday is wicked timing,” Amber said, nodded her auburn head in agreement.

“Awesome! I’ll talk to my parents,” Jessica squealed in delight.

The rest of the girls started to speak to Jessica about her party, and Kelly was actually friendly to her the rest of the time they were in the locker room.

Jessica felt elated that maybe she was finally able to connect to her team, and finally make more friends.

Jessica made her way out to the car and a waiting Tessa.

Tessa still looked paler than usual, but seemed to be feeling okay now.

Tessa had stayed late to tutor a few students who were now at risk of not graduating, and Tessa always enjoyed that part of school.

Both girls got in, and Jessica smiled widely at a questioning Tessa.

“What?”

“They accepted,” Jessica answered, still smiling.

Tessa looked over at her in surprise. “Wow. They ignored you this whole time, and now they want to party with you? Weird….”

“Maybe it just took me being nice to them too. Who knows, but I know Mom and Dad will be okay with it,” Jessica said, putting the keys in the ignition, starting the car.  

Jessica could see that Tessa was still having her doubts, however she kept her mouth shut. “Well, Amber seemed to be happy about it. She has been the only one nice to me anyway. Maybe she had a talk with the rest of them,” Jessica said, with a slight shrug.

“I guess. Did you know Mandy is home, and under personal nursing care now?” Tessa asked.

Jessica froze for a moment thinking back to the night of the homecoming game, and the night Mandy Cooper would be paralyzed the rest of her life. The memories almost made her begin to sweat as she thought of what the Spirit had done to the head cheerleader.

“Are you alright Jess?” Tessa asked.

“Yeah. Sure. I was just surprised that she is home so early,” Jessica answered, feeling her breathing calming a little.

“Alex heard she may have to go back to Seattle for more surgeries, but her parents wanted her home,” Tessa answered, still eyeing Jessica suspiciously.

“Good. She will be better off at home,” Jessica said.

“I guess. Anyway, maybe that’s why they decided to come to your party,” Tessa said.

“Maybe, but I’m excited for my first party!” Jessica squealed.

Tessa smiled and said, “Can’t wait!”

The two girls left the school, and Jessica frowned because it was another dreary, drizzly all around miserable night in Washington State. They were getting more rain and snow than usual this year, and Jessica could not wait to get out of this state.

Besides her birthday party there was another thing Jessica had to be excited about; She had been accepted to New York University. She almost jumped out of her skin when she read the letter in front of her parents.

Her mother began to cry, and her father jumped out of the chair cheered and bear hugged his daughter. Mary insisted it was because she was happy for her daughter, but Jessica knew better. It was because she was worried that Jessica decided to move that far away for school.

Tessa had decided that she did need more sun, and was accepted to Berkley in California. Jessica would miss her best friend in the whole world, but knew their interests were taking them different places, but they made a promise one night they would never stop being friends just because miles separated them.

“You want to hear something weird?” Tessa suddenly asked, after being quiet for a while.

Jessica turned to her and asked, “What?”

“I did a little research in Leon’s Crossing history,” Tessa began.

Jessica rolled her eyes, and said, “That is so elementary school, Tess.”

Tessa turned to her best friend beckoning Jessica to listen.

“No. Hear me out on this,” she began.

“Okay,” Jessica answered, trying to think back to the town’s history, not remembering much.

“About one hundred and fifty years ago, the town founder Leon Avery was lynched by the townsfolk for practicing Satanism,” Tessa explained.  

“Okay….and?” Jessica wondered why she was suddenly feeling a little sweaty again.

“Well, the book said he cursed the town as he was being lynched,” Tessa further explained.

“Happens in these kinds of towns in the mountains. People were and are still very superstitious,” Jessica dismissed, trying to be logical, even though she had to grip the steering wheel with both hands now.

Tessa put a finger on her chin in thought for a moment. “True, but it seems things happen here every so often. Some of the elders think Leon summoned a demon while he was being tried for his so-called crimes. They say the demon needs souls to replenish his power every so often. His accusers were a cult of young evangelists, making the claim. They never did have definitive proof he worshipped the devil.”

“Sounds like the
Salem Witch Trials
. What is the point of this?” Jessica asked, a little annoyed at her friend. She knew for a fact that The Spirit of the Mirror was not a demon. He told her so, and he has not lied to her once about his intentions. However, she wasn’t going to pass that information onto Tessa.

Tessa blinked at Jessica in shock.

“Well, the point is there are strange things going on lately in this town ever since you saw the mirror in the forest,” Tessa said.

“What? Come on Tessa. You can’t be serious.”  Jessica tried to keep her breathing calm, and tried not to look as Tessa while her face began to flush.

“Well, I was just thinking about it. You did see that mirror after all, and it supposedly disappeared after that.” Tessa said, giving Jessica a suspicious glance.

Jessica felt so tense, that she thought she would just turn into a rock on the side of the mountain right then and there.

“Really? Interesting. Do you think the mirror I saw is what the history was referring to?”

“I think so, and I think Rick had seen it too. I haven’t gotten that far yet, but I want to look into weird accidents around town for the last twenty or so years, ” Tessa said, thoughtfully.

“So what are you getting at Tessa? Really, I want to know,” Jessica fumed.

Tessa sat there and thought for a moment. “I don’t know, Jessica. You said you saw the mirror and Rick did attack you screaming about it.”

Jessica had enough, and pulled the car over on the side of the road. She turned to Tessa, because she was downright angry now.

“Are you accusing me of something Tessa? Because please, I want to know,” Jessica asked, seething now.

Tessa looked over at Jessica in complete shock, and started to shake her head frantically. “No, no, no Jess. Jeez, what are you getting so pissed about? I was just telling you that so you’d know why Rick attacked you. He probably saw that you found the mirror.”

At that moment, Jessica felt the relief wash over her like a tidal wave. Tessa thought that Rick had been stalking her, and when Jessica discovered his ‘mirror’ he flipped out on her.

Jessica sat back in the seat, and took a deep breath while Tessa watched her wide eyed. “I’m sorry. I really thought you were accusing me of something.”

The image of Sara Miller’s body flashed in front of Jessica, but she tried to push it away and hide her emotions from her friend.

“No! I thought he was stalking you for a while about it. Something about that mirror is not right, and I think he was a victim of it,” Tessa declared.

Bingo!

Jessica suddenly laughed bitterly, and said, “If he was, I never knew it. I wouldn’t know a stalker if he came up and slapped me.”

Tessa smiled and both girls started to relax. Jessica could barely stand the relief she was feeling as her and Tessa pulled away and drove home. They started talking about the party, and Jessica was thrilled to change the subject about Rick Tanner, Sara Miller, and Mandy Cooper.

Tessa asked if Jessica was going to try to invite a certain Sheriff to the party.

Jessica felt nervous at the thought. “I don’t know, should I?” She asked, her voice raising a few octaves thinking about Mark.

Tessa laughed out loud making Jessica frown at her. “I think you should. He kissed you for chrissakes! He obviously likes you!”

Jessica sucked in a breath as she pulled into Tessa’s driveway. She hated that she kept sweating on this cold night.

“He might have duty,” Jessica reasoned.

“Well then he can come up and check on things to make sure you are keeping everyone under control,” Tessa said, with a wink.

It was Jessica’s turn to laugh, and she had to admit her best friend had a good point.

As Tessa exited the car and the two friends said goodnight, Jessica drove away still relieved that Tessa did not put two and two together about The Spirit of the Mirror. Her guardian angel was still her little secret.