Maggie’s thoughts were interrupted by a metallic gurgling sound. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the mirror next to the door. It looked less like a mirror and more like a vertical pool of mercury. Part of its surface was oozing down the wall to form a shiny puddle on the floor. Then something rose out of the puddle; human-shaped, but with a mirror finish. The annoyingly detached and nerdy part of Maggie’s mind noted that it was just like the T-1000 terminator. Its surface dulled and it turned around and it was… her. It looked exactly like Maggie. It was wearing the same bulky diaper and granny panties; it even had the same tattoo of a fox barely visible over the waistband of the panties, except it was on the wrong hip.
The mirror image walked over to the bed and sat down next to Maggie who pretended to be asleep, peering out through almost closed eyes. It wasn’t very hard since she couldn’t really move anything else anyway.
“Oh stop that,” the mirror image said. “I know you’re awake.” She reached out and brushed the hair out of Maggie’s face. Maggie felt her muscles relaxing as the paralysis began to fade away. She tried to pull her hand out of her diaper, but the mirror image stopped her. “Just leave it there for now. We both know you like that.”
“How?” Maggie whispered.
“Well, duh! I thought that’d be obvious by now. I know that your cellphone pin number is your birthday backwards, divided by three. I know you almost flunked history last term.” The mirror image reached down to touch her own tattoo. “I know who held your hand while you got this and how you still have a bottle of her shampoo in your bathroom.” She stroked Maggie’s cheek. “I know everything about you because I am you.”
“I meant how is this poss… Hang on, I do not have a bottle of Susan’s shampoo,” Maggie protested.
“No, you’re right. It’s her conditioner. But that’s not what’s important; nor is how I’m here. What matters is why I’m here.”
“And why is that?” Maggie was slowly trying to slide away.
“You had a crap day. you were annoyed that summer is almost over and that you’re back in school with all the drama that entails. You wanted some sympathy and maybe a good hug, but that dumbass Chris was too busy thinking about that hottie professor.”
“Yeah,” Maggie admitted reluctantly.
“So I’m here to make you a deal.” The mirror image took Maggie’s hand in hers and looked into her eyes. “Do you remember when you were little? When summers lasted almost forever and you didn’t have to worry about anything?”
“Yeah?”
“Wouldn’t you like that again?” The mirror image slowly stroked Maggie’s hand. “No stupid job or classes to go to; no responsibilities. Not a care in the world.”
“Mm-hm,” Maggie said dreamily
“I can make it that way again,” the mirror image said and rose from the bed. “Take my hand.”
In a daze, Maggie swung her legs out of bed and got up. She walked behind the other Maggie towards the mirror, holding her hand.
The mirror was so narrow that her mirror image had to step through it sideways, vanishing through the slowly rippling surface. When she pulled Maggie along and her hand made contact with the mirror, she expected it to feel cold, but it didn’t. It felt more like a warm, heavy mist or fog. Maggie closed her eyes as she stepped through and when she opened them again she was still standing in her apartment, except it was different somehow. It took her a couple of moments to notice a magazine on the table, but then she realised that everything was mirrored.
“Come along now,” said the mirror image. Or was Maggie the mirror image on this side of the mirror?
Still holding the other Maggie’s hand with one hand and holding up the sagging towel diaper with the other, Maggie followed Other Maggie through the door. They emerged in the middle of a small clearing surrounded by trees. Looking back, Maggie saw a small shed. Other Maggie was saying something, but Maggie was still mesmerised by the surroundings. She bent down and picked one of the flowers next to her bare foot.
“It’s incredible. This even smells real.” Maggie breathed deeply smelling grass and wildflowers.
“It is real,” Other Maggie said. Now come along. There’s somebody I want you to meet.”
““Like this?!?” Maggie suddenly became aware of what she was wearing.
“Oh, nobody will mind. No worries, remember?” Other Maggie took Maggie’s hand and pulled her along into the forest.