CHAPTER I - The Habit

You always turn the bathroom light on before you step inside. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOlPSHmslQ

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvbzrZW79Fs

You reach around the doorframe, find the switch, and wait for the long white tube above the mirror to stop flickering. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZVMdEQWQo

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClG1Aj6ZsH

Only then do you go in. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDpI09NWRi

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmYA5DXDbcq

It is a small habit. A silly one, perhaps, but harmless. Everyone has something. Some people check the lock twice. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXiapihI4tk

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbaFctnzqA4

Some keep their feet under the blanket, even in summer. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlHq22nwjjH

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbeJFyKOZnC

You do not stand in a dark room with a mirror in it. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe4c0TEKmfj

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTBuXVT6xzh

You cannot remember when it started. You cannot remember a time before it. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGW90VCGzkB

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHIfY8z3Ohe

The truth is, you have never liked mirrors. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGb6CXr3nGZ

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCR98T8i0wg

It is not that your reflection looks wrong. It has your face. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1FhoqtWgm

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavTDBJb0gH

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFG9NNUi838

Your uneven eyebrows. Your tired eyes. When you lean closer, it leans closer. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xNh3HetfW

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDqmc9ItFqa

It is the way it looks at you. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0LTeC2SMVK

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6XmjffD9UQ

Whenever you meet its eyes, you feel it: the person in the glass is you, and yet it is not you. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEVxUJWVAI

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJvlFYXcuA

It is someone else, wearing your face, looking straight back. Not a copy. A stranger, staring. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESMO4ocplM

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHpL8bZogD

So you watch it. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyNpVYfNhG

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfncc00EBHX

When you brush your teeth, you keep your eyes on it. When you bend to rinse your mouth, you keep your eyes up until your neck aches. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Zi6I3i4Au

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOwMBVlKeOi

You never turn your back on the mirror. Not even for a second. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJsSTMuJd9L

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYigHW6YhuP

Because you have a feeling that if you look away, it will not.

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ61hLczCtLs

──── ⸸ ❦ ⸸ ────

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1S020QNtSB

Tonight, you come home late. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDb17kZsQw

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ45e7vvso3w

Your phone buzzes. A message from your sister. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhDCRj9ENF

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYeXrdDkTiU

Sunday lunch? Mum says you've been ignoring her. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaXjDFoNBRQ

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzjHAcmTrK3

You type a reply. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhaNAcsehNl

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5CR6frJIyq

Haven't been ignoring her. Just tired. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT8BThGcbzf

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNkcaeEmoT8

You read it twice and leave it unsent. You will answer properly tomorrow. You prop the phone against the tap. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfBt7ZRg55

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifMOIbubsY

A voice message follows. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ekyKQ2uZv

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhDcCbyG4K

“Before you say you're busy, I made the soup you like. The one you always say Mum makes better.” 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1woWsgihRQ

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRrQ9vnJeJ

A small laugh. Then, more softly: “You don't have to stay for lunch. Just come over.” 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqRrHYtyJq

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1otGHl8fEe

You play it twice. You mean to answer that too. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2p9jwLlHY

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBHj89yAafP

The light flickers three times. You count without meaning to. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCi4Xe8mN3b

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPfPzgZp0Xz

You brush your teeth. The person in the mirror watches you do it. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPc0UYJHt9j

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1KaU1smkt

White foam gathers at the corner of your mouth. You wipe it away with your thumb. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKy62hK5uWF

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6mbt1pOnO

Your reflection does the same. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQ3cVg2gC3

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKy9ZbQBDNH

A little late. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTEdnwnGwo

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcEmZmaPt1

You stop.

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddw0GN0roe

It stops. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo6P1JRtpJS

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmh6Wknl07t

You stand there with your thumb on your lip, and you tell yourself what anyone would. You are tired. Your eyes are tired. It was nothing. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4TdlbRBSV

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDQQoQanAr

Then you do something you have never done before. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ2bY5QA48U

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXhJrU8T35p

You decide to prove it. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKglUXHpzz6

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifMSnXKbJN

You turn around. You turn your back on the mirror, slowly, on purpose, and you stand facing the bathroom door. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjonpEgr8Xn

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJMNwWIfsU

One. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrS56G4urgN

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkL5N8D0Up

Two. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmVLk4ubFh

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyN9quk1gSP

Three. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvL9pUoKwq

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkpS90BvfcB

The back of your neck goes cold. You have the feeling you get on a crowded train, when you know without looking that someone is staring at you. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8elhSrtxH

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLt9FzWwr6

You look over your shoulder. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAn2tEzXpgI

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGbkivQG0r

In the mirror, the person with your face has not turned around. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD071iOV1od

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2e8cwjTNHC

It is still facing the glass. Facing you. Its eyes are wide and fixed on your back, and its hands are gripping the edge of the sink. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjW18FsfHo

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhk6fU5FoC

For one long second, neither of you moves. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmn1MaknBbv

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlyGSnIMVLB

Then it turns its back too. Quickly. Clumsily. As if it has only just remembered what it is supposed to do. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsjOOdTiGwM

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFdOgHS0vX

You face the mirror again. So does it. Your faces match. Your hands match. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYGwFM08EMV

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvWmt9Z4FU

You are both breathing hard. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjeN5usTLd

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9K0edz5JS

Somewhere behind you, the light switch clicks. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVZw8OXnkt

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUvmcC2uhG1

The bathroom goes dark. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK3cNr3CY6h

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT65DadSHeW

Your hand was nowhere near the switch. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs0RpHZb2Mn

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7EIc9lKKys

You stand in the dark and you do not move, because you cannot remember how. You wait. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTi0UrKbpq

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAnh75zaVd0

Then the light comes back on, and it is morning. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM273FeFZAy

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlhAHnzy6X9

You tell yourself you must have gone to bed. There should be a memory of the corridor, of pulling back the covers. You search for one. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6r9RNW9Ez1

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJNLKdMnK1

There is only the light going out, and the light coming on. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc1w264Kavw

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Pce28hqF1

Your phone is still propped against the tap. Under her voice message is your reply. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvEqRnyrGFI

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPm5xZPGrW

Haven't been ignoring her. Just tired. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0YWvW1pvLb

26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHrXvGqtdSq

Sent at 11:52. 26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpXmwjh1QN

You do not remember sending it.

88.181.249.5

ns88.181.249.5da2