– Yes… I can imagine … – exhaled Miranda.
– Honey, I have to work. I’ll call you later. Please hold the phone nearby. Ok?
– Okay.
– And call your granny! She is very worried!
– I’ll call, – Miranda said and turned off the phone.
A few seconds later she called her grandmother. After hearing from her beloved old woman the story of how much she was worried until she could get through to her, and how did she get to the house, and how grandfather met her, and many other things, Miranda completely exhausted.
– Grandma, I’m so tired … – she squeaked.
– Oh … – said old woman. – My dear, i talk too much… It’s late. Go. Do your business and go to bed. Be sure to call me tomorrow. And do not forget the phone!
– I will not forget, – Miranda assured her. – Aiden is going to glue it to me.
– It is right, – supported grandmother, – Good boy!
– Always knew you would get along, – the girl smiled.
– Yes, yes… Go, honey. Do not forget to call me tomorrow!
– I will not forget, – Miranda said and turned off the phone.
***
The girl went into the bathroom and looked at her reflection in the mirror.
– You’re so pale, Miranda, – she said to herself and tapped on the mirror with her index finger.
– You need to take a bath. Yes Yes! This is a good idea! A hot bubble bath is what you need right now! – she talked with her reflection.
– Today you and I will be alone here. And tomorrow… And, probably, the day after tomorrow… Although… Maybe this is too much? – Miranda thought. – I do not know… I already missed Aiden. The last time I saw him was a week ago, when he took me to the station … – she said and, taking a deep breath and opened the tap.
A strong jet of water gushed into the bath. Slightly twisting the mixer, Miranda adjusted her temperature and plugged the drain with a silver stopper.
Taking off her jersey, the girl caught a glimpse of herself in a fogging mirror. “Something is wrong…” – flashed through her head. She undid her pants and stooped to pull them off. Throwing clothes in a basket of dirty laundry, Miranda turned to the mirror and looked at her reflection again.
– Something is not right… You are strange, Miranda… What’s wrong with you? – the girl said softly, bringing her face to the mirror and wiped it with her hand.
– Oh my God! – bounced back sharply, she exclaimed in horror, not looking away from her reflection.
– How is this possible? It can’t be … – Miranda whispered and put her hands on her chest, where her heart was now beating so hard.
From the mirror, Miranda watched her startled reflection. And only one thing distinguished them from each other. She, Miranda, had blue eyes, and her reflection had brown eyes. Same as hers, now deceased, friend.
“Carey” – the girl thought and covered her face with her hands.
– I’m probably losing my mind, – she said softly and took a deep breath.
“This is a hallucination… a hallucination… There can be no such thing… Really?! I’m just tired… I just need to rest… That’s all… Everything is fine… Everything is good …», – she calmed herself. “You need to open your eyes and see… Now I will look in the mirror, and everything is as before! I am as before… As always …», – Miranda thought and finally decided to look in the mirror at the girl she knew, who looked at her a minute ago with someone else’s eyes.
Miranda slowly removed her hands from her face and opened her eyes. The mirror was completely foggy. And the girl had to come closer to wipe mirror again.
Holding her breath, Miranda looked at her reflection and exhaled with relief. A pretty girl of about twenty-five with long dark hair and blue eyes was looking at her from the mirror. Pale and a little scared, but that was her. It was Miranda. The way she was supposed to be.
***
About two hours later, Miranda came out of the bathroom. Having poured herself a large mug of hot cocoa, the girl went into the living room. Outside it was completely dark. But she did not turn on the light in the room.
Sitting comfortably on the couch, Miranda grabbed the mug in both hands and sipping hot cocoa. She began to inspect the dark room and the chair in which Carolyn used to sit when she came to visit her. The girl wanted to see her beloved friend again. Alive… A sweet and cheerful girl with big brown eyes and a smile that always shines on her face. But no matter how much Miranda wanted it, it was not possible.
– I’ll never see you again, – looking at the empty chair she said sadly. – Ah, my dear Carey… I do not understand how this could happen… It does not fit in my head. The police said you set yourself on fire! I can not believe this…
Miranda thought and a moment later continued as if Carolyn was there, next to her, and could hear her.
– You were so afraid of fire… Do you remember? We were out of town with your parents… Do you remember? Then, in childhood, when in our tree house burning candles fell on our drawings and magazines. And we talked and laughed so much that we didn’t notice it. And then everything flashed… We could not approach the exit… And shouted… We shouted, but no one heard… And then we jumped out the window… We had to do it. You broke your leg then, and I broke my arm… Do you remember? Of course you remember… You were so scared then. You slept with me in the same bed for a month because you were scared. And then, when we returned to the city, you still had nightmares for a very long time. Fire… Fire … – the girl sighed heavily, – They said that you set yourself on fire… But I know… I know how much you were afraid of fire! I know that you never had a match or a candle at your house… But they say that you did it yourself! It’s so hard for me to believe it! How could you, such a kind, nice, beautiful and cheerful person, do that? Do I really not know something? Did you really hide something from me?! After all, you can’t just do what you did! Did you do it?!
Miranda looked at the empty chair and tears flowed from her eyes.
– I want to see you so much, – after a minute pause she continued, – So I want to ask you what happened in your life, what I don’t know about… What pushed you into what you did with yourself?!
Miranda tried to imagine Carolyn entering the room and sitting opposite her in that chair.
– You know, Carey … – the girl sighed heavily, – I do not understand what happened that night… That night… You told me about Danny and you seemed so happy! And when you left… You all shone with happiness! And… I don’t understand what could have happened… You know… All this time, that you are not alive… Oh my God, it seems that an entire eternity has passed! And it took only two weeks… Carey… Carey, all this time I have been tormented by a terrible feeling of guilt… God! I think all the time, what would happen if I did not tell you that the apartment next to me is for sale? What if you didn’t buy it? Maybe you would be alive now? You lived next to me just a month… So close… Just a few steps from me… Just a month…
Miranda dropped a mug of cocoa on the floor and covered her face with shaking hands.
– Why? Why haven’t I heard your screams? – she sobbed, – You screamed! You should have screamed! Why haven’t I heard? Why didn’t I help you?
– Miranda … – suddenly a girl heard a quiet voice, – Miranda…
The girl immediately fell silent. She removed her hands from her face, peering into the darkness and began to listen to the whisper.
– Miranda… Miranda … – someone quietly repeated her name.
“This is Carolyn’s voice” – the girl thought with horror and frightened looked at the empty chair.
– It can not be… It can not be… I’m going crazy … – shaking her head she said.
– Miranda, – suddenly someone said her name loudly.
Girl with fright jumped up from the couch.
– Who is there? – she cried out.
– I’m here, Miranda, – said voice.
Miranda turned her head toward the door and swayed in fear. In the doorway, in the dark, someone was standing.
– Oh my God! Who you are? How did you get here? – she asked excitedly and frightened.
– You do not recognize me, Miranda?! – asked the dark figure and took a few steps forward so that the dim light entering the room from the window could light up her face a little. Miranda turned white with horror.
– Carolyn? Is that you? No… No… It can not be! You … – the girl only had time to say it and her heart almost stopped in fear when the phone suddenly rang. Miranda looked for a moment in the direction from where the phone rang, and then looked again at the place where her deceased friend had just stood. But Carolyn was no longer there. The girl looked into the emptiness, and the phone rang, making loud ringing sounds. Finally Miranda answered.
– Hello, – she said in a trembling voice, – Hello! Who is this? Do not be silent!
– Murderer… – someone hissed softly in a voice like Carolyn’s and hung up.
Miranda stood alone in the dark room. Eyes wide with horror, she looked somewhere in the void. She held a handset near her ear, from which came unpleasant short beeps. And tears flowed down her cheeks.
3. I will stay
Miranda woke up in the morning on the couch in the living room from some noise. Opening her eyes, she looked around. The room was bright and there was no one there but her. The girl began to listen to the noise that reached her from behind the closed door. There was definitely someone else in the apartment besides her. She heard someone’s quiet footsteps. Some kind of rustling. Then someone walked along the corridor. As he moved closer to the living room where Miranda was now located, his steps became clearer and louder, but after a few seconds it became quiet. Miranda listened with horror to silence, when suddenly the doorknob slowly turned. From fright, the girl jumped up from the couch. She stepped on a mug lying on the floor and flew down with a cry. She collapsed on her back and, hitting her head hard on the floor, lost consciousness.
– Miranda! Miranda! – from somewhere far away came to her mind a familiar male voice.
The girl opened her eyes. Everything was blurring around. Miranda tried to make out the man bent over her and when her gaze finally focused on his face, she happily discovered for herself, that in front of her was her beloved Aiden. The girl gasped with relief and smiled.
– What are you doing here? – she asked quietly.
– Strange question, – he grinned.
Miranda rose a little.
– Ouch! So painful! – grimaced and clutching at the back of her head, she said.
– Of course! – said Aiden, – Make such a flight! My heart almost stopped when I saw it!
A man helped Miranda up and sat her in a chair.
– Are you okay? How do you feel? – he was worried.
– It’s okay, do not worry, – the girl assured him. – It hurts a little and then stops hurting.
– Let’s call a doctor? – he suggested.
– No no, no need, – she refused and rubbing the back of the head asked:
– What happened?
– I do not know, – Aiden shrugged, – When I entered, you were already in flight!
Miranda laughed and this made her head sick even more.
– Heck! It hurts so much! – again clutching the back of the head she said.
– I’ll bring ice, – said Aiden and quickly left the room.
A minute later he came back. He held a towel in which he wrapped ice cubes.
– I guess you stepped on a mug, – he suggested and putting a cold towel to the back of the girl.
– What? – asked Miranda and looked at him questioningly.
Aiden pointed to this unfortunate object, which was lying on the floor.
– Oh yes… yes … – said the girl, remembering what happened, – I heard footsteps outside the door and was frightened. I jumped up from the couch and… There was this damn mug! Today I’ll throw it out, – as if she was angry with this inanimate object, Miranda growled.
– Yeah. Come on. I think it will not be very upset about this, – joked Aiden.
– Who? – Miranda did not understand.
– Mug, of course. – the man explained.
Miranda looked at him disapprovingly.
– Can you be serious at least once in your life? At least now! My head breaks, and you stand here and laugh! – she was offended.
– Sorry, sorry. But I did not want to laugh at you. And I did not laugh at all! Maybe take you to the hospital?
– No thanks, it is not necessary.
– And if you have a concussion?
– Well, in that case, then you will have something else to laugh at, – Miranda said resentfully.
– Please, honey, don’t be mad. You know that I did not want to upset you, – the man said, and gently kissed her on the back of the head.
– I just don’t like … – she began and looked at Aiden.
– What Don ‘t you like? – he asked.
– Nothing.
Miranda puffed out her cheeks and turned away a little from Aiden.
– So, – he said, – Since you started talking, go ahead! Come on, come on! I’m listening!
– Well, since you want it… Ok, – she said and raised her eyebrows, – I do not like that you and grandmother always kidding me! Constantly laugh! What do you think I’m a clown?
The girl got up from her chair and, pending an answer, looked intently at the man’s brown eyes.
– That’s all? – after a short pause he asked.
– And what, this is not enough?!
– Ah, you’re my silly, – Aiden smiled and hugged her, – No one laugh at you. And especially not making fun! It’s just that we are like this with her… And you… You are our silly little girl!
Miranda twitched, thus showing the man that she does not want him to embrace her. But Aiden only stronger pressed her to him.
– I love you, Miranda! I love very much! – he said.
– I love you very much too, – she said and hugged him back.
– Maybe we will go to the hospital? – a little moving away from the girl and looking into her eyes, once again suggested Aiden.
– No. – shook her head softly, she said. – Everything is fine with me. No longer hurts. And, you know, I hate hospitals.
– You are so stubborn, – the man smiled.
– So you did not answer me. What are you doing here?
– I live here.
– Aiden, – Miranda said, – Well, I’m serious!
– Me too, – he smiled.
– All right, I will ask in another way. You should have come only in a couple of days. Right?
– Right.
– And come now. Right?
The man nodded his head.
– You are so funny, – he said.
– And you… You are so… so…
– What?
– Harmful!
– Very harmful?
– Very very! So what are you doing here?
– Are you not happy to see me?
– I’m happy. Very. And see, and hear, and feel… I just did not expect…
– I called you late in the evening. When finished work. You again did not answer. I thought you were already asleep. And then my friend, with whom I stayed overnight, called me to the telephone. Said it was you. When I answered, you already hung up.
– Me?! – Miranda was surprised. – But I didn’t call anyone yesterday. He probably mistook something.
– Maybe, – the man agreed, – It was already late at night. But I called you. You picked up the phone, but apparently did not hear me. You had a worried voice. So I decided to come. I would have come earlier, but there was an accident there, on the road… That’s why I’m a little late.
– Accident? – Miranda was scared. – Are you okay?
– Everything is good. I was not even a witness. – Aiden reassured her.
– Thank God, – exhaled Miranda and thought about something.
– Did you call at night? – after a short pause she asked.
The man nodded back.
– The call … – Miranda said softly and her face suddenly changed and turned white.
– What? What happened? Something is wrong? – Aiden worried when he saw this strange change.
– This is so strange … – as if looking through him, the girl said, – I think I… I saw Carolyn at night…
– Carolyn? – the man asked in confusion.
And Miranda told him about the eyes in the mirror, and about the vision that was so real and so similar to her dead friend, and about the strange call.
– Damn, – hissed Aiden, – I knew that you could not come back here! It was necessary to immediately rent another apartment! Why do I always fulfill your whims?!
– This is not a whim! This is my home! I live here!
– It was your home! And now, I am afraid, it will become for you something like a torture chamber!
– Why do you say that?
– Because I know how much you loved Carolyn! I know how much time you spent together! And here everything reminds you of her! Right? Maybe that’s why your imagination is playing with you? Or maybe because her apartment is opposite? And she is there … – Aiden did not finish this sentence. Miranda understood so well what he meant.