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Mirror, Mirror

 

Back in the early 1980's, my now ex husband (we'll call him Ed), my then 3 year old son, and I moved into our first house. It had started out as a one room school house (I discovered proof when the removal of layers of wallpaper revealed old slate chalk boards) and had grown into a monstrously large farm house type structure, due to folks adding on over the years. The place had a lot of 'quirks'; for instance the main floor had two full bathrooms, a very large country type kitchen, and a smaller galley type kitchen in what had one time served as a mother-in-law apartment (this is also where the second bathroom was). Inside that 'apartment' was also a Murphy ironing board that folded up into the wall. What I found very odd, was at some point someone had removed the interior doors that would have shut the two units off from each other. As a result, you could literally do laps around the ground floor. The front door led into a nice sized living room, from there you could see the staircase that led up to the two bedrooms upstairs. Another quirk, the upstairs rooms were not separated by a hallway of any sort; the top stair split into two triangle stairs, one on the left, one on the right and these faced the bedroom doors. I won't make you suffer through a lengthy description of the place, however, I thought these were points of interest that may aid with understanding the events that would take place there.

Our first night in the place, I distinctly heard someone rummaging through the moving boxes downstairs. I sat up in bed, and listened, deciphering normal house sounds from those that seemed like someone moving around. I looked over at my sleeping husband, and slid out from under the covers and cautiously crossed over into my son's room. I lifted his sleeping form and returned with him to my room, depositing him on the bed. Someone downstairs coughed. I shook Ed awake, "Someone's downstairs!" I hissed, "Go check it out."

After a few groggy swears he informed me that I could go check it out myself. Something downstairs toppled over. I about wet myself. If we'd had an upstairs phone (we would in later years, and this was pre-cell phone days) I would have stayed put and called the cops. As it was, I gripped my ball bat and made my way down the stairs, flipping on the lights as I went. I didn't want to surprise whomever had broken in, and I really hoped they'd just run away. I could see into the living room, boxes were strewn about giving voice that someone had been going through them. I made my way through the entire lower floor, leaving lights burning in my wake as I checked every nook and cranny, while straining my ears. While I didn't wish to confront whomever it was, I didn't want them surprising me either. On my way, I double checked the doors and windows to be sure they were shut and locked tight. Finally there was only one room left; the bathroom in the 'apartment'. I pushed the door open hard and in the dimness saw someone staring back at me. As I reached for the light-switch I saw them move towards me - I bellowed loudly, swinging the bat with all my might! There was a tremendous crash of breaking glass, as shards went flying in all directions. I fumbled for the switch again, and as it came on realized that I had slain a mirror, that Ed had perched on the toilet tank. (I wish he had told me.) I fetched the broom and dustpan feeling very foolish and had just swept the bulk into a pile when there was a very loud banging at the front door.

Neighbors hearing my scream had called the cops. Just try explaining that your own reflection had scared you that badly. At least they didn't laugh in front of me, but they grew very somber learning that Ed at 6'4" had stayed upstairs during the entire time, and had only come down when their knock summoned us.

I still recall them looking down at me, then over at him, and back again with something that seemed to be a mixture of disbelief and disgust. "So you," one pointed at me, "came down to investigate, and YOU" he looked at Ed, "stayed upstairs?" Then things got weird.

Cop 'A', decided to see where this mirror was, and check out the house to be sure it was 'secure' taking me in tow. Cop 'B' stayed with Ed. I learned later they had their own little chat, which left Ed feeling somewhat badly.

As we approached the bathroom, I said, "Be careful, that glass went every where," but there was NO glass to be seen! Not a shard! The mirror sat on the toilet tank. Seeing it, in the light I realized I had never seen this mirror before. But I knew I had broken it! I had heard the glass smash. The broom and dust pan still sat in the door way where I'd left them. Weird, very, very weird.

After the cops left, I asked Ed where the mirror had come from, he said he'd found it in the basement. He went back to bed, and I went back to check the mirror out better.

It was rectangular in shape, the glass itself a bit wavy looking, with a few light spots and tiny clear areas. Its framing was very ornate: tiny, interwoven vines interspersed with leaves and flowers. It was obviously an antique, exactly how old, I wasn't sure but guessed early to mid 1800's. I wanted to examine it, look for a manufactures mark, or possibly a date, but something about it made me feel strange. I reasoned that given the whole weirdness that had happened, the hour, and the move, perhaps it would be wiser to wait for the light of day. I closed the door and went up to bed, but not before saying a prayer of protection, and adding that anything unkind was not welcomed in my home.

The next day was anti-climatic. At least in the weird department. Ed's family had swooped in on us 'to help'. If you ask me, it was more of a way for his mother to dictate the way she thought we should decorate, complete with paint chips she thought would be 'just the colors' we should use, and wouldn't that chair look better over there advise. She expressed an interest in the mirror when she saw it. The woman absolutely gushed over it, and before I could say word one, Ed gifted it to her. I never saw it again, and oddly, when ever I'd bring it up, the subject would be changed.

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Comments about this paranormal experience

The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, valkricry, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

MysticFrance (5 stories) (95 posts)
+2
6 years ago (2018-12-11)
Great story, Val! Thanks for sharing this story. Best regards!
valkricry (49 stories) (3286 posts) mod
+1
8 years ago (2017-03-30)
Kest,
Oh that is too funny! 😆 Well better to be chasing hamsters then - well anything creepy no matter the hour! 😆
Kest (12 stories) (55 posts)
+1
8 years ago (2017-03-27)
I love your stories! I remember once hearing a crash when we moved into a new house. I also woke up my 6'2" hubby, but he went with me. The horror we found was that the hamster cage had somehow fallen and we had to chase our children's hamsters around the boxes until we caught them and put them back in the cage at like 2 a.m.! 😆
valkricry (49 stories) (3286 posts) mod
 
8 years ago (2017-03-19)
Hexo,
Thank you kindly! I thought I recognized your name - welcome back!
Hexotericka (6 stories) (45 posts)
+1
8 years ago (2017-03-18)
Val,
Now this was an entertaining read!
You described everything so well, and you wrote about this undeniably creepy encounter with a lighthearted air that actually had me chuckling at a few points.
Favourited!
valkricry (49 stories) (3286 posts) mod
+1
8 years ago (2017-02-17)
Seraphina,
What an interesting idea! It actually sort of fits what happened over the years we lived there. Not so much myself, but with Ed.
Not what he appeared to be at all after we got married.
It turned quite ugly... But that is the past, and that's where it belongs - in the past. Still, a very interesting idea.
valkricry (49 stories) (3286 posts) mod
+1
8 years ago (2017-02-17)
Argette and Beaglemom,
Thanks so much for reading and commenting. What is it about mirrors? Especially the old ones that make them so...fascinating? Back in 1871, Lewis Carroll wrote "Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There." It was inspired by an actual mirror, and the belief that mirrors are portals to another world.
In some cultures, when someone passes they cover the mirrors so that the decease's soul won't get trapped in them. And we've all heard breaking a mirror will bring 7 years bad luck.*They* (whomever 'they' are) say to avoid this curse you must bury all the pieces under the light of a full moon, deeply in the ground.
Sorry, don't know about you guys, but I find this sort of trivia interesting. Lol
Anyway, thanks for reading!
Para-Hunter-Anne33 (19 posts)
+1
8 years ago (2017-02-17)
RedWolf I actually remember the movie Burnt Offerings I was intrigued by the concept that the house kept repairing itself. Creepy. What I thought was creepier still, was how the older woman--who was the house caretaker-- (and burgess Meredith was her wheelchair bound husband
) had such a strong connection to and with the house that the house itself was driving the dad crazy and actually was possessing the dad's mind when he was trying to choke, drown and kill his own son in the backyard swimming pool. It was working it's diabolical affects on the dad's mind to drive him crazy... The same way that it had done to the dad's own mother many years before. And was turning the wife's personality to one of strong obsessive loyal protection of the house as the house was 'grooming' the wife to become it's next caretaker. Very creepy film but one worth having in a personal library if only to watch and analyze the various aspects of the themes and object motifs the author wanted stressed specifically for the movie. If you go to any of the shopping sites... Amazon or ebay examples and type in book then title burnt offerings it will bring up the novel that the movie was based on. Respectfully, slaem.
Seraphina (7 stories) (147 posts)
+1
8 years ago (2017-02-16)
Hi, Val,

I didn't mean to sound mysterious in my previous comment. 😊 I just began thinking about the possibilities of interpreting the mirror symbolically. Only you would know whether it applies.

Consider: In the dark you see your reflection, but at first you mistake it for a stranger. The mirror breaks, and your image is shattered--but only you perceive the mirror as broken. It's mysteriously restored before anyone else sees it. Could this incident "mirror" something that later happened in your life? Just a thought.

Blessings,
Seraphina
rookdygin (24 stories) (4458 posts)
+4
8 years ago (2017-02-16)
legion777,

TOP RIGHT OF PAGE

Submit Story button

Please do not share your experiences in other individuals comment sections... It clutters things something awful.

Respectfully,

Rook
Myst (63 posts)
 
8 years ago (2017-02-16)
RedWolf: I remember watching Burnt Offerings, and if my house did that, I would be running from a burning building!
BeagleMom (3 stories) (84 posts)
 
8 years ago (2017-02-16)
Valkricry,

Yep, this one got to me! Made the hair on my neck prickle! I put it right into my favorites. Mirrors have spooked me for a long time. I believe the one above my fireplace in my old F street Eureka California house held a secret or two. The glass was thick and wavy. I would catch myself standing in front of it just looking at the bevel around it, seeing or imagining moving shapes or something not quite there. I had to force myself to walk away from it. The fireplace was an old Victorian oak one with the mirror built in. I loved it but it was spooky!

You are one brave lady! Like someone else mentioned, I am sure I would have covered my head and prayed for deliverance!
Great read! Thanks for sharing.


Mother of Beagles
Argette (guest)
 
8 years ago (2017-02-15)
Riveting is right! That story had me! I can feel my adrenaline going, even though I'm sitting on a sofa at home with my husband next to me and lights turned on.

I have nothing else to add except, wow!
valkricry (49 stories) (3286 posts) mod
 
8 years ago (2017-02-15)
Red,
I would not use the word 'bravely' to describe how I was going through the house. 😆 The movie, "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" comes to mind. 😆
I've never been able to quite grasp the change that seemed to come over Ed after we were married. When we were dating he was quite protective of me, and seemed at least alright with my abilities. Once we were wed though - *shrug*...
I'm a little person (like 4'10", think I've mentioned that before) and I believe that's part of why the cops were so flabbergasted that Ed hid upstairs while I investigated. From Cop 'A's questions (he never came straight out with it) I also think they thought maybe he caused my scream.
I've heard of the movie Burnt Offerings! I think I saw it once long ago.
valkricry (49 stories) (3286 posts) mod
+2
8 years ago (2017-02-15)
Biblio,
That's it in a nutshell. If it hadn't been for the broom and dustpan, I would have sincerely doubted my senses, and wondered if I had somehow imagined it. My adrenaline was pumping like mad, I'm in basically unfamiliar territory, I'm exhausted from the day's work (and moving is just so emotionally charged). Add to that, I was pretty much expecting to confront someone or possibly someones, or to be jumped myself. If it hadn't been for that cough, I may have convinced myself that maybe the cat was exploring in a very odd manner. Cats love boxes - that's a fact. I would have huddled with my son, in my bed and prayed that it was just the cat moving about and the house 'talking'. But cats neither cough like that, nor make foot-steps. So, I was primed for something to happen. I expected it - just not what finally did happen. (Does that make sense?)
valkricry (49 stories) (3286 posts) mod
 
8 years ago (2017-02-15)
Seraphina,
You've got me curious! Offering me a message is an angle I had not considered. I'd love to hear your theories!

Spiritwaiting...oooer. I think about your mirror and go all goose-bumpy. I have seen things in mirrors before, but more like scrying, not as someone/something INSIDE it, watching me.
RedWolf (31 stories) (1292 posts)
+3
8 years ago (2017-02-15)
val,

First of all if my husband had told me to go check for myself I would probably knock him in the head as I got the bat. 😆 I was picturing you bravely walking around checking the house with some amusement.

The mirror repairing itself scared me and reminded me of the movie Burnt Offerings. Nobody I mention this movie to remembers. The premise of the movie was an old lady I think it was the wife's aunt. Whenever somebody injured themselves in a certain place the house fixed itself. The aunt died and the wife slowly morphed into the same type of woman, just sitting in the attic knitting. When the husband and son died the house repaired itself. What scared me the most was the hearse driver looked EXACTLY like my brother.

The fact that it repaired itself would make me get rid of it A.S.A.P. At least you gave it away. Very scary story val.

Regards
Red
Bibliothecarius (9 stories) (1091 posts)
+2
8 years ago (2017-02-15)
Val:

The mirror you smashed... "un-smashed"? Someone rummaged through your stuff and coughed; you broke the mirror with a baseball bat, and -while your attention was focused on the police- the mirror repaired itself, but left the dustpan and brush you'd been using to collect the debris?

(Editing: after I wrote the first sentence of the next paragraph, my brain did that thing it does with the past, so I'm sorry if it seems wonky.)

Why does this sound like it's worse than a portal or scrying glass to me? Containment? Trapped. Souls lost. Wandering. Death state confusion trapped in the glass. Willpower. Pulling to hold together the sense of being. Corrupted structure. Twisting the frame but needing the glass to hold...? Pulling the glass to hide behind; they can't find me in here. Rushed forward to scare; seeing the bat too late. Jeopardized. Glass will bring their attention (?). "Must hide." Rush; quickly before they get here? --Sorry, lost the thread of the ideas there with that last one. I got goosebumps and chills with the image of the glass being pulled back into the frame by the fear of being caught.

I'm just going to stop there before anything else happens!

Wow, Val, I'm putting this one into my favorites; I just love a mystery.

Best,
Biblio.
spiritwaiting (42 stories) (843 posts)
+1
8 years ago (2017-02-14)
Valkricry,

Yes that mirror gave me the creeps, I literally had the feeling someone was watching from the other side of it. A lot of weird things went on when that mirror was in the home.

And for the mystery of the shattered glass and bent frame, I can't come up with anything.That's seriously creepy in it self. To not be anywhere but back together when you and Cop A decided to take a walk back through.

I think it best it did go to MIL lol! 😆,let her deal with whatever was protecting that mirror.

Spiritwaiting
Seraphina (7 stories) (147 posts)
+1
8 years ago (2017-02-14)
Hi, Val. This is such a riveting story--ending as mysteriously as the incident began! It's now in my favorites.

You may be familiar with the ways mirrors have been used as symbols in literature. So they've always been eerily fascinating, even if they couldn't mend themselves:) Is it possible someone was offering you a message about yourself? (I've got theories, but would be going out on a limb.)

I'll bet whoever was rummaging through the boxes was just plain nosy! 😆

Blessings,
Seraphina
valkricry (49 stories) (3286 posts) mod
 
8 years ago (2017-02-14)
No Kiki, the cops weren't even there yet. I swung and screamed at the same time. My neighbors hearing my bellow called the cops.
KikiGirl (8 stories) (207 posts)
+1
8 years ago (2017-02-14)
valkricry, then it is, indeed, a very mystifying, peculiar and awe-inspiring event! I would have surely been behaving quite the same. And, the cops did not hear the mirror shatter? They probably thought that a burglar had tried his luck. I must say, valkricry, I have not one answer that can rationalize or explain your experience! Maybe, in 10 years, somebody will come onto YGS stating a similar story at which we all say "AH-HA!"
valkricry (49 stories) (3286 posts) mod
 
8 years ago (2017-02-14)
Kiki,
You really don't need to add 'mod' after our names. 😊
I'd have to say the mirror somehow reassembled itself, though how, I've no clue. I know I swung and made contact and heard the glass shatter. I know once I got the light on, there was glass everywhere, and the bent frame was on the floor. I know I had swept most of it into a pile when the cops arrived. Lastly, I know that when cop A and I went to see there was NO broken glass to be seen and the mirror was sitting on the toilet tank. So, yes, even the pile I had swept up had vanished. Only the broom and dustpan gave silent testimony to anything having happened.
valkricry (49 stories) (3286 posts) mod
 
8 years ago (2017-02-14)
Spiritwaiting - now that's creepy! You actually felt like someone was watching you from inside the mirror? Sadly (or maybe luckily) I really didn't have enough contact with the mirror to really evaluate it. Like I said, I only felt strange, and that could have been due to multiple reasons. As you can imagine, I was embarrassed as all get out, and shaken because I KNOW broken glass simply does not mend itself.
KikiGirl (8 stories) (207 posts)
+1
8 years ago (2017-02-14)
valkricry mod, that is a very interesting and fascinating account! Men! They know you're planning to move and it is going to be exhausting and take up everybody's luxury time, and they're going to have to man up... But then, when a stalker breaks in early into the move, it's "no, no! I'm tired, you check it out?" I will never understand them! Aren't they supposed to be the ones who are all ghung-ho for conflict and bat-swining or butt-kicking? Yet, it's the women who go and investigate! Go Cop B!

I must just ask you to clear this up, please? You said that you "realized that I had slain a mirror, that Ed had perched on the toilet tank. (I wish he had told me.) I fetched the broom and dustpan feeling very foolish and had just swept the bulk into a pile" - but, when you and Cop A went to investigate, "there was NO glass to be seen! Not a shard! The mirror sat on the toilet tank. The broom and dust pan still sat in the door way where I'd left them." So, did you never recover the glass shards that you had swept into a pile? Did the broken glass from the mirror disappear?
Or, was the mirror on the toilet tank and the dust pan and glass shards in the doorway as you'd left the items?

Sorry, I would just like to understand if the mirror somehow, restored and refitted itself on the tank?
Or, if the glass and everything disappeared and only you understood what had gone on?

Thank-you, now!
spiritwaiting (42 stories) (843 posts)
+1
8 years ago (2017-02-14)
Valkricry,

You described this home so perfectly. I can only imagine what the home looked like but what from what I'm visualizing it was interesting.

This mirror you had in the home, reminds me of a mirror I had in my last apartment. A neighbor gave it to us, as she was moving out. When she offered it, I had an eerie feeling as to not take anything from her, but had no reasonable explanantion or reason to not do so. She was a sweet lady and our boys were best of friends.

I also thought well I do need a bigger mirror in my room.

Soon after this, I would catch myself just staring into said mirror. Gazing into it, and always thinking something was going to move, or jump out.
Always had a creepy feeling when passing by it, and something was watching us from another side.

Thats the first and only time I had ever felt like that about any type of mirror.

Anywho...
Hehe I wish your MIL would have gathered the courage to talk about it, if anything did happen! That would probably be a whole other post on here.
And I'm glad Cop B gave that Ex hubby of yours a good talking to! He most definitely needed to hear it, whatever it was 😉.

I really like this one!
Thank you for sharing this with us

Sincerely
Spiritwaiting
valkricry (49 stories) (3286 posts) mod
 
8 years ago (2017-02-14)
Tweed, lots of puzzling things went on in that house, and as time passed I heard many rumors about it. But, since they were rumors and I never found any 'proof' of what was being said...*shrug*. I lived there, oh 18 years, and in that time the mirror proved to be the most baffling event.
You might not be far from the truth. Ed and his Mom avoided anything paranormal (even discussions) like the plague. I know with Ed, it wasn't that he didn't believe (although he denied so) it simply scared him so that he couldn't even entertain the notion. If the mirror had done something (that reads so wrong 😆), then she would have gotten rid of it somehow, and she most certainly would NOT talk about it.
Tweed (36 stories) (2529 posts)
+1
8 years ago (2017-02-14)
Val, for some reason I'm really annoyed he gave the mirror to her! It sounded so cool. Maybe it did something totally haunted when she got it home, might be why the subject changed.😆

I wonder if the person rummaging was looking for the mirror. Really baffling occurrence, can't quite figure it out. 😕

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