text: Trey opened his eyes slowly, seeing his nightstand next to his bed like he did every morning. It would be the last time Trey woke up in his bed. It would be the last time Trey woke up at all. He checked his phone to find no new notifications except for a calendar reminder. August 17th. He got out of bed and walked down the stairs of his parents’ small house. Sitting at the kitchen table lost in a thousand-yard stare was his mama, a large woman of color who spent her entire life trying to keep her family happy and healthy. Trey sat down across from her, noticing her coffee cup was full, but no steam was rising. She finally noticed him after a few minutes, tears welling up in her eyes. “Everything’s gonna be okay, ya hear?” His mama was trying to be strong for him, and he knew it. “Yes, mama. But...do you think...do you think he actually did it?” Trey needed to know the truth. Months of court cases, trials, and hearings left him mentally exhausted. But no matter what he heard, he refused to believe his father had killed a police officer. “I don’t know, baby. Your father is a good man, he just got caught up in a bad situation.” Trey noticed his mother had a picture frame in her hand. He couldn’t see what picture she was holding, but he guessed it was the one from the beach. That was her favorite. A perfect day with clear blue skies and the sounds of laughter filling the air. They had gone on vacation to Hawaii a few years ago, and it meant the world to Tamara. Trey’s family was not wealthy, but James had saved enough money for them to go on that trip, and Tamara wouldn’t trade those memories for all the money in the world. James had tried to teach Trey how to surf, but Trey was never a patient child, unlike his father, who had all the patience in the world. Tamara had gone swimming with dolphins, the boys were too nervous, and Tamara never let them forget. “Is today still...the day?” Trey asked, knowing her answer affected the lives of both men in the family. His mother couldn’t bring herself to say anything, so she just nodded her head ever so slightly. It was decided, then. On the day his father would be put to death for the murder of a police officer, Trey would take his own life. He spent the day making preparations. He washed the dishes, washed his laundry, swept the floors, vacuumed the carpets, cut the grass, and he even packed up his stuff in boxes so his Mama wouldn’t have to go through his stuff. As the sun set, Trey watched through his window, hoping his father got to see one last scene of beauty. He thought about what people would say about him. They’d ask why he did it, but he had a better question. Why not? High school was over and Trey had no idea what he wanted to do with his life. He didn’t have many friends, was too shy to play sports, wasn’t the smartest, and had no idea how to live his life without his dad’s guidance. As far as he was concerned, there was nothing special about him and there never would be. Midnight approached, and Trey slipped into the bathroom with a bottle of his mother's sleeping pills. He stared at himself in the mirror, trying to find the courage to end his suffering. He knew his father was set to be killed at 9PM in a California prison, but he lived on the east coast. Trey thought it would be kind of poetic to do it at the same time as his hero was going to be killed. His Father was his best friend, the last good piece of his life, the last reason to stay alive. Trey took one last look at himself. He traced his right hand up his left arm, his chocolate skin was soft until he reached his shoulder and felt a scar. A memory rushed into his mind; the day he fell out of a tree and broke his arm. He smiled to himself, he was always falling off of something. He looked into his brown eyes, up to his short brown hair, and back down to the beard he was trying to grow. His only regret might be not getting to experiment with facial hair. Trey took a deep breath. “I’ll see you on the other side, dad.” Trey popped off the white top off the orange container, but before he could pour the pills into his hand, an arm reached through the mirror before him, and pulled him in. Trey was standing in a room of mirrors. His brain filled with scenes from scary movies that take place in settings like these. The fear was overwhelming as he covered his eyes with his hands, fell to his knees, and cried out “DAD!” A moment passed and something was touching Trey’s shoulder. For another moment, Trey was too afraid to look at what was touching him, but he peaked through his fingers to see a familiar face. “Dad? What are you doing here? How is this real? How is this happening?” Standing above Trey with his hand on his son, was Trey’s dad. He was wearing his Hawaiian shirt, and had a lei around his neck. His clean-shaven head and black goatee always made Trey think his father was a better-looking Terry Crews. “It appears I have taken the form of your father, though I am not him. You must understand, I am the master of mirrors, whatever they see, I too see. You were prepared to take your life in my presence, and I stopped you.” “What? Is this a dream? I gotta be dreaming. Maybe I am! I took sleeping pills! I probably didn’t take enough!” Trey’s mind was eased by the thought. This was all a dream and absolutely 100% NOT REAL. “Perhaps you can explain your reasoning as to why you wish to end your existence.” said Mirror dad. “If you’re going to look like my dad can you at least talk like him?” “As I said before, I am not your father, nor did you attempt to end your life. Moments ago, I reached through your bathroom mirror and brought you to my home before you could swallow the pills.” Trey looked around the room. He thought he saw movement in some of the mirrors. He looked below him, and lowered his body until his face was staring directly at the floor. He could see a woman taking off her make up. Next to that one he saw a man talking to himself in a public bathroom, and in another one he saw a group of ballet dancers practicing their plier. He looked at every one that he could, seeing different people doing different things from all over the world. “Okay, so let’s say this isn’t a dream...why did you stop me?” “Why do you wish to end your existence?” “I don’t know...I” embarrassment washed over Trey. “Do you deserve to die?” “I guess not but I...” “Is the world better without you?” “Probably, the only person that will care that I’m gone is mama.” “800,000 souls leave the earth every year. Each one hoping to find peace in their death. But the dead do not understand that even though their burdens have lifted, those who loved them now carry the weight.” “Look mirror dad, I didn’t ask you to stop me. You’re preaching to the wrong choir, okay? People die every day, what is one more worthless life?” “Is it your understanding that most human beings enjoy happiness eternally?” “No, of course not. Everybody gets sad sometimes.” “But ‘everybody’ does not take their life when it happens.” “Yeah, but a lot do. You said 800,000 people kill themselves every year, right? Just add me to the list.” Silence filled the air. Trey began to feel uncomfortable as his father’s look alike stood unmoving. After a while, he finally spoke. “Are you aware what the purpose of mirrors are?” “Is this a trick question or...” “Are you aware what the purpose of mirrors are?” Mirror dad was sterner this time. “To see yourself, I guess?” “That is correct. A mirror is not only a reflection of what we see, but a reflection of who we are. You can lie to others, but you cannot lie to yourself. Well, successfully anyway. There will always be a truth we share with ourselves, even if the world knows something different. Every person who has ever existed has two faces. One that is worn, and one that is true. The worn face is perceived by others as your true face, people believe that they know who you are because they have seen you, or heard you speak. Hundreds of people think about who you are, based on their perceptions of you. Perhaps you are considered quiet to friends, but your Mother sees you as rambunctious. Perhaps your neighbor thinks you kind, yet your scorned lover thinks you cold. There are hundreds of versions of you in the minds of people you meet. The facades humans wear to be perceived as something acceptable by society, groups, or family members. The lies that are spun to make others believe you are more than what you are. But how many people know your true face?” Trey felt confused. Was everyone in the world just as scared as he was? His heart was beating fast, and he felt himself begin to sweat. He followed a bead that fell from his forehead and landed on the ground. He looked in the mirror below him and saw the man who was talking to himself in the public bathroom. “You always know when you see one. Being honest with one's self is not an easy task to accomplish, but when you succeed, you begin to see who you truly are.” Mirror dad was standing over Trey, looking at the man below. “Your true face.” Trey whispered. “So, you can see everybody’s true face?” “Incorrect. I can see what humans truly are. Their reflections, hidden to even them.” “I wish I could do that.” Trey looked up to the being who had the appearance of his father. The being smiled, and brought his hand up to eye level, and snapped his fingers. Trey opened his eyes slowly, seeing the nightstand next to his bed. But something was different. On his nightstand was a pair of reading glasses with a sticky note under them and the writing, “Try me.” Trey jumped out of bed in a panic. “That wasn’t real. That could not have been real.” He jumped over his bed to the other side where his phone was on the floor plugged in to the wall. He unlocked it and looked at the date on the screen. August 17th. Trey dropped the phone unintentionally. After taking five deep breaths, he walked to his nightstand and looked at the glasses without touching them. He moved one finger closer and closer to the glasses, afraid of what would happen when he touched them. When his finger finally touched the frame.... nothing happened. Trey exhaled. He picked up the glasses and inspected them. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so he put them up to his eyes. He could see a bit clearer, but other than that, they seemed like ordinary glasses. He put them in the pocket of his sweatpants and walked towards the bathroom. He crept to the door slowly, checking his corners, just in case. He opened the door handle like he was trying to sneak up on someone. It slowly creaked open, revealing an empty bathroom. He peeked into the mirror, wondering what he would see this time, but he only saw himself. Trey sighed with relief, and walked out of the room and down the stairs. He found his mother in the kitchen, sitting at the table with cold coffee and a picture frame in her lap. He didn’t want to go through this again, so he turned around to go back upstairs, when he caught a reflection in the stainless steel of his refrigerator. Once again, he saw his father in a Hawaiian shirt and a lei instead of himself. Trey jerked his neck to look behind him to find nobody there. He looked back in the mirror and saw his father wave at him. He then made a motion like he was putting on glasses. Trey felt his pocket and remembered the glasses. He was sure everything that had happened to him was all a dream; from the house of mirrors to the strange version of his dad. But he had to be sure. He took the glasses out of his sweatpants pocket, and raised them up to eye level. He looked through them while he faced the kitchen. He could not believe what he was seeing. In the same spot where his mother had been was now a giant brown bear. A brown bear that was...crying? Trey took the glasses off and put them back on multiple times, and no matter how many times he did it, he couldn’t believe it. He sprinted up the stairs, hearing his mother call his name from below. He ran into the bathroom and locked the door. “A bear? What the hell does that mean, man?” Trey spoke to the mirror. At first, he only saw himself, but he quickly faded away and the image of his father appeared once more. “Your mother spent her life protecting the people she cared about. She is strong and brave, and will do anything she can to keep you safe.” “Mama Bear.” Trey whispered. “My dad used to call her that.” An idea hit Trey. He put the glasses in his pocket and he ran out of the bathroom, down the stairs, past his mother, and out the door. His bare feet began to hurt as he sprinted down the sidewalk of the small neighborhood. He used the grass instead and within a few minutes found himself on the outskirts of a small town. He placed the glasses on the bridge of his nose and found they sat perfectly on his face. He was in awe as he witnessed animals and monsters alike in the hustle and bustle of the work day. Dogs, cats, mice, bears, vampires, zombies, werewolves, and more walked in and out of shops, drove cars, walked their pets, and shared meals. He began to walk around, passing stores along the way. In the glass of the stores he could see his father walking alongside him. “It’s amazing, isn’t it? To see people for what they really are. To see them for their soul, and nothing else.” “Yeah, but why do some people look like evil monsters?” Trey continued to move the glasses off and back on, seeing human beings become anything other than human. “Some humans drain the life out of those around them. Some walk-through life mindlessly, with no purpose or passion. They just exist, stumbling past it all. Some change in an instant, becoming completely different thanks to alcohol or drugs, or sometimes, a problem of the mind. The dogs are loyal, working for their treats. Cats have everything done for them, barely having to lift a finger for themselves. The biggest problem of all is the lie that lingers in the lives of the lost. You tell yourself that you are happy. That you are living the dream. But how many true faces do you see?” Trey walked around with the glasses on for hours. Among all the creatures, he did not see one that looked human. He walked and walked, until he arrived at the park his father would take him to when he was younger. He sat on a swing next to a cat being pushed by a dog. “Trey?” a young man's voice carried from a hundred feet away. Trey looked around at all the creatures around him, and couldn’t decipher which one had uttered his name. He took the glasses off and looked around once more. He saw Riz, a Bengali boy he had classes with last year in school. Riz was tall and had glasses, and never wore a pair of shorts in his life. It could be over a hundred degrees and he would still wear jeans. “Yo, Trey! What’s up man, it’s been a minute! How you been?” Trey did not want to deal with Riz. Riz was always talking about something nerdy, which Trey enjoyed, but not in public. “Hey man, I’m cool. What about you?” “Dude I’m great! About to go grab a coffee with some peeps, you want to come? We can catch up and...” “Sorry bro, I’m just dealing with stuff right now, but maybe next time.” Riz looked a bit hurt, but quickly replied. “For sure man! Maybe next time. Take it easy, okay?” Riz began to walk away, and out of curiosity, Trey put the glasses on. To his amazement, Riz looked the same. “WAIT!” Trey jumped off the swing and ran up to Riz. “Oh, cool you want to come?! Awesome!” “No. No, just wait, just listen. Your true face is just you?” “Uhm, I don’t think I...” “How do you see yourself for who you are? Everybody is something else and here you are, just you?” “Hey when did you get glasses? They look good!” “Stop joking around man! Tell me why you look like yourself!!” Trey was beginning to yell. “Chill out my man! Look I don’t know what you’re talking about, but come to the coffee shop and we can hang out!” “Yeah, okay man, I’ll meet you over there.” obviously uninterested, Trey turned around, looking for someone else who appeared the same with his glasses on and off. “Uhm, okay man. See you soon!” Riz walked off, unbothered. Trey walked around the park for another hour, and when he couldn’t find another true face, he sat in front of the fountain in the middle of the park. In the reflection of the water was his father in his Hawaiian shirt and Lei. “Ask.” said his mirror dad. “I don’t get it. How can that loser be the only person who looks normal?” “Rizwan is a young man of few worries or cares. He is unapologetically himself. He will not hide his passions and hobbies. He is willing to face ridicule for his beliefs and ideologies. He does not hide behind a mask, he wears his true face, always.” “But I thought you said everyone has two faces?” “Everyone does, but not everyone chooses to wear their true face. Rizwan has friends that will last a lifetime, he has family that love and support him for who he is. He has faced scrutiny his entire life, being called names for enjoying his books and games, for laughing when something is funny, for being kind when it is easier to be cruel. He has weathered the storm of insecurity, and now the sun shines on his smile. Not even your rejection of his offer was enough to deter his bright mood. There are people in this world who love who they are. Everyone is capable of reaching this level of self-enlightenment, but the battle may only be won by beginning it. Do not be fooled, Treyvon, it is *not* easy to become who you truly are. But it *is* worth the fight.” Trey thought about everything he had seen and heard today, and after some time he investigated the reflection of the fountain. “My dad always called me Treyvon; it was nice to hear it again.” A tear rolled down his cheek as he stood up. “Do you think my dad wore his true face?” “He was one of the few.” Trey smiled. He walked up to his house and wiped his feet on the welcome mat before walking inside. A brown bear roared and wrapped its arms around Trey. Trey took the glasses off with his one free hand and tossed them to the floor. He hugged his mom tighter than he ever had. Tears streamed down her face as her agony erupted from her voice. “I don’t know what I’m going to do without him, Trey. I don’t know how to be strong anymore. Those jurors found him guilty but I know in my heart he didn’t do it, baby.” She was weeping harder now. “I can’t lose you, too. Please baby, don’t you ever leave me.” Trey held her for a few minutes, and finally looked her in her eyes. “Everything is going to be okay. You are the strongest mama bear that I have ever known, and I promise that I’m going to keep you safe from now on. No matter what, I’ll never leave you, okay?” She sniffled and cleared her throat. “Mama bear. You sound like him. You look just like him, you know? So handsome, and so loving. You’re a good boy, baby. He would be so proud of you.” “Not yet, but he will be one day. I’m gonna be just like him. I’m gonna wear my true face.” Trey and his mother spent a few hours together in silence. She would begin to cry randomly throughout the day, and Trey made sure he was there for her. As midnight approached, Trey unlocked his phone, and sent a text. ‘Yo Riz, coffee tomorrow?’ He tossed the phone on his bed, and walked into the bathroom. He closed the door, and looked into the mirror. He saw only himself. He waited a few minutes to be sure his reflection wouldn’t change, and once he was satisfied, he stared deeply into the mirror and said, “Goodbye, Dad. I love you.” James sat in front of a small mirror in his cell. He took the glasses he was wearing off, and tossed them into the mirror. The mirror rippled as if he had thrown a stone into a pond. “Thank you for letting me spend one last day with my son.” James said holding back tears. “You always did right by me, it was the least I could do for you.” said James’ reflection. The mirror rippled once more, and James saw his son before him. “Goodbye, Dad. I love you.” James smiled as tears trickled down his face. A buzzing can be heard from the entrance of the cell. The jail door slides open. “James, it’s time.” said an officer standing in the hall. James took a deep breath, slowed his mind, and stood up. He let the guard hand cuff him and followed him down the hall. At the end of the hallway was a door with words above it. ‘Death Row.