Chapter 3
Mirror Man sat in front of his vanity. He removed his hood and began to brush his hair. “One, two, three, four, five,” he hummed the rest.
After he placed the brush back into it’s respectful drawer, he leaned towards his reflection.
“What makes a man? Could it be his weapon of choice? Is it his nemesis who shapes him?
Chapter 7
Perched high above the city, Mirror Man looked upon the citizens as they walked the streets, possessed by their fulfilling lives. “I wonder what kind of role models they had growing up?”
Chapter 13
The Black Hole and Mirror Man grappled, hands locked together. Back and forth they went, no end in sight. BH noticed Mirror’s footing was starting to give, he acted quickly. Loosening his left hand, he dropped his shoulder and lodged it into Mirror’s chest. He bellowed.
On the ground, Mirror contorted, twisted. He grasped awkwardly at his back, wincing from the sharpness he felt.
Without hesitation, BH leaped on Mirror and pinned him on his back. “Admit to me your darkest secret, for I now know your weakness.” The Black Hole brought forth the Event Horizon Eye, and forced it directly within Mirror Man’s view. “Gaze! GAZE INTO IT!”
Mirror Man could not fight the effects. Repressed memories of that faithful day at the barbershop came flooding back. “No, no. Don’t let me get the mumbles. I cannot take it.”
“Tell me your darkest secret,” BH demanded. “I want to know what keeps you up at night. What is it that you are holding you back?”
The pull from the Eye was too much for him. Mirror spilled the beans. “Well, uh you see, I still live with my father. Have for many years now. I should feel proud of myself for helping him out. But it’s more of a curse than a duty. I don’t owe it to him. That’s all there is to my anguish.”
“Really? You still live with your parents? And you’re how old?” BH rose from the pinned Mirror Man and began dusting himself off. “Fuck. I don’t even want to fight you anymore. I actually feel bad now. And I’m supposed to be the villain! Rob a fucking bank and move out there, mister good guy.”
The Black Hole extended a hand to Mirror and pulled him up. “Jeez, do you even have a girlfriend? Shit’s got to be like kryptonite for your sex life. And even if you keep that little tidbit from them on the first date, it’s still unavoidable. Once they find out the house isn’t yours, they hightail it.”
The Black Hole grimaced. “Man, I was in such a good mood before I got here. How the hell do you cope when you feel like this?”
Mirror Man shrugged his shoulders. “Not much I can do since I gave up all of the bad vices. I drive around a lot now. Sometimes I read. The occasional drink works. Too broke to go on holiday though.”
“I know that we swore an oath against them,” stated BH, “but I’m gonna buy you a pistol for Christmas. Then you will at least have the option of ending this misery.”
Mirror Man smiled. “Thanks, I’d like that.”
Chapter 20
After climbing out of the debris, Mirror Man reflected the sun’s rays towards the hissing propane tank.
Mirror shouted to the growing fleet of patrol cars. “It doesn’t have to be this way.” His voice began to crack. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”
The concussion from the blast knocked everyone back. Mirror frantically ran as everyone scrambled to their feet.
A cadet turned around, green from all the excitement. He faced the Chief. “He’s right sir, why are we pursuing him?”
He looked down at the kid. “That’s how it has to be, son. You either die as a ray of hope, or you live long enough to get burned.”
