Fungus of the Heart, page 14
“I’d love to,” I say.
The old man grins, unwraps the gift, and hands me a semi-antique hand-carved walnut wall mirror.
After the honeymoon, I spend an entire morning sitting under my soul tree with a sun rose in my hands, gathering my courage.
Finally, I ask Moore for his knife.
“Are you sure about this?” Moore says.
I want to say, “I don’t mind making a fool of myself for love,” but Moore doesn’t really get my humor yet. So I keep the bad joke to myself.
“I’m sure,” I say.
And right as the blade touches my face, my soulmate says, “The image in a mirror is reverse.”
“Right.”
So I cut myself under my right eye instead.
After the blood dries, Moore paints my wound with yellow clay.
“Why don’t you just tell him the truth?” Moore says. “Tell him his true love is waiting for him on the other side.”
I shake my head. “If I said that, he’d break the mirror.”
“Why?”
“He’d want to punish me for my cruelty. Love is the one thing he wants most in the world, and love is the one thing he knows he’ll never have.”
“But that’s not true.”
“It doesn’t matter. He’d never believe the truth, so I’ll have to tempt him with lies.”
“I don’t understand him, Fergus.”
“Me neither.”
*
I wake up with a grin, because today’s the day. The day the other Fergus will cross the threshold.
At least that’s what I’m thinking until Moore hands me a wind rose. A rose of parting.
“In case we never see each other again,” he says.
“What do you mean?” I say. “We know he’ll come here, because I came here. Right?”
“He might come here. Or he might destroy the mirror and kill the man you’ve become. Today he’ll make the choice, and I’m afraid the choice is his alone.”
“That’s not fair.”
“I know.”
“I don’t want to die. I don’t want to lose you.”
He kisses my tears. “My sweet giant.”
“I can’t do this. Will you talk to him for me?”
“I would if I could, but in the reflection of the mirror, I can only see the man I used to be.”
“What happens if I lose you?”
“Then you’ll grow old and you’ll find me in the next life.”
“I can’t live without you.”
“You can. You’re stronger than you think you are, Fergus. Stronger than your father.”
And maybe he’s right.
So I face the mirror one last time, and hope for a hero.
About the Author
Jeremy C. Shipp is the Bram Stoker nominated author of Cursed, Vacation, and Sheep and Wolves. His shorter tales have appeared or are forthcoming in over 50 publications, the likes of Cemetery Dance, Apex Magazine, ChiZine, The Magazine of Bizarro Fiction and Withersin. Jeremy enjoys living in Southern California in a moderately haunted Victorian farmhouse called Rose Cottage. He lives there with his wife, Lisa, a couple of pygmy tigers, and a legion of yard gnomes. The yard gnomes like him. The clowns in his attic—not so much. His online home is jeremycshipp.com.
Also by Jeremy C. Shipp and Available on Kindle
Cursed by Jeremy C. Shipp
Your life is no longer recognizable, corrupted by unknown forces. The harder you struggle, the more you suffer. That’s because: a) someone or b) something is after you with a vengeance. That means you and everyone you know will: 1. suffer 2. die 3. amuse your tormentor. That is, unless you figure out how to manipulate the person behind this and turn their power against them.
“…a tightly written story of suspense and occult horror…”—Publishers Weekly
“Any reader of the bizarro culture will find this collection a necessity, any reader of fiction will find Sheep and Wolves rewarding.”—Midwest Book Review
Vacation by Jeremy C. Shipp
It’s time for blueblood Bernard Johnson to leave his boring life behind and go on The Vacation, a year-long corporate sponsored odyssey. But instead of seeing the world, Bernard is captured by terrorists, becomes a key figure in secret drug wars, and, worse, doesn’t once miss his secure American Dream.
“This is an intriguing, challenging, literate, provocative novel… — Piers Anthony
Sheep & Wolves by Jeremy C. Shipp
Jeremy Shipp is the master of the mind-bending tale. Much like his critically acclaimed novel, Vacation, these stories bewitch and transport the reader. Though you may not know where Shipp will travel next each story is an unforgettable thrill-ride and you’ll be glad you took the trip.
Jeremy C. Shipp, Fungus of the Heart
