As they met each other, they had both cubicles around them. Rectangular-shaped carcasses of mirrors, that moved along with their movements, fixed to their bodies. The cubicles had mirrors from two sides. He had a mirror to the front and to the left. She had a mirror to the front and to the right.
Hello – she said and wanted to reach her right hand out, but soon realized, that she’d need to use the left one.
Hi – he responded. Blank, silent moments followed. Her hand was still outstretched, and after a while, she took it back into her cubicle.
They went to a park nearby. What a nice squirrel! – She said.
He couldn’t see the squirrel. It was to his left and until he turned his head to the right to find its reflection in the mirror, the squirrel was already away.
They realized, that they wouldn’t be able to see the same thing. If so, one would stay with the reflection.
Also on each other, they had a limited view. Only when she stood to the right of him, could they see each other from their sides. But not from the front, and neither from both’s other sides.
The two were busy with their lives, though, and they wouldn’t align always their position, so they could see each other in non-reflection.
I know you – She once told him, as they were eating ice cream.
I don’t think you know me – he responded. You have seen me only from my right side.
I know you from another life.
Another life? I don’t believe in that.
Your reflections follow you everywhere you go. What do you think, why that is?
Who knows. I don’t marvel over things that don’t matter. I have more important stuff to do. You need to be practical. What would it change if I knew why the mirrors were placed?
He sounded convincing. Why does it matter, anyway? If you have to wear a cubicle around your body your whole life or not? What does it matter, if you had a mirror placed precisely either on the right or on the left, and precisely on the front, but not in the back? What did it matter if they’d known each other from other lives? She wouldn’t be able to share her ice cream with him anyway. Other than that, he was working all the time, and it seemed that the birds were getting tired.
She wanted to know why they knew each other from other lives. And why they met each other in this life, wearing mirrors around them. Wonder wouldn’t leave her mind. Every time she’d ask, his answer would remain the same. He still does not know, and neither did he want to know.
One day she grew tired of the groundless wondering. He didn’t seem to care, so why should she continue dreaming of sharing her ice cream with him?
She left the park.
On a bench around the block, a bird approached her.
A Crow.
Chirp, chirp, why are you sitting here all alone?
Because I am all alone.
Yeah, I see that. How come?
Because I have these mirrors around me, and other people I like have also mirrors around them. It’s futile. We can’t see each other.
So why don’t you take that mirror off?
What a silly question! Because it’s there. It’s fixed. How can I move it away?
Have you tried?
No. I’ve seen the world so far only through these reflections and through the left side. Previously it was worse. There were also mirrors on the left and in the back. They fell off at some point.
Ah, yes? How did that happen?
It just happened one day.
Haven’t you wondered why?
Not really.
What do you think, could have caused it?
I don’t know. I was very sad for a long time and decided then that I needed to stare into the mirror. So, I did that, and I’d cry a lot whilst seeing myself. Then at some point, they fell off.
So why don’t you try that again? Maybe the right one and the one in the front will also fall off.
I got told, that now I need to turn my attention to the world outside. The birds chirping and the sun rays falling on leaves.
Who told you that?
My grandmothers, the clouds.
Your grandmothers, the clouds?
You wouldn’t understand. Anyway, I need to go. Was nice chirping with you.
She grew tired of the curious bird, implying to know better.
Remember, I can’t see the mirrors you’re talking about. The bird called after her as she walked further to the gate.
What does she mean, she can’t see the mirrors? Silly bird.
She sat on a bench near a bus halt. Looking at the cubicle of the bus station. How can’t the bird see the mirrors? They are obvious. I can even see this glass cubicle.
The next time she met him she recognized, that sometimes she would see him also from the right, even though she knew that there had to be a mirror. Only in brief moments. Other, than that they’d remain as they were, and she’d see only her own reflection as usual. She wondered if he experienced similar, but he was too busy with his paperwork, calculating things, turning pages. The pages would sway down, and lay on the ground like a feather. She figured, it didn’t matter to him if he had a mirror or not, he seemed to be just alright, kept busy by his work. Just fine.
So she left.
For the road, to the north.
There an owl was awaiting her.
She saw the owl in a dream, as the owl saw her not having carcasses encasing her body anymore.
**