"I know you're there." Only my own image stared back at me. The full length mirror had been in my family for 150 years. The frame was heavy copper, and at one time or another, the mirror had lived in every room in the manor.

"Cass," my friend, Lexi, leaned against the door frame watching me with concern. She'd flown out from New York for a few days and tonight was her last before going back. "I think the stress of coming out here is getting to you."

"No. No, I'm telling you something's in this thing. I've seen it."

"You must have been dreaming," Lexi said.

"I've seen it my dreams," I admitted, "but I've seen it when I'm awake too. Just the other night at the open house it was watching."

Lexi ran her hands through her red hair. She tried to pull me away from the mirror.

"No." I shook her off me. "I'm staying right here." I plopped down on the floor, tied my hair in a high ponytail, and crossed my arms while scowling at the mirror. "I know what I've seen. I'm not making it up and I'm not crazy."

"No one is saying you're crazy," Lexi said gently. "You've been through a lot the last few months: losing your job, not finding another, being left this crumbling ruin, fixing it up and having no offers. Plus feeling conflicted about wanting to sell the home that's been in your family longer than Montana's been a state. The stress would be too much for anyone."

"It's hardly crumbling."

"Are you really going to sit there all night?" In answer I didn't move. Lexi sighed loudly and left the room. She returned a few minutes later with some blankets and pillows. "Well if you're going to insist on this; I'll sit with you."

🍁

Lexi'd been asleep for two hours–I was dangerously close to following. Thunder roared over the house startling me to semi-alertness. Yawning widely I rubbed my eyes; and stretched while smiling at the face looking back at me in the mirror. 'What pretty scales, and those orange eyes–'

"I knew you were real!" Whatever it was wasn't human. It was human shaped but that was where the resemblance ended. Dragon was a much better term to describe it. Scales extended over every part of the being not covered by some sort of black jumpsuit. Crisp yellow lines crisscrossed up and down those lilac scales which seemed to contain flowing energy. Every couple seconds the lines pulsed turning momentarily brighter.

"It's been awhile since anyone's been able to see me," the thing said in a gravelly voice.

"What are you; a demon?"

"Hardly. I crashed here. An ancestor of yours found me and tried to save me but couldn't. I died in front of this mirror."

"What do you want?"

"To leave this mirror behind for good is the only wish I have."

"Then why don't you?"

"There's a long complicated explanation I could give you...we have company." It turned its head to the side. Lexi was awake and staring wide eyed and frozen at the mirror.

"There's a monster in your mirror," she whispered.

"This is interesting; two people able to perceive me." A grin appeared on its face showing off pointed teeth. "Usually only those able to share my soul can."

"What!" It turned back to me at my exclamation.

"You asked why I don't leave. I can't. There is a lake on my world we take those about to die. Roughly translated to your language it's called The Pool of Reflections. Our souls enter on death. We remain there with those who went before, or a member of our family can choose to let us reside inside their soul. When I crashed your ancestor, Jake Manes, cut his hand on my scales. That allowed me to form a transcendental link which carries to his descendants. It wasn't the strongest link so not all his descendants inherited the connection. Put your hand to the mirror."

"No."

"I can't enter by force you must be willing. If you inherited a link strong enough to host me, a gold line will appear on your hand."

Hesitatingly I did what it asked. I watched in astonishment as that bright gold line appeared.

"You're the first in twenty years."

"What do you mean?"

"There have been three others. All rejected the connection. Gradually the memory of having met me will fade and you can go on with your life." There was a tone of bitterness in its voice. "Had Jake not put me in front of this mirror, I would have gone on to another realm instead of waiting here. My soul was drawn to it because of the reflection. Even though I formed the connection with Jake he wasn't able to host me, though he was willing if things had been different."

My great-great-great-grandfather had been a doctor. It made sense to me that he'd want to help anything in suffering.

"Jake was a good man," the alien continued. "Because he was willing to host me his memories never faded. He was my only friend. To add to my hell I had to watch him die in that bed." The alien gestured with one claw-like hand to the old bed. Much like the mirror it too originated from Jake's time. Its frame was made from pine and the headboard was wood from a huckleberry bush. The frame portrayed a calm night with a shooting star. Although now I wondered if that star was really a star and not a crashing alien ship.

"If I say yes, how will it work? Will I fade away? Would you take me over?" In the reflection I saw Lexi's eyes nearly bulge out of her skull at my question.

"No. I would be a passenger inside you. I could speak to you inside your mind. You would feel me there always. I see everything, hear everything, and feel everything as you experience it. The Bridging of Souls cannot be undone once it's done. You can't put me back or transfer me to someone else."

Lexi must have seen the direction of my thoughts on my face.

"Cass, don't do it! You've seen the musical Oklahoma! You know you can't trust people you've just met with huge parts of your life!"

"That's rude, Lexi! It can hear you."

"Yes, but your friend speaks from a place of love. You can trust me; you have my word. What do you say Cass? Are you willing to take a chance on me?"

Take a chance? I wasn't known for taking chances. After high school I'd been offered a job as an assistant to a fashion designer–which I turned down. My family talked me out of it saying college would be a better investment for my future. I'd listened to them and gotten a business degree. Ten years later I was unemployed; while that designer enjoyed back-to-back successes and still on his way up.

I'd given up my dream for what others said was more sensible. I'd lain up at night wondering how different my life would've been. The heaviness of my regret was like a suffocating blanket I struggled to escape; and in my worst moments I doubted I would.

I looked into the eyes of the alien and saw fringes of hope surrounded by an ocean of sorrow. There's a saying I once heard, 'When we're at our lowest points we are open to the greatest change'. Sharing a soul? Humans have the concept of soulmates and some people believed that in marriage two souls truly become one. I'd always thought of that as a turn of phrase. Never have I ever dreamed that one day I'd be asked to do it literally.

"I'll do it." The alien jumped slightly in surprise. The line on my hand began to pulse just like the lines on its scales. Lexi made a strangled squeal in protest.

"Are you sure? Keep in mind this is not reversible."

"Yes. Can you tell me your name first? Do you have a name?"

"Humans have trouble saying it so you can call me Grex." Grex raised his hand to mine. Before we made contact; Grex met my eyes and seemed to ask for a final time if this was really what I wanted. I nodded. "It will be over quickly." His hand met mine.

Thunder rattled the house and I felt it vibrate the floor under me. A warm feeling that tingled ran all throughout my body. I took a shaky breath as goosebumps erupted on my skin. In a moment the feeling passed and I was left with the sensation of another presence inside my body.

A feeling of elation filled me but it felt different. It wasn't something I was feeling myself; it was Grex spilling over into me.

I'm sorry.' He apologized. 'I haven't felt anything in so long. In moments of strong emotion you may feel what I do. I should have said earlier.'

'No, it's fine.' I told him.

"Cass," Lexi timidly placed a hand on my shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"Yes." I looked at her and she took a hasty step back. "Your eyes!"

My head snapped back to the mirror. My eyes had gone from a light blue to amber.

'I didn't know this would happen,' Grex said. I felt a measure of guilt from him roll into me.

'I can't be helped,' I assured him. 'Is there anything you want to do?'

'Can we stand in the rain?"

'Yes.'