Reflection 6: The Marker

MUSIC CUE

INTERIOR HOSPITAL ROOM AMBIENCE

WOMAN

When a casino fronts you money to bet at their tables, that’s called a marker. They are betting you’ll lose it all and be obligated to pay them back with interest. That obligation is what Websters defines as debt. The bible implies a debt is equal to a sin. The Urban dictionary pretty much nails it: Debt is “Selling your soul and basically flushing your dreams, hopes and life down the toilet.” The mirror myth, the endless reflections, they are hypnotic click bait. They tease you towards your first touch of the 13th reflection, and that’s when you take a marker, a free trial, a taste of euphoria, but at the ultimate price.

MUSIC THEME

ANNOUNCER

This is 13 Reflections. 

Reflection 6: The Marker

NARRATOR

Ashley enters Piece Unique Clothing Boutique and heads to the counter near the dressing rooms. She runs her hand over the designer jeans until she locates a store tag. She compares it to the tag from Lucy's mirror. They are the same.

HEATHER

Can I help you?

ASHLEY

Yes. A girl was in the other night and tried on these jeans.

PAPER RUSTLES

FOOT STEPS

ASHLEY

She’s about twenty one. Sharp dresser. Lucy Carter?

HEATHER

Is she okay? She seemed very upset.

ASHLEY

In what way?

HEATHER

She said there was a man in her dressing room, but we were the only people in the shop. Then she ran away screaming that something was wrong with the mirror. But what can go wrong with a mirror? It either works or it doesn't.

ASHLEY

Which mirror?

INTERNAL WOOD DOOR OPENS

HEATHER

It’s this dressing room and as you can see everything is fine. And she never paid for those jeans.

ASHLEY

Here. All I have are twenties.

PAPER MONEY RUSTLES FROM A WALLET

HEATHER

Are you sure?

ASHLEY

Lucy is...was my babysitter so it’s fine. Mind if I stay here for a bit?

HEATHER

No problemo. I’ll go ring you up.

FOOT STEPS MOVE AWAY

DOOR CLOSES

NARRATOR

Ashley reaches for the dressing room mirror. Her hand hovers over the surface for a moment then it’s sucked to its shiny surface like a magnet. Silver tendrils dig into her skin.

The reflection in the mirror swirls revealing its recent past.

Ashley watches as Lucy enters the dressing room with an arm full of clothes.

Lucy places her cosmetic compact directly in front of the full length mirror. She positions it carefully creating endless reflections. Lucy touches the thirteenth reflection on the dressing room mirror.

A wave sweeps across the large mirror. Lucy starts pushing new shoes, belts, and t-shirts through the Jell-O like surface.

The reflection swirls to show Lucy's hand poke out of the full length mirror in her bedroom. The shoes and belts drop to the floor.

ASHLEY

She's shoplifting. Always wondered how she could afford all those new clothes on a baby sitter’s salary.

NARRATOR

The reflection swirls to a new memory of Lucy facing the mirror. A man’s silhouette looms just over her shoulder. Lucy's reflection begins to blur and fade. Lucy screams and runs out.

The reflection swirls then clears to Ashley’s reflection.

The tendrils dissolve and Ashley’s hand pops off the surface.

ASHLEY

Lucy was right. Someone was behind her, but who... and how?

NARRATOR

Ashley exits the dressing room rubbing her hand and wincing in pain.

DOOR OPENS

HEATHER

Wait. Don’t you want your change?

BELLS JINGLE FOOTSTEPS FADE AWAY DOOR CLOSES

HEATHER

FOOTSTEPS DOOR OPENS

What’s gotten into people lately?

NARRATOR

Heather pokes her head into the empty dressing room. The mirror is broken into a spider web of cracks as if someone had punched it.

CUT TO

MUSIC CUE DARK MAGIC HOSPITAL AMBIENCE OCCASIONAL CRAZY SCREAM FOOTSTEPS ON LINOLEUM

NARRATOR

Agent Lee walks into a small dorm room. Billy is sitting at a table. His eyes droop from sedation but he is alert enough to recognize Agent Lee.

BILLY

What do you want?

AGENT LEE

Just to talk. Nothing more.

BILLY

I got nothin to say.

AGENT LEE

I can make things more comfortable for you here if you help me.

BILLY

Got nothin to say.

AGENT LEE

Or I can make things very uncomfortable.

BILLY

Can’t get much worse than it is.

AGENT LEE

I could have the orderlies install one of those big mirrors on the wall. Wouldn’t that be nice?

BILLY

No. Don’t do that.

AGENT LEE

Then just tell me how this started.

BILLY

It was Mina. She figured it out. We went to a club downtown but she was too young and they wouldn’t let her in. She had me go in on my own.

AGENT LEE

And where was she?

BILLY

She went home.

AGENT LEE

So what happened in the club?

BILLY

She had told me what to do but I was skeptical.

I went into the bathroom and with a hand mirror. I did what she said.

AGENT LEE

Which was what?

BILLY

Touch the 13th reflection.

AGENT LEE

And what happened after that?

BILLY

Mina popped out from the bathroom mirror. Like it was some sort of door. I couldn’t believe it.

AGENT LEE

So, she was able to get into the club?

BILLY

Yeah and no cover charge either. The next night we both did it.

AGENT LEE

And that’s all? That’s all you used it for?

BILLY

Well, no. She and her roomie steefed some clothes and shit. Dressing rooms are perfect for this.

AGENT LEE

Then where is she? Mina? What happened to her?

BILLY

We got all fly and mirrored into a club. We partied for awhile then mirrored home only something weird started to happen.

AGENT LEE

Weird? How?

BILLY

Her reflection. It started to fade out.

AGENT LEE

So, what did you do?

BILLY

We used the mirrors as always but this time...

BILLY’S VOICE SHAKES

HEAVY BREATHING

BILLY (CONT'D)

We hold each other’s hand when we leap. I made it through but something got a hold of Mina.

Something grabbed her. Only half of her got out. I tried to pull her out but whatever it was in there, it’s strong, really strong. In the tussle I knocked over our second mirror. Mina was still holding my hand. I figured she got through but when I looked down. I was only holding her arm.

AGENT LEE

So something pulled her into the mirror?

BILLY

I know right? It sounds crazy but look around. You are surrounded by crazy.

AGENT LEE

Indeed I am.

BILLY

Look I talked. I told you the truth man. You gotta get me outta here.

AGENT LEE

I don’t think it’s possible.

BILLY

Can’t you just order them to let me go?

MUSIC CUE

AGENT LEE

I don’t have that sort of power.

BILLY

It’s going to come for me next. I just know it.

AGENT LEE

Let me see what I can do.

CUT TO:

CONSTRUCTION AMBIENCE

HAMMERS DRILLS SAWS

MEN SAYING REALLY STUPID THINGS

RAY

Call Ashley bear.

PHONE “CALLING ASHLEY HARKER”

RAY (CONT'D)

Hey Ash, did you order something from a Hi Loy Antiques?

ASHLEY

Oh. Yeah. It’s for Einhorn’s office.

RAY

His office? Oh Okay.

ASHLEY

Don’t let anyone near it Ray.

RAY

Okay. I’ll move it up there myself. But I’m looking at the invoice Ash and I gotta wonder if it’s worth ten thousand big ones.

ASHLEY

I can’t explain it right now. But I think it’s the key to finding Polly.

RAY

This cabinet?

ASHLEY

The two mirrors. That myth from Lucy’s book is carved inside the doors.

RAY

No way. This is old shit.

ASHLEY

No one is to open it Ray. No one. Promise me.

RAY

Yeah, yeah, okay.

NARRATOR

Ray ends the call. He turns around revealing the red Chinese cabinet with its doors wide open and the dragon mirror inside.

RAY

Man. That’s one cool dragon mirror.

RAY (CONT'D)

(Polly? You in there? wanna make a deal?)

CUT TO

MUSIC CUE ASHLEY'S HOUSE FOOT STEPS UP STAIRS

NARRATOR

Ashley stands in front of the large bathroom mirror with fear on her brow. She forces her hand towards the mirror.

Like a magnet her hand is sucked to the mirror’s surface. Silver tendrils dig into the skin of her fingers.

The reflections in the large mirror SWIRL revealing its recent past.

Lucy opens the mirrored medicine cabinet door. She walks her fingers across the large bathroom mirror. A waves washes across the surface of the mirror. Lucy crawls inside.

ASHLEY

That’s how she got home.

NARRATOR

The reflections swirl again. Now Polly faces the bathroom mirror. She walks her fingers across the mirror surface silently counting. A wave washes across the mirror.

EERIE WHOOSH POLLY GIGGLES

JELLO SQUISHES FIN SPLASHES

NARRATOR (CONT'D)

But what Polly sees as a fin swimming under the surface, Ashley can now see it is the claw on the hand of a large demon moving closer to Polly.

Monster footsteps Heavy breathing Monster purr

POLLY

Hey. Hello?

NARRATOR

Polly plunges her arm into the mirror and wiggles it. The demon toys with Polly and moves away.

MONSTER CHUCKLE MONSTER FOOTSTEP

BOY RUNNING FOOTSTEPS

NARRATOR (CONT'D)

A young Asian boy rushes in and grabs Polly’s wrist. He tugs and yanks her inside the mirror world. The monster lumbers back towards them. The boy pulls Polly away.

MONSTER ROAR

ASHLEY

Go Polly. Run.

NARRATOR

The reflections swirl and Ashley is facing her own reflection. The silver tendrils vanish and Ashley’s hand is released.

Ashley wilts against the sink.

ASHLEY

Who was that boy? I’ve got to get her out.

NARRATOR

Ashley opens the mirrored medicine cabinet door creating endless reflections. She walks her fingers across the bathroom mirror’s surface.

ASHLEY

...Eleven, twelve, thirteen.

NARRATOR

Her finger touches the thirteenth reflection.

A wave washes across the mirror. Ashley pokes a finger at the surface. It jiggles like silver jell-O.

A black dot emerges just below her finger.

Ashley backs away.

The dot wiggles and grows. The mirrored surface gives way to reveal the head of a black rat. The rat pushes it’s body out of the mirror and plops onto the sink.

ASHLEY

Oh my god.

NARRATOR

Ashley reaches for the medicine cabinet door to close it but freezes when she hears...

POLLY

Mom?

POLLY’S VOICE IS FAINT AND DISTANT

ASHLEY

Polly?

ASHLEY RUSHES BACK TO THE BATHROOM MIRROR. THE RAT LEAPS OFF THE SINK AND SCURRIES AWAY.

POLLY

Mom. I want to come home.

POLLY’S VOICE IS FAR AWAY

ASHLEY

Polly. Come to my voice.

POLLY

Mom. Where are you?

ASHLEY

Polly! Come to me.

POLLY

Mom?

POLLY’S VOICE GROWS LOUDER

ASHLEY

Keep moving honey. Come closer.

POLLY

There’s something coming.

ASHLEY

Oh no you don’t.

NARRATOR

Ashley plunges her upper body into the mirror. She wrestles with something heavy. Ashley braces her knees against the sink and pulls. Ashley falls backward onto the tiled floor. In her arms is Polly.

A DEEP GROWL ERUPTS FROM THE MIRROR

ASHLEY

You can’t have her.

ASHLEY GRUNTS CRAWLING MONSTER ROAR POLLY SCREAMS ASHLEY GRUNTS FOOTSTEPS

MEDICINE CABINET SLAMS SHUT EERIE WHOOSH

MONSTER ROAR CUT SHORT ASHLEY PANTS

POLLY WHIMPERS

SILENCE MAIN THEME

ANNOUNCER

13 Reflections.