She prepared herself for bed. As usual, Sharon walked to her dresser drawer and pulled out a clean t-shirt to sleep in. The black one that says "I love my boyfriend", which she bought to represent two boyfriends ago, has faithfully been her most comfortable tee. The irony of it all. Baby powder, deodorant, and unscented lotion were placed on the edge of her bed for use after she gets out of the shower. Sharon likes for everything to be prepared. Finally, she grabbed her towel and headed to the bathroom which was down the hall across from her mother's room. She needed a nice hot shower especially after the disagreement she and her mother just had concerning Sharon moving into her own home. She has been trying to convince her to let her move out peacefully. The water was scorching hot and she enjoyed every minute of it. When it was time to get out, she could feel her heart beating fast. The feeling was almost too much for her to continue standing, but she stood. Sharon found herself afraid to push back the shower curtain out of fear that someone or something would be waiting for her on the other side. Like so many times before, she hesitated. Finally, her fear turned into curiosity. She pushed the curtain back quickly, stepped on to a towel that lay on the floor, but she couldn't move. She stood there, in front of the steam covered mirror, exposed and dripping wet. Many times, she has been in this position and each time she waits for him to reveal himself. "Reveal yourself", she says "I know you're here. You're always here. Show me." She spoke those words as if ready for a final battle but as she went to wipe the steam from the mirror, the pounding of her heart made her weak again. So, she grabbed her towel and rushed to her room. Slamming the door shut, she questioned her reasons for wanting to see him. Sharon always felt that she wasn't saved enough for God but that she wasn't strong enough to fight the devil either. So, as much as she wanted the demon (who seemed to cling to her) to reveal itself, she really didn't want it to. Another night went by with her laying in bed, staring into the darkness until her eyes burned. Strange noises in her room keep her awake at night. She tries listening to music to drown it out but eventually the music gives her a headache. Morning came and she dressed for work but decided to drive to the beach instead. Although her family owned the business and she could come and go as she pleased, Sharon Grover always tried to make it a point to be there just as her father did before he passed.
Everyone avoided her at Grover's Memorial. She had to admit it though, it was getting scary how she knew exactly how every new arrival that came to Grover's Memorial funeral home came to meet their death. She knew how they died without anyone saying a word about it. A very strange ability. She never really wanted to take over the family business though, but her older brother Donald left and pursued a career in Law some years back. That's why she felt as if it were her responsibility. Donald, and his wife Sasha, flew in from Texas for their mother's birthday this weekend but they opted to stay in a hotel by the Los Angeles Airport instead of at the family home. For some reason that bothered Sharon and their was an argument between them.
Walking through the sand, she went just far enough for the water to cover her feet. Thinking over the argument she had with Donald, made her feel bad and she was considering apologizing. It was just jealousy and frustration. Unfortunately, it didn't take long this time for her to feel like she wasn't standing by the water alone. Physically, there was no one there but she knew differently. "Leave me alone", she said under her breath,"Just go away." Her heart raced, only this time she couldn't remain standing and she fell. She was covered in wet sand and the sea weed somehow wrapped itself around her ankles. Unable to stand Sharon started to panic. She can't swim if the water pulled her in. But, she screamed,"GO AWAY!" Her strength returned, she ran to her car with the intention to go home. Once she made it into the house, she went straight to the bathroom, turned on the hot water in the tub and fixed it so that it would run out of the shower head. Sharon tore off her clothes and took a scolding shower. While she was in there she began to realize that she had no recollection of driving home. All she remembered was running to the car. It's happened before though. There have been lots of times when she couldn't remember how she got from point A to point B. She washed her hair three times and burned her right cheek a little which forced her to finish up. She wasn't afraid to pull back the shower curtain this time. But, this time it was different. This time, he was there. His hideous face was clear in the steam covered mirror. His ears were beyond huge, face was such a deep red it was almost black, wrinkled skin, teeth that were pointed and sharp but weak like a toothpick and they were dripping with blood revealing themselves through his evil smile. But, worst of all, his eyes were like hers. He had her eyes. Noticing this, she fell back into the tub and hit her head. Tears poured from her eyes both from the image in the mirror and the pain from her fall. She stood up slowly, it was still there. No longer was it smiling though. She tried to open the door but it wouldn't open. She tried opening the window, but no success. So she stood there and stared into his eyes. Out of nowhere, it started forming a smile. As she looked him in his eyes, she noticed tears rolling down his cheeks like waterfalls. Then he began to laugh but as scared as Sharon was she couldn't look away. She just stood there crying and looking into those eyes that looked exactly like her own. It's like she was hypnotized. The house phone rang and Sharon's mother answered it. When her mother called for her, Sharon did not answer. "Sharon, oh my God. Sharon, it's Donald on the phone. He said he went to get snacks and when he came back to the hotel room it looked like a dog or something had bit Sasha's throat clear off. Sharon, we have to go now!" Noticing the light peeking out from underneath the bathroom door, her mother busted in. There stood Sharon naked and wet with tears rolling down her cheeks, blood dripping from her teeth, smiling and laughing at her own reflection in the mirror.
