Welcome to the world of
Michael G Kimber
Michael G Kimber
The Nightwriter
Uncle Nick
Jack looked into the mirror after spitting out the foam. Toothbrush still in hand he continued his attack, determined to observe the minimum period of two minutes vigorous brushing, as recommended by his dentist and the pretty lady on the toothpaste box. As he brushed he noticed in the reflection a large hair protruding from his nose, and with little thought, save perhaps a degree of stoicism, he proceeded to pull it out.
AOuch.@ he heard himself shout, as a small stab of pain shot up his nostril.
Applying himself again to the job in hand he recommenced brushing, and after a brief rinse he looked again into the mirror.
AWhat's your game then?@ the face facing him said.
Jack looked again at the reflection, expecting nothing more than to see his own tired features staring back. But no; before him was a person of obvious maturity, distinguished in looks and demeanour, and looking at least ten years younger than himself. Also, judging by his face (much else he could not see) a couple of stones lighter. It was a handsome face he saw, square looking and unblinking, eyeball to eyeball, and Jack was, to say the least, curious. He was about to reply to his somewhat unlikely visitor, but was beaten to it.
AWell?@ the face asked AWhat's the idea?@
AWhat do you mean? Asked Jack, uncomprehending, and yet unable to resist his 'new' image.
AYou know perfectly well.@ said the reflection, as he patted down his grey, but perfectly coiffured hair. AHow would you like it If I stuck a pair of pliers up your nose and pulled all the hair out, eh_ Just tell me that.@
AIt was a pair of tweezers, and it was only one hair,@ Jack responded somewhat annoyed; Aand anyway, what has it got to do with you?@
AEverything,@ replied the reflection. AJust because I seem to be on the other side of the glass doesn't mean that I cant feel what you are doing.
ABut who are you?@ asked Jack, a little tetchily Aand who gave you the right to look through my mirror? Have you never heard of something called privacy?@
AQuestions, questions, nothing but questions; Can't you work it out?@ The reflection started to laugh, but it didn't sound to Jack like a joyful laugh; rather it was a trifle more sinister.
ANo I can't, so would you kindly leave me to my ablutions.@ he retorted, for he was getting irritated, while his new 'self' seemed to be enjoying the encounter.
AWell now, you are a crabby one, but I'll forgive you. I guess it does come as a bit of a shock to have your mirror invaded.@
ABut who are you B are you me?@
AIs that what you think?@ asked the mirror, with a tone of voice very close to a sneer, AWhen did you ever look as magnificent as this?@
AWell I only wondered that's all B no need to be rude. I thought perhaps it might be me in say, ten years time, or something.@
With that the reflection roared with laughter ATen years, it sputtered. AYou'll be a pretty sight in ten years if you don't make some serious changes. No dear boy; this is how you might have looked ten years ago, if you'd taken a bit more care of yourself.@
ASo you are me then; er; I mean now; oh' I don't know what I mean. Are you me or not? Jack finally managed to say.
ANo no no. I'm your uncle Nick; don't you recognise me?@
AUncle Nick - Uncle Nicholas? But he died years ago.@
AQuite so dear boy. I think you are beginning to catch on.@
ABloody ridiculous. I've had enough of this.@ Jack said, as he opened the bathroom cabinet door to its widest capacity so that the mirror was almost flush to the wall. AI must be cracking up. Fancy talking to myself in the mirror.@
AOi, who do you think you are? If you don't turn me right back again it will be the worse foryou.@
Jack heard the voice clearly, though it was slightly muffled now. Slowly he turned the mirror back to it's proper position, half hoping that the ancestral reflection would be gone; but it was still there smiling.
AThat's better.@ said uncle Nick ANow let's not have any more of that.@
AI'm sorry, but you got me a bit scared. After all I=ve often spoken to myself in the mirror, but this is the first time anyone has answered back.
AYes yes; well that's as may be, but we have some important things to discus.@
ABut you don't look like Uncle Nick. He was small and fat, and nearly bald as I remember,@ Jack said, trying to recall his long departed uncle, who he hadn't seen for about twenty years. Aand you sure as hell don't look like me.@ he added for good measure.
ABut I can look as I please, and as a gesture to you I chose to look like you. Or at least like you might have looked if you hadn't made such a mess of yourself.@
ALook here.@ Jack shouted. AThis is my house and my bathroom and my mirror, and I will not stand here to be insulted. Will you please put back my proper reflection?@
AAs you wish.@
In a flash Jack was looking at himself again. Thin wispy hair, decidedly grey but of the dirty scruffy variety; not the pristine silver grey of his dearly departed visitor. His teeth, that is, those that remained, were stained; unable to produce a smile that would compare to the one so recently before him. And his face, adorned at the moment with a three day growth, was as drawn as his cheeks were sallow. The comparison with what he saw now, and what had so recently gone before could hardly have been more extreme.
Jack opened the door of the little cabinet a few inches revealing the assortment of little boxes and little bottles with gather in such places. AUncle Nick;@ he called softly Ayou still there?@
AOf course I'm not you blithering idiot. What did you expect to see? Me sitting on a bar of soap next to the aftershave. Just close the door can't you?@
Jack closed the cabinet door closed, and was relieved to see Uncle Nick smiling at him again.
AThought you'd want me back when you had another look at yourself.@ he sneered.
AI don't know why you have to be so rude. I can't help how I look, and you didn't look that good yourself when you were alive.@
AYes; I'll give you that, but I did at least live a full and interesting life, and I left a few quid in the bank when I toddled of.@
AIt's news to me.@ Jack retorted. AI never saw any of it.@
AYes. Well that's one of the reasons I'm here now.@
Jack perked up. ADo you mean that you left me something?@
AYou were a bit slow off the mark dear boy. Nothing left now. Not a been. Some of your more avaricious cousins got there first. You didn't show so they carved it up between them.@
AI didn't know.@
AWell it was your own fault.@ Uncle Nick insisted, not quite angry but with some firmness. AI never saw anything of you from one year to the next, and when I clocked it I had no idea where you were. Anyway, I'm here to make amends. Not that you deserve it.@
By now Jack was more at ease with his visitor, no longer overawed, but frankly getting somewhat tired of being slagged off.@
AOk uncle Nick; It was nice to see you, now will you please go away.@ With that he opened the cabinet door once again, threw a hand towel over it and pushed it once more to the wall.
AIf you do that one more time I will leave for good and you will never know about the changes I can bring to your life.@
AChanges. What changes?@ Jack removed the towel ans swung the mirrored door back part way so that, he could see his >uncle= again, albeit at a rather oblique angle.
AWell, a new lifestyle to start with; and will you please close that dammed cabinet door again so I can see you properly.@
APerhaps, if you try to be more agreeable. And what does that mean? What kind of lifestyle? There's nothing wrong with my lifestyle.@ Jack answered, but with unconvincing surliness.
AYou're joking of course,@ uncle Nick retorted rather sarcastically AFrom where I stand there's nothing right with it.@
AAlright , maybe there's room for a little improvement here and there, but what kind of changes?@
AClose the cabinet door.@
Jack closed the door a little further.
AClose the door please.@
Jack closed the door until he and Uncle Nick were face to face again. He, straight faced and slightly anxious, whereas the venerable uncle had assumed a decidedly impish persona.
AOk, let's have it, what's it all about?@
AMoney my friend, that's all. Money. I can arrange it so that you can have all the money you want.@
ABut why should you do that. And what's in it for you? This is getting a bit scary.@ Jack muttered.
ABut you are family dear boy; why should there be anything in it for me?@
Jack was not convinced at the sincerity of his uncles dismissal of personal gain. It was something in his eyes; something that just didn't seen right.
AWhy now then? tell me that: you've been dead for ten years, so why after all that time do you want me to be rich?@
Uncle Nick stepped back as though in shock, and Jack was able to see his arms lifted, palms facing outwards. A moment or two elapsed before he spoke again.
AOK, OK, I can see you are not interested. It's up to you of course, but I'll bet your cousin Walter B for times removed - won't be as hasty. Yes I know you've never heard of him, but he's next down the line. I think he might be a little more welcoming than you. So farewell then Jack, I'll let you get on with your business, and your life. I can see you are a busy man.@
At this point Jack could see the rather flamboyant image of his ancestor starting to fade, while his own image was slowly replacing it.
AWait wait wait_@ he called. AUncle Nick, don't go. It's been a bit of a shock that's all. Please come back.@
AThought you weren't interested.@
Jack heard the voice clear enough, but it seemed to be coming from his own mouth.
AIt all takes some getting used to. Now will you please stop disappearing?@
ACertainly,@ replied uncle Nick, his face miraculously and instantly reinstated. Aif you promise not to move this cabinet mirror again. Deal?@
ADeal.@
ASo, er, what do I do now?@
ANothing dear boy. Just go about your business. I think you'll get the idea.@
AIs that it? And how do I know if it's working?@ Jack was concerned to see that once again the image of his uncle was fading.
AYou'll know.@
He was fading fast, but the big smile, which, like the Cheshire cat, seemed to last longer that the rest of the image, somehow indicated that the interview was over, and for once, without rancour. Jack watched until all he could see was himself. His scrubby, grubby, tooth stained, dirty haired self.
Some time later that day he went to buy his daily paper, and as was his usual habit, he picked up a scratch card. ADon't know why I bother?@ he said to the shop keeper, ANever won anything with these in my life.@
AWell I'm blessed.@ He stopped, surprised, and the words escaped his lips. He had been idly scratching on his way back home, and there to his utter astonishment, he saw that he had won a hundred pounds. He hurried back to the Newsagent to get the cash.
AIt=s your lucky day.@ said the shopkeeper, Aperhaps you should try the lottery.@
ADo you know I think I will.@ he said, handing over a one pound coin. AOne should be enough I think.@
Jack returned to his home with a strange feeling. He seldom did the lottery, but he had never bought a single ticket before, and yet this time he was quite happy with just the one. When he opened his door he was a little surprised to find an envelope on the door mat, addressed to him in a very fluent hand.
The card inside; very elegant and stylish, was written in blood red.
>Don=t forget our deal=, it said.
A quick look to the bottom of the page revealed the signature Nicholas.
Jack dashed to the bathroom and to the shaving cabinet, where he knew, he just knew, that >Uncle Nick= would be waiting for him.
He was.
AWhat=s this?@ he asked without preambles or pleasantries.
AOur agreement.@ smiled Uncle Nick.
AWhat agreement?@
AWe have an arrangement in which you have everything to gain; and nothing to loose but your soul. You can everything you ever wanted. Live out you life in luxury, and be the envy of everyone who you meet. All we want is your soul. Not much to ask.@
Uncle Nick had a contented smile on his face. AOf course you=ve had a little win today Call that a gesture of goodwill. Yours to keep old boy.@ His smile became a chuckle and then a laugh, and then a guffaw. ABut if you sign that letter in your own blood, come Saturday your life will be transformed.@
He was trying to talk as he laughed, his eyes streaming, but gradually he regained control. AAnd that will be just the start. Go on; what=s stopping you?@
Jack was at a loss and many thoughts sent his mind into a whirl. He had won a hundred and ten pounds it is true, but so what. AThat=s not going to change my life.@ he said out loud. AAnd what if I don=t want to sell my soul.@ he finally managed to say.
AWell your life will remain just as it is, except that you will always remember what it might have been.@ Uncle Nick replied, AAnd there=s something else.@
ASomething else?@
ACome; come closer.@ the avuncular relative beckoned, until Jack was half a dozen inches from the glass. AWhat do you see?@
AOnly me.@
AExactly!@
ASo.@
AYou see what you are today. But now what do you see?@
Almost without him noticing the reflection in the glass had changed into that of a wizened old man, infirm, dirty, and bound very shortly for a visit to a mortician.
AWell?@ The face in the mirror had not changed, but it was the voice of his uncle that jack could hear. AWhat do you see now dear boy. Never mind, I=ll tell you. That is you in ten years time.@
Jack shivered, but the voice from behind the reflection continued, ABut take another look.@
In a trice the familiar image of uncle Nick was back again, fat and affluent, well dressed and groomed, smiling, and quite clearly enjoying the mental anguish he was inflicting on his nephew. ANow what do you see?@ he asked again.
Jack was most relieved to see his uncle once again, after the unexpected preview of what life had in store for him.
AWell, it=s you Uncle Nick.@
ANo no no. What you see is you, or what you could be in ten, twenty, thirty years.@
AReally; are you sure?@
ASure as the devil. All you have to do is sign that paper; any kind of scribble will do; nothing to it.@
ABut my soul?@
During these latest exchanges Jack had edged away from the mirror, and once again his uncle gestured for him to come close again. ALook here,@ he almost whispered, Atell me when you last used it; and what are you going to do with it when you are did?@
AWell I suppose it will be wanted,@ jack stopped for a moment, uncertain about what he was saying. AUp there.@
Uncle Nick roared with laughter. AUp there.@ he repeated, amidst another outburst of near hysterical glee. AUp there! not in a million years. You=d never get near the place, never mind through the gates.@
AI=ve not been that bad.@ Jack said, somewhat mortified at his uncles insulting innuendo.
ATake my word, I know my way around on this side, and I know everything about your life. You don=t stand a chance.@
Jack remained silent for a long time, until gradually a change come over him, a different mood. He got up and left the bathroom. When he returned a few moments later he had Uncle Nick=s letter with him.
ADoes it have to be blood?@ he asked.
AYes, as long as it=s yours. Just a pinprick in your thumb will do then smear it on the paper. Dead easy.@
The following Sunday had the television reporters breaking the news of a record win on the lottery. There had, for reasons that no-one could explain, been the biggest sales of tickets in any week since the lottery had started, and there was only one winning ticket. A ,39 million pound Jackpot had been scooped by one man, who had, they said, bought just one ticket.
On the Monday however they were shouting a different headline. “Big lottery winner dies of a heart attack.