As I looked into the mirror, I saw a girl freckled, with creases around the smile, sunken eyes, and dull skin... Looking much older than her age, no it wasn't a ghost, it was my reflection....

I caressed my hair, dry, and dull, and combed it as gently as I could....

Still, the locks left on the comb exceeded the locks on my head, dejected by the whole exercise, I mindlessly put the comb next to a mirror and went to bed...

Remembering about my encounters with spirits, they had so far been better than those with humans...the thought made me smile a bit and soon sleep engulfed me...

I woke up at midnight, with the sound of something crashing, as I checked around, it was the mirror.

Cringing at the sight of a mirror broken into a million pieces, I remembered the old tale of how broken mirrors bring bad luck for seven years, especially if you look into them...

One year of premature aging was enough of what I had had...

Reflexively I looked away and thoughts of seeking god's mercy and prayer revolved through my mind as the next day was a Sunday...I would go to church and light a candle...

A maid would clean the mess up, thinking about all these things, I went back to bed and when did I fall asleep to my own thoughts, I remembered not.

The next day as I woke up lazily, I looked at the alarm clock, it was 2 pm... The whole day had passed...my church time... Helpless as I felt, I picked an unwashed apple from my table side, ate it thinking about the mess...

Maybe Even the maid had knocked and went away...

I was drowsy so without thinking much I snuggled my pillow and lay back in bed...

Since when had I become such a mess!!! Life was giving me trials on trials.

I slept back again... maybe it was my defense mechanism for forgetting or at least delaying the dejected thoughts that crossed my mind most days.

It was evening around 6 when I woke up to full senses, I tried looking at my alarm clock, it was out, crack on the glass...

What was happening!!! No wind, still I was just hazard prone!!!

I went to the kitchen, put the pan on fire, and looked around for something easy to cook.

I popped 2eggs and soon they were sizzling, half fried, half burnt, I put them in a bowl, ditched the cleaning, and went back to bed with my food, now in half irritation.

I ate whatever had cooked and lay down again.

Around midnight, I woke up to the sound of a crash again.

I switched all the lights on and examined the house... kitchen window was open, all glasses and mugs on the floor, obviously in bits and pieces...

Not something, but lots was wrong, I was convinced....

I decided to finally pick up all the pieces myself and put them in the garbage...

After collecting the remnants of the broken mirror as well I was exhausted in full...

I went to get a quick shower... Thinking of what next awaited in my list of misfortunes, as I turned the shower up, cold water was too much to bear, but I felt better...

I gazed at myself in the bathroom mirror, I was looking perkier...strange, maybe I had cut down on my sleep a little bit too much.

As I came out in the towel, I saw my footsteps had messed up the floor... Mopping was out of the question...

Going back to the kitchen, I made my half-burnt egg-fried delicacy with a cup of coffee again...

Realising I had no mug to pour it in, I decided to be crafty and used my gym shaker...

Feeling full, relaxed, and well-slept, I switched on the television and browsed through the channels....

Soon I heard a shattering voice again, this time it was the ancestral pocket watch...

Expecting more glass pieces, I turned it around, to my relief, it was intact, I held it close to my chest, and went back to bed, putting it under my pillow...

Tears flowed through my eyes reasonlessly and unstoppable as I realised I was a victim, but not of my follies...

The next morning as the help came, instead of cleaning I sent her a list of groceries and crockeries for my fridge and kitchen both were empty now...

She complimented me on my changed looks, but without pondering much over it, I simply smiled and thanked her...

That night I lit a candle next to my bed, prayed in my heart, and put a rosary underneath my pillow...

I realised that the pocket watch was still there...

I lovingly took it out and looked around for a nice pouch to put it in... not being able to find any, I put it back on the shelf It had fallen from.

I came back deciding it was something I would look out for later, as I glanced at the candle, to my surprise the flame lit double longer, brighter... It made me feel nostalgic and took the pocket watch back to keep under my pillow...

The next morning when I woke up, the candle was still lit... I couldn't understand how I swiftly looked beneath my pillow, watch was gone...

I wandered around the whole house, looking for any more damages or surprises...

The mirror of the dressing table was intact... Old mugs and glasses all in one piece!!!!

How was it possible!!!!

I searched the shelf I had put the pocket watch on earlier, no sign...

I looked back in the dressing mirror, I looked at myself again...

Mystified and in a mixed mood I realised I had got what I wanted! But lost what I had.

That night I opened my almirah and shuffled through the old collage of pictures that had given me the clue to watch, the picture was still there, but the watch was missing...

Looking at my dad's photo, erased watch, left me nostalgic but before I could break down again, I noticed a bag hanging on the man's shoulder, whose grave I had found! I had seen it somewhere.....

Yes, Dad's bag of memories...I shuffled through it....no watch, nothing else, empty.... except for the pouch of a pocket watch.

I shook my head and packed it all back...

It's a dream, it's a dream.... My wishes were coming true but the wishlamp was gone...

I locked the bag safely and went to bed swearing never to mess with the spirit world and making wishes....

(Continued in next chapter...)

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