"What the hell?!"
Nny looked around, examining the world. Oh yeah, it was opposite. It was as if he was living in a photo negative. He even looked down at himself, and saw his black skin. He pulled out a strand of hair. White as snow.
He looked back at the mirror. Another Johnny looked back, but this one was grinning from head to foot, instead of replicating the startled surprise of its counterpart.
"You let me back!" Nny raced at the mirror and attempted to run through it.
Instead, he ran it through.
Shards of silvered glass littered the ground. Large chunks hit the ground and sat there. Nny tried to scoop them up frantically, but he could see slices of that maniacal grin. His maniacal grin. Laughing at him.
Nny gave up. Walking outside, he saw people; he saw feelings.
Not only did he see the people talking, but also a sort of aura reverberated around them, something that couldn't be seen from his side of the mirror. Only in a negative could you notice it.
He could see the two lovers, their red aura shooting up and out, hitting him and driving him back from the purest of feelings. He could see the blue calm of the yoga-practicer by the lake in the park. It was strange, as if he were prying into other's lives. He looked away, embarrassed.
"Nny, is it? I'm so glad to meet up with you!"
Nny turned. There, in all her former glory, was her.
Devi.
She was here, and she seemed completely ignorant of their history. He was inarticulate as she hugged him quickly and planted a small kiss on his cheek.
"Uh, Devi? Are you alright?" He pulled her away and held her at arm's length.
"Why, of course, Nny! Why wouldn't I be?" She smiled softly.
"Yeah, Johnny! What's wrong?"
He looked down to see a cute, happy little boy playing with a new, stuffed bear at his feet. The clothes were clean. His hair was combed. And two, happy adults looked on from next door, across the fence.
"Squee?!"
"Todd. My name is Todd. Silly Johnny! You should know that!"
"Todd? B-but you…"
"It's been forever since we've played, Johnny. How about us playing soldier later today?"
"P-play s-s-soldier?" he stammered, bowled over.
"Well of course! You always loved being the valiant prince, defending Devi, the fair princess. And I'm always the brave and daring warrior, who comes to claim the princess as my own bride! We always change it, though. Sometimes, I get her, and sometimes you do. Don't you remember?"
Nny balked.
"Kids! Mind you don't get hurt this time! Johnny's arm took a few days to heal from the last sword fight you had!" Todd's…mother?…called over.
"Um, not today, Todd. I have to…figure something out."
Todd looked downcast.
"But maybe tomorrow!" Johnny proposed to make the kid feel better.
"Ok!" he said brightly.
Nny walked down the street, away from Todd and Devi, who were now playing with the stuffed bear.
Nny couldn't get it. He sat in the Burger Barn and chewed on a cheeseburger. The families around him were so…kind! And no one was alone; there was naught but families.
"Now mind you don't drip on that nice, white collar, Timmy!" one mother warned good-naturedly.
"So, Bill, how was the game last night?" a father inquired proudly of his teenaged son.
"Did you get a good grade on that math test, Kim?" one girl asked another.
Nny kept looking. Everyone was so nice! So different!
He got up to leave. An employee came running after him after he'd left.
Uh oh, I forgot to pay the bill! he thought, and began to sprint.
"Hey! Hey you there!!" the boy called after him.
Nny kept running, but slipped on a newspaper and fell. The boy caught up.
"Here, get up!" The boy lifted him to his feet and put something in his hand.
"Dude, you forgot your free burger token! Today's free token day!" He smiled and ran off.
Nny stared at the plastic chip, then let it fall to the ground as he ran back to the park.