Lance, Mallory, and Lance’s mother went to Uncle Freddy’s house. Lance was really bad. When it was time to play, he ate. When it was time to eat, he played. He stole money out of Uncle Freddy’s safe. He stole Aunt Lucy’s underwear. He put a “kick me, because I’m an idiot” sign on Mallory’s back. He cut all the flowers in Aunt Lucy’s garden and threw them into the gutter. He clogged the toilet with too much toilet paper. He spit at Uncle Freddy’s cat. He painted Aunt Lucy’s poodle green. He sprayed insecticide into his cousin’s fish tank and killed all the fish. He pissed in the swimming pool. And every time anyone tried to hug him, he punched them in the stomach. Lance’s mother was really angry. When they got home, she carried Lance up to his room, threw him in, and slammed the door. She told him not to come out until he could be good. Lance was really sad. He didn’t want to be so bad all the time but he couldn’t help it. Lance started crying. But then he noticed something very strange. His reflection in the mirror wasn’t crying. It was smiling. Lance looked in the mirror.
“Why aren’t you crying like me?” he asked.
“Because I’m not like you,” his reflection said. “Your name is Lance. My name is Lance spelled backwards…..Ecnal! You’re bad. I’m good. I’m the opposite of you!”
“If we switched, my mother would be happier,” said Lance.
“If you have the guts, we can! Ecnal answered. “You run at me and I will run at you and when we hit we will trade lives. I’ll be there and you will be here! Do you want to do it? It will be fun.”
Lance nodded. Then he wiped away his tears and ran into the mirror. There was a huge crash. Lance’s mother heard it and she ran upstairs and opened Lance’s bedroom door. Lance was lying on the floor in a pile of broken glass. There was blood everywhere. Lance’s mother hugged Lance and she was very surprised when Lance hugged her back. He didn’t hit her in the stomach like he usually did.
“Lance are you alright?” she asked.
“I’m not Lance! I’m the opposite of Lance! I’m Ecnal!” Ecnal answered.
Lance’s mother thought that her son just bumped his head and was a little confused. She thought he would be okay in the morning. But in the morning, he was still Ecnal.
Ecnal was a good boy. He did all the housework. He did his homework. He was polite and hardworking. He was helpful. He smiled all day and was nice to everyone. He even hugged Mallory and told her she was beautiful.
“Mallory, I love you,” said Ecnal. “You’re a wonderful sister.”
“Oh shit,” said Mallory. “Mom, I think Lance is crazy again.”
Lance stopped whining. He stopped complaining. Everyone liked him and he started making friends in the neighborhood and at school. He was popular. He was the perfect boy.
But Lance’s mother was worried. She appreciated Ecnal, but he was a stranger. He wasn’t her son. One morning, while watching Ecnal iron her clothes, she decided that enough was enough. She couldn’t stand Ecnal. He was just too perfect. It was like having a robot son, not a real son. Lance’s mother decided to take Ecnal to a psychiatrist.
The psychiatrist asked Ecnal many questions. Then he told Ecnal to go and wait in the waiting room so he could talk to Ecnal’s mother.
“Lance is having an identity problem. He thinks everyone hates him because he is bad so he has invented another personality called Ecnal. You should punish Ecnal for being good. If you do this, then maybe Ecnal will leave and Lance will come back again,” said the psychiatrist.
“Thank you doctor,” said Lance’s mother. That’s a great idea.”
The next weekend, the family went to Uncle Freddy’s house again. But this time, whenever Ecnal helped a relative, he was yelled at. When he complimented his aunt because of the delicious food, his mother told him to shut up. When everyone was eating, his mother told him to go outside and play in the mud. On the way home, Lance’s mother yelled at him. She told Ecnal he was a disgusting goody-two-shoes. She told him he was an ass-kisser. She told him to go to his room.
“Ecnal, if you want to be bad you can come out of your room. But if you want to be good and do good things don’t come out of your room. I want a shitty son. I want a lousy son. I want an evil son. I want a bad son! I don’t want a good son. I don’t want a perfect son. I want my son to be an idiot!”
“But mother, I love you,” said Ecnal. “You’re beautiful. You’re kind. You’re a wonderful mother.”
“Shut up Ecnal. You’re an asshole.”
“But mother what about the dirty dishes? I can do the dirty dishes and then I can sew the holes in your green underwear. The kitchen floor is dirty. I can wash it for you and I can clean the toilet in the bathroom too!”
“Shut up Ecnal. Go to your room now!”
Ecnal went to his room and started crying. He looked into his brand new mirror and talked to Lance in the mirror.
“They hate me here! They want me to be like you! I’m a nice boy but they don’t want a nice boy. They want you!”
“Do you want to switch back?” asked Lance.
“Sure,” Ecnal answered. “Your mother’s really weird!” Ecnal and Lance ran into the mirror again at the same time. There was a big crash. Lance’s mother ran upstairs and opened Lance’s door. She saw Lance lying in the broken glass. There was blood everywhere. She tried to hug him but Lance punched her in the stomach.
“Lance! It’s you! I’m so happy you’re back.”
“Hi Mom! Yes, I’m back. Now get out of my room, you fat bitch.”
“Okay son. I will do whatever you say. I’m so happy you are back. I love you Lance. I’m proud to be your mother.”
“Shut up Mom! Now go cook me some dinner and don’t eat it all yourself. Hurry up!. I’m hungry. Move your fat ass now!”
“Yes, son. I will bring you your dinner in twenty minutes.”
“Good! Now get out!”
Lance’s
mother went down to cook dinner and Lance slammed the door. It felt good
to be back in his house again. Life inside the mirror was boring.