Everyone admired Daniel because he always took a stand.
In meetings, he spoke clearly.
In arguments, he chose a side.
Silence, he believed, was weakness.
So when the company asked him to sign the statement, he didn’t hesitate.
It was short. Firm.
A position against “unnecessary questions.”
That night, he slept well.
The next morning, his reflection didn’t match him.
It stood straighter.
Its eyes didn’t blink when his did.
At work, people avoided him.
When he spoke, they flinched.
“Did I say something wrong?” Daniel asked.
No one answered.
At lunch, his phone buzzed.
HR: You’ve already taken your final position.
Daniel frowned.
Final?
That evening, he stood before the bathroom mirror again.
This time, the reflection spoke first.
“You chose certainty,” it said.
“You chose a side without looking.”
Daniel shook his head. “I can change my mind.”
The reflection smiled.
“No,” it whispered.
“Positions can change. Stands cannot.”
Daniel tried to step back.
His reflection didn’t.
The mirror cracked.
The next day, Daniel’s chair at work was empty.
But the statement remained—
signed,
dated,
and perfectly still