We stopped at a rest stop near the freeway. Freeways can be dangerous -- the monotony of them, especially at night with the glow of the headlights, can have an hypnotic effect on people. It's a place ripe for the Grotesque. We figured if we trolled along the highway, checking fellow drivers, we can stop something before it happens.
The rest stop was old and hadn't been cleaned in a while. As I washed my face, I looked into the mirror and someone else looked back.
"You can't scare me," I said. "I know all your tricks."
"alraC ,olleH," the man in the mirror said. "niaga uoy ees ot eciN."
To anyone else, it was gibberish, but I understood it. "Go away, Reversed Man," I said. "I thought you were busy serving the Mother of Snakes anyway."
"tiaw nac selacS gninihS eht fo ydaL ehT," the Reversed Man said.
"Don't let her hear you say that," I said. "What do you want?"
"uoy nraw oT," the Reversed Man said. "raen si sliaN fo pihS ehT."
"I don't know what that means," I said. "But your cryptic warnings are always appreciated."
"uoy tcetorp nac I," the Reversed Man said. "uoy evas nac I." His fingers reached out from the mirror, pushing forward into reality.
"No thanks," I said. "I have my own protector."
Helen stepped out from the stall where she was waiting. The Reversed Man glared at her. Her fists were wrapped in gauze. She wasn't afraid. There was a reason I called her Helen Dauntless.
The Reversed Man's hands reached out for me, but Helen rushed forward and slammed into the mirror with both fists, shattering it into a million little pieces. The Reversed Man could make himself as hard as diamond, but still couldn't withstand Helen. She was Strength incarnate.
As we left the rest stop, Helen asked, "What did he say to you?"
"Something about the Ship of Nails being near," I said.
"I've never heard of it," she said.
"Neither have I," I said, "so let's not worry about it right now." I kissed her and we got into the car. "Let's just drive."
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