In The Reflection (ePub)

Creative Christian short story author, Melanie Schatzel, M.Ed. has once-again returned to complete the complimentary story to her short story, "The Venetian Vase".

"In The Reflection" is about a teenage boy named Caleb. Caleb is on the Autism spectrum. He is delaying his participation in a church-encouraged service project that his mother has volunteered him and his older brother, Cade for. For most of the setting, readers are in the mind of Caleb, who is standing in front of the bathroom mirror, with the door open, analyzing every feature of his body that he can see. He works from his hair, down to his toes, and only finds a few things about himself that he actually likes. Then, his brother, Cade comes up behind him to state that he and their mom have been waiting in the truck for Caleb.

Cade leaned against the door frame, "What is going on? Why are you standing here with that look of disgust on your face?"

Caleb sighed, "You would not understand if I shared my thoughts with you; thus, that would be even a greater waste of time than asking you to iron your clothes before going on an outdoor, labor-intensive service project."

"Try me," Cade asserted.

What follows is a tender exchange between two brothers who know each other well enough to accept that things may be different between them, but they each have something so special that being unique is something to accept.

"In the Reflection" is short, delicate, and as powerful as "The Venetian Vase". Melanie once again explores relationships and the metacognition of one who discovers they differ for a very important reason.