Every Thursday, Avery went to the same therapy building, climbed the same six stairs, and sat in the same beige chair by the window. She never liked Room Six—it smelled faintly of lemon cleaner and something else she couldn’t name—but she never asked to change it either.
The mirror was the only thing on the far wall. Not decorative, just a square of glass slightly warped at the edges. It never reflected exactly what she expected. Once, she noticed a shadow on her sleeve that wasn’t there when she looked down. Another time, her eyes seemed just a shade too dark. It was probably the lighting, she told herself. Or stress.
Her therapist, Dr. Merin, was soft-spoken and always asked, 'What are we sitting with today?' Avery never knew how to answer that. It wasn’t one big thing—it was thousands of tiny ones. A word said too sharply. An empty hallway. A memory that shifted when she tried to touch it.
Today, the session felt heavier. She sat down and felt the chair give a little more than usual, like it had been waiting too long. Outside, the sky was that pale color just before rain. Dr. Merin folded her hands. 'Avery, can I ask you something different today?'
Avery nodded.
'Do you remember the first time we met?'
Avery frowned. 'Of course. It was almost a year ago. I sat here, and you were wearing that blue sweater.'
Dr. Merin paused. 'I wasn’t wearing a blue sweater that day.'
Silence expanded in the room like steam. Avery glanced at the mirror. Her reflection blinked a beat too late.
'Maybe I’m mixing it up with another day,' Avery said quickly.
Dr. Merin tilted her head. 'Avery, we've only had three sessions.'
The breath caught in Avery’s throat. 'That’s not… possible.'
Dr. Merin opened a folder. 'Your intake file was completed this month. You've mentioned having gaps in your memory before, but this is the first time it’s shown up here.'
The mirror on the wall shimmered slightly—as if remembering something, too.
Avery stood. Her reflection didn’t. For a moment, they studied each other across the glass. Then slowly, it stood as well, a beat behind. A delay. A difference.
She sat back down. Her fingers trembled. 'Maybe… we should talk about that today.'
Dr. Merin smiled gently. 'I think that’s a good place to begin.'
Q1: What detail first hints that Avery’s perception may be unreliable?
Q2: What is the purpose of the mirror motif in the story?
Q3: What does the shift in tone during the conversation with Dr. Merin suggest?
Q4: What abstract theme is developed through Avery’s experience?
Q5: What might the author be suggesting with the line, 'The mirror on the wall shimmered slightly—as if remembering something, too'?
Q6: Why is Avery’s certainty about the blue sweater important to the story?
Q7: What tone best describes the overall story?
Printable Comprehension Practice
Visit us at https://readbuddies.com to practice interactively, track your progress, and explore more comprehension passages.
Q1: What detail first hints that Avery’s perception may be unreliable?
✅ Correct Answer: C
💡 Reasoning: The mirror is repeatedly described as reflecting strange or delayed images, suggesting Avery's perception may be distorted.
Q2: What is the purpose of the mirror motif in the story?
✅ Correct Answer: B
💡 Reasoning: The mirror is symbolic of identity and memory distortion—it reflects Avery’s growing sense of unreliability and fractured self-image.
Q3: What does the shift in tone during the conversation with Dr. Merin suggest?
✅ Correct Answer: C
💡 Reasoning: As the conversation reveals discrepancies in memory, the tone shifts to more serious and introspective, signaling a turning point.
Q4: What abstract theme is developed through Avery’s experience?
✅ Correct Answer: C
💡 Reasoning: The narrative explores how Avery struggles with memory and perception, suggesting a deeper commentary on self-awareness and mental health.
Q5: What might the author be suggesting with the line, 'The mirror on the wall shimmered slightly—as if remembering something, too'?
✅ Correct Answer: C
💡 Reasoning: The line personifies the mirror to reflect Avery’s psychological state, reinforcing the metaphor of distorted or lost memory.
Q6: Why is Avery’s certainty about the blue sweater important to the story?
✅ Correct Answer: C
💡 Reasoning: Her insistence on the sweater and the contradiction from Dr. Merin trigger Avery’s realization that something is wrong with her memory.
Q7: What tone best describes the overall story?
✅ Correct Answer: C
💡 Reasoning: The story uses subtle clues, ambiguity, and emotional tension to create a quiet, uneasy atmosphere.