The odd sounds from the slightly opened door distracted Patrick for his worries. At least it was just a haircut and some missing piercings. And some really lame clothes. He sighed - well, the orphanage was definitely a place for excitement. Why do this to him, though? WHo was playing in the room? Someone else who wandered in? Or the ghost of kid who lived here long ago?
Curiosity got the better of him, and Patrick pushed the door fully open and looked in. Like the rest of the house, this was a big, dusty, empty room. But it had that same faint holographic setup, this time showing bunk beds, dressers, and desks. Over by one of the beds, a little boy was pushing toy cars around and making the noises Patrick had heard before. "Vroom! Screeeech!" The child was also transparent, a ghostly image. A ghost? he didn't seem to notice Patrick at all.
Patrick approached slowly, noticing something familiar about the kid. The face wasn't familiar - he was a redhead with pale skin and freckles, a pug nose, and ears that stuck out like handles. Sorta cute now, but probably not so great once he got older. It wasn't until Patrick squatted down in front of the child that he got noticed. The boy grinned, revealing missing front teeth, and held a toy car out to Patrick. "Your turn!" As he automatically took the toy, Patrick realized why the kid looked familiar. He was wearing he exact same outfit that Patrick had on, including the snot stains.
He felt suddenly dizzy and disoriented, and when the sensation passed, he was sitting on the floor. Confused, he looked around, but the boy was gone. The toys were still there, including what now felt like a very solid one in his hand. He caught himself wiping the back of his hand across a crusty nose and his eyes went wide. "No!" The child's voice should have told him, but he refused to believe until he stumbled over to a faded mirror on the back of a door. He was the 6-year-old. The snot-nosed 6-year-old.