THE REFLECTION ON THE MIRROR

Chapter 2: BABY BLUE

It was time for me to take over. I opened the fridge door for some pizza, and I heard a low whistling behind me. I turned around with my hands carrying two boxes of pizza. They took a sack and dumped it over my head and that's when I screamed. They dragged me out quickly and shut the door lightly. I took a long pause. This pause was filled with thoughts. I'd just realized that I hadn't closed the door as I left the secret warehouse. I am so stupid. They must have seen me and sent someone to follow me. But then I let those thoughts go as I continued with my story. They sedated me with some sleep pills, and the next time I was awake I was in the cell that I had been in for the last 3 years.

"So much must've changed," I said out aloud followed by a sigh. Annie didn't reply but gave a nervous glance. We engaged in some light talk as she drove to my home. Finally, we pulled up at a familiar house. After all these years, the house was still the same. It still had the fresh cream walls and the baby blue roof. Mine and Taylor's dream. Thank you very much. I was nervous. Would my family still want me? Will they remember who I am or rather was? These questions still bounced in my head as I rang the bell of the front door.

One minute passed, two minutes passed, 3 minutes passed. It was an entire 7 minutes that had passed when finally someone opened the door. It was a teenage boy of around 18. He had brown hair and grey eyes and it was none other than my older brother Lucas. We stared at each other for an entire minute when I realized that I had millions of tiny droplets that had erupted from my eyes. I jumped onto him and he squeezed back equally hard. I stuttered out "Lu-lu-Lucas". He replied "Taylor" as he picked me up and spun me around. And then I looked up at him with my eyes wide open. "It's me Madison, and what happened to Taylor," He was even more shocked now. That's when I realized a lot more than what I had thought had changed since I disappeared.

"Mom, Dad," Lucas said, "Come in here as quick as possible". My mom rushed in with a small baby in her hand, and in a moment my dad reached as he quickly climbed down the stairs. My mom said "Tay-lor," as she sniffled and tears came down her eyes. While at the same moment my dad said "Mad-mad-Madison" and tears streamed down his face. More tears streamed down my face too. I somehow managed a soft "Madison" through all my tears where thoughts of Tayor came back to my head. I quickly wiped off the tears with the hem of my top's sleeve and said "What happened to Taylor?" I asked. Silence. I raised my voice and asked again "What happened to Taylor?" My mom said "We don't know sweetie. After a couple of weeks after you disappeared, she too disappeared leaving a note on her desk saying that she had gone searching for you. In the last three years, we heard nothing from you nor her, and all hope was lost."

That's when I fainted. The next time I was awake I was in my room. No decor had changed. My room still had its olive green walls and my bed had its matching white and grey bedspread. Someone knocked on the door and I called out "Come in". It was Annie. She was carrying a glass of lemonade and some cookies in a tray as she came in and settled it on the nightstand. She commanded, "Eat". I took the cookie and bit into it. I tasted the moist chocolate and swallowed it as I drank a gulp of lemonade. Real food after 3 years. It tasted good. I asked Annie "Who was the kid in mom's hand?" She replied, "That is your younger brother Jake. He's 3 years old,". I was suddenly happy. Then I told Annie "I'm gonna take a shower". I went to my wardrobe, and then around to ask Annie "Did anyone change my wardrobe in the past couple of years". Annie laughed and said, "While you slept, I went shopping for you and bought some new clothes" she pointed to a couple of shopping bags from Forever 21. I went over and opened the first bag and picked out a black off-shoulder t-shirt, blue ripped jeans, and a pair of cargo boots. I went into my washroom and stared myself into the mirror. My hair was cut into a short bob, not the wavy long hair that I had, and had blond streaks in my hair, which was also new. My eyes were PURPLE, but they used to be blue. (At least I know some side effects of all meds that I took). My skin was the same fresh cream but it now had a couple of pimples. I had long skinny arms and legs that were muscular. (Another side effect). I got into the tub and stood under the shower for a long time, and I fell into some sort of trance.