The Cloud Castle

THE HALL OF MIRRORS

Before we entered the Hall of Mirrors, Galatea gave us some advice.
   "LOOK carefully at each image you see in the mirror, and then ask your heart if it is real," she said. "That is the only way to get through this."
   "We'll try," said Pam.
   Galatea opened the door and we followed her into a narrow, twisting corridor completely covered in MIRRORS. Our reflections were multiplied dozens of times. Even though we had been prepared for this effect, we felt dioriented.
   "Let's hold paw," I suggested, thinking this could help us.
   We found  a line and proceeded down the hallway.
   Galatea went first, followed by Violet, then Pam, and then me. 
   "Wow, there are a lot of Pams in here!" Pam exclaimed.
   "I see myself everywhere, too," Violet said.
"And I look so PALE,"

   "You're just a little tired," I said, but I was worried. Before we left the Land of Clouds, we would have to find a way to get Violet's dreams back. "Let's all try to stay calm," I said.
   Galatea looked straight ahead as she led us. She seemed very FOCUSED on getting us through there as soon as possible.
   "Hey!" Pam cried suddenly. Violet spun around. "What's wrong?" 
   "I bumped my nose against my own reflection," she replied. Then she sighed. "I wish I had brought a PIZZA in here with me, I wouldn't mind seeing infinite pizza's!"
   "How can you joke at a time like this?" asked Violet.
   "Thea said to stay calm," Pam replied. "JOKING helps me stay calm. So does thinking about pizza."
   Just then, I saw one of my REFLECTIONS staring at me. It looked like she was laughing at me!
   I closed my eyes and opened them. This time, the reflection looked SERIOUS.
   Violet must have had the same thing happen. "Thea, our reflections are PLAYING tricks on us!" she said.
   "Yeah, my reflection just stuck her tongue out at me!" Pam said.
   "Rememeber, they are only ILLUSIONS," Galatea said. "Don't let them upset you."
   "Let's stop for a moment," I suggested.
   We all stopped and took some DEEP BREATHES. Feeling calmer, we began walking again.
   "How much farther do we have to go?" Pam asked the fairy. "It seems like this corridor will NEVER END."
   "That's part of the illusion," Galatea told her. "It's really not that far."

Then I saw something that made me HAPPY. "Look! A door!"
   Full of hope, I ran toward the door--- and BUMPED right into it!
   "It was just the REFLECTION of a door," Pam said, disappointed.
   We looked around and realized there were EIGHT doors in front of us! "Which door is the real door?" Pam asked.
  

Galatea studied them. "It is DIFFICULT to tell without my crystal, but I sense it is this second one."
   She approached it-- But that was just a mirrior, too.
   "SEVEN is my lucky number. Maybe it's the secenth one," Pam said, but she bumped into a reflection as well.
   I took another deep breath and tried to concentrate. Galatea had told us trust our HEARTS. And my heart told me to try door number FOUR.
   I reached out and touched the door, hoping with all my being that I would touch a real doorknob. Then I felt the cold sphere and knew I was right.
   "It's the real door!" I cried.
   "HOORAY!" cheered Pam.
   Violet and Galatea smiled with relief. I turned the knob and he door opened. We were outside he Hall of Mirrors and in a large corridor full of windows.
   "FINALLY!" Pam exclaimed.
   Pam rushed to an open window to get a breath of FRESH AIR. Then her eyes grew wide.
   "GREAT STICKY PISTONS! Look at that! she said, pointing.
   We rushed to her side. Through the window, we could see something flying down from the sky into the courtyard.
   "It looks like a HOT-AIR BALLOON," I remarked.
   "It could be our friends returning!" Galatea said, "Hurry, follow me!"
   She RACED down the corridor, and we took off after her.