Mirror Mirror

Chapter II.

Ebony Nightshade walked out onto the balcony, stifling a yawn behind a pale hand and running the other through his dark hair. His silver-grey eyes flickered across the sprawling back garden, the early morning sun flitting through the leaves, dancing the shadows across the lawn. He felt a cool, slender hand on his shoulder and smiled down at his twin sister. Though a full head shorter than her brother, she was easily recognisable as his twin, from the same wavy black hair, milk-bottle complexion and silver-grey eyes. Shay smiled back, "You're up early." She remarked, a copy of the local paper in her hands. "I couldn't sleep very well. You know what day it is, don't you?" She nodded slowly, her smile fading, "Yes. The anniversary of the - and I quote the Lockwood's Halt Daily Paper; 'Anonymous Murder of Mabuz House'" Ebony put an arm around her shoulders and leaned in close, breathing in her ear; "Brings back memories, doesn't it?" His breath smelt like spearmint. "Oh yes," She breathed back, "One year down, and still the police don't even have a name." They broke apart at the sound of a panicked shriek from below them. Foreheads creased in identical expressions of confusion, Ebony and Shay approached the edge of the balcony and leaned over the side. Esme ran from the house, hair flying out behind her. In her hand she clutched a letter, brightly painted nails digging into the paper. Her eyes were wide with shock and she whipped her head back and fourth. "Shay!" She shrieked, "Ebony! Are you out here? Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!" Ebony raised an eyebrow, "Someone seems agitated," he remarked, then raising his voiced called down to his younger sister; "Up here Es, what are you squealing about?" Esme finally noticed them standing up above her, and held up the letter she had been grasping so tightly. "You have to come down here right now and read this! Oh my god how the hell can they know?" At those words, the twins froze. Ebony lost his smirk as he turned and caught Shay's eyes. "Does she mean...?" Shay began, her voice low and agitated. She didn't finish. She didn't have too. Ebony motioned towards the sliding glass doors behind them, "Only one way to find out." They descended the mahogany staircase side by side, and met Esme on the blood-red damask carpet on the first landing. She sprinted up to them and thrust the letter into Shay's hands. With far more composure than her sister, she flattened the paper and read the five words written on it. Ebony, who was reading over her shoulder, felt her stiffen beside him, the meaning behind the words sinking in at the exact same moment. In blotchy red lettering that looked suspiciously like blood - and fresh at that, were the words I KNOW ALL YOUR SECRETS. "What's going on?" Hershel asked, coming out of a doorway to their right. He stopped when he saw their expressions. "What's that?" He motioned towards the letter. There was a hesitation in his voice, like he wasn't completely sure he wanted to know the answer to his own question. Wordlessly, Shay handed him the note, and watched the way every muscle in his body seemed to freeze, paralysed in shock and fear, like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. Slowly, Hershel raised his head and all four Nightshade sibling looked at each other. It was Ebony who broke the silence. "This may mean nothing," he said, his voice smooth and calming, "This may have nothing to do with you-know-what."
"What about the date?" Esme whispered, fear etched on her face, "We all know what day it is." Hershel nodded, biting his nails - an old habit and a clear sign of distress, "This can't be a coincidence. We can't pretend, we all know that this must mean someone knows about you-know-what"
"But they can't!" Esme hissed, "We were so careful, so sure no one knew anything about what happened." Shay laid a comforting arm across her slender shoulders. "Don't worry, everything's going to be fine. Even if this is referring to you-know-what, whoever sent this clearly has no substantial evidence, or else they wouldn't be threatening us - they would've just gone to the police. This was only sent to scare us, and we aren't going to let that happen." The letter had rattled her momentarily, but now her poise had returned and she was once again the picture of cool indifference. Only Ebony could see through her act, sensing the worry beneath the facade. He caught her gaze, and she tilted her head subtly in the direction of the stairs. The message was clear; talk to you about it later. He gave a tiny little nod, and returned his attention back to their younger siblings. "Shay's right," he told them, offering a reassuring smile, "Nothing has changed. Now, what we are all going to do is get dressed, go downstairs, wake up Irene and Robert, have a perfectly normal breakfast, then go to school. Got it? Good, let's go." He and Shay walked back up the stairs, Esme and Hershel walking down the other way. They were silent until they reached their adjoining bedrooms. Slipping a small key on a silver chain out from her pocket, Shay unlocked her room and slipped inside, Ebony right behind her. He closed the door softly and sat down on her bed. "Thoughts?" He asked, keeping his voice low - purely out of habit. "Lots." She responded, fossicking around her drawers, "What about you? What do you really think that note meant?"
"I don't know," he admitted, turning his back to face the wall as she pulled off her bedclothes, "There is a chance that we are all overreacting, and that this is just a stupid joke, sent by one of those idiots who attend our school."
"I suppose. But Esme was right. Today is the anniversary of the Maybuz Murder. Today of all days to recieve something like this..." She straitened her school blazer and tapped him on the shoulder. Ebony turned, opened his mouth to respond, but a knock on the door stopped him. Silently, he slipped through the thin wooden door that adjoined his room to hers. Shay opened the larger door, stepping out into the hallway. There was no one outside her room. With a slight shrug, she was about to turn back into the room, when she caught sight of an envelope on the ground. Frowning, she picked it up and opened it. Inside was an old-fashioned fog watch. It was scratched and worn, covered in dirt and decades of grime, and as easily recognisable to Shay as her own reflection. She felt her blood turn to ice in her veins. "What's that?" Ebony asked, poking his head out of his room. Quickly, Shay shoved the watch into her pocket and gave him what she hoped was an easy, innocent smile. "Nothing." He narrowed his eyes, but let it pass, motioning instead towards the stairs, "Shall we?" He asked.
"Just give me a minute. I forgot my phone." She turned back into her room, closing the door behind her and waited until the sound of his footsteps faded away. The second they did the cool mask fell away and she could see her own terrified face reflected back at her in the claw-footed full-length mirror opposite. Flattening herself onto the ground, she slithered under her bed and hid the watch between the mattress and the bed frame. She lay there for a moment, eyes closed, heart pounding. "No one knows," She whispered into the darkness, "I'm safe." Hidden beneath her bed like a child, she suddenly felt very alone, and very, very scared...