Mirror Mirror

chapter 6

“Oh, Stephen.”  She giggled; delighted that he had surprised her with this.  She hadn’t seen him all day, so she made a mental note to call him and thank him later.  Right now though, what she needed was a hot bath and a nice warm bed.

Thirty minutes later, she crawled out of the bath, thoroughly exhausted.  That was when she heard it. 

“Sarah...Sarah.” A voice called out to her.  It was the merest of whispers but it scared the hell out of her. 

“Wh-who is it?”

Nothing...she felt a rush of blood pound into head, heard every erratic beat in her chest, and then the blood drained out again…There was no one there but her.

After a few seconds, her fear evaporated when she realized that she was indeed, alone.  Laughing nervously to herself, she passed the incident off as her overactive imagination, turned into her pillow and tried to relax.  Sleep overtook her almost immediately. 

She didn’t see the dark figure glide across the room to her bed...didn’t feel the cold hands at her temples... 

In her dream, she was walking barefoot along the edges of a pool of water.  She leaned over and dipped her fingers into the cool liquid, sending tiny ripples through the glassy surface.

There was a face at the bottom, much like her own.  It was hers, she decided after a moment.  She looked older than she was, a little fragile perhaps... “Could it be?” She wondered.

Rustling….and then a sudden chill in the air.  A rush of wind surrounded her, bitingly cold against her thin nightdress.  Sarah looked around, clutching at her clothes, trying to keep the warmth in.   Water spilled out and over the banks of the now black pool she stood by.  It lapped greedily around her feet, sending icy waves right up her spine.  She stepped back, but there was something hard against her...

A tree?  How did a tree get there?  Leaves spiraled downwards from the topmost branches, scattering around her like a shower of rain.  Sarah...Sarah...Sarah…

Someone was chanting her name again, in that same voice.  It was the slightest of whispers, for her ears only.

“Who is it?” She shouted breathlessly.  “Who’s calling me? Show yourself dammit!”  Her voice rose, shrill in the never ending darkness surrounding her.  Still, with all the wind, the sound did not carry.  It disappeared thickly into the night.

No answer…Just a subtle hushing sound.

And then everything returned to normal as quickly as it changed.  Relief flooded through her, but lasted only a moment before the reality of her situation struck her.

Suddenly, she felt herself falling.  Now she was spiraling out of control.  She fought it.

“You’re beautiful Sarah.”

Heaviness took over her body, her eyes rolled back, lashes fluttered.  She was going to pass out…

“Beautiful, Sarah…Say it.  Tell me what you are…”  The voice hissed in her ear.

“I’m…”  She murmured, still trying to fight the force.

“What are you, Sarah?”  The voice persisted.

 “Beautiful.” 

“Ahh…so beautiful.” The voice agreed.

“I’m beautiful.” She repeated, ceasing her efforts and letting the voice caress her mind.

She was in front of the mirror again.  Two maidens stroked her hair lovingly. One was fair and the other, dark.  “I am beautiful.” She said to the woman looking back.  A hand reached out from inside to touch her face.

And then...

“No!”

She stared horrified as a flood of blood gushed forth from her wrists, staining the white nightgown she wore.  She couldn’t help the feeling of despair, nor could she fight the conflicting feeling of joy.

She was dying, but all she could think of, was how beautiful she looked.  Even when death came to claim her, she was perfect.  Her hair in tight curls, her cheeks still rosy and her lips, lush and red...Her eyes filled with tears, but her mouth turned up in a smile.   

That was when she saw...

She awoke with a jolt.  Hair plastered her face and she was breathless, but she couldn’t for the life of her remember what her dream was all about.  Dawn was breaking lazily in the horizon. Sarah lay back and closed her eyes.  “Another hour wouldn’t hurt.” She thought as she went back to sleep.

The dark shadow moved swiftly back towards the mirror.  If she had been awake, Sarah would have heard the soft, yet distinct chuckle, before it disappeared into its depths.

The mirror shuddered as it settled itself inside once more.  The change had to be gradual this time.  The girl was the best looking one of all.  The very best in a long, long time.  She would know very soon, what she was to do.  For now, let her rest.