Yvonne's heart beat in time with the whirring machinery around her. She and Axel had worked tirelessly to stabilize the portal, testing every variable, running simulations over and over. Now, at last, it stood ready before her—a gateway between worlds, holding steady with a faint, translucent shimmer.
Axel gave her a reassuring nod. "The readings are stable. If you're ready, Yvonne, it's now or never."
Taking a steadying breath, Yvonne stepped forward, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement course through her. She remembered the first time she'd crossed over, the raw, unpredictable energy that had almost swallowed her whole. But this time felt different, almost as though the portal itself were waiting to welcome her. The air thickened, and a sudden warmth surrounded her, pulling her forward as she entered the new dimension.
The moment she stepped through, she found herself surrounded by towering trees and wild, open landscapes that seemed to breathe life into the air. This place felt untouched, preserved. She inhaled deeply, smelling damp earth and rain, a scent so nostalgic it almost broke her. She remembered this place, and her heart quickened as her eyes fell upon a small cottage nestled in the trees, smoke curling from its chimney.
She felt her legs carrying her forward as if they knew where to go. And then she saw her—a young woman standing in the garden, her dark hair glinting in the soft light, her figure as familiar as Yvonne's own reflection.
"Mavis," Yvonne whispered, her voice breaking under the weight of the moment.
The young woman turned, startled, and for a heartbeat, they simply stared at each other. Yvonne's heart clenched as she took in Mavis's face—so achingly similar to the child she had lost. She looked like a mirror, a perfect, youthful version of Yvonne's own memories, yet different in ways only this world could have shaped.
But as Yvonne's gaze dropped to Mavis's wrist, she felt a sharp intake of breath. The girl wore a silver bracelet, delicately carved, the very same one Yvonne had given her daughter on her last birthday before the accident, before she had disappeared. It was unmistakable, a painful reminder of a life long lost.
Mavis noticed her staring and touched the bracelet gently, a small smile playing on her lips. "It was my mother's," she said softly. "She... she left it for me. My grandmother gave it to me."
Yvonne felt a wave of emotions—joy, hope, and a profound ache—crash over her. It was clear now. Mavis was not her daughter but a counterpart, a soul echoing her lost child in this new world. Her eyes blurred with tears as she stepped forward, unable to fight the urge to reach out.
"You remind me so much of someone I loved," Yvonne whispered, her voice trembling. "She wore that same bracelet. My daughter, she... she left this world a long time ago."
Mavis's eyes softened, as though she somehow understood. She gave Yvonne a small, sad smile, her expression mirroring the grief Yvonne had carried for so many years. "I feel like I know you," Mavis said quietly. "Like I was meant to meet you. Maybe... maybe that's why we're here."
Yvonne reached out, taking Mavis's hand, feeling the warmth of her skin. It was a comfort that soothed and shattered her at the same time. But as she held Mavis's hand, she felt something odd, an eerie sensation that prickled at her awareness. The warmth of Mavis's skin began to fade, and a faint, shimmering transparency started at the edges of Mavis's form.
"No..." Yvonne whispered, panic rising in her chest. She tightened her grip as though holding her could somehow anchor her here. "Mavis, what's happening?"
But Mavis only smiled gently, a look of peaceful acceptance in her eyes. "You don't belong here, Yvonne," she said, her voice faint and distant. "I am only a reflection of what you've lost. My world and yours—they can't coexist, not like this."
Yvonne shook her head, tears streaming down her face as she held on tighter. "No! There has to be a way! You're here—I can't lose you again."
YOU ARE READING
"The Me She Never Had"
Random"The Me She Never Had" tells the haunting and mysterious tale of Mavis, a girl who was born dead in one world, but alive in another. Unknown to her mother, Yvonne, Mavis has been living in a parallel reality-a realm where she exists as a vibrant you...
