The Mirror

Part 1

The moon smiles at me as I run across the meadow. The cool grass squeezes in between my toes and moistens my pads. The sound of a door creaking echoes across the glade. I pause.

My eyes fixate on the house with logs for walls. A thought comes to me and tells me I am an idiot. I turn off the lantern and lie flat in the grass. What was I thinking? Only after several dozen heartbeats do I dare to look at my home again.

Nothing. I let out a sigh of relief. No one has heard me sneak out of the house. I rise and resume running toward the treeline. A short while later, I rest on the edge of the forest. I lie on my back and stare at the stars above my head while I wait for my breathing to return to normal.

"What are you doing?" My sister asks, staring at me. She puts her hands on her hips.

Annabel's nightgown swirls with the light breeze. Her bonnet clings neatly to her head. Not a single whisper of her blond hair escapes. A few dead leaves float above the ground and drift into the shadows.

"Why are you here?" I demand, trying to emulate Papa's death stare. "Does he know you are not in bed?"

Annabel's lips part as if she is going to speak. They abruptly close with a tight expression. She needs no words. The silence reveals the truth. Papa did not give her his blessing.

I grin at my sister. "He has no idea you are here." I pause, staring into her eyes. "What do you think he is going to say when you are not in bed?"

Annabel laughs and then her tone darkens. "The same thing when he finds out you're not asleep in the barn."

"I don't have time for this." I let out an exasperated sigh. "Go home."

"You can't order me around." She steps closer. "I am your elder. I tell you what to do."

This may take a while. I sit on the dew saturated grass. Annabel is definitely interrupting my plans.

"Where were you headed in a hurry?" she asks.

I gaze at the twinkling stars. "I will tell you if you can explain why Papa has you under lock and key."

She gasps as she raises her eyebrows. "That is none of your concern."

"Either is where I am going."

"Looks like we are at an impasse," she says, sitting next to me. She hugs her knees beneath her nightgown.

A high-pitched whistle pierces the night air. "It is about time," I grumble. I twist off a blade of grass, place it between my thumbs and blow.

A shrill whistle awakens the silent night. A half minute later, my friend comes running over with an excited gleam in his eyes.

"What took you so long?" I ask. Jeremiah extends a hand and helps me to my feet.

"Would you mind helping a lady to her feet?"

"When a lady arrives," I reply, slapping Jeremiah on the back and laughing.

He gives me a glare that wipes the grin from my face. "My lady." He assists Annabel to her feet and kisses the back of her hand.

"Jeremiah," she squeals while she jerks her hand back. But her face tells a different story. She likes it. Jeremiah is smiling and his eyes are like a lost puppy.

I can not restrain myself. A grunting escapes the back of my throat and blows out of my nose. "When did this happen?" I ask in between giggles. "No wonder Papa is watching you like a hawk.

They have guilty expressions on their faces. Annabel's eyes lower and her lips tighten. She balls her fist and clocks him on the shoulder.

"What's that for?"Jeremiah asks, rubbing his shoulder.