Mirror Mirror

Chapter 8

And that was how he found her after work that evening, seated before her mirror, completely unaware of anything, just brushing her silken strands and complimenting herself, as if speaking to someone who wasn’t there.

He called out to her-she barely glanced up.  She just sat there-dazed, smiling, staring.

He walked slowly around her not touching, just watching her.

She was completely transfixed.  “Who is beautiful?”  She’d ask.   And then as an answer,  “Nobody is as beautiful as me.”

He was afraid to touch her.  Afraid she would be lost like that forever.  No! She had never looked more beautiful than she did just then, but something was very wrong. 

Sunset...the light had been on the darker girl, but now it moved slowly over to the fairer one.  She took a deep breath, seeming to come out of her trancelike state.

“Sarah?”

She turned towards him and smiled contently.

“What were you doing?  Are you okay?”  He asked slowly.

“I’m fine.” She murmured.  “Just fine.”  Her voice was calm, and a little dreamy.

He hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath, and he quickly exhaled shakily as he closed his eyes for a second, and then looked at the mirror.

The light danced for a few seconds on the fair maiden.  He sensed she was the guardian.

‘What the hell had been going on all day?  I’d be damned if I didn’t find out.’

He took her home with him that evening, ignoring her protests.  She wasn’t pleased...kept saying that he was over reacting, that she knew all along what she had been doing, that he was making mountains again.

He insisted, so she agreed reluctantly, telling him that she would return home later.  It was the only way he could keep her close, so he went along with it.  He’d find some other way to persuade her to stay.  Right now, she just needed to be out of her house!

She was tired again.  She could see the tension in Stephen as he made her a cup of hot chocolate, but she was surprised when instead of rushing her to talk to him, he let her relax for a while by herself.  She’s always felt comfortable here, but tonight she was itching to get home.

She didn’t want to tell him that she remembered absolutely nothing about her day, so she made up a story about getting back at him for trying to make a fool of her that morning.  She knew he didn’t believe her, but she didn’t care.  Although she felt lethargic, her mind was as fresh as a daisy.  Whatever happened to her that day, she decided, it was changing her for the better.

She felt good about herself, different, strong, not bodily, but mentally.  Damn Stephen to hell if he tried to take that away from her!  That; and her mirror.

She smiled secretly to herself.  “Tell him what he wants to hear.”  The voice in her head whispered.

Aloud she said, “I’m sorry if I freaked you out, but really, I am fine.  There was no need to bring me here.  I know what you’re thinking, and you don’t have to worry, there is nothing wrong with my mirror.  You’ll drive me back later, wont you?”

As if in direct contradiction to her words, the rain started to fall again.

He didn’t want to.  He really didn’t, but what choice did he have?  There was something in her voice…he couldn’t say no without staring another argument.  Sarah had begun to change in these last few days, but the only way he could find out what was wrong, was to play along with her.  If she got mad and threw him out, he’d never be able to get close enough to help her.  Her excuses had only left him more convinced than ever, that there was something horribly wrong, and that she couldn’t, or didn’t want to see through it.