Halloween Wishes.

It’s 1904. Pretty Ella Wilson is a very excited Victorian young lady. She is going to be allowed a unique opportunity of taking a glimpse into her future ... Ella’s forever dream of finally meeting her husband to be on ‘Hallows Eve’ is so close she can almost taste it ... But listen and remember... (Be very careful what you wish for)

5-45pm... I’m overjoyed, my shift is over, it’s Monday 31st October in the year 1904. My good friend Polly from the kitchen has told me it’s ‘All Hallows Eve’ but wait here’s the exciting part... if I really, really want to, then this would be the absolute perfect night to sit in a darkened room, hold a mirror out to my front just so I may catch a glimpse of my beloved, future husband...  The very thought that this might be so, fills me with astonishment...  Oh I know what you’re thinking, ‘what on earth is she going on about’ But listen please...  For over two years my dream’s been love, marriage and babies. Yes, I do realise I have to find a partner first. Sadly though to me, this dream’s a million miles away....

My name is Ella Wilson; I work as a domestic maid for an eminent Doctor and his family in the heart of London. It’s unusual, but, I live out which suits me just fine.  This evening as I leave my work, I distinctly feel a lighter skip to my walk. Emotions are high and although I’m not sure why, I feel overwhelmed, almost like I’ve won a major prize. Feeling hopefully expectant with recent advice and information, I carefully store a list of things in my twirling vortex of a mind. My first stop before catching the tram home is to pop into the nearest shop, obtain a bottle of wine, just to help me relax for the evening ahead.

Within the little shop I smell the over powering aroma of liquorice. As I Look around I spy a big juicy pumpkin and decide there and then to make a Jack-o-lantern. I smile at the thought of an enclosed candle warmly flickering. With welcome relief I realise it will illuminate the surrounding darkness in my little room, which I will sit in for the event. With all of my heart, I hope and pray that tonight I’m to meet my husband to be. The very thought seems nigh on impossible...

10.00pm... Sitting in my favourite armchair, dressed in my Sunday best with gas lights extinguished, I relax as it grows progressively darker... two more silent hours pass... leaning back I admire the pumpkins big bright but scary face, its candle twinkles from within, whilst nightmarish eyes grin back at me...  Outside, the night is black and icy; the cold begins to penetrate my little room.  In the dark, I’m able to watch as fine spits of rain, sizzle on the gas lamps outside my window causing little puffs of smoke to evaporate into the night. The front door’s been knocked countless times, I ignore them, this evening is mine. I must remain calm, relaxed and open to the fact I’m going to see my one true love, my sweetheart... tonight.

Three hours more to wait till midnight. Slowly, deliberately, I pour another glass of deep dark delicious wine; as it always does it hits the spot. My eyes close, my mind slides away to an inviting grey light which nestles snugly behind tired eyelids, here I see myself and the past... I do hope day dreaming is allowed before one sees a future vision... I shiver as I observe loneliness, I witness my eternal single wish for a family and I sense its importance as it illuminates through the greyness. I know the past has not been good to me but at least I work and I have a place to stay.  I want to be positive. I need to concentrate hard on the good bits of my life; anything extra would be the bonus I’ve long waited for. Maybe this dream is for idiots or for a fool who wishes their life away... Who in their right mind would wait till midnight to catch a glimpse of someone they don’t even know... smiling, my grin spreads wide.  I already know the answer to that laborious question. I also know it would be a fool who did not seek out what they want.  I need to know, I have to know, even if the answer is good, bad or indifferent.

Pouring another glass of wine, visibly I flinch at the time.  11.56pm; I need to set the scene. I grip the cold glass of wine as I take a final sip... looking deep into my beautiful mirror, which I acquired when I took up residence in my little flat... Stunningly ornate, outrageously heavy, made from solid oak, it stands on the ground right before me... To my right the Jack-o-lantern flickers gently on my little wine table. I notice the air suddenly chills further... its deathly quiet. Suddenly I smell apple cinnamon, not sure why as I don’t recall buying any. Unexpectedly I hear the ticking of a clock I know beyond any shadow of doubt; I don’t possess a clock that ticks. Why?  Because I can’t stand them with their constant reminder that life ticks by.... I wonder if these new sights, sounds and smells have anything to do with the magic I’m about to witness... Still, I peer tentatively into the mirror, nervous now by the sudden appearance of a fog which swirls, its denseness goes from thick to thin, then abruptly it starts to clear... stretching forwards, I crane my neck further towards my mirror.  I don’t know how but I do know time is imminent; fog seems to be disappearing but then the odd swirl blows towards me from within the mirror... is that possible? Polly said nothing about the fog penetrating my front room, but hang on, there’s something else, my body feels strange and oh so peculiar.  I cringe as I feel the hairs on my arms and neck stand to attention. A petrified feeling within my stomach churns over and over again; this feeling I’ve felt before... its fear.   Fear begins its climb towards my chest. Staring hard into the mirror; under no circumstances do I want to miss my loved one... I know as if by instinct that something is about to happen, the room starts to turn, the mirror is clearing again.

Hang on I see something...  someone’s, moving, crawling forwards perhaps like me wanting a better look... I see a figure from the other side pushing to catch a glimpse... Heart truly singing now... I know I’ll see him shortly. Damn the fog is here again... the mirror darkens, I’m almost standing to catch a glimpse of who’s within my mirror; I hear something, someone, he’s calling my name.  Clearer now, “Ella, Ella... Closer, come closer, I can’t see you... Come to the Mirror Ella, come...“ Standing tall, I smooth my dress down, I feel a heart full of love as I step forward nervously... a gurgling sound echoes around the room...  another step up to the glass then a crescendo of a thousand bubbles explode as they escape the mirror...   

A green light pulsates from behind the glass. I’m able to make out the outline of his skull; he’s here, my loved one... His arms open out to me, lovingly I thrust my own arms forward, horrified to see them disappear into the mirror; the glass gives way like water... but before I get a chance to scream, I’m noisily sucked into the dark green murky water, like a loose lagging weed, gone. Gone forever with my love on the other side of the mirror, lost in his twilight misty world of fog...

Disorientated, I float helpless back towards the front of the mirror. From there I look... I scream again as I witness the horror of it all as it engulfs my tortured mind... frantically pushing both hands onto the inside of the glass as I look out ~ I see my Jack-o-lanterns chilling twinkle as it stares menacingly back at me, I spot my upturned wine glass with its contents now drenching the carpet but oh my god that’s nothing to the scariest sight of all... A grotesque man sits in my wonderfully comfortable armchair and with a ghoulish grin he waves back at me.