Mirror Mirror

Chapter 14

The Waters’ Edge, they soon discovered was the name of a small, secluded beach at the other side of the island.  It was not on the list of sights to see, nor was it on the map of the island.  They had stumbled across it by accident, on one of the sites on unsolved mysteries - it was situated just outside from the Old Salt Mill that had been shut down years ago.  Legend had it that it was as haunted as the people that ran it, and after their sudden disappearance, the beach and the mill had been taken off the island’s landmarks.

Was it another dead end?  It couldn’t be, if she had asked them to go there ... They had no choice - they would have to check it out.  Stephan glanced at his wristwatch.  The time was seven thirty am.  They had been up all night long trying to figure out her message.  Now they had too much time on their hands.  Too much time until midnight.  They needed to plan the rest of their day.  First things first, they were both in need of some rest.

They had taken up the old man’s offer of the one meal, having slept most of the day through.  They planned to shower and dress, and meet around eleven so that they could leave the inn and still have enough time to find the place they were looking for.

Night came quickly, though not quickly enough.  Picking up the box, Stephen grabbed his backpack, and Jarrod - the torch.  It was going to be a long night.  Jarrod had found a shortcut - they wouldn’t use it if they were gonna be on time.  Twenty minutes later, the little yellow car pulled up alongside an old, dilapidated structure.  It was literally falling apart at the seams.  A huge metal monstrosity, the mill looked as though it may have seen better days, maybe eons ago.  In the darkness, it looked like they just stepped foot on forbidden territory.  Jarrod gingerly followed Stephan out of the car, and down the sandy path that led to the beach. 

They had never seen anything like it.  No wonder people thought it was haunted.  The moon was reflected perfectly in the black water below.  The Water’s Edge ... appropriately named, for the bank stopped mere inches away from where the plunging drop to the bottomless sea began.

Jarrod walked right into him, and had he not stepped back in time and caught him, he would probably have gone back home without him.

“What on earth am I doing this for?”  It was plain to see that Jarrod was as scared as a bunny caught in the foxes trap.  Stephen was nervous too.  This was the first time for both of them.  He laughed suddenly, and when Jarrod demanded to know what was so funny at a time like this he told him, “This feels as though we’re about to lose our virginity for the first time-not with each other, mind you, but you know - the fist time ... all nervous and tongue - tied?”

Jarrod laughed too.  “Your explanations are always funnier than your thoughts, you know.”

When they looked up again, Stephen almost had a heart attack, and Jarrod almost joined him.  He dropped the bag.  Right in front of them, stood a woman.  She was old and bent, like the cane in her left hand and her silvery white hair blew wildly behind her.  She was dressed like a Gypsy - patches of fabric roughly sewn together to form her clothes, and a worn out black shawl around her knobby shoulders.  She was blind’ for where her eyes should have been, were two dark holes boring back at them.  She opened her mouth to speak, revealing black, broken teeth, and the voice that came out of her throat was low and frightening.

“The one with a pure heart.  Ah...yes.  I see you.  I have waited a long time for this.  Now I can right the wrong that I have caused, and set my spirit free.” 

The boys just stood there, speechless.  Stephen swallowed the huge lump in his throat before he asked, “What are you saying to me?  His mouth was dry, and the words stuck as he spoke them.

“Patience my boy!  There is a lot I have to show you yet!”  She said as she raised the cane into the air.  Her hand moved it around in small tight circles, growing larger and larger as the sea rose up to meet them.  Jarrod and Stephen both backed up with the force of the wind that had suddenly picked up.  It took every ounce of his energy just to stand there, and not run away.  Stephen was feeling the same way too.  They watched in awe as the huge fifty - foot waves came forward and receded, curving and curling, but not touching them.  She was controlling its movements with her cane!  A deep black hole suddenly appeared inside it, growing larger and larger, spinning around, as she chanted over and over again