Mirror, Mirror (On Hiatus)

Chapter Six

I woke up the next morning feeling a lot better than I had the previous night. Worrying about what was going to happen or what could happen or just anything at that point was getting too stressful. I spent most of the night awake, completely unable to sleep. After hours of worrying and trying to stop thinking about it, I fell asleep. And that was nice, really.

As one does in their mirrored home, I bumped into the walls at least twice while trying to get to the kitchen. Though I'd been there for a few days, it was still rather hard to get used to the different interior.

I walked in and saw Dan reading the newspaper, which was littered with outcry and small riot reports. And that was just the words he could read on the front page. There was no telling how much more there was on the inside.

"A riot?" I asked.

Dan looked up from his reading and seemed unfazed by the news, nor my question. "Yeah, it happened out in front of a government building.  All of them were gone by this morning, and a lot of people have been reported missing.  How odd," he said sarcastically.

"Wait, is that normal or something?"

"Not normal, but common enough. I'm pretty surprised the population of England isn't reduced to a handful of people at this point, really."

"You'd think with all these riots, something would get fixed," I murmured.

"Yeah, but that's a mirror universe for you.  Our world is different from theirs; while riots and protests may work where we're from, it doesn't necessarily apply here."

"That's just weird."

"I agree," he hummed, as if it were a conversation about the weather.  "There are so many people that want change, and so many of them do so much and put their lives on the line.  In the end, nothing works.  What's scary is how nothing has been working for so many centuries."

I thought for a moment, and this time, thought hard.  How many people could there be in this disaster of a government to keep centuries of pissed off citizens under control?  If there were people who weren't afraid and who get put away all the time, why does nothing ever change?  Do they not work together or something?  "It doesn't make sense, really."

Dan shook his head, stood up, and started to make a cup of tea.  "I've probably lost too much sleep over this trying to figure it out.  In all of the history classes I took, I remember that when the people get angry and revolt, things get done.  Hell, for this universe it worked.  That's why this place is as messed up as it is.  I don't know why it doesn't work in this day and age."

I looked down at the television talking about how great the government was and how smoothly everything was running and wanted to scoff.  They didn't even mention that people were missing after trying to protest the government. 

"I'd love to see it get thrown over to be honest," Dan admitted.  "This place is really messed up..."

I thought of the explanation Dan wrote out for me and my stomach sank.  "Dan..."  If anyone talks about revolting, making a resistance, or anything remotely threatening, they're taken away. 

"What?" he asked.  "Don't you think so, too?"

"Yes, but--"

There was a knock at the door and I swear I jumped out of my chair.  Dan looked confused for a moment, but I think he caught on when he looked to the direction the door would normally be in, finding a wall.  His eyes widened and I couldn't breathe.  "Shit,' he cursed.

"Under order of our ruler, you are formally under arrest for conspiring and treason," a commanding voice boomed.  "You can come on your own, or we can force you."

"Oh my god."

"We need to find a way out or something, come on," Dan said quietly, looking frantically around the flat.  I was thinking as hard as I could if there was any way to escape aside from the front door, but wasn't able to.  My mind was a mess of worry and overthinking.

I nodded and we started to rush about the flat, hoping to find or remember anything that could help.  The person began banging on the door, and hard.  "You have one last chance.  If you don't come, we'll use force and break down this door," the voice almost screamed this time.  It wasn't like anyone would notice, though.  It was ten in the morning on a Monday.  Everyone else in the complex was probably already at work or doing their weekly routine.  Unlike our neighbors, we made videos and prepared things for our radio show, which obviously meant we were always home.  We were probably the only ones there.

I was thinking of the videos when it hit me.  Dan talked about a fire escape in his apartment tour, and that could be our ticket out.  "The fire escape," I huffed.  Running was not my, nor Dan's, favorite thing to be doing.  Desperate times call for desperate measures, though.

"I forgot about the fire escape!  Okay, okay let's go!"

We ran to the window and started to climb out and onto the shaky fire escape.  For a few minutes, I felt so much better.  We were going to be okay.  We were going to get away.  Everything would be fine and we could just...  do something?  Maybe find a mirror and jump back to our world and break the laws of mirror physics, or whatever.

I dropped down the last part of the fire escape then to the ground while Dan was starting to come down the ladder.  I helped him off and we looked around to see where we were, exactly.  Both to our relief and dismay, it was an alleyway with only one way out. 

That one way out, though, was facing a large black van with a sticker on the blankest part reading, "Police Custody Services of London."  Two figures dressed darkly were listening to a radio, with a gruff voice barking that they needed to find the fugitives.

"Shit."

***

AN

if you'd like to hit me for not updating sooner, feel free to do so.