Toybox

Lucy - Chapter One

Lucy travelled her whole life. It just felt normal to move from place to place; simply part of the lifestyle she had been born into. Her parents often fondly re-telling the story of how she was born cradled in blankets in the back of a carnival caravan, the other travellers affectionately naming her a true 'carnie'. They were an odd family to the eyes of an outsider but they had to stick together after all. 

Lucy didn't know anyone else who had an auntie with a beard or a strong man who made the best on the road pancakes she had ever tasted. She knew how to beat any coconut shy, which coloured ducks to hook for the best prizes and to the other children she was admired and as bright as the carnival she had grown up in.

 Each day provided a sensory delight for her ever curious mind. Row upon row of flickering lights in every vivid colour, hour upon hour spent exploring the fun-houses and ghost trains before surrendering them to the public. However no story is complete without a hook, Lucy's is no exception. On the second floor of the fun-house, with its wacky tiled roof and goofy framed clown photos on each wall you will find a mirror.
Naturally, its purpose is to stretch and contort reflections for the promise of laughter from all who find it. This particular mirror had always been Lucy's favourite, the way it stretched her features and made her much taller one day and the next she'd be squished down to the size of an ant. It was a true novelty that she checked in on every day without fail.

She could remember it so clearly that day, tiptoeing past the thick plastic doors that seemed to stretch to heights far past any adult she had ever met.
Clambering up the crudely painted blue staircase on her hands and knees like an infant excitedly trying to find their own feet. Continuing on up to the second floor, jumping to attention as she spotted her reflection. Indeed her doppelganger stared back at her behind the pane of glass.
A young girl of 13 years old, wide blue eyes curtained by her black 'dolly' lashes and long ruby hair that fell far past her shoulders, resting neatly as if freshly brushed. Dressed in worn pink dungarees, a striped shirt stained with patches of strawberry juice and a pair of socks far too big for her dainty feet. Pink floral bandages decorated her bare knees though they proved to be a sign of her playful if not reckless nature.

Of course, her reflection was stretched in a way that seemed to make her tiny legs much shorter and her head much larger, fits of giggles coming from the girl as she jumped around excitedly.

"Lucy dear, Dinner is ready!"

A familiar voice called for the child, her head snapping around to attention like a puppy responding to its name for the very first time.

"Coming Momma!"

She chimed, turning to run back to the call of her parent. As she turned she found the oversized woolly socks in front of her feet as she tried to walk, in an almost comical fashion the girl waved her arms about as she lost her balance and her body began to sway backward.
Scrunching her eyes shut as she braced for her head to hit the glass and her body to ache as she collided with the floor, but that sensation never came. Her small figure slipped through the mirror and out to the other side. Leaving nothing but a sock in her stead, just like that she was gone.

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Authors note; Hey! So I'm completely new to all of this and my writing experience is pretty limited as far as things go, I'd love feedback if its not too much trouble. If I don't get feedback I won't know where to improve. I hope you come to enjoy the story and characters as much as I have enjoyed creating them for you. -Pandora~

EDIT: I decided to make Lucy a little older just for some slightly mature things later on /Nothing dirty or sexual I promise/. Just thought i'd add this as a little note. ~Pandora