Alice in Mirrorwoods

Chapter Four

Keeping a fair distance from Gran's cottage, Alex and Cassie entered the woods. As they reached hurriedly near the stream and turned north towards the Oak tree, Cassie dreaded what was going to happen.

"Did she really take her backpack with her?" Alex asked.

Cassie just nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Her eyes were stinging with tears that she was holding back desperately. Alex hurried his pace and Cassie followed.

~~~~~~

Her hand trembled, mere an inch away from the swirling mist. Her heartbeat raced and throat went dry.

She wasn't sure but Alice thought the mist had thickened where her hand was closest, moving impatiently. Urging her to come closer, touch it. The mist was like a high power magnet and she was a mere scrap of metal. The pull was unbelievable now that she was right in front of it.

Alice hesitated slightly. What if it was a trap?

The mist swirled slower at a softer soothing pace as if sensing her hesitation.

"Okay... I want to do this." Alice murmured to herself, "What's the worst that could happen?" She said thinking about her already miserable life. She closed her raised hand in a tight fist and took a deep breath. Releasing the breath she opened her fist.

"NO!" She heard Cassie screaming and gasped. She turned back suddenly to see Alex and Cassie running fast towards her. The sudden movement made her stumble on a stone at her foot.

Her eyes widened as she lost her balance and fell back. The last thing Alice heard was Alex and Cassie screaming her name before the mist engulfed her completely.

~~~~~~

It was like experiencing an explosion. Alex and Cassie were thrown off their feet and fell backwards on the ground.

Once Alice had fell into the mist in the arch, the mist had turned even brighter and brighter until it was blinding. And then the siblings had felt it. An invisible force slamming into them, throwing them back. Alex looked around bewildered and realised that everything in their surroundings seemed to have been impacted by the force.

Nothing was physically damaged but the surrounding plants, trees and even the dirt on the ground looked wind swept.

Cassie was crying hysterically next to him, her eyes wide with shock. He turned his attention to the Arch. It was glowing a bit but the mist had completely disappeared. As he stared at it, even the glow faded gradually making everything look normal.

Except for the fact that... Alice was gone.

Gone, God only knew where.

~~~~~~

Alex put an arm around Cassie and held her until she somewhat calmed down.

A few minutes later she looked up at him. "W-what happened? Where did she go? Everything just disappeared." She sobbed.

"Shhh... I don't know where she went. That thing there..." He said tilting his head towards the Arch. "It was definitely not something ordinary."

"Then what was it?" Cassie asked.

"Could be anything." Alex replied. "Dark magic or something supernatural."

Cassie shivered. "So that's what happened to Julian then. He must have fell into the mist when his friends weren't looking."

"Yes but this force that hit us afterwards. Surely Julian's friends must've been hit with it too." Alex argued.

"What are we going to do now? Are you going to talk to those guys?" Cassie asked.