The Silver Mirror

Chapter 1: Life

Sixteen-year-old Aira Hoying was doing her English homework. She was extremely bored. She couldn’t think of a good thesis statement for her essay; of why she thought that All Hollow’s Eve became a holiday in the first place. Sighing, she tucked a strand of stray hair behind her ear; gazing outside of her window. Aira had frizzy, unkempt hair that was a dirty blonde. No amount of frying from her hair straightener would keep it down. She couldn’t brush it either, with its knots and tangles, so it just hung down her back. Her face wasn’t ugly, but she was no great beauty either. The word for it was plain. She had a thin figure, which didn’t capture the envy of anyone, and horrid breakouts, especially on her cheeks, every now and then. At least she wasn’t obese and acne-ridden. Her intelligence was average, and she wasn’t stupid either. So Aira was just a plain, ordinary girl with an annoying assignment to finish. Which her brother’s loud music from his room didn’t help at all. Growling in frustration, Aira shifted in her desk, making the chair squeak loudly, which she took pleasure in giving it pain. It was a nice September day, and she really wanted to go outside for a walk in the fresh air. The only thing preventing her from escaping her stuffy room was her 100-point English essay, which was due tomorrow.

The music stopped from her brother’s room.

Several minutes later, he banged on her door. “Mom’s going shopping. Need anything?”

“Go AWAY, Andras! I’m doing something important!”

“What, like killing your poor chair?” Andras was two years younger than Aira, and he was a pain most of the time. It didn’t help that he and his sister went to the same high school.

“When I get my permit, the first thing I’m going to do is run you over.”

“Ooh, I’m so scared now!”

“You should be.”

“That was sarcasm!”

Aira got up and flung her door open. “Seriously, what do you want? I have writer’s block, so get lost!”

“Mom. Is. Going. Shopping. Wanna come?” He punctuated every word slowly, pretending that his sister was deaf.

“Sure!”Aira was excited. It was always fun to go shopping with Mom, because Dad wouldn’t let them take the free samples. And it would be fun to get out for a change.

“Okay, but first one down gets to go with her!”

“Hey! But I’m hungry too!”

“You ate, like, an hour ago.” Andras shot over his shoulder, shooting around the corner, with Aira racing after him. Their dog, Choco, barked, and skidded after them. Choco was named for his thick coca-colored hair.

Andras went pelting down the stairs of their two-story house, and nearly squashed Choco. He avoided him just in time, but not before swerving into Aira, causing both of them to fall down the stairs, two at a time.

“Careful children!” Mr. Hoying exclaimed a split second before they crashed into the glass cabinet with porcelain figurines and whatnot. It tipped over with an earsplitting crash of yells, breaking glass, and barking.

Mrs. Hoying rushed over. “Are you alright?!” She and her husband, a slightly balding man of middle-age, gingerly picked out their two rowdy children. The dog had escaped unscathed, and miraculously, Aira and Andras had only a few minor cuts and scrapes. Their clothes had protected most of them.

“Mom, why on earth was that in the way?” Aira started to clean up the mess with Andras.

“I was cleaning the living room, so I had to put it there. Sorry, honey. The only important thing is that none of your major organs are harmed.”

Andras rolled his eyes.

“And besides, Andras,” she continued, “I wasn’t going to be shopping for another half hour.”

“Drat.” Aira and Andras said disconsolately. So they got into that mess for nothing.

“Don’t worry, though. You can help clean up.” Their dad said, stepping gingerly around the various sharp edges.

“And besides, I’ll have to start my collection up again. I’m going to that flea market tomorrow.” Mrs. Hoying smiled encouragingly.

Mr. Hoying started to bandage up their cuts.

After what seemed like an eternity, every tiny bit of glass and porcelain was picked up.

Aira sighed. “Well, I guess that I better get back to my essay then.”

“Yay! Does that mean that I can go with Mom?”

Aira did not reply, for she was already making her way up the stairs.

Baek in her room, she chewed on the end of her eraser.

And then she began to write.

In my opinion, I believe that All Hallows Eve began as an acknowledgement that spirits, ghosts, and whatnot actually existed. It became a day to protect people when spirits were the strongest; humans at their weakest………….

Hours later, eyes itching from tiredness, Aira finally put down her pencil. In front of her was a freshly completed essay. It wasn’t exactly her best, but it would do for the time being. She got up to her bathroom and started her bedtime routine.

As she began to brush her teeth, she realized that she had a gash on her forehead. She groaned. It would undoubtedly leave a scar.

She went downstairs to check the groceries that had not yet been put away. In one of the bags, there was a container of acne cream. Her mother had not yet gone to bed, and was putting Choco outside for the night.

“Hi, honey. It’s getting late. You should probably go to bed now.” Mrs. Hoying said with some concern.

“I am, I just need to get this cream. Good night, Mom.” Aira said, somewhat tiredly.

“Good night, sweetheart. Sleep tight.”