Elemental

23. WHAT SHE SAW

The first thing Tori felt as she slowly unfolded herself from the foetal position she was in on the ground, and got to her feet, was the sharp stinging pain all over her back. It felt as though someone was purposely pulling off her skin, and then pouring vinegar over the wounds.

She hissed as she straightened her back, feeling too preoccupied by the searing pain to look at anything else. "Shit," she muttered to herself, "ouch."

She took a long deep breath, willing herself to gain more control of her being and look around. 'These windows', she thought to herself, glancing up at the walls rising up around her, 'they look so familiar!'

The entire hall was lit up by a light source Tori could not see. In fact, after a few blank moments, Tori discovered that it was her that the light was shining out of.

She was the source of light. 'strange', she thought to herself, 'very strange.'
She felt her golden robe trail at the hem, sweeping the marbled floor as she walked around feeling confused, stunned and in awe.
"Hello?" She called loudly into the vast emptiness. The only reply that came back was her echo.

Tori was alone.

Suddenly, she saw a large mirror, with golden carved edges and the clearest reflection she had ever seen.
She stared at herself, at the regal looking robe she was wearing, at the woven vine crown around her freely flowing red hair, at the confidence etched on her features, and at her commanding posture. She almost had a heart attack.

Her reflection smiled, but Tori was horrified. 'Who is this person?' she asked herself, stepping involuntarily closer and closer to the mirror, until the tip of her nose touched the cool glass. Then, like a surreal dream, or a gripping horror movie, her reflection reached our through the glass and pulled her into the mirror by the hand.

Tori felt as though she was stepping through a curtain of cool, body temperature water. It tickled. "What are you doing?" She asked her reflection, shell shocked, stunned. "Who are you?"

Her reflection tossed her hair over her shoulder and laughed. "Really?" She asked in an authoritative crystal clear voice. "You really don't know me?" She smirked at Tori. "I don't, even for a moment, believe that."

When Tori only stared and did not respond, her reflection replied exasperatedly, "Oh for Merlin's sake, Victoria, I am you."

"You are my reflection," Tori commented stupidly, taken aback, unable to piece together the fact that she was talking to what seemed to be her reflection; a more beautiful version of herself.

"No," Tori's reflection folded her arms authoritatively at her chest, looking more regal than anyone Tori had ever seen. "I am you, the other you, the one that hides." Came the no nonsense reply.

"But I looked in a mirror." Tori argued, feeling like she might be suffering a concussion. "Mirrors show reflections, don't they?" She looked earnestly at her other self, her breath hitching up in her throat.

"Did you read the words carved around the mirror?" Tori heard a tinkling in her reflection's voice that she had not heard before.

"No. I… I was…" Tori felt stupid as she stared at the other version of herself. "I was looking at you."
Her reflection laughed. "Oh yes, I do tend to have that effect on people. I certainly had that effect on Blaze."
Tori blushed, feeling slightly jealous. "You don't know Blaze."

"Oh come on, Tori, don't be silly, now," her reflection examined her perfectly manicured fingernails confidently. "I just told you, I'm you, the one that not many people see. I hide a lot."
"So, you're… me?"Tori felt thoroughly confused. This did not make any sense to her at all.
"Oh my God, you're certainly quite slow on the uptake, aren't you?" He reflection peered at her, still somehow managing to look majestic.
Tori shook her head, as though that would clear her head. Or do away with this strange dream-like vision. Either one.
When it did not work, quite obviously, Tori decided to drop the subject.