Land of Losts

Chapter One

"Everyone, I'm home!"

The smell of grilled chicken fill the house. I immediately take out my shoes and walk to the kitchen. My father and my grandmother are there. They sure are the best cooks because who else can make a chicken that delicious?

As usual I greet them and then sneak my way to take a slice of the grilled chicken.

"Hey, it's not dinner yet, Em!" Grandma tells me.

I laugh and run upstairs. The door is opened. I peek inside, afraid that maybe someone has broken into my house. I hold my bag in front of me and make myself ready if suddenly someone attack me.

I open the door a little wider and find no one inside. The only difference I notice is a huge standing mirror beside my closet.

I run back downstairs and head to the kitchen.

"Does anyone know about that huge mirror in my room?"

Dad looks at grandma, not knowing of what I'm talking about.

Grandma chuckles and tells us both, "Oh, dear, I found a new thrift shop this morning while I was walking the way home. It's only a block away. I thought you might like it. You're a teenager now, Em. You have to dress more properly."

I let out a sigh. Grandma has Alzheimer so she easily forgets things. Of course she also forgets that she has bought me several huge standing mirrors. Weirdly, she still remembers her family's name. All of them.

"Thanks, Granny. I really like the mirror."

I walk towards her and hug her for so long before I go back to my room.

The huge mirror is standing there. I feel a bit tense just by looking at it. It's a kind of mirror that is mysterious and gothic. I look at the mirror closely. Its frame is painted in golden black and has very elaborated curvy details. It looks creepy but also normal. I mean, not mystical enough.

I then look at the back of the mirror. It is not painted. I think it was made of stone. On the stone engraved a sentence that looks like a spell. It says 'May whatever you desire not deceive you.'

Suddenly, I fall down on my butt. It's as if I stepped on something slippery. But when I look down, there's nothing on the floor.

Weird much, huh? I talk to myself.

I decide to go take a bath to freshen up a bit. I turn on the tap then take off my clothes. I unwrap my bath bomb and drop it in the tub. I get in it and let myself soak in the nice smelled water.

After fifteen good minutes, I get out of the tub and wrap a fluffy towel around my body. I hear footsteps as I go to my room to get dressed. It sounds heavy and manly. Without any further thoughts, I quickly run to my room and lock the door.

"Oh, crap," I think there's someone else in my bedroom. Luckily, it's just my reflection in the new huge standing mirror. "I need to move the mirror or else I could be shocked to death."

After I am fully dressed, I go downstairs to have dinner with my family. I have always loved the foods Grandma makes. It tastes so heartwarming and feels like Thanksgiving.
Ah, Thanksgiving...

"Dad, do you mind helping me move the mirror?" I ask after we finished the dinner.

"Why don't you move it by yourself? I need to clean up the garage."

"Oh, right. The garage."

I walk out the kitchen, then I remember something. "Dad, is Uncle Griffith here?"

"No, honey. What do you mean?"

"Nothing. It's just um, I, oh nevermind." I walk up the stairs thinking I might have gone crazy today.

When I open my bedroom door, Grandma is there. She's moving the mirror.

"What are you doing, Grandma? It's heavy, you don't have to do that."

"Well, I heard you want to move the mirror. It's okay, dear, I got this."

I help her move the mirror. It's not as heavy as I think. I don't think it's made of solid stone.

By the time we have finished redecorate my room, I feel the sleepiness kicking in. Grandma walks back to her room. I lay down on my bed and quickly falls asleep.

•••

It's dark. Absolute dark. Everything is in pitched black. I can't see anything

"Hello, is anyone here?"

My voice echoes. Seems like it is a place with barriers. What is this place? I try to walk. There is a solid ground underneath me and I feel I can at least walk safely.

A laughter. I heard a laughter just now. Who was that?

"Hello, is anyone here? Please, just show up. What is this place? Where am I?"

A pebble is thrown to me. I pick up the pebble. It's white with splats of red liquid on it. I smell the pebble and it smells like blood. What is this place? I have to get out of here.

Someone shows up surprisingly just a few steps in front of me. It's a man. I can see that he's a man but I can't tell who he is. It's so dark I can't see his face, but I know that he is a tall and muscular man. Of course I am horrified. I think I was going to die.

All of the sudden I feel forces around me and then the man in front of me seems to be pulled by the forces. He screams so many words but I can't figure out what he's trying to say.

"Come, Emily. Come," a voice whispers on my ears from all direction.

"Where am I? Tell me what place this is! Who are you? How can you know my name?"

The voice chuckles. Then a blow of wind comes to me as if to calm me down.

"Get ready, I will get you here."

Then it disappears.

•••