Aeliana

Chapter 5

In the early hours of the following morning, Aeliana lay in a deep slumber, blissfully unaware of the urgent need to use the bathroom. The sensation of a full bladder slowly crept upon her, but she resisted the call, too reluctant to open her eyes and leave the comfort of her bed. Ignoring the persistent urges, she stubbornly clung to the remnants of sleep.

However, her peaceful rest soon transformed into an uncomfortable ordeal as her body began to radiate intense heat, causing her to grow unbearably hot. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead and trickled down her body. Startled, Aeliana's eyes shot open, and with a sense of urgency, she sprang out of her room, desperately searching for the nearest bathroom.

Finally, she reached the sanctuary of the toilet bowl just in time, where she expelled all the contents of her stomach from the previous night, including the remnants of the extravagant six-cheese pizza she had enjoyed on her birthday. Exhausted and relieved after five minutes of retching, she rose from her hunched position, splashed cold water on her face to soothe her queasy stomach, and took a few sips of water before retreating to her room. Grateful that her loud and unpleasant ordeal had gone unnoticed by her parents or guardians, Vivian and Michael, she silently thanked the heavens for sparing her the embarrassment.

Returning to her room, Aeliana closed her eyes, hoping to find solace in the realm of semi-consciousness once again. But to her surprise, she found herself abruptly transported to an eerie, cold, and pitch-black room. Before her stood an imposing mirror, its presence announced solely by the absence of any other discernible objects. There were no doors, windows, or sources of light or sound, except for the rhythmic thumping of her heartbeats echoing through the void.

Navigating through the darkness with outstretched hands, she stumbled upon the mirror, her fingers grazing its smooth surface before inadvertently colliding with the cold, unyielding bricks that composed an inexplicable wall surrounding her. It became clear to her at that moment that she was no longer in the familiar confines of her home or her room. Disoriented and disheartened, she wandered, like a blind person, desperately searching for something—anything—to anchor herself to, be it a doorknob, a door, or a window to break through. Yet, all she encountered were the unyielding, icy bricks meticulously assembled into an impenetrable wall.

"Vivian, Michael," Aeliana's voice reverberated throughout the room as she called out for her parents, only to be met with an unsettling silence that enveloped her. She was utterly alone, left to grapple with the perplexing situation she found herself in. With no clear direction or guidance, she resorted to pounding the brick walls with her bare hands, hoping for some semblance of escape. However, her futile efforts only resulted in bruised and battered fists, adding physical pain to the already overwhelming confusion and fear that consumed her.

Finally, Aeliana conceded defeat, sighing heavily as she slumped to her knees. It was at that moment that the invisible mirror emitted a soft, slow, blinking neon-blue glow. Aeliana turned her gaze to the mirror, her curiosity overcoming any fear or apprehension she felt. Slowly, she crawled and felt her way toward the source of the glow, eventually standing before the mirror, which towered over her petite, five-foot figure.

The mirror reflected an image of her as a young girl, accompanied by a black cat that rubbed against her leg, purring contentedly. Aeliana vaguely recalled that stray cat from her childhood, brought home by her parents, Michael, and his wife. The details of what had happened to the cat remained hazy in her memory. As she continued to gaze at the mirror, she noticed a stark difference between herself and the young girl in the reflection. Instead of the baby blue nightgown adorned with tiny rainbow unicorns and fluffy clouds that she remembered wearing, the girl in the mirror donned a torn, knee-length grey dress. Her skin had an ashen grey hue, reminiscent of a corpse, and even her once-white hair now appeared dull and grey, with a fuzzy texture.