String Theory

Chapter 4

The mirror should have drawn my attention first. Except it was pulled by the thread again that made my eyes lower to the raven haired boy sat perched beneath the mirror. His eyes were a shocking imperial jade and his jawline structured to near perfection. Not a single blemish or dusting of freckles lined his face. What I did notice was the white clothes he was also wearing: a white tee shirt with loose white trousers that appeared like denim. He too, was missing shoes.

"Who are you?" I asked hurriedly.

The boy looked up startled by the sudden intrusion of my presence. "I could ask you the same question."

Not caring for his answer or tone of attitude, I fumbled for my next question. "What is this place?"

"Purgatory." He answered simply.

I up scrunched my face. "Purgatory?" I repeated questioning him.

"Yes."

Before I could question him further, I noticed the change in the mirror: the mist faded showing the sheen and purity of the glass. "It's changed." I stated airily.

The image presented a scene of sorrow and bleakness. There was a gathering of people dressed in black, some were holding lilys, others holding carnations and white roses.

"What is it?" The boy asked standing to his feet. He stood behind me every so slightly taller, his breath tickled the back of my neck - it was the first sign of air flowing in this place I had for ages.

I shook my head, all the scenes that had unfolded to me were of my parents dressed in black. I could hear the mumbling sound of only one voice, a vicar maybe? This scene was a funeral judging by the fact there were mourners gathered outside.

It felt like ages waiting for the crowd to start leaving. I needed to know who and what was going on! Mum was there again, I started banging on the pane of the glass when the boy tugged my arms to down to my side. "Let go of me!"

"They can't hear you."

"What do you mean?"

"Watch it." His tone was clipped. But still I did not draw away from the unfurling scene. A grand headstone became visible ever so slightly between the body of my mother and father. It wasn't enough for me to see.

There was a tight knot in my throat and hot tears stinging the corners of my eyes. The suspense of waiting was killing me and I could feel every muscle in my body tighten and shake.

My knees gave out when the name on the headstone became clear: In loving memory of our daughter, Olivia West, taken too soon but never forgotten, December 12th 2017, aged just 19 years.

I'm dead? How?

"Yes."

He heard me, wait did I say that out loud? "I'm dead." I repeated again, the boy had crouched down to rub comforting circles on my back. The hot tears that had collected behind my eyes raced down my face burning like acid. I was so confused. "How could I be dead?"

"Everyone in Purgatory is dead. We never know how but that is why these mirrors present themself."

"How long have you been here?" I asked him through sobs.

He was still rubbing concentric circles on my back when I felt him tense. "I don't know." My body leaned into his comfort, the action so minute and gentle. There was something so soothing about his presence.

I suddenly realised that I still didn't know his name. "What's your name?"

"Jake." He sighed. "And yours?"

"Liv." My sobs were decreasing and my hyperventilating lungs seemed to calm. The crow squeaked above us perching from its branch. I followed it here on instinct, it led me here. To Jake. "That crow led me to you, Jake."

He chuckled, low and rumbling into my body. "Let me guess, you saw a creepy guy who wouldn't help you and said you have to follow your instincts?"

"Yeah." A large sigh escaped my lungs, exasperated and tired, I felt like camping here under this tree. "How did you get here?"

"Purgatory?"

"No. This tree." I clarified.

Jake adjusted us so that we were leaning back against the tree where I originally found him and the mirror and the revelation that I am dead and this is... Afterlife? But why did sitting here with him feel so natural?

He cleared his throat and recounted some of his story. "I woke up in my room, or what looked like my room. After that I saw a mirror and fell into a meadow. I just walked, no one was around but it felt like I was being drawn wherever I was going."

"You ended up here then?" Jake nodded. "So what now? Are there more people here?"

"There are yes. But I believe we have to follow the threads tied to us to find where we are suppose to go."

"And where is that?"

"I don't know."

The most helpful three words bestowed to man and language. I huffed and leaned into this stranger. We alone here. But we were alone here together and I guess that was some consolation from the isolation I had been subjected to ever since I awoke here.

My breathing levelled and dark spots clouded my vision as I fell asleep.

"Newbie!" Someone yelled from inside of the flat I had been assigned. I walked in lugging my suitcase behind me with my rucksack on my back and a box under my other arm. "Hey, do you need some help?" I looked up and found my eyes attaching to a blonde haired girl with brown eyes. She had manicured nails and her face was made up heavily in makeup.

"If you wouldn't mind?"

Blondie nodded and took the box from my arms. "I'm Ellis by the way."

"Liv."

We hauled my belongings into my room, A14, and I went back out into the hall to get my cello which I had left there after walking down to get my box. Ellis hung out in my room sat on the desk chair watching me as I made my bed first. "You play the cello I take it?"

"How did you guess?"

I laughed. She laughed too and we were joined by some guy with dyed purple hair, he had a lip piercing and eyebrow piercing and had brown eyes. He looked gorgeous, the complete opposite to me. "Is there a joke I can be let in on?"

His voice was just as sweet as the music I make with my cello. "I'm Liv and this is Ellis."

"Tate." His smile was contagious, I returned it.

Later that evening we all went out drinking, it was freshers week so by the end of the evening we had discerned what each of us was studying and had been introduced to Tate's friend Brandon and met another flat mate called Courtney.

"Have you ever been kissed, Liv?" Tate asked me drunkenly.

I giggled at him, my face flushing with blood. "Nope. Unless you count my pillow." I added jokingly.

"I don't but I can change that if you like?" He leaned in close to me. The lights of the club we were in cast Tate's face in reds and purples and blues. His eyes glowed electrically. Caught in the moment I allowed him to capture my lips and his hand to snake around my neck, it was slow and deep, perfectly timed to the music. I was breathless and suspended from gravity.

Nudging at my elbow woke me from my slumber and I turned my head to meet Jake's eyes. They were nothing like Tate's but that was a previous life, long ago and this was now, I supposed. Only time could tell where Purgatory would lead me and why exactly I was here in the first place.