Mirrors

Chapter 8

I ran into the store and frantically looked around. It was a large space, with shelves that grew to the ceiling, and products just about everywhere you looked. Customers idly shopped around, grabbing items, chatting, and such normal behavior. It looked just like the one I had known, except - I didn't know; there was just a strange aura about it. Twin mom and twin me walked in behind me, a tad calmer than I.

"Where would the mirrors be?" we asked.

Twin mom stepped ahead of us and peered about, shaking her head. "I haven't shopped for mirrors in about a decade. I don't know." She put her hands on her hips, looking back at us with a whisper, "In the meantime, try not to draw any attention to yourselves."

We nodded sheepishly, following behind her. We first travelled through an aisle on which snacks were stacked. Cookies, crackers, chips. It was all very mouth-watering.

My twin stopped a moment, then walked backward towards one of the snacks on the shelf. "Hey, Mom," she called, completely independent of me, "look at this." Her mother and I stopped and went back to her.

"I remember those!" we said, once more in unison. It was a box of LocoChocos, my favorite cookie from when I was small. They had stopped selling them for reasons unknown to me, perhaps lack of stock, and when they were brought back, I had forgotten all about them.

"Ah, too much chocolate," her mom decided. "Let's hurry through this aisle; I don't want to get tempted. There should be some furniture or something up ahead." She took us both by the hand and guided us through. We were almost past the aisle when she suddenly stopped. "Sweet mother of all things delicious!"

There it was, sitting calmly on the shelf. Staring at her, mocking her. A two-pack of Nutella jars. And it was on sale.

"Mom!" my twin exclaimed in amusement.

"I know, I know," the woman sighed. Still, she grabbed the thing, carrying it with her. We snickered. "What? I'm hungry!"

******************

"Sir, I think I've located the foreign entity."

"Good work. Are you tracing them?"

"Yes. The location isn't exact, but..."

"It doesn't matter. We can find them."

"Do you want me to send a tea-"

"Yes. And hurry."

*receding footsteps*

****************

We soon stepped into a section where there were lamps, couches, and chairs, but most importantly...

"Mirrors! Yes! I am a master navigator." Twin mom pumped her fist in the air. We all laughed, and hurried to find a mirror big enough to fit me.

"Thank you so much," I said, without synchronizing with my doppelgänger. "I'm - I'm going to miss you." We briefly exchanged hugs, and I went towards the mirror we had selected. It was tall and heavily ornate, with a price to match. I sighed, closing my eyes. When I opened them, I saw my mom on the other side. I waved, and so did she.

I was going home.

"Ah!"