The Girl Behind The Mirror

T H E M I S S I N G

 * b r e e *

          S he had always felt like something was missing. As though she was never really whole.  Letting out a sigh, she glanced at her disheveled appearance in the mirror again.  She never could tame her wild brown curls that snaked like tendrils around her fingers as she ran them through her hair in a last attempt to control the fizziness. She wished for a more exciting colour than just the plain colour of dirt her eyes were. Mere brown seemed so mundane in a world full of electric blue, mesmerizing green, or even stormy grey. She pulled out her light pink lip tint and applied them to her pale lips, hoping to add some colour to her face. She licked her lips, smacking them together a few times.  'There, that should do it'  she thought. She stared at her reflection for a few more seconds, deciding there was nothing much left to do, a slight frown pulling on her cherry pink lips, before turning around and walking off. She grabbed her duffel  and pushed the door of her house open, already tucking her earphones into her ears, and upping the volume of the song playing from her favourite playlist. She had labelled the collection 'copper leaves' after autumn, the one season she actually felt at home in. She loved how the leaves changed colour and fell, how the air got colder, and she thoroughly loved spending time simply strolling through the woods. Autumn, to her, represented the season of change, of rebirth, as though every leaf that fell was going on holiday and rejoining its birthplace for a short time before it was reborn into a fresh new young bud with a new summer coat of green. As though the forest was having a fashion show, every tree getting a change of outfit to show off. She smiled, lost in thought, as the light grey rusty poles of the bus stop with its brown roof came into view. Though the cold winter had just come to an end, she couldn't wait for autumn, the idea of it giving her something to look forward to.  

           The bus was late again, she fidgeted with the edge of her sky blue blouse, she was already late for dance practice. She checked her watch, adjusting the strap and ensuring it was slid back into place under its gold belt, pausing to admire the rust brown of her watch. A gift from Rosie. Bree may not have been of the same blood, but Rosie showered her with all her love and affection as though she was one of her own. The familiar sound of wheels screeching to a stop reached her ears, a sound she had long grown accustomed to. The bus had finally arrived. She stood, reaching into her pocket to pull out her bus pass as she stepped into the cool, air-conditioned environment of the bus. Letting out a sigh of content, she took a seat, hoping she wouldn't be scolded too badly for being so late.   

           The dance studio they rented consisted of a huge room with full length mirrors attached to every wall but one, where in its place was a large window for sunlight to shine in. On days where they practised until late, they watched the sun go down and night fall, but they didn't stop as nights full of sweat and hard work ensued. But Bree loved it all, the feeling of exhilaration and joy that filled her after being pushed past her limits, and achieving what she never thought she could. Though the human body did not have wings, she imagined dancing freely was what flying would feel like. The loud exclamation of her name being called brought red to her cheeks as she rushed to put her bag down and take her place in formation. Her teammates nudged her as knowing smiles went around before the music started again and all thoughts fled as her body focused on moving, bending and expressing. 

          Bree lay flat on the floor, arms spread wide and feet apart as she focused on breathing in and out, the fifty crunches she was made to do as punishment had burned her out. Her friend and dance captain, Andre chuckled as he extended his arm towards her, waving a bottle of water above her face, "look at you, painting the image of the perfect dancer full of grace and poise huh? " She glared up at him, "well you're the reason I look like this, aren't you " she shot back accusingly. He raised his hands in surrender before sitting down beside her. " You got me. It's really my fault you're late. " She laughed, making sure to pop the p in " yup " as she reached out to take the bottle from his hands. Gulping down the water thirstily, she stole a glance at the mirror, taking in her drenched clothes, messy hair, and sweaty face before rolling her eyes and using the towel draped across her neck to wipe her face. She rolled over to grab her duffel, and headed to the changing rooms, shouting out her thanks to Andre before walking out. 

          A cool blast of wind hit her face, a welcome respite from the stuffy air of the studio she had just spent hours in. She looked out into the dark sky, night had fallen whilst she was dancing away, and the sounds of laughter and hellos faintly reached her ears as family members came home to each other from a long day of work. She looked up at the stars as she paused, leaning on the wall beside the exit of the studio, pondering on the existence of mirrors. 'What a funny invention' she thought, 'who even came up with such an idea of creating something that could reflect our reality back at us. Who thought of capturing the reflective quality of oceans and lakes? ' She smiled bitterly, 'who would have expected the consequences of such an invention? Such a thing brewing hate and resentment at the image that stared back at them, of the person they saw when they looked in the mirror.' 

          Bree's thoughts remained undisturbed as she resumed her journey home, her imagination caught up in the swirling storm inside her. And right before she closed her eyes in her bed, finally resting after a long day, a single thought drifted in the open door of her imagination, 'what if another world could exist behind a mirror ? '