The Other Side of the Mirror

Songbirds

I awoke to the chirping of the birds. Their sweet song was carried through the air and could be heard all across the woods. I smiled to myself as I felt a sense of replenishment from the beauty of their song.

I tried to stretch out and turn over. Unlike Nyx, I was not used to sleeping in such a small area with little space to move about in. Eventually, I managed to get somewhat comfortable with my head resting on one arm and my legs as tucked up to my chest. I tried my best to fall back asleep but I just couldn't.

I sat up and glanced over at Nyx who was still sleeping soundly, curled up in a tight ball. As I listened to her steady, gentle breathing I thought of everything I had learned since I entered this world. Nyx's world. I felt so strange and, almost vulnerable, being a human in a land wisps used as a hiding place from us.

Glancing back at a sleeping Nyx, I decided to go for a morning stroll through the woods to clear my head and to think everything through. I climbed out of the tree as quietly as I could and landed lightly on the ground.

It must have been raining earlier in the night as the blades of grass were damp and tickled my cold, bare feet. I was still wearing the dress Nyx had given me yesterday as my pyjamas were still wet from me falling in the river. I decided to walk to the weeping willow as it had looked so beautiful and peaceful with its branches swaying gently in the breeze as the fireflies danced around it's trunk.

I stared up at the sky as I walked through the twigs and leaves which covered the ground like a thick blanket. The sky was truly amazing, the rising sun raced to illuminate the rich blue, it's golden rays stretching out to reach the darker areas. As it rose, the blue blended with the ambers and crimsons of the dawn, radiating a sense of hope.

I kept walking until I reached the branch stretching across the river. Thankfully, I made it across without falling in this time. I happily watched as autumn leaves fell from the trees and landed in the river. They gently floated on its surface, doing an elegant dance as they moved along with the water.

Filled with a sense of happiness from the beauty of my surroundings, I skipped alongside the river until I reached the clearing where the weeping willow stood. It looked even more magical with the suns rays streaming through its branches, casting a mythical glow around it.

I practically ran towards it, my hair flying freely in the breeze, the grass tickling my feet and the twigs prodding them with every step I took.

I sat down against the trunk and simply closed my eyes, listening to the rippling water, the rustling of the leaves on the trees as they danced in the wind, and the birds singing merrily somewhere among the treetops.

It was so peaceful.

Or so I thought.

The wind abruptly began to pick up and the sky darkened, grey heavy clouds blocking out the the calm sun light. The leaves rustled violently on the branches, many of them falling and being carried across the woods by the vicious gusts of wind.

I turned to see Nyx storming towards me, her eyes were a dangerous crimson and her face bore a thunderous expression.

"You're the reason she's gone!" The noise of the wind muffled her scream.

"Nyx, what's wrong?" I tried to yell but my voice was barely a whisper.

She didn't answer my question, she just continued charging towards me. "It's your fault our mother gone!"

My heart was pounding and my body was trembling as she came nearer and nearer to the tree. "Nyx I have no idea what your talking about." I don't know if she heard me, but if she did, she did a great job of acting like she didn't.