Beware the broken mirrors

La Aurore Jellika

I walked through the door to find my mom at the table drinking coffee. It was veering on three in the afternoon and dad was nowhere in sight. I sat beside mom fiddling with the mirror in my pocket, "you okay?" I asked. My mom nodded slightly. I nodded back and kept my eyes on the table. She put her hand on my free one, I looked up a soft smile which she returned, "I love you mom." 

"I love you to Phine." She said softly. I was comforted in the thought that even tho she wasn't my mother by birth and blood, she was the one who raised me, and I couldn't be more lucky. 

"Are you going to go hunting?" she muttered looking at the table. I looked at her confused, "for your parents," she clarified. I shook my head. 

"I don't have to my parent's are right in front of me, speaking of which, where's dad?" 

"He went to work," she muttered laying her head on the table a soft chuckle, "you're definitely the best daughter we could've asked for." I couldn't help but smile. 

"mom?" 

"yeah?"

"why didn't you ever have kids of your own?" my mouth twisted feeling I was stepping on a subject I didn't need to know about.

"I can't conceive. We were glad and called you our miracle baby when you came to us," she reached for my hand her head still down. I took her hand in mine and she rubbed her thumb lightly against my skin. I lay my head on the table shutting my eyes. maybe this wasn't so bad. I yawned stretching a little. When I peeked through my eyelids I saw mom had dozed off. I couldn't help but smile at how peaceful she looked. I yawned again before dozing off myself.

My father was lightly shaking me awake. I blinked away looking at the stoves clock and shook my head. The time read 1:37 in the morning. I stretched ready to go back to my room. 

I pulled the mirror out of my pocket and set it on my desk. I must have missed because when I went to open my dresser I saw it enlarge in the corner of my eye. I looked at it biting my lip. I didn't like that it did that. My reflection scared me even more, instead of laying in bed as I was it was standing at the mirror hand against the glass looking right at me. "What, H-ho-" 

"Come here," my reflection cut me off. I was frozen in fear. I couldn't move. Once I could move again I slowly slid out of bed and hesitantly walked to the reflection. She nodded towards her hand which was still to the mirror. I reached up with a shaky hand putting my hand to hers. 

The glass surface rippled under my fingertips like before but this time, she grabbed my hand and pulled me through. I tried to scream but the cool surface of the mirror shocked my nervous system. I wasn't in my room anymore and I was looking at me. I covered my face with my arms, "you can live my life but please don't hurt me," I whimpered like a child. 

I heard her smack her tongue. "You always were an idiot," her voice was just a smidgen deeper than mine was but just as delicate, "I'm not going to hurt you. I am your protector." I looked at her through the cracks between my arms. In a swirl of what looked like gold pixie dust her appearance changed, she had short layered silver hair, her right eye was blue the left covered with an eye patch, she wore a black vest over a white shirt and a black hoodie, her shorts were a little short for my taste with a belt that was loosely fastened and a sword on her left hip. Her stockings came to her knees, and boots that came an inch below them. She was stunning and stood with her arms crossed. I tried to appear relaxed but flinched when she spoke.

 "My name is Zara, I have been put to be your guardian since you were born. I prevented the creatures from getting through to you from day one and kept you from coming back to early, but Saraphine," she dropped her arms, "La Aurore Jellika needs you." I

 looked at her trying to understand. We stood in what looked like a bubble the mirror still behind me and I could still see my room as if it were just below the surface of a lake. I took a breath. "Where am i?" 

"La Aurore Jellika. The largest alternate world that can be reached through mirrors. Mostly everyone has a mirror reflection that lives here to protect them." I nodded. Our surroundings were frosted from the dome and looked quite eerie. I recognized this forest, it was the one that was in most of my nightmares. I took a sharp intake of breath and Zara nodded, "yes. you've been here before." 

I looked at her like she was lying. That's unbelievable. I couldn't have been here before. I looked back at my room, "you can go back if you really want to," Zara said, I could hear the sadness in her voice, "but we really need you here." I touched the rippling surface almost falling through again. I took a breath.

 "I need to let them know I am safe." I glanced back at Zara who nodded.

 "the portal is always open, for only you." I stepped through the portal grabbing my notepad and taping a note to the door. I left my most prized bracelet that my grandmother gave me with it for my mom. I looked at the mirror and saw Zara as herself. I reached for her and she just watched me. 

I gulped and stepped through on my own this time. It was a little smoother this way. I looked at Zara who nodded towards the portal. I ran my fingers along the edge like I did the first time and the mirror lay in my hand. Zara pulled her sword from its sheath and the dome disappeared. She began walking and I quickly followed keeping aware of all of my surroundings. The trees were sharp and bare, the moon was the only light we had as we walked. 

"Z-Zara" I stuttered. She glanced over her shoulder at me, "yes?" I quickened my step so I walked beside her.

 "When was I here before?" She sighed and I could see her tense slightly.

 "You were six and I was the same age. I was just learning how to protect you while your mothers reflection was my mentor. well your mom was doing her makeup so I was alone and wasn't paying attention. you had fallen through the mirror," she looked down disappointed, "you were caught in the chase of monsters. I got my eye damaged from one of them as I fought them off and lured you back out with music. That's when you're mirror fear started." I nodded slightly and jumped at a rustle of leaves. 

Zara chuckled. "It's just the wind Saraphine." I nodded slightly shaking in fear.

 "Where are we going?" I asked looking at Zara. She sighed. "To the castle. All your questions will be answered there." I nodded jumping at every little noise. 

We walked up to a castle built of a sparkling black material and multiple towers. The towers were circled with multiple windows. Zara yelled over to the guards for entrance. I looked over the edge of where we stood. There was a mote filled with water, a crocodile surfaced just enough to look at me then go back under. I jumped back just as the drawbridge fell. 

I followed Zara over where the guards bowed to us. She waved her hand dismissively sheathing her sword. I gulped, 'who were we going to meet?' I wondered. We walked through the main room which had two staircases going up and a hallway beneath along with hallways to either side. Zara continued down the hall beneath the stairs. She walked with her head high not bothering to look around but I couldn't help but do exactly that. The hall was covered with doors to either side of us each a distinctly different shaped and mix of colors. 

I stopped in front of a vibrant purple door that was shaped like a waterfall. I reached for the handle when Zara cleared her throat. I jumped running back over to her. She had stopped in front of the door at the end of the hallway. This door was actually two doors and normally shaped, the color of fine aged wood and gemstones sprinkled through out. I looked at Zara who seemed to be holding her breath. 

I bit my lip worried that whatever was behind this door scared her. She pulled the doors open and walked in. I gasped at the beauty of this room. At the center was a round table of marble and chairs all around one bigger than all the rest, the floors shimmered with black granite and diamonds. At the back of the room was a fireplace with a picture hanging above of a man and woman looking of royalty smiling down at their baby, all along the walls were mirrors. I bit my lip and decided I didn't like this room that much after all.