The steps to the front door were worn from use and the towering oak door loomed ominously above us. Grandfather approached the door and examined the lock before turning the antique iron key.
As the door rasped open my eyes grew heavy and a pain shot through the back of my head. What was this? A migraine? No, something more… Panicked thoughts flitted through my mind and a slow sense of terror filled me. All my hairs stood on end as my skin prickled and the world around me melted away. I could feel a solid heaviness all over my body and then everything went black.
The darkness seemed to settle for a small eternity and confusion filled my mind. What was happening? Had I passed out? I still felt aware so why did my head hurt so much? All around me I could hear whispering, half formed words, silent questions and as my vision began to return I noticed something quite strange. I was in a darkened room. Candles hung from red ribbons, suspending them unevenly about me. A glint of light caught my eye and I noticed an immense mirror before me. A resplendent, golden frame encapsulated its borders completely and I sat entranced by the reflection before me.
A pale face with bright green eyes, plump pink lips, high cheekbones, a slender neck and glossy raven curls stared back at me. A long lithe figure draped in an ethereal white chemise stretched delicate fingers towards me. The reflection was mine but it was as though every feature was somehow made more exquisite, more refined by being viewed through this looking glass. I stared at my reflection and it suddenly began to change. Eyes blackened, fingers lengthened, mouth snarled to reveal rows and rows of tiny, pointed teeth before disappearing inside a swirling black void. A high-pitched, whining shriek pierced the air and the mirror shattered into one thousand pieces.
A sharp pain grew behind my eyes as the world dissolved once more. I don’t know how long I lost myself to the pain, or how much longer it was before I woke up… but once my eyes fluttered open to entertain reality once more, there sat grandfather with my hand buried in his and a concerned look drawn across his face.
“What happened?” I asked in a daze. I realized my mouth was dry and the remnants of a migraine lingered behind my eyes. Grandfather looked and me and opened his mouth before closing it again. He put his hands to his head and massaged his temples while trying to think of what to say.
Finally he spoke in an uncertain tone, “I unlocked the front door and as I did that you turned a pale shade of green, lurched up the stairs, hit your head on the top stair and passed out…. with your eyes wide open. I went to move you… when your eyes turned black and you began to groan in another language! All whilst writhing in what appeared to be a most painful way. I brought you in here as fast as I could… and have been keeping careful watch over you for the past…” with this he looked briefly at his watch before continuing, “two hours love. I was so worried. How are you feeling my dear girl? You have quite the bump on your head.”
My eyes fluttered in a sign of light-headedness. “I had the most peculiar… dream…” I spoke softly, thinking over the strange scene I had witnessed behind closed eyes. “There was a dark room with candles and the biggest most ornate mirror I’ve ever seen. My reflection…” I tried to recall what had happened with my reflection but I could only remember darkness within the looking glass. “Something strange happened but I can’t quite remember… and then I woke up in here.” I sat up and looked around me. “Come to think of it, where is here grandfather?”
“I’m assuming this is the servants quarters.” He lifted his head and looked me in the eyes, “Liv, your dream reminds me of something your grandmother mentioned before she disappeared. I think the dream means something.” He shuffled around and pulled out a leather bound journal. “I think you should read this.”
