When they had finally arrived, their fear scattered like dandelion seeds blown away by a child's blow. They've entered a spacious room, the guest room most likely. A warm, honey-like light was flooding the entire room and plants of all sorts, with delicate and aromatic flowers, were rising from jardinières on the marble columns of the room, all the way up to the high ceiling. A springy fire was burning in the marble fireplace which was decorated with small branches and rosebuds, sparkling in the light of the chandelier that dangled majestically above a round oak table. The carpets, with long gone patterns, were soft and beguiling and could have been easily used as dreamy beds. A couch, just as soft and made of dozens of colorful patches was waiting for them with open arms. Next to it, out of the light, a cabinet served as host to an old timepiece with golden hands and a huge vase holding every field flower one could imagine. The ticking of the timepiece was joined by the ringing of the kettle that was hanging in the sizzling fireplace. Multicolored pillows of all shapes were scattered around as if they were waiting for a bunch of gleeful kids to either hit the hay or have an all-around pillow fight. And above all these reigned silently, like a wise and patience parent, a bookcase with shelves going all the way up to the ceiling. It was at this precise moment when Victoria noticed that the room had no windows, the bookcase entirely covering up the walls. And the ceiling was completely covered in the most beautiful paintings she had ever seen. Gray, fluffy clouds stretching above a big blue sea, surrounded by rocks and far away in the back, a fisherman's hut. On the pearly beach, a boy and a girl were picking up seashells, while a fisherman was casting his nets somewhere on the shore, smothering them with his warm gaze.
Victoria and Paul couldn't get a word out for minutes. The scenery stretching before their eyes was so different from the wilderness outside. Meanwhile, the woman was taking out cups and teaspoons, jars of jam and honey, cookies and a weird-looking sugar bowl that she frantically arranged on the round table. Even she looked different from the woman who answered the door. Her bonnet was gone, revealing her completely snowy hair, with soft curls coming down her shoulders. She looked more like a granny, keeping herself busy, happy to have her grandchildren over.
'Sit down, children,' she said, pointing at the chairs with colorful pillows. An old tomcat with white-gingery fur slept on one of them, but the old woman swiftly sent it off. With its head in a whirl, the cat jumped off and as soon as it realized they had company, he started sniffing them, as thoroughly as a watchdog. The guests then noticed other cats, hidden in almost each corner of the room.
The old lady poured them each a steaming cup of tea. It smelled like vanilla, forest fruits, and field flowers. The two looked at each other, not knowing if they should dare drink or not. What if the old woman had enchanted it without them knowing while they were in awe of that strangely charming place? Nonetheless, Victoria took the first sip and gave Paul an encouraging look to do the same. The tea was sweet and sour and so flavorful that she could easily have had ten more cups. The old woman sat next to her and poured herself a cup from the same kettle.
'What brings you here?' she asked looking at them with her eerie blue eyes.
"You said you were expecting us, so you must know why we're here,' answered the girl, trying to look bold.
The woman blinked her watery eyes and smiled rather sadly:
'It's true... You're probably wondering what an old woman like me, who the entire village thinks is crazy, might know. But I know you've seen a world unknown to anyone else and you're probably wondering if that world is real or not,' she told Victoria. 'Fret no more, my dear. What you saw really does exist.'
'But how?...'
'There are many things in this world we are too feeble to understand. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about... Because I too have gone through what you're dealing with now... And, like you, a long, long time ago, I also felt the calling towards a world unknown to me. And I wanted to know it better, to embark the adventure of a lifetime. I had no way of knowing I would never go back to my world...'
Victoria was sure her jaw dropped. The old woman went on, a tear falling down her parched face.
'I was born a long time ago, in a different world, unknown to you. It was a wonderful world, with clear skies and endless waters, with chilly summers and rough winters. I lived in a small house by the sea and my father was a fisherman. I spent my days playing with my little brother, gathering seashells and building imaginary ships. Every day we dug, looking for treasures and new adventures.
And one day I found it. The sand had a different glow that day, more powerful and alluring than ever. We dug, following the magical twinkles and pulled it out. It was a mirror. Clear as the sky above us. A magical mirror. Because, watching it closely, we realized that it was showing us another world. A world with green forests, flowers that we've never seen before, and people bursting with energy. Every day we'd come and wonder at the marvels unfolding before us. Until we've decided to show it to our father. You see, mirrors were such a rare thing those days...
When we finally showed it to him, he didn't find it strange at all. Even more so, he asked a master carpenter to make a beautiful frame for it, so we could have it in our home all the time. And after it was ornate with the most frightening and wonderful decorations, we found a place for it in our very room. But as time went by, the things I saw in the mirror started to slowly get a hold of me. My brother was too young to understand, but to me, the world in the mirror was fascinating; I could hear it whisper my name, I dreamt it every night... Where did that strange object come from, what did it want from me? I had to find out.
So one day, I went down to the fishermen's village and looked for the oldest and wisest of them all. The Priestess. That's what they were calling her, for many had seen her do unusual things. I went to her and told her everything about my discovery. She looked at me in awe and fear and started telling me a strange story about the seven magical gates. Because the mirror I found was precisely that: a gate to other worlds. They were welded by a powerful wizard who used them to travel to unknown lands. But that only happened at a precise moment, when skies and earth become one and the gate opened towards other worlds, the past, and future. Those were worlds resembling ours. Worlds reflected in mirrors or magical waterholes. And in each of those worlds, we have a double. No, not a twin lost at birth, but our very selves, looking exactly the same. Only the soul is different, for the soul cannot possibly be the same...
And there was another thing the Priestess told me. No matter what, I should never answer to the gate's calling. I should destroy it, hide it, before that calling lures me out of the only world I knew. Because it could be decades until the gate opens again, before I could go back home...'
The old woman stopped to wipe her teary eyes with an old handkerchief. Victoria and Paul could barely breathe, waiting for her to tell her strange story.
'Silly me; I did not listen to her. A few nights have passed and as the dark overcame the light, I heard it calling again. And again, I saw that fascinatingly different world. And myself reflected in her magical glow. Except it wasn't really me... It was someone who looked exactly like my, except for a twinkle in her eyes... It's said that the eyes are the mirror of the soul. Well, they are. The eyes will never betray you. She smiled at me and waved to come closer. And suddenly, the mirror ceased to exist, like we were standing face to face. I entered the gate before me... And that was it...
I woke up in a world that wasn't mine, a world which didn't welcome me as I expected. I woke up in abandoned beat-up house, with only the mirror to remind me, again and again, that I wasn't dreaming. I tried to survive by working around, slowly building the world in which I could feel as I did back home. Because I never gave up on my dream of going back. Perhaps that's why I never made friends here nor a family. I was a stranger in a strange world, who never stopped searching. But the gate failed to open again. I've looked for other gates, trying out all the waterholes I came about. But to no avail... And now, my gate is gone, and with it, any hope that I'll ever see the places I loved so dearly. It's my only wish: to see that world one last time. And then I can die in peace...'
Victoria felt her heart break. She felt sorry for that strange, old woman.
'Your gate is not lost,' she said, gently touching her arm. 'I have it. And you'll get it back.'
The old woman's eyes cleared and an anguished smile shone on her wrinkled face. Victoria held her hand, promising her that next thing in the morning, she'll have her mirror back. Moreover, she would help her open it and see her beloved world once more.
⃰
'Did you believe any of that crazy woman's stories?' asked Paul as soon as they left the house.
They were walking side by side, closer than ever. The girl's silky hair locks were touching his cheek, and the breeze took her fresh lily perfume closer to Paul.
'I don't know if what she says is true or not. But I know that somehow, that mirror came to me. And a lot of strange things have been happening ever since. All related to that mirror. Which is of no use to me. Why shouldn't I give it back? It's the only wish of a lonely old woman; the only thing that might bring her some comfort in this world that was never nice to her.'
They went towards the girl's house. The moon lit the street like lamps on a boulevard. Night birds were chirping here and there and fireflies twinkled all around them. But as night fell, the hill got harder to climb down and the girl tripped at every step she took. So Paul decided to carry her in his strong arms to the foot of the hill. They felt each other's heart beating frantically; and when they boy put her down, they stood there, holding each other, not saying a word. So that, eventually, their lips would melt in that sweet first kiss.
They reached Aunt Alice's home holding hands, laughing and talking on end.
'See you tomorrow morning,' said Paul. 'I'll help you with the mirror, you can't possibly carry it yourself,' he said gravely. They both knew it was just an excuse to see each other again, as soon as possible.
It was already late when they waved goodbye to each other. But there was light coming from inside the house, a clear sign that the aunt and Matilda were still up. And Victoria knew she had some explaining to do.
Thank you for taking your time to read this new chapter! If you liked it, please vote and comment! Can't wait to see what you think!