The Other Side of the Mirror

Freedom, With A Little Fear

We waited in anticipation for what felt like hours, our bodies tensing whenever we heard the sound of footsteps nearby.

"How much longer will it be until one of the servants come?" I could see my breath in the air when I spoke, it was getting late and the light coming through the small window was dwindling rapidly.

My mother sighed. "I don't know, sometimes they forget." She paused as a shiver came over her frail body. "But we have to keep hope because without hope, we have nothing."

It amazed me she could stay positive when she had been locked up alone in this small cell for so long, just left to starve and die.

"Can I ask, what's this void you mentioned earlier?" My voice came out rather nervously and quietly as I was worried what the answer would be.

My mother's face drained of the little colour which remained in it and she exchanged a look with Marcie, both of them with fearful expressions on their faces.

A single tear ran down Marcie's face as she began to rock back and forth, her chin resting on her knees and her arms wrapped tightly around her legs. She closed her deep blue eyes as she continued to rock.

I turned back to my mother who sighed heavily and took my hands in hers. "The void is a dark force which is slowly engulfing this whole dimension. The bigger it gets, the more of this land it will swallow. Many parts of the realms have already been lost and it's only a matter of time before the rest is destroyed too."

The room fell silent as my mothers sad words hung in the air.

"My father was lost to the void." Marcie's quiet voice came. "He lived on the outskirts of the realm. By the time the ground began to tremble it was too late. He was sucked into the void along with everything and everyone else that was there. You see, the void is underneath us at this very moment, as it grows stronger, it has more force to pull down what lies above it." She paused for a moment. "For the last 12 or so years it has taken chunks of our precious land and many of our people. Soon, we will be taken too."

She stood up and paced around the small, now completely dark, room as she began to cry again. "Isn't there anyway to stop it?" I asked as I got up to comfort Marcie.

She shook her head gently as she sunk to the floor. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder as fresh tears ran down her hot cheeks.

"I'm so sorry, I wish there was-"

"Sshhh!" I was cut off by my mother. I turned to see that she was standing with her ear pressed firmly to the door of our cell.

"I can hear footsteps. It sounds like they are coming down the corridor towards us." She whispered.

Marcie jumped up as she quickly wiped the tears from her face. "Oh gosh, I'm not sure I can do this! What if I mess it up! I could never forgive myself if-" I grabbed her flailing hands. "Marcie, I don't know if this plan will work or not, but I do know that we have to try. Like my mother said, we have to have hope." I smiled at her as she sniffed and nodded.

"Someone is definitely coming this way." My mother's voice was a mixture of excitement and fear. She came over to us and ruffled my curls before turning to look at Marcie. "Are you alright Marcie?"

Despite her pasty white face and fearful lilac eyes she nodded. "I'm fine. Let's do this!" She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as her appearance slowly began to change. Her mousy brown hair grew longer and darker, the makeshift bandage falling from her forehead. The white blouse and black jeans she was wearing changed to a familiar purple dress and her burgundy slip on shoes became black ankle boots. She reopened her eyes which were now a bright amber. "How do I look?"

My mother studied her carefully before smiling and giving her a thumbs up. "Perfect! You look exactly like her!" Relief washed over Marcie's anxious face and she smiled.

A key suddenly began jingling in the lock. It was now or never. My mother and I ran and pressed ourselves firmly against the wall so the door would hide us when it was opened.

The door creaked as it was pushed open, and a dim strip of light was cast into the room from the corridor.

"Thank goodness! About time someone came to get me out! I've been in here for hours!" Marcie screamed, sounding just like Priscilla. My mother and I exchanged a smile, we knew for definite we had a realistic chance of getting out.

"Priscilla? Is that you? What happened? Where's Rhea?" A mans panicked voice came. He opened the door further and entered the room, leaving his key in the lock.

"Of course it's me you imbecile! Rhea got out and locked me in here with my own flipping key!" Marcie's voice escalated with every word she spoke. If I hadn't know better, I would have thought she was Priscilla herself.

The man walked further into the room towards the far right corner Marcie was shouting at him from. I almost felt sorry for him.

"Ready?" My mother quietly whispered to me. I took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm ready."

We crept out front behind the door and tiptoed up behind the man who was now standing a few inches away from Marcie. My mother nodded ever so slightly to me when we were standing right behind him, and together we pushed him to the ground with a fair force. I grimaced as I heard something crack, but there wasn't time to see if he was okay. We grabbed Marcie and bolted to the door, slamming it shut behind us and turning the key in the lock. We had done it!

"Now to find Nyx." I stated determinedly.

"I have an idea of where she will be." Marcie said, now back to her original appearance minus the bandage.

"Lead the way!" I exclaimed. Marcie nodded firmly. "Follow me." She retreated down the hall at a fast pace. Mother and I dashed to keep up with her. It was harder for my mother, she wasn't too steady on her feet and she had to lean on me for support. "Marcie can you slow down a bit so we can keep up?" She turned around and saw my mother slightly breathless, clinging on to my arm to stay upright. "I'm so sorry, of course. Can I do anything to help?"

"It's alright, I'm okay." My mother let out an airy laugh. "I'm just not very strong after being half starved for the best part of twelve years, but don't worry, I'll be fine."

A silence fell over us as we cautiously walked around an endless maze of corridors. I was so grateful we had Marcie on our side because I never would have known where to go. After ten minutes of walking, we stopped in front of another heavy, wooden door at the end of an isolated corridor, much like the one she first led me to.

"If Nyx is anywhere in the castle, this is where she will be." I nodded and offered her the key the man had left in the door to our cell earlier. She shook her head. "You open it Vivian. Free your sister."

I looked from Marcie to my mother who was now leaning against the wall, trying to catch her breath. When she saw me looking worriedly at her, she smiled and gestured for me to go ahead. "Don't worry, I'm fine."

I wasn't entirely convinced, but there wasn't any time to stand and argue. I took a deep breath, turned the key in the lock and heaved open the door.