Dreams, Secrets, and Transformations: Beyond the Enchanted Looking Glass

The Meadow - ch 2

As Denzel's body collided with the mirror, he expected to feel the pain of shattered glass, but instead, he felt a strange sensation wash over him. It was as if the mirror had absorbed him, swallowing him whole. There was a brief, bright flash of light, a moment of total darkness, of nothingness, and then he found himself standing in a strange new world.

The air was thick with the scent of flowers and the sound of laughter. Denzel blinked, adjusting his eyes to the soft, ethereal light that seemed to emanate from all around him, enveloing him in a misty glow. He was definitely no longer in his grandmother's garage; he was in a lush, green meadow, surrounded by rolling hills and a sparkling stream. The sky above was a deep shade of blue, dotted with puffy white clouds.

Denzel glanced down at himself and gasped. He was no longer wearing his mother's dress; instead, he now had on a flowing, silken gown that floated about him like a cloud, and had a train that flowed behind him for six or more feet. The dress was a vibrant shade of purple, overlaid with a transparent layer of black tuile and adorned with intricate embroidery and tiny, shimmering sequins. He felt light as a feather, as if the dress were made of nothing more than air and sunshine.

Around him, he noticed several other women, all dressed in similar attire, strolling through the meadow, skipping around joyously, or picnicking by the stream. They were laughing and talking, their voices musical and melodious. A sense of peace and contentment washed over him, and he felt an overwhelming desire to join in their merriment.

Denzel ventured deeper into the meadow, taking in the sights and sounds around him. As he strolled, he noticed that the other women seemed to take special care not to trample on the flowers that grew in profusion all around them. They would gently step over them or bend down to brush the petals with their fingertips, as if they were old friends.

He came across a particularly large flower, its petals a deep shade of crimson, and was struck by its beauty. As he knelt down to get a closer look, he felt a gentle touch on his shoulder. Turning around, he found a woman standing behind him, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Oh, hello," Denzel greeted, feeling slightly flustered. "I'm... I'm not from around here."

The woman smiled warmly. "Of course you're not," she said, gesturing at his purple gown. "You've just arrived." She extended her hand. "My name is Lily. I've been watching over this meadow for many years, and I'm here to help you find your way."

Denzel took her hand, feeling a strange sense of familiarity wash over him. "Thank you, Lily. My name is Denzel." He looked around, still unable to believe that he was in such a beautiful place. "Where exactly is this?"

Lily laughed gently. "Oh, baby, no. No, no, no you're Hailey, and this," she began to gesture around with her hands, this paradise is the in-between place. This place is a sort of purgatory, if you will, between your old life and a new one. A place where you can figure out who you are and what you want to do with your life. You can only stay here for a limited amount of time. How long you have I can not tell you, but I can say you you've got plenty time to explore your options. You can choose to move on at any time you feel you've found yourself.  The longer you stay the more you risk not getting to decide your own fate,  because whatever you are exploring, whatever you're involved in when your time is up, that will become your new life."

Denzel/Hailey looked confused. "But I don't understand. How do I know who I am and what I want to do if I'm not in my own body?"

Lily smiled sympathetically. "Oh, dear, you're not the first to feel that way. It's perfectly natural. You see, this place is all about reflection and growth. You get to live as someone else, experience their life for a while, and then decide what you take away from that experience. It's like going on a journey, where you get to wear different hats, so to speak. Sometimes, it can be difficult to see the forest for the trees when you're always focused on yourself."

"And if I choose to go back to my life as Denzel, I can?"

"The mirror knows the desires of your heart and would never allow you to return to a life where your unhappiness was so great it opened a portal that brought you here."

"But I wasn't.  I love my grandma and mom and dad. I don't want to lose them."

"I never said you had to lose them, however, did you not hate your life as a boy, and fantasize about being a girl? Did you not desperately wish and dream you could know what it's like to live the life of a girl?"

Denzel/Hailey thought for a moment, considering what Lily had said. It was true that he had sometimes fantasized about being a girl, but he had never really hated his life as a boy, or at least he didn't think he did. And he certainly never thought about giving up his life completely. Any dreams or fantasies he had always involved him just having been born to the same family, just as a girl.

He glanced down at his purple gown, feeling the silk flowing against his skin, and a pang of sadness washed over him. He missed his video games and his action figures, and most of all, he missed his family.

"I... I, um, yeah I guess I did,  but that doesn't mean I wanted to give up my life in order to live another," he stammered, looking up at Lily.

Lily smiled. "Hailey, take all the time you need, while remaining aware of the eventual deadline. This place belongs to you just as much as it belongs to anyone else. You can explore the meadow, talk to the other women, consider the life you'd ultimately like to live. Keep in mind, although the choice is yours, wherever you end up will be better than where you were. You'll never have to wonder ever again. You've been granted your wish. Take your time,  choose carefully, and the mirror will be there when you're ready."

With that, Lily turned and disappeared into the tall grass, leaving Hailey alone with her thoughts and the endless fields of flowers.