Smoke and Mirrors (10)

Painful Reflections

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Reader, next time you find yourself getting ready for something, or if you’re just checking your appearance for fun, always remember to appreciate the fact that you’re not imprisoned by your mirror.

I know, I know. It seems impossible that that could never happen to you. But tragedies always seem impossible until they happen. Even getting trapped in a mirror.

I hugged my legs a little tighter and huddled further in the corner of my cell.

To be fair, it was the prettiest prison cell I’d ever seen. Not that I’d seen that many. Actually, this was my first prison cell, but it wasn’t at all like the dark, despondent ones you see in the movies. Everything was made out of mirrors and glass, which was gorgeous, but it also meant the whole thing was a beautiful maze that you couldn’t escape from.

Sterling’s prison was like a giant version of a carnaval’s mirror maze.

I sighed and forced myself to stand for the thousandth time. I placed my hand in front of me and it landed on a mirrored wall. I smudged it as much as I could and even smeared the bottom of my shoe on it to mark it. Then I felt around until I found a space without a mirror and moved through the maze like that until I was tired.

At first, it was almost fun. Later on, I was angry and emotional and terrified that I’d never escape. Which was probably why I was sitting on the floor and crying.

“Alright, you win!” I shouted up to the ceiling. “I’m trapped here. Please let me out now!” Just then, my stomach rumbled, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten all day. “Great,” I mumbled to myself. “If you could just leave some ramen here for me that’d be great.”

I sighed again and wiped my face of the tears I’d shed. Was this his plan? Was I going to starve to death here?

I stood again and smacked into a glass wall. After rubbing my face, I continued winding my way through the mirror maze until I made it back to my original cell. A metal bowl of steaming ramen was there, but instead of a spoon or fork to eat it with, my utensils were actual chopsticks. I wasn’t complaining though.

I looked up. “Thanks. I guess.”

Apparently I wasn’t going to starve.

I finished eating my ramen and tried walking again when an idea hit me. Actually, it was another mirror that hit me, but following the mirror, an idea also hit me.

I took my ramen bowl and smashed the mirror in front of me. The sound echoed piercingly in the room, but it was lovely after all the times I’d smacked into one of these mirrors.

It was me and my ramen bowl against the world. Conquering evil--also known as glass and mirrors--had never been so easy before.

I raised my ramen bowl to smash another mirror when a sharp voice held me back.

“What are you doing?!” It was a guard. He stood in a doorway somewhere, but I didn’t know where because every direction showed a reflection of the same guard standing in a doorway.

“Working through some anger issues,” I deadpanned. Then, just because I could, I smashed another glass panel.

The guard’s pale, almost reflective hand pressed a button on the outside of the door and suddenly, the mirrors and the glass panels sank into the floor, leaving me with a vast, empty room. And an empty ramen bowl.

I ran towards the guard and did the only thing I knew to do.

I threw my ramen bowl at his head. He fell to the ground, hopefully unconscious.

There was a moment of panic where I questioned what I’d done and wondered if he was still alive, but I knew that I had to escape, so I ignored the impulse to stop and ran out the door.

The hallway outside of the prison room was a narrow corridor that led up a flight of stairs. I hurriedly ran up the stairs and opened the door at the end.

And met another guard.

Suddenly, my skin started glowing. And no, I don’t mean that my non-existent skin regiment suddenly kicked in. My skin literally came to light with fire. The glass-bricked hallways lit up with colors of orange and yellow. It was blinding. Exhilarating.

A comforting blanket of warmth enveloped me, while pushing the guard before me to scream and turn away to hide from my blast of warmth.

Finally! It was about time my powers started to work.

I glanced into the mirrored wall beside me, wondering if I looked as cool as I felt. Maybe cool wasn’t the right word, but I looked very impressive.

I charged down the hall. In my head, I looked like a comet hurtling towards the exit. In reality, I likely looked much different, but I didn’t care.

Freedom was calling my name.

“Tessa! Stop!” I heard Sterling’s voice echoing from somewhere.

I laughed. “Nice try!”

His mirrors began slithering towards the exit. Some were like bullets, shooting towards the door like thin bullets. Others were thicker and slower.

I jumped over a few of his mirror ropes and stumbled out the door, into the next hallway.

The hallway was short and led me to a kitchen, which had a backdoor in it. Ignoring the panicked look of chefs and maids--all of which had skin like Sterling and could make K-Pop stars jealous--I bolted out the door.

If I could just get back to mom, I would be safe. The trouble was, I didn’t know how to do the whole teleportation bit. I could barely produce flame,

Suddenly, a whirlwind appeared before me, revealing Yin Yue. I stopped short and my fire continued to burn. Thankfully, Sterling’s lawn was made from sparkling mirror bricks, so nothing but myself burned.

“Yin Yue!” I smiled, but realised she couldn’t see my face through my fire.

“Hurry, little one! I’m taking you home!” She waved a hand towards me.

Disappearing was becoming a common thing in my life.