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Authors: Emily Franklin
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up but finds even more mirrors to her left. She lifts the flap of a cardboard box and unearths even more mirrors, this time in the form of strands. Like Christmas lights, the mirrors are roped together, each one dangling a mini reflection, each one sending shimmers of blue light from the ceiling bulbs.
“That’s it!” Melissa says into the empty air. New Year, New You. Isn’t that what we all want? To somehow wake up on the first of January with a new, better version of ourselves all ready to go?
Working as fast as she can while trying not to bump anything into her side, she begins to amass all of the mirrors. There are wall-sized ones she can’t move; smaller ones she can—each one unique. She can see it now—a hall of mirrors, elegant and magical, with candles and white lights, all done outside in the garden, sweeping down the path and culminating on the large frozen pond. Outside at night, Melissa knows the strings holding the mirrors won’t be visible, and that the mirrors will look as though they are descending from the sky. Pleased with herself, she pauses for a moment by the carousel. In front of her is a rectangular mirror with etched sides. Angled upward, the looking glass shows her shoulders, but not her face, and also reflects the darkness behind her on the other side of the room. Melissa looks at the shadows via the mirror, wondering why the room seemed so scary at first. Then she sees something move. She peers closer into the mirror and sees it again—a shape on the other side of the room over by a ten-foot-tall fanged wolf.
With her heart thumping and her knees shaking, Melissa freezes. Should I run? Scream? Then she shakes her head. No — it’s probably a mouse. And while that’s not the best thing, it isn’t the worst. She looks in the mirror but doesn’t see anything else, and wonders if maybe her imagination is overactive. She checks her pocket to make sure the van key is there, and feels comfort at its hard edges. Back to planning. By tomorrow, I’ll not only b e able to give an order for all of the stuff I need, but also for the food — kir royale, perfectly hued champagne drinks in tall flutes, whisked sugar sculptures that will look like crystallized breath. It’ll be amazing. It’ll be worth all the hassle of coming here, of —
Melissa hears a noise and feels panic rising in her. That couldn’t be a mouse. She turns around and squints into the darkness. Yes, there’s something there. Something? Or someone?
Defying her fearfulness, Melissa tries to remember her old karate kicks as she propels herself into the darkness. She stomps her feet and then shouts. “I know there’s something here. Just … show yourself.” She bites her lip, her pulse blaring. “Don’t hide.” Maybe this is foolish and I should be the one hiding. Suddenly, this sounds like a great idea, and Melissa bolts over to the bear cave replica and ducks into its faux-fur inside. Crouching with her knees pressed to her aching ribs, Melissa is scared. No one knows where I am — not Dove, not even Gabe, because I told him only that I was going into town. Melissa tries meditation, breathing, and common sense to quell her fears, but nothing works, especially when she hears something. Not just a random something, but footsteps. Heavy ones.
Please don’t find me. Please let me be invisible, she thinks as her entire body clenches with fear. Realizing the footsteps have stopped, she opens her eyes and nearly faints when she sees a pair of large black boots right near the entrance to the bear cave. Please leave. Don’t look over here. Leave.
But it’s no use. The boots walk toward her, causing alarms to ring in Melissa’s head. “Stop right there. I know karate!” Melissa jumps out from the cave, figuring the best defense is battling the force of evil head-on.
“Well, then, call me surrendered.” With his hands held up like he’s about to be arrested, James looks baffled and amused.
Melissa’s breath
“That’s it!” Melissa says into the empty air. New Year, New You. Isn’t that what we all want? To somehow wake up on the first of January with a new, better version of ourselves all ready to go?
Working as fast as she can while trying not to bump anything into her side, she begins to amass all of the mirrors. There are wall-sized ones she can’t move; smaller ones she can—each one unique. She can see it now—a hall of mirrors, elegant and magical, with candles and white lights, all done outside in the garden, sweeping down the path and culminating on the large frozen pond. Outside at night, Melissa knows the strings holding the mirrors won’t be visible, and that the mirrors will look as though they are descending from the sky. Pleased with herself, she pauses for a moment by the carousel. In front of her is a rectangular mirror with etched sides. Angled upward, the looking glass shows her shoulders, but not her face, and also reflects the darkness behind her on the other side of the room. Melissa looks at the shadows via the mirror, wondering why the room seemed so scary at first. Then she sees something move. She peers closer into the mirror and sees it again—a shape on the other side of the room over by a ten-foot-tall fanged wolf.
With her heart thumping and her knees shaking, Melissa freezes. Should I run? Scream? Then she shakes her head. No — it’s probably a mouse. And while that’s not the best thing, it isn’t the worst. She looks in the mirror but doesn’t see anything else, and wonders if maybe her imagination is overactive. She checks her pocket to make sure the van key is there, and feels comfort at its hard edges. Back to planning. By tomorrow, I’ll not only b e able to give an order for all of the stuff I need, but also for the food — kir royale, perfectly hued champagne drinks in tall flutes, whisked sugar sculptures that will look like crystallized breath. It’ll be amazing. It’ll be worth all the hassle of coming here, of —
Melissa hears a noise and feels panic rising in her. That couldn’t be a mouse. She turns around and squints into the darkness. Yes, there’s something there. Something? Or someone?
Defying her fearfulness, Melissa tries to remember her old karate kicks as she propels herself into the darkness. She stomps her feet and then shouts. “I know there’s something here. Just … show yourself.” She bites her lip, her pulse blaring. “Don’t hide.” Maybe this is foolish and I should be the one hiding. Suddenly, this sounds like a great idea, and Melissa bolts over to the bear cave replica and ducks into its faux-fur inside. Crouching with her knees pressed to her aching ribs, Melissa is scared. No one knows where I am — not Dove, not even Gabe, because I told him only that I was going into town. Melissa tries meditation, breathing, and common sense to quell her fears, but nothing works, especially when she hears something. Not just a random something, but footsteps. Heavy ones.
Please don’t find me. Please let me be invisible, she thinks as her entire body clenches with fear. Realizing the footsteps have stopped, she opens her eyes and nearly faints when she sees a pair of large black boots right near the entrance to the bear cave. Please leave. Don’t look over here. Leave.
But it’s no use. The boots walk toward her, causing alarms to ring in Melissa’s head. “Stop right there. I know karate!” Melissa jumps out from the cave, figuring the best defense is battling the force of evil head-on.
“Well, then, call me surrendered.” With his hands held up like he’s about to be arrested, James looks baffled and amused.
Melissa’s breath
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