Free #3 Mirrored by Annie Graves Page B

Teatime came and went, but she didn’t return. Abbey was hungry. And cold.

    She tried to read, but the writing in her books was backwards.
    Finally, the door opened. Bee must be coming back!
    But it wasn’t Bee. It was Pearse. If he saw her, everything would be ruined!

    She tried to hide, but it was too late! Pearse walked up to the mirror and looked right at her. She froze.
    But he did what he always did when he looked in any mirror. He raised his arms and started flexing his muscles. He couldn’t see her! He was looking at his own reflection!

    Abbey giggled and stuck her tongue out at him from behind the glass.
    Abbey’s mother called Pearse. He jumped and ran out the door, shutting it behind him.
    How strange—no one could see her in the mirror. It was like she was invisible. Abbey thought it was kind of cool, but it also worried her.
    No one knew she was here.
    And where on earth was Bee?
    But Bee still didn’t come, and it was way past teatime. Abbey tried the door a few more times. Nothing. And she was cold. So she climbed into bed and waited.
    Eventually she dozed off.

    She woke to a bang. It was dark outside and dark in the room. She tried the lamp, but it wouldn’t turn on.
    She peered through the mirror in the dark and made out the shape of someone at the door. “Bee,” she whispered. Abbey was really frightened.
    But Bee didn’t answer her.

    Bee ignored her. Then she put on a nightdress—Abbey’s favorite blue nightdress—and got into bed.
    â€œBee!” Abbey was screaming now. “Look at me! Look at me!”
    But Bee was asleep—or maybe she was pretending to be asleep.
    Abbey shouted and screamed. In the dark. In the cold.
    She slumped to the floor, exhausted.

    Suddenly the lights were blazing. And there was Bee, staring through the mirror.
    Abbey leaped to her feet.
    â€œOh, Bee, I was so frightened.”
    â€œWhy, Abbey? What’s wrong?”
    â€œIt’s cold in here and everything’s backwards,” she said in a rush, “and you told me about glass buildings and glass people and everything, but outside it looks the same, and I can’t even open the door to go outside.”
    â€œOf course you can’t open the door. The mirror world can only reflect your world. My world is only a reflection. There’s nothing else.”

    Abbey looked at Bee in horror. “But what about the houses and cities and parks made of glass?”
    â€œDon’t be stupid, Abs, that’s not real. It’s make-believe. And you love make-believe, don’t you?”
    Abbey felt suddenly cold, even colder than she had felt lying on the floor.
    â€œSo let me out,” she said. “Let’s swap back.”
    Bee laughed at her. “I don’t think so, Abs.”
    â€œWhy?”

    She smiled the most evil smile you could imagine. “It’s my turn to be Abbey now.”
    With that, she walked back to bed and climbed in.
    When she leaned over to switch off the light, she was still smiling.
    Then all was black.
    Now, it’s probably just a story. At least I hope it is.
    The older kids probably made it up to scare us.
    The only thing is ... I saw Abbey in the bathroom one day. And I’m sure that when she passed the mirrors, I couldn’t see her reflection.

I really want to scream after that.
    I want to scream and scream and scream to drown out the sounds of Abbey screaming, but I know she will just go on screaming in my head and I will never, ever, EVER sleep again.

    Unless someone else tells me another story to take my mind off it ...