Between

(Ominous POV)

Gazing upon silver slivers, diamond flecks lightly bouncing slowly around. The reflection of her eyes left her thoroughly surprised. The lifeless sheen that had overwhelmed her orbs had fled, they were once again full with a sharp longing to stay that way. It had been so long since she had seen a shimmer in her own reflection. The image before her had changed once more as if each time she glanced there was a new person she must learn to romance. To dance with herself. To learn the new steps. To hope she hadn’t once again become less.

The screams had stopped. All was quiet, if only for a brief moment. How had she become this way?

Glossing over the memories once again, she sealed it all away. This time it would have to stay locked behind iron doors never to see the light of day. Caged and organized in a small cabinet. She must forget, she must start over in order to stop the turmoil inside.

Just like that all was erased, only time would tell if she could keep up this pace.

Glancing from the mirror down the corridor the young woman walked, slowly with stealth as to not be heard. She would get out this time. Slipping around the corner without a glance back, she held her hand to the wall letting out a small sigh. In order to leave she would have to keep at bay any sign of doubt or lingering fear.

Taking small steps through the dark, careful to not make a sound she made her way through the halls of the saturnine mansion. A wave of remembrance washed upon her like high tide upon each passing room, flickers of pain and sorrow glinted in her eyes. Squeezing her fists and flexing her fingers the young woman regained her composure.

Mentally she tallied these memories and locked them up accordingly, shaking her head. Sweat beading her brow, palms clammy. A few more corners to go until the staircase would be in sight. A light breeze passed through the hallway, leaving her with goosebumps.

After what seemed like hours, she found her way to the dark mahogany stairway. Upon descending the stairs, a light above flickered on. The air sucked from her lungs, a deep dizziness flooding, feeling her fingers tremble the young woman squeezed her hands into fists yet again.

Slamming her fist into the wall and a deep breath, the young woman grounded herself, renewing her determination. The front door was in sight, beckoning her to come forth and exit.

A screech pierced the air. Fast paced steps boomed through the halls. Surveying her surroundings the young woman bolted down the stairs, her heart racing and blood pounding in her ears. You can do this, you can get out. She repeated to herself.

Behind her the stairs creaked and the temperature within the room dropped. Reaching out for the handle she felt the dead eyes searing into her back, piercing her skin like knives. She would not repeat the last mistake, she would not turn around. Not this time.

The young woman flung the door open and slammed it shut behind her. A loud wail and fists pounding on the large door frame echoed behind her. She had made it out. She thought to herself. An icy pull encroached upon her body, pulling her away. The shackles that tethered her to this realm fell. Her heart rate slowed and she was pulled through the barrier, before it all cut to black. The last of her memories sealed away.

(Young woman POV)

A frozen white light shone through, the sounds of beeping echoing throughout my ears and a sudden awareness flooded my senses. I was back. But back where? Who am I? Where am I? What in the hell happened? My eyes flickered open, looking out through what appeared to be a sheet of glass.

I was in a frozen tomb. A frozen tomb of my own creation no doubt. Something to keep me safe I wondered. How would I know that? A light chuckle escaped my lips, breaking apart the frost covering them. No warmth leaving my breath.

What could be so funny at a time like this?

Glancing around I realized that I was either underwater or in an abyss. I was hoping that it was the former, my escape would hopefully be much quicker if that were the case. How would I know that? Confusion overtook me, panic slowly trying to settle in. The twinkling light hovering far above me gave away little information to dissipate the sinking feeling in my stomach.

Why would I entomb myself? A thought I quickly pushed away as I shuffled around gathering myself, no need to worry myself any further. My body was fully awakened, my stiffened joints easing out of their slumber creaking and cracking. A calculated plan of action was my best bet, right?

Searching the sides of the tomb with my fingers, I felt no button or latches. Moving my fingers up to the top then back down along the bottom as far as I could reach, there was still no clue as to a way to get out of this increasingly claustrophobic space.

I weighed my options, I could either sit here for an eternity or I could… What could I do? The longer I stayed deep in thought about how I would escape my tomb, the more frustrated I became.

Screw this.

Clamping my eyes shut, I pushed through the sheet of glass covering me leaving shattered pieces of it scattered. The release of my frustrations soothed me, pulling me back to a place of control over my settings.

Cold and shivering I sat up, taking in my surroundings. There was no water surrounding me, nor engulfing me in its embrace. Only darkness surrounded me. Interesting.

Abyss it is then. I chuckled to myself, my humor would perhaps be the only thing to see me through whatever may lie ahead.

Water droplets echoed around me, an eerie quiet blanketing the darkness. Pulling myself up, I gasped in pain feeling blood trickling through my fingers. A minor inconvenience to free myself.

Looking down the heat rose in my cheeks as I surmised that only a thin black gown clung to the curves of my body. My skin was a deep iridescent indigo with flecks of blood spattered like stars in the sky upon it. Reaching up my chest, trailing to my neck I felt a scar. I should be horrified, but it was pure surprise that came instead.

My hands continually caressed my throat. I could not shake the feeling that I may be dead, which only led to more questions that I did not have the answers to. Concern and anxiety washed over me once more, cold sweat drenching me.

What happened to me?

Where was I?

Why don’t I know anything?!

As more questions flooded my mind, I realized I did not have all the pieces I needed to answer any of them. If I continued to plague myself with questions I would get nowhere. By any indication I was surely dead, there was no other possible explanation. This is the only real deduction I can make with the not so pleasant information in front of me. On me?

My skin was blue, my throat scarred, and I myself was imprisoned in ice by my own doing. It must be my own doing right?

Why does nothing here make sense...

I needed to get going. Standing up, my legs felt numb with a dull ache, I could barely walk. My limbs trembled and my gait was still shaken. Stepping out of my tomb my feet landed onto a smooth glacial like floor. Crumbling back to the ground I sighed.

I could now see all around me, nothingness spanned endlessly except for a floor length mirror in the distance. Closing the distance I crawled, begging my legs to work. Begging for any semblance of strength to rush through me.

As I approached the mirror, I wondered what I would see. Would it hold the answers I seek?

I peered into the mirror, face to face with myself. My eyes a piercing silver sunken into hollow skin behind high cheek bones. Small scratches adorning my flesh. My lips still slightly laced with a light frost. Reaching up I could see myself caressing my face with the back of my fingers, my touch felt cold and lifeless. Was I dead?

What a silly question, I can feel the blood rushing through my veins and my heart beating.

Reaching out to the mirror I wondered who this indigo woman was before me, surely I was not myself. Starlight colored hair reached down my back, contrasting against my skin. Fully taking myself in, I felt tears fall down my face. Freezing and sticking like icicles against me. What a mess.

The tears continued to flow and freeze down my cheeks, I could not understand what I was seeing before my own eyes.

I cried, smashing my fists to the ground. There were too many emotions to discern, no grip on the reality I was facing. I was utterly alone, bitterly unaware. I found myself gazing back up at the mirror, brushing the tears from my eyes.

What could happen if I touch it?

Laying my palm upon the mirror I felt it contort and quiver under my touch. I tensed up, unsure if I should remove my hand. The mirror rumbled and stretched before coming to an oval shape, going dark.

Great, I must have broken the stupid thing…

The mirror began to give off sparks and glow, heating up. Feeling the warmth against my skin, I shuddered at the sudden change. Shouldn’t the warmth be welcomed?

The mirror glowed bright, a warm amber light illuminating in front of me. Replacing my mussed reflection was a screen of sorts. I was in awe of what flickered in front of me.

In my place I saw a raven haired young woman with eyes that glimmered in two different colors. Her right eye was a piercing luminescent lilac while the left was an enchanting emerald, contrasting against her skin that held a glowing olive hue. Her lips painted a red satin, pursed with an uneven cupid’s bow. Her features were intriguing, a very interesting combination.

The mirror began to lift and contort back to full length, showing me the full stature of the woman. She was short in stature like myself, no more than 5’ 2’’. She was curvy with a muscular stature, strong legs and shoulders. Her slender arms crossed seriously across her chest. She appeared very strong and self -assured.

She seemed so familiar to me. As if we once knew one another. She then twirled around examining herself in her all black attire. A fitted pair of black jeans, with a slightly loose black tank top thoroughly outlining her figure. She looked very comfortable and confident in her choice. A small smirk appeared on her lips.

She sauntered away from the mirror only to return in a pair of tall boots akin to that of pirates and a leather jacket. She pulled at her hair piled neatly in a bun and frowned. Her eyes looked as though they could burst with tears hot as the fire in her soul aching to break free but her face kept a much calmer demeanor on the surface.

Ripping the bun down her obsidian hair hung down her chest. Pushing her hair back behind her ears she continued to examine herself. Running her small hands through her hair, she blushed and a small smile graced her lips. Just as quickly as it appeared the smile was replaced by a pout.

There was something about this woman, something about her aura that said she had a heavy burden to bear, or perhaps that something was holding her back. I could not be quite sure. Her expression was difficult to read.

The young woman pursed her lips and nodded at herself in determination.

A look of relief flooded over her as she gather the hair back together to one side and reaching her other hand over to retrieve something. A sharp pair of scissors poised in her hand. She glanced at her reflection one more time before cutting through her thick mane.

My own gasp scared me as she continued to chop away at her locks of hair. Her face stayed hard as a stone, betraying no information. When she seemed satisfied she dropped the scissors and grabbed a smaller set of shears in which she put the finishing touches on. Her once long hair was now a sleek bob. Her face showed mixed emotions as she turned on her heal and left. The image on the screen shifted.

The young woman was walking down a darkened hall way, a pair of honey colored eyes shown through the dark in front of her, they quickly darkened shooting daggers in her direction. I could not hear their conversation, but it was heated. The edges of the mirror burned red with a fire.

Disappointment flickered in the honey colored eyes, or perhaps resentment?

The mirror began to spark as young woman and the person with honey colored eyes sliced into one another with their words. My body shivered and tensed as both figures moved closer into the darkness on the other side of the mirror. The mirror shattered, leaving fragmented pieces on the ground.

My heart sank. Why do I feel this way? Bewildered by the scene that had played out in front of me I wondered what I need to know from that. Was this important to my escape?

I slowly continued to crawl my way through the dark. There must be a way out. The further I traveled the more warmth seemed to creep upon my skin. The bleak darkness began to fade to a gray, and the ground that was once a sleek ice turned to a soft sand. What other surprises does this world hold?

Another mirror dropped down in front of me, startling me for a moment. What came next I was completely unprepared for. The young woman from before appeared with her back to me in the mirror. Her jacket dropped down to the ground, covered in what appeared to be blood. She looked severely injured.

My heart began to race, thudding in my ears as I fixated on the bloodied woman. My entire body tensed, lying in wait for what would appear next. I had an eerie suspicion that something had changed in the woman, the aura of the mirror no longer felt the same.

It felt darker now, consumed by something indescribable.

The young woman slowly turned around her eyes a deep blood red. This was an unexpected development, her eyes now matched her lips.

She lifted her arms into the air, screaming until her lungs gave out. No sound escaped, but the pain was tangible, lifting my hand to my own throat instinctively. Two tattoos were revealed on the inside of her biceps. On the right a moon. On the left a sun.

Composure.

Once again the young woman maintained a masked expression. Only in her eyes were her feelings clear, she was determined with a hint of confusion. Her complexities were alluring, but still made absolutely no sense to me.

What did this woman need to do? The determination in her eyes was palpable… but why were they scarlet red?

Blood began to run down the mirror, I could feel the disgust spreading across my face as I backed away from the mirror. I moved slowly, making no sudden movements.

“Run.” the woman mouthed through the mirror as it began to shatter. Glass spattering everywhere.

Wincing in pain, goosebumps enveloping my flesh, blood prickling out where the shards had staked their claim against me. It was not until that moment that I realized my strength had returned, the weight of my body no longer felt like such a heavy burden.

The adrenaline raced through me. I was able to pull myself from the ground, bounding through the gray sand rather clumsily. The further I ran the more sure my footing became. A breeze brushing against my skin as it faded from indigo to a light indigo. The iridescent glow unwavering from my flesh.

The air whispering around me and my hair flowing behind me freely. Free.

What were these mirrors trying to tell me? Was this all just an illusion? The only possible conclusion is possibly somewhere between the balanced scales of life and death.

If so, then why did I feel so free?

I ran until I could see a brilliant, bright light and hear the roaring and crashing sound of waves collapsing against the sand. As if all that surrounded me was taking deep breaths in and out, releasing all tensions.

The sea came in to view, the smell of salt hit my nose. This time I welcomed it happily, as a I felt my senses flood me. Warmth began to overwhelm me as a I leaped into the sea, my body finally at ease with the change.

The water washing away the frost and ice that remained. My body began to heal, I could feel the scar on my neck lessen in shape and size. My hands caressing myself from my face down my shoulders, leaning down my shoulder blades, tip toeing back upon my chest. A heavy breath leaving my chest, leading myself into a tight embrace, my face hugging my chest.

Wading in the water, I found myself floating and staring up at a murky gray sky. I closed my eyes, letting myself sink deeper into the water, slowly waiting for it hold me. Completely submerged, I started diving down deeper into the sea, another wave of calmness overtaking me. The anxiety that plagued my journey thus far faded further as if this was all a dream. I focused, keeping my eyes closed.

How deep could I continue to dive? Could I reach the bottom?

As if my body acted without command, I found myself diving deeper until I could see the bottom. Small stones and gems covered the depths of this sea in a mesmerizing and intricate pattern. I reached my hand out to touch the bottom.

A voice began to call to me, a soft voice of a woman, as my palm connected with a red gem. Her voice was faint at first, slowly becoming louder.

“You must wake up my dear.” she cooed.

“Wake up?” I asked, confused. My voice wavering “W-hat do you mean?”

“You have been asleep for far too long...”

The sharp white light returned, blinding me. Trapped in a daze, my body was spinning head over toe around a single point winding down like a great grandfather clock through my mind. The water began to dissipate, along with it my calmness washed away replaced with a state of confusion.

Opening my eyes I could feel my body begin to slow it’s spinning. Putting me upside down and face to face with a door. A door instead of a mirror? A curious change of events.

As I regained my focus, I reached my hand out to touch the door. Abruptly halting my hand mere inches from the blackened wood door. Where does this lead?

This place I have been wandering was filled with surprises, what could be next? A series of doors?

Looking from side to side, my surroundings were but a blur of red tones, pink mist as far as the eye could see. Stopping firmly in my tracks, I glanced down at the floor, letting a heavy sigh leave my lips. Where was I going? What was I trying to escape from? Nothing is adding up. I should open that door.

If I stay here, I remain alone. If I open the door… It’s either a way out to somewhere with new obstacles or a trap. Odds were wherever it led would be just as odd as the rest of the places I had been.

In my state of contemplation, I found myself gnawing vigorously at my finger nails. Such a bad habit. Giving my hands reprieve from undue torture, I ran my fingers through my starlight hair, wrapping it around my fingers, placing my hair back behind my ears. Pressing my fingers against my temple I stared back at the door.

Messaging my fingers against my temple, I shook my head and a grin spread across my lips. I guess I should open the door.

Upon walking through the door I entered a room lit with the sultry glow of candlelight. An earthy musk lingered in the dark air, a comforting scent that I had not expected.

The door slammed behind me and disappeared as I glanced over my shoulder. Turning to face where the door had disappeared, I felt a presence behind me. The hair on the back of my neck rising.

I was no longer alone.

“This is an intriguing surprise."