A Haunted Mirror's Emprise

The mirror showed a reflection that wasn’t my own

I opened my mouth and sharp pointed fangs shone

My mouth closed tight, my piercing eyes shut

In the mirror was something strange, but what?

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I dared open one eye slowly, then two

Yellow pupils dilated before me, usually blue

My brown hair was gone, scales covered my head

It wasn’t me in the mirror, but a monster instead

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I turned away quick, gulping the air in my room

Looked down at my hands, my humanity resumed

I contemplated myself, my reality, my skewed view

I didn’t dare face the mirror until I heard a scream that I knew

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My heartbeat quickened, my eyes became wide

I scanned the mirror: front, back, and side

I rubbed my eyes hard, looking up, looking down

Feeling distressed and confused, my alien mouth frowned

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I swore in the mirror something flickered deep blue

I gazed intently, studying the view

Butterflies filled my stomach with dread

I raised my scaley hand up, dark fingers now lead

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I stretched out one-digit, flesh touching glass

In that brave finger, fear was surpassed

Where my finger touched, a ripple emerged

A portal was open, my entrance was urged

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By what? I wasn’t sure, but onwards I went

The wind blew fiercely, the air was coldly ferment

Darkness enclosed, a lightning bolt struck

Rain came in sheets, bats flew amok

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In my eye’s corner was another flicker of blue

I turned rather sharply to follow the hue

In the distance, a blue satin cape whipped

‘round the ankles of a figure descending a crypt

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I hesitated until I heard a grave tune

Summoned forward, I wasn’t immune

The voice was soft, a lullaby’s kiss

The song that lulled me went something like this:

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“Don’t be afraid, you’re not alone

Come to me child, warm up your bones

One step, two steps, come quickly now

Into the crypt, repeat this vow:

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I am yours for the taking, have at my soul

Ice, fire, and coal, I give up control

Walk with me in the day, forsake only night

Feel the heat- out of spite, feel the light

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When you awaken, your eyes will be mine

A reflection so familiar, uncanny, sublime

Just give consent and I’ll give you the earth

Just repeat these words, give me your worth”

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I began to speak, repent, and repeat

But then something happened: I remembered my feet

I looked down at my own human toes covered in dirt

Looked up at the figure before me, alert

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The crypt was enclosed with stones of concrete

Mice scattered, scurried, hungry to eat

The satin cape had a hood, its length touched the ground

I searched the visage, but no face was found

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“Before I repeat the words that you seek

Allow me to look upon you, let our eyes meet”

The ghoul or the goblin didn't like this one bit

He growled and he hissed and he had an ill fit

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“Who dare come before me and seek to look?

Who are you girl? A brave soul, I mistook?”

Although I shook, I stood tall and firm

“This is my dream, you will abide by my terms.”

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Truth be told, I had long known

That this world to me was once shown

I remembered the bats, the crypt, and the ghoul

From a book of tales I read after school

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I looked down the hood into the nothing of dark

“I am not scared, from this dream, I’ll disembark

And you, dear ghoul, will be like dust in the wind

In my imagination, you have no beginning, no end”

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At this, the ghoul scoffed, he’d been bested, ’twas true

I made him question the reality he knew

I turned my back and walked up the stairs

Out of the crypt, I grew wings and danced through the air

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Once I realized, my imagination Emprise

My bravery grew and I saw sunny skies

I looked at the world and made it my own

I now wandered fearlessly into the unknown