Through the Mirror At Midnight

Granddad had just past away and Mum was cleaning out the house. Granddad lived in a rickety old house at the end of Wood Lane. There was nothing special about the house, only that on a pitch dark night the milky white moon would rise right above it and it would look so close to the roof you would think if you climbed up there you could actually touch it.

It was ten o’ clock at night and I decided to visit Granddad’s house. I really missed him. If I could not get to sleep I would ring him and he would tell me a story, usually an urban tale. The night was icy cold. The stars were flickering in the moonless sky. The darkness engulfed the whole town. An owl hooted from beyond the trees, besides that everything was silent.

As I opened the door a gust of wind blew my long brown hair back. I looked towards the window and found that it was open “How odd” I said to myself and climbed over a pile of boxes to close it. I decided to go up to Granddad’s bedroom, where I last saw him. Granddad was my best friend; in fact he was my only friend. My classmates at school would not accept my superstitious personality.

I pushed open the dilapidated door and it gave a slow creek, “Huh!” I gasped out in fright. “Oh it’s only my reflection in the mirror.” I assured myself. The strange thing was that I should have known that mirror would be there, I knew Granddad’s house from top to bottom.

The mirror was about seven feet tall and had a rigid, tattered, old, wooden frame, the glass was scratched and it looked as if it had not been cleaned for years, which was peculiar because Granddad was an exceptionally clean and tidy person. I thought it was best to clean it, in respect of Granddad. As I was cleaning it I noticed a little round knob at the corner of the frame, I turned it fully around but nothing seemed to happen. All of a sudden I felt extremely tired and sat on the chair near the mirror and fell asleep.

“Huh!” I awoke hearing a loud bang. I looked at my watch it was midnight already. What was that noise I heard? I glanced at the mirror, my eyes fixed on to the most nauseating thing. A bony, blue, rotting head, then an arm, and then a head came out of the mirror. He had a saggy old face, there were empty sockets where the eyes should be and wore dirty slashed clothes.

This outrageous figure of a ‘dead- come alive’ staggered towards me. The room filled with an arid stench, which made my nostrils curl. I pinched myself I thought I was still sleeping. “Ha ha ha ha ha.” It laughed in an evil, shriek tone. “Beware, beware the torment to come you have opened the gate and let evil have fun!” He then disappeared back through the mirror. I sat there motionless with questions racing through my head. “Did that just happen? If it did, what did he mean? What gate?”

This left me pondering all the way home. That day I plucked up some courage and was determined to go back. After all it may not seem as scary in daylight. I just hoped there was nothing to be scared about.

I slowly walked into the room and peeped at the mirror, wishing not to see what I saw that night. Suddenly I remembered the tale Granddad had told me. “Of course!” I said surprised “This must be THE mirror!” Granddad told me a tale about a mirror that is really a door to the underworld of lost spirits. He also mentioned that whoever opens the gate will be cursed. The curse consists of being tormented by this phenomenon until the person agrees to fulfil one of their requests. A shiver quickly travelled up my spine. What if it was true? I believed Granddad’s tales but for them to actually happen to me was unbelievable. I waited pessimistically. Nothing seemed to happen until it turned twelve.

“Hannah, Hannah, Hannah, Hannah.” I heard someone or something chanting from Granddad’s room. I walked up the stairs hastily and pulled open the door, not knowing what to expect. I gasped out aloud. I was horrified to see half decayed bodies everywhere. Suddenly they started to turn and walk towards me. I gave a shrill scream and ran down the stairs like the wind. I fell before reaching the bottom. “This can not be happening!” I cried tearfully. Before I knew it the corpses began to form a complete circle around me. “Please let me go,” I pleaded. I sat at the foot of the stairs shaking.

Just then I saw a familiar face it was Granddad! I cried to him for help but he could not hear me so I walked up to him and shook him but he never took any notice, it was like he had been hypnotised. I realised that he must be part of the circle of lost spirits so I understood what I had to do and said, “I want to help you.”

Everyone besides Granddad and I disappeared. “Help me to render the mistake I made thirty years ago. I killed Mr Slane and buried his body under the Wicker Tree.” He confessed. I could not believe Granddad actually killed someone. “See me under the Wicker Tree tomorrow at twelve midnight.” He announced and vanished.

On the way to the Wicker Tree I wondered what I had to do. This abnormal incident left me in a state of utter astonishment. I approached the Tree at one minute before midnight. I felt a cold gust of wind and shuddered. Granddad appeared, he seemed to carry a worried expression on his deathly pale face. He began the ceremony. He started by chanting a few words in an unfamiliar language. The ground beneath me started to shake and rise, I quickly jumped out of the way. A distorted body appeared. I figured that was Mr Slane. Granddad continued reciting and the mirror appeared. “Go.” Granddad urged and looked at me with piercing eyes. I did as I was told and jumped through the mirror at midnight!

It was peculiarly dark. I shivered because of the intense cold. The Wicker Tree seemed to look smaller. I looked to see if Granddad was there but he was not so I guessed I had to do this on my own. Lying on the floor near the Wicker Tree was a piece of paper I picked it up and read an address. I guessed that this was Mr Slane’s address. I seemed to feel dizzy and faint I looked at my legs and found that I could see right through them. “You’re not born yet.” I laughed. “You’re a ghost.” I felt giddy but I had to control my urge of walking through things. I came here on a mission and I was determined to get through it successfully.

I arrived at the huge, rather grand house. I walked towards the door and found that it was locked. I then remembered that I was a ghost and could walk through walls and the like. I closed my eyes, gave a deep breath and walked forward. I opened my eyes and found myself inside this magnificent house. “Wow!” I spluttered. The interior was beautiful. There was a polished marble floor, ceramic tiles on the walls, floor length lilac drapes for the curtains and attractive tapestries hanging over the mantelpiece.

I took a step towards the spiral staircase and heard the barking of a dog. I looked towards my left and saw a Rottweiler running hysterically towards me. The dog could see me! I had no choice but to yell and run rapidly across the shiny, clean floor. Suddenly all the lights switched on. I hope I had not got caught.

A man in a velvet robe walked slowly, yawning down the stairs. It must have been Mr Slane. He beckoned the dog towards him and they both went upstairs. Now I had the task of removing the dog from his room.

I floated up the stairs I might as well have taken advantage of my time being a ghost. I waltzed through the walls looking for Mr Slane. Mr Slane was sleeping peacefully with the dog was lying next to him. The dog perked his head up and stared at me with piercing eyes. I stared right back at it. He got angry and chased after me. I ran down the stairs, into the kitchen. The dog came in after me. I quickly ran out and locked the door behind me. “Yes!” I sighed, I could now continue with my duty.

I arrived too late. Granddad was already in the bedroom with a five-inch blade in his quivering right hand. I realised I needed a plan of action. I just decided to go with my instincts and went up to Granddad. I whispered the wrong of his action and kept taunting him. “Don’t do it, you’ll regret for the rest of your life. Whatever is wrong you will not make it better by killing him.” I announced.

“He is ruining my life.” Granddad blurted out. All of a sudden a voice told me to tell him that Mr Slane was his father. I declared this information to Granddad. With a startled expression, like he did not know, Granddad seized.

Just then the mirror reappeared. It was time for me to go so I climbed back through the mirror. Granddad was waiting anxiously on the other side. When I saw him he was out of the trance and his face illuminated with light. He embraced and thanked me. “I wish to be your Guardian Angel, wherever you are I will be,” he declared and disappeared.

I was on my way back home. I mused over what had just happened. I was pleased about this good deed. I passed Granddad’s house. It looked welcoming and ostentatious. I then saw the most idyllic scene, the pale, milky white moon rose above the house, it was so close to the roof I thought if I climbed up there I could actually touch it.