The Mirror at Hazel's Street

Hi everyone! This story has a bunch of vivid descriptions and eloquence. I hope you enjoy it!

The European storefront smelt of concrete and lemony tea. A shelf of designed teacups, tea kettles, and miniature sculptures lay aligned perfectly in the display windows. The same perennial mirror with floral designs came back out at the center of the display case. It was a decor, not for sale, but with the new vintage aesthetic of my room; it could work.

The mirror was extolled with a border of fake flower vines around the display window. Helen on Hazel Street had no business thoroughly except the occasional grandma looking for new fine china.  As I opened the glass door, a bell above startled me, and Helen greeted me with a lovely smile and got back to her novel of yellow pages, her expression was light unlike her austere name. I walked through the shelfs full of decorative porcelain vases. The floor creaked under me after every solitary step. 

Helen walked over, bookmarking her page with a folded end, and asked, “ What’re you looking for honey?” 

“Oh just some decor for my room and house,” I paused, “Do you have any vintage themed decor?” 

She put her hands up and gestured, “Well you might as well take the whole store! Vases!? Glasses!? How do you feel abou—” 

She stopped short and stared behind me, “What?” I ask

“The-, the mirror, it’s back.”  

The mirror had come every single spring, what was this newly found horror on her plain face?

I looked at her petrified face, like she had just seen someone die. 

“Um… the mirror, it’s on sale, only for uhh.. about $25” she stuttered, washing away her scared tone. It was conspicuous that she didn’t want it.

I glanced deeply at the mirror, were there hidden details? Was it not needed? The floorboards creaked in a harsh way. I guess it would look good, and it was a great deal.

“Yeah, I’ll buy it.” I say as I fish out my ancient wallet. I hand her out a 20 and a 5, both slightly stained by coffee. I hand them to her, now noticing her nails, broken and torn, hangnails resting on the side. Well, who am I to say anything?

“ Wonderful.” she sighs and walks over to the mirror. She picks it up from the display and drags it over. She hands it to me, no bag, no box, huh?

Instead of asking for one, I just dragged it out the door, astonished by its weight. 

I walked out of the shop, now noticing the flamboyant welcome mat. I walked out to the side, dragging the mirror along.

-

The next day, I hung it up, wiping off dust sediments. It was beautiful no doubt, but it had a pungent smell of an abandoned city. It stayed in between two small plants, whose longevity I can’t assure. 

I walked out to the bathroom and back. 

My eyes blinked profusely, the two plants were gone, disintegrated. My palm rubbed hard, but it didn’t fade. 

It was just a, a-

I thought long and hard. My brain found no conclusion.

My mind’s screen buffered into the static black and white, glitching.

-

The day carried on and on. 

The sun set and I got out a small bottle of acne cream; which was probably ineffective. I placed 3 small dots on the needed areas with the mirror. 

Suddenly, the mirror’s reflection in the corner showed something strange. Two plants, the same ones from before, were seen in the mirror; the leaves all intact. I was delusional. This just didn’t happen. Period. 

Well before my very eyes, it had.

A gulp of water later and I rolled over into my bed. I precariously thought of solutions, staring at the mirror above my dresser. My eyes batted open and shut ever so often, never keeping closed for long. The sun rose from the horizon, shining through my curtains with no struggle. The maroon curtains made the whole room pink. My sore back still aches.

I examined my room with drowsy eyes, a bed with a jumbled up comforter, golden brown wooden tiles, and a clear dresser.

Wait, clear?

I gaze back, my eyelids flutter open wider now. All my makeup, skincare, and even the lotion from last night, was gone. 

I launched out of bed like a rocket and looked behind my dresser, but only dust met my eyes. Everything had left, flown into oblivion. Inside the mirror, lay all my skincare, makeup, and lotion, in the same exact position.

My face was natural leaving the door, but my expression was confused. I continued my day, but when I passed Helen’s shop, I gazed through the window, and Helen was happy as ever, sipping a hot coffee while reading a more cheerful novel.

My thoughts filled annoyingly in my head as I walked home. The cold air blew against me, pushing my tangled and unwashed hair away.

My breath was uneasy heading into the room. I looked across the room.

The entire dresser was gone, still seen in the mirror. I shuddered in fear. That couldn’t even fit in the mirror!? I turned to my bed, a little closer to the mirror than I had remembered, but I flopped on.

Until, a force pulled my legs back to the ground like a magnet. I strained forward. 

My arms struggled to move. My legs froze. I was pulled back like I was on ice. Suddenly, I was warped into the mirror, my arms and legs clung to the door frame. I struggled and fell. 

The air went still as the sky.

Hi readers! Thank you so much for reading “The Mirror at Hazel's Street” 

I’ve been a little busy with no time to post but I will more soon next week. Please read my other previous stories on my page if you liked this one! Please like the story and I’ll make sure to upvote your comments. See you next week with another great story!