THE ANTIQUE MIRROR

THE ANTIQUE MIRROR

The elaborate sign read ‘Victorian Vintage Village.’ It was an old Victorian house on the main drag not far from the quaint country village of Victoria. There was a wide wrap-around porch and the house was flourishing in architectural design from the Victorian Architectural Revival Period that swept through the nation years ago.  The roof was steeply pitched, boasted several gables, and was crowned by a small widow's walk at the very top. The widow's walk was ornately decorated with a wrought iron railing.  White lavish architectural gingerbread trimmed the eaves and porch.

The main street of Victoria boasted a  postage stamp-sized post office, a general store with a liquor and beer store in the back half, a miniscule drug store, Ma and Pop pizza shop, and of course, what village would be complete without a Tim Horton’s donut shop; which always did a brisk business. The antique shop was only half a block up the street from the proverbial village green.

 The biggest draw this day, however, was a late autumn carnival that was having its last day before closing up for the season.  Keri and Kyle were looking forward to the games, the cotton candy, and the rides. The young couple intended to visit the fair later on in the day when the bright lights would illuminate the fairgrounds and create more of a carnival feel to the occasion. In order to make a day of it they decided to explore some of the local antique shops and soak up some of the local atmosphere while stuffing themselves with maple-dipped donuts and hot chocolate. The late afternoon visit to the Victorian Vintage Shop was the last stop on their list before heading off to the fair. 

Keri and Kyle parked the car in the front yard which had been turned into a small parking lot. It was a windy day, and Kyle and Keri bundled up and put on their scarves and gloves to view the treasures that were scattered on the lawn and porch. The wrap-around porch was filled with all kinds of treasures from bygone days. Two wooden ladders stood close together, someone had put a few pieces of wood from one ladder to the other forming shelves which were filled with vintage garden tools and large, hanging baskets of Boston Ferns which seemed to sway and shiver in the strong wind. An old washtub tub complete with an old-fashioned washboard stood next to the ferns. Several large rusty wheels were tucked up against the house, and a small plow painted John Deere yellow and green stood in the place of honour by the door.

Keri and Kyle finished up outside then stepped inside and started browsing. An old lady knitting at the back of the foyer nodded a greeting and bade them in before turning back to her project.

 They stepped into what was once considered a parlor. An old harvest table was filled with various teacups from an era that once saw ladies sitting down with their neighbours for afternoon tea.  A glass sideboard held a large collection of opaque white milk glass.

Kyle kept his hands tightly in his pocket. A strange look on his face.

“Kyle what's wrong?” asked Keri.

“I feel like if I move the wrong way I'm going to break something, this room is making me nervous. Everything in this room is breakable. And look at the prices on those tiny little tags. Eighty-five dollars for one tea cup and saucer. And there are eight here.”

“Yes, but it's Royal Doulton.” 

“Roy who?”

“Royal Doulton. I know because my Grandmother had some and when we went to visit her when I was a little girl my Gran and Mum used to use them. My sister and I had our own miniature versions of tea cups though I know they weren't Royal Doulton. We weren’t even allowed to touch that stuff when we were kids, it was like…gold. A total status symbol back in the day. When Grandma passed, my Mum got it all, and it sat in the back of her China cabinet. When my Mum passes it will go to my sister Kora, because she is the older sister. Personally, she can have them, and the matching teapot, sugar bowl, and creamer.  I was always a freakin’ mess whenever I went to Gran’s for tea, even if Kora and I had the cheap knockoff cups.  I knew I would be dead meat if I broke any of the Royal Doulton. Gran had a really cool mirror that I was mesmerized with. Gran always said I would get her mirror when she was gone cuz I used to look at it all the time. Gran would say ‘Vanity, vanity all is vanity’ and 'vanity goes before a fall’, and  ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder.’ ‘Mirror mirror on the wall who is the fairest one of all. She went on endlessly.”

“What was so special about the mirror?”

“I don’t know, I just liked it.  It had character. Maybe as a kid, I was really vain. Kora used to say I was.”

“Trust me, you're not vain. I have three sisters and I know what vanity is. My sisters are all ‘mirror magnets.’”

“ I think I saw some mirrors on the wall in the room across the hall, let’s take a look.”

The living room was crowded with bits of old furniture, with bric-a-brac on every flat surface. On the walls old fashioned pictures and mirrors hung randomly. In the corner, a wooden stand held more old paintings and mirrors. Kyle did a quick turn of the room and then headed for the stand. He carefully flipped through them until he came to the last one. With great care, he pulled out an antique mirror. It was covered with dust and dirt and cobwebs and looked like no one had pulled it out from the back of the pile for years, but even the grime couldn’t disguise the uniqueness of the piece. It was intricately carved and the gilded frame had the look of luxury and worth. 

“Hey, this one looks interesting.”

Keri walked over and peered over his shoulder. Their wavey reflection peered back. The glass was so old the reflection was almost obscure.

“I love the frame,” said Keri with excitement. “Look at it, it's gorgeous. It would look great in our foyer, right over that little bench. Too bad the mirror itself is so …wonky.”

“Maybe it is just dirt and grime, I'll see if it cleans up a bit. It certainly is unique, it would be a real conversation starter that's for sure. Your birthday is next week, why don’t I get it for you as an early birthday present?”

Kyle picked up an old newspaper from a trash bin in the corner and rubbed it over the mirror. Then he pulled his gloves out of his pocket and buffed the mirror some more. He dusted off the cobwebs on the back and turned it over.

They both stared into the mirror. The image was crystal clear, the grime had successfully been removed and the mirror reflected the young couple. A tall blond good-looking man and a beautiful dark-haired beauty. They smiled at each other in the mirror. Their love was reflected in their eyes.

 Kyle turned the mirror over, “Well, it looks like it's in pretty good shape after all. It even has hooks taped to the back and a hanging wire on it, and it's reasonably priced, not like those tea cups. Let me get it for you, I can see how much you like it.” 

“Oh Kyle, you are so sweet. I’d love that,” Keri reached up and hugged Kyle.

He turned it upwards again and they once again peered in the reflection. The mirror suddenly started to waver and the image reflected back started to change.

 The mirror swirled for a few minutes and then slowly cleared but instead of their reflection the mirror now took on a screen-like quality. There, between the gilded frame lay a scene of frightening clarity.

It was nighttime but the lights of the fairground illuminated the scene. In the background, one could see gaming booths and a colourful merry-go-round. The fair was well attended and both the old and the young roamed the grounds.

 The mirror somehow closed in like a camera panning the scene and then zooming in for a closeup of the top of the Ferris wheel. There was Keri and Kyle dressed as they were dressed now, only sitting in one of the cars near the top of the Ferris wheel.  Kyle almost dropped the mirror when the sound of grinding metal came from within the frame. It was like the mirror had actually turned into a TV screen, complete with pictures and sound. It was too fantastical. Keri and Kyle exchanged a quick terrified glance at each other before their eyes were once more riveted to the scene in the mirror.  One minute there were the usual pictures of people having fun on a Ferris wheel, some actually frightened and some who just thought that frightened screams enhanced the atmosphere. 

Then, there was a sudden crash and the top section of the wheel fell away, sending one of the cars hurling to the ground with a deafening crack. A second sound of grinding metal soon followed and Kyle and Keri's car fell to one side,  the car hanging almost vertical. Kyle was thrown from the seat but caught himself and held on for dear life to the safety bar. His legs dangling and kicking as he tried desperately to hang on and pull himself inside the car. Another snap of the structure sent Keri flying over to the side and the jolt forced Kyle to let go. The mirror suddenly zoomed in for an extreme closeup and showed first Kyle and then Keri plummeting to the ground, a look of abject terror on their faces. The mirror suddenly went dark and then returned to normal showing the reflection of the young couple, their faces twisted in horror. 

“Oh, Crap!” said Kyle. “What was that,” he hastily put the ornate mirror on an end table and took several steps back taking Keri with him.

“I think the mirror is showing us… the future,” stated Keri.  I think it’s showing us what will happen if we go to the fair tonight?”

“No way we are going to the fair tonight,” said Kyle emphatically. “Do you think this is a … I don't know what you call it? One of those foreshadowing things.”

“ I think it’s like a  premonition. A foretelling of the future.  I think the mirror is giving us a warning. Kyle, I’m scared.”

 “ I don’t know what that was but It totally freaked me out. You know, this mirror might have just saved our lives. Tomorrow we might see on the news that this actually happened at the fair. A huge accident where people actually died, but we were safe because we were warned. Warned by the mirror.”

 Kyle was quiet for a few seconds then he continued. “Think how this mirror might help us.  Maybe it can save our lives over and over.  Maybe it can help us decide what path to take in our lives, and what investments to make. This mirror could make us millionaires, billionaires. The possibilities are endless. With this mirror, we could become invincible.”

“No Kyle, no. The mirror might have saved our lives today. We don’t know. But I don't want to live my life like this, wondering if the mirror is right, worrying what if the mirror is wrong. We don't know if this mirror is a blessing or a curse, but I don't want to live each day like that, knowing, not knowing. This really freaked me out, Kyle.”

Kerri took a deep breath and reached out to hold Kyles's hand.

 “Thank you Kyle, but I don’t think I want that mirror for my birthday anymore,” said Keri.