Reflected Reality

Chapter 3
Disappearance

~Len~

The stars twinkled in the dark velvety sky, dancing around the luminous full moon as Len finally struggled free from the forest. All the way back out, the branches had snagged his clothes and vines had clutched at his legs as if trying to prevent him leaving. He paused for awhile on the edge of the forest and doubled over panting hard.

Once he had caught his breath, he ran from the forest back to the city. He sprinted down the empty streets, past houses and buildings. Few of the houses still had lights on inside, most had curtains pulled across the dark windows. He wondered how late it was and if his caregiver Sarah would be mad at him. 'I've probably missed dinner,' he thought to himself, turning down his street.

His house was at the end of a long driveway, which was gaurded by large iron gates and two security gaurds. The grand mansion squatted on gentle sloping grounds that had several gardens, a tennis court and swimming pool. The only thing the grounds needed were stables with ten or so horses. Mr Kagamine was against animals and had the horses all sold and demolished the stables to make way for his hobby room. Len missed the horses.

He skidded to a halt in front of the gates and looked around for the gaurds. One was walking up the driveway on the other side of the gates and the other was fast asleep in his office. Len didn't want to wake him, so instead he crept to the security code pad on the lock. He keyed-in the code and stepped to the smaller side gate. It opened smoothly to admit him. He proceed through this gate and up the long driveway to his house. He reached the front door, but before he could open it to sneak inside it flew open. Sarah stood in the doorway, her hands on her hips and a look on her face that could melt ice.

"Where have you been?" she asked him in her strange european accent. "Do you even know what time it is?" Len hung his head and muttered he was sorry. "Sorry just doesn't cut it young one," Sarah snapped at him, dragging him by his shoulder inside. He was led to his room and Sarah closed the door, almost slamming it. Len sat on his bed and gulped. Hopefully he wouldn't be grounded.

Thinking about being grounded made his mind wander to a different subject. The girl in the mirror. He flopped back onto the mattress and stared up at the ceiling. He pictured her, and saw her face looking back at him. Her hair was blonde and shoulder length, her fringe was clipped back from her bright blue eyes. Those eyes had cast a spell upon him. She had bewitched him, making him feel such new emotions for her. He smiled and closed his eyes now, remembering the faint sound of her small voice singing for him. He fell asleep with the thought of hearing and seeing her again tomorrow.

The very next day, after getting a lecture from Sarah, Len rushed from his house and back to the forest. The excitement and eagerness to find the mirror again fuelled him as he searched the forest for the clearing. He tried to remember which way he had walked, but the scenery all looked the same. After a few hours of searching, he started to feel frustrated.

By midday, his frustration had turned to blind panic. He had walked what felt like every track and had yet to find the clearing. To add to his annoyance, he kept tripping over tree roots that jutted out from the track because he wasn't paying attention to where he was walking.

Just as he was about to lose all hope of seeing the mirror again, he sighted the strange orange fruit bearing bush he had seen yesterday. This sight gave him renewed strength to continue his search. He thought of the girl's beautiful face and hearing her sing again, this bought his hopes soaring high again. That's when he saw the clearing through a few ferns. Feeling estastic, he dashed through the bush and stood happily in the small clearing. But what he saw made his heart stop beating all together.

The clearing was empty.

"But... But..." Len stood stock still, in complete shock. He was sure this was the clearing where he had been yesterday, but yet there was no mirror. He walked forward on shaking legs. He wouldn't accept it. Maybe the mirror was invisible or someone had moved it. He glanced around but there was no sign of the mirror at all. It had simply disappeared.

Tears were trickling down his cheeks now. He just couldn't understand. How could something he loved so much just disappear? He collapsed on his knees and buried his face in his hands. He felt his grip on reality shatter like a broken mirror. He wanted to see her now more than ever.

~Rin~

The stars twinkled in the dark velvety sky, dancing around the luminous full moon as Rin finally struggled free from the forest. All the way back out, the branches had snagged at her dress and vines had clutched at her legs as if trying to prevent her leaving. She paused for awhile on the edge of the forest and doubled over panting hard.

Once she had caught her breath, she ran from the forest back to the village. She sprinted down the empty streets, past small cottages and huts. Few of the houses still had the glow of lit candles in the windows, but most had curtains pulled across. She wondered how late it was and if her mother would be mad at her. 'I've probably missed dinner,' she thought to herself, turning down her street.

Her house was between two others, at the end of a long pathway. The little house squatted on the biggest farm in the country. The house's garden was full of vegetables and an old cow was sleeping by the low stone wall that ran around their home. Mr Kagamine loved animals and they also owned a few chickens, sheep, pigs and dogs. Rin wished they were rich enough to afford horses.

She proceeded through the wooden gate and up to her house. When she reached the front door, it flew open. Her mother stood in the doorway, her hands on her hips and a look on her face that could melt ice.

"Where have you been?" she asked Rin in Japanese. "Do you even know what time it is?" Rin hung her head and muttered an apology. "Sorry just doesn't cut it young one," her mother snapped at her, dragging her by her shoulder inside. "You were supposed to look after your younger sisters today," she said as she led her daughter to her room. She shared the room with two of her five sisters and they were already fast asleep. Her mother closed the door softly, but Rin could feel how angry she was. Sighing, she sat on her bed. Hopefully she wouldn't be grounded.

Thinking about being grounded made her mind wander to a different subject. The boy in the mirror. She flopped back onto her sleeping mat and stared up at the ceiling. She pictured him, and saw his face looking back at her. His hair was blonde and seemed to be shoulder length, he had tied it back in a small ponytail. His blue eyes had cast a spell upon her. He had bewitched her, making her feel such new emotions for him. She smiled and closed her eyes now, remembering the faint sound of his strong voice singing for her. She fell asleep with the thought of hearing and seeing him again tomorrow.

The very next day, after getting a lecture from her mother and doing all her chores, Rin rushed from her house and back to the forest. The excitement and eagerness to find the mirror again fuelled her as she searched the forest for the clearing. She tried to remember which way she had walked, but the scenery all looked the same. After a few hours of searching, she started to feel frustrated.

By midday, her frustration had turned to blind panic. She had walked what felt like every track and had yet to find the clearing. To add to her annoyance, she kept tripping over tree roots that jutted out from the track because she wasn't paying attention to where she was walking.

Just as she was about to lose all hope of seeing the mirror again, she sighted the strange orange fruit bearing bush she had seen yesterday. This sight gave her renewed strength to continue her search. She thought of the boy's handsome face and hearing him sing again, this bought her hopes soaring high again. That's when she saw the clearing through a few ferns. Feeling estastic, she dashed through the bush and stood happily in the small clearing. But what she saw made her heart stop beating all together.

The clearing was empty.

"But... But..." Rin stood stock still, in complete shock. She was sure this was the clearing where she had been yesterday, but yet there was no mirror. She walked forward on shaking legs. She wouldn't accept it. Maybe the mirror was invisible or someone had moved it. She glanced around but there was no sign of the mirror at all. It had simply disappeared.

Tears were trickling down her cheeks now. She just couldn't understand. How could something she loved so much just disappear? She collapsed on her knees and buried her face in her hands. She felt her grip on reality shatter like a broken mirror. She wanted to see him now more than ever.