The World Beyond

Edward slumped forward on his desk, covering his face with his arm. He would not give up, not just yet. He would not let this get the better of him, there must be a way in.1

If only,he thought, if only he had never looked at it.....2

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"Edward! Edward!" the woman, dressed in a smart navy-coloured suit ran after him down the busy street, waving her hand wildly. Raising his eyebrows at the noises, Edward stopped walking down the packed street and turned round, his eyes searching for the voice. His stern face broke into a bright smile as he saw the young woman sashaying towards him.4

"Edward!" she breathlessly exclaimed, as she stopped in front of him, smiling.5

"Hello Lucy. Why are you shouting me, running down the street?"he said as he caught her in a huge bear hug. Lucy was one of his oldest friends, and once, he had thought he loved her as more than that,however she hadn't thought the same, but they remained best friends.6

"I'm sorry, its just I had to tell you something. You know the Terith art gallery? They're holding a contest of art. So I'm looking at this board explaining what you have to do, and who is the first person who comes to mind? Edward, of course!"7

He shook his head slowly. "Now why would you think of me? I'm no real artist."8

She gaped her mouth open in shock horror. "Now you know thats not true. I've never known anyone who drew as beautifully as you. Please enter it.....please?"9

Edward tilted his head, and sighed thoughtfully, a smile playing on his lips. "Hmmm......I guess I will."10

She smiled back up at him, and squeezed his hand excitedly.11

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I need inspiration....13

Edward had decided to enter the contest. Unfortunately, his muse had also decided to leave him at precisely the same moment. So he had come into the Terith art gallery itself, to look at their display of his favourite artist, M.C. Escher. 14

He loved all of the works of art, from 'Belvedere', to 'Drawing Hands', to 'Hall City'. But his favourite had to be 'Hand With Reflective Sphere'. He just loved how personal, as well as artistic, it was. 15

That would be his inspiration.16

Even as he thought about it, an idea came to him. A mirror within a mirror.17

This would be his greatest work yet.18

He sat more comfortably on the marble bench set in the centre of the tiled room, and looked up at the sketch, wonderingly.19

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It was almost midnight. 21

The desk lamp shone a soft light onto the huddled figure of Edward. He was busy sketching and rubbing, blurring and softening edges. He glanced up again at the two mirrors he had set up facing each other, their shiny worlds reflected into one another.22

Edward looked up momentarily, taking a second to give his fingers a well-earned rest.23

A figure!24

Edward stared, eyes wide, into the mirrors. It was impossible. There was no way there could have been a figure in the mirror. There was no-one else in his apartment, and the mirrors were facing each other anyway. 25

A chill trickled down Edward's spine with eerie silkiness. 26

Edward shook his head, shaking away his childish fears. 27

He began to sketch again, the charcoal rubbing off on his sweaty fingers. 28

Again!29

A face. 30

A definate face.31

Black, undefined, but definitely a face, staring at him from the most distant reflection of the mirror.32

Edward started back, blinking, but the face never left the mirrors.33

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"Edward! Its not possible, you must have been tired or something."35

He sighed, shaking his head firmly. "I know its impossible, but I saw what I saw. It wasn't tiredness, it was very real, very definite. Please just stay here with me tonight Lucy, please? I don't want to be by myself tonight."36

She walked over and laid her hand on his arm. "Of course I will, you don't have to ask, you know that."37

The night went on happily enough, with Edward drawing in his study, Lucy sat on the armchair across from him, talking and laughing brightly. Edward forgot all about the shadowy face of the night before, and once again enjoyed his drawing.38

Lucy eventually drifted off to sleep, and Edward continued to sketch. 39

Edward........40

Edward rose his head and looked across at Lucy, but there was no movement except for her slight breathing. She was most certainly not awake.41

Edward.......42

The face!43

It was back!44

Edward.......come to me........45

The soft dreamy voice echoed from the mirror's unforgiving surface. "No, this isn't happening." muttered Edward, cold sweat running down his face.46

He reached over to Lucy and gently shook her awake. "Lucy!Lucy!" He hissed through clenched teeth. The face continued to watch him with interest.47

"Edward? What?" She spoke sleepily, as she blinked her eyes awake in the bright light of the study lamp. 48

"The FACE!" He continued to hiss at her.49

The face watched him.50

"Where?" Lucy peered at the mirrors expectantly.51

He stared, first at her, then back at the mirrors in disbelief. "You....you can't see that?"52

Edward.......I can see you........53

"Can't you HEAR that?"54

Lucy shook her head, looking up at Edward worriedly. "No........"55

The face disappeared for a second, only to re-appear again, closer this time, closer to the surface of the mirror. Edward could now make out soft eyes, a sharp nose and a laughing, cruel mouth. There seemed to be no life in the eyes, they were dead. Cold.56

Edward..............57

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So now here he was, trying to find a way in. There was someone there. Someone who meant to harm him.59

So he would harm them before they had a chance.60

He had to get in. There must be a way.61

Edward momentarily wondered if Escher ever realised the world beyond their own?62

It didn't matter now anyway, he was going to end this once and for all. All he had to do, was wait.63

Wait for the shadowy woman.64

It didn't even give him chills anymore to think about it. After all, he couldn't allow fear to get in the way of this. This was survival.65

Edward...............I've been thinking of you......I've been waitng for you.....waiting for so long................66

The breathy voice accompanied the dark cold face of the once beautiful face of the other-worldly woman.67

It didn't matter if Lucy couldn't see it, he decided. He was special. An artist. This was meant for him to see. 68

Lucy wasn't worthy.69

"Coming darling." He replied, and looked into the strange woman's eyes, smiling.70

Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhh.....................71

The thing breathed approvingly.72

Edward leaned over, and clutched his charcoal behind him, as though to protect himself with this.73

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The policeman cleared his throat, and stood before the press cameras, the young woman, Lucy Davies, weeping behind him.75

"It is believed that Edward Trebor is not a danger to others, but may be a danger to himself. He was last seen last night, by his friend, Miss Lucy Davies, happy and well.76

'He was considered a talented artist, and last night told his friend that he was going to finish off his masterpiece. Nothing has been found of him so far, the last place he was seen was his own apartment. All that we have found in the way of clues is a charcoal drawing, set in front of two mirrors facing one another, with a note, simply stating 'I am Edward Trebor. Remember me, I am not gone.'77

Unseen by all, in a large, clean mirror at the back of the room, a shadowy figure watched. The face was male and strong, but blurry. It was momentarily accompanied by a second figure, feminine and soft, then the two disappeared from view........78

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