Tamsin's Mirror

Tamsin was tired of love and tired of life. She had spent the past few miserable weeks moping around her house, depressed because her boyfriend, Sam, had dumped her for a beautiful, spoilt brat. She didn't know what he saw in her. She got everything she wanted, and although she was too damn pretty, she was unbelievably stupid. She didn't have a clue about what anyone was saying half the time, and when she did, she took the words completely out of context. Was that what she had been replaced with? Was he serious about choosing an absolutely gorgeous girl over the brains and personality that he fell in love with with Tamsin? The answer was yes but Tamsin still loved him. She couldn't live without him and she couldn't be with him. She felt like her life was going nowhere.1

She sighed and looked into her bedroom mirror, staring at her reflection. Her face was pale and blotchy, probably from the amount of tears she had shed that day. She saw the new 'couple' together, kissing, which started her off. It broke her heart to see them together. 'Is that all he wanted?' she asked herself, 'A physical relationship, nothing more?' She looked at herself, she wasn't that bad looking, was she? 'No,' she said to herself, 'I'm fine. He's the problem.'2

As she looked at herself sadly in the mirror, she noticed that it was doing somethng it didn't normally do. It was shining, like crystal, sending waves of extroadinary light across her bedroom. She stood entranced at the mystical light show in front of her eyes. She couldn't believe what was happening. It seemed to whisper beckonly to her, as though it knew of her problems and was trying to help her out. Strange as it was, she wanted to find out more.3

She walked cautiously towards it, intrigued by it's glittering appearance. She could hardly see her own reflection it was so bright. She reached out and then stopped suddenly. 'What do I expect will happen?' she asked herself, 'That I'm going to be transported to another world and live happily ever after? I don't think so. I must be hallucinating.' 4

Regardless, she touched the mirror, just because she knew she'd kick herself later if anything good happened. As her finger touched the mirror, she found that it wasn't a solid structure, but an eerie liquid one. It rippled outwards, like water when a stone is thrown into its depths, shattering its surface.5

Now, feeling a little bit more confident about the mirror, she slowly and cautiously slid her pale, shaking hand through the mirror liquid state. As her hand began to disappear through it, she felt a small force trying to suck her inside, pulling her into its eerie glow of lights. She decided that if she had to go in, she would do it herself, in her own way, and so forcefully lunged herself into it.6

She stumbled onto the otherside, dis-orientated about the recent events. It looked like a completely new, alternate reality, which she believed to be unknowingly impossible. The air was crisp, and slightly smelt of roses, unusual because there were no roses around to give off the sweet insence. A breeze passed through her, like an invisible ghost goes through a wall. It wasn't a cold, saddened chill though, the ones where you just want to seek warmth in the nearest building, no, it was a refreshing, cheerful breeze, filled with hope and fragrance, which had a slight elegance to it. She had only been here for two minutes and already she felt welcome and at ease in her mind. All of her troubles seemed to wash away like the waves wash away the sandy shores.7

She walked further into the dream like world, taking in everything she could, but it was just too beautiful. There was one thing that was very different though, snd she couldn't think of a reason why she hadn't noticed it before, it was so obvious. The colours were all back to front compared to the world that she had just left. The sky was a bright mixture of reds, oranges and yellows, which gave the appearance that the sky was burning, like it would in a normal household fireplace. Trees were blue, and sparkled like the stars, reflecting the fiery sky in its cool branches. She could see water just ahead of her and was surprised at what the colour of it was; bright pink. It looked pretty, but it didn''t look right for drinking. It looked more like a disgusting medicine your docor gives you. Everything jumped out at you at once, and it was as if they were purposely created like that to confuse and stun visiters. Everything clashed and after looking at the unusual, bright landscpe, Tamsin realised it was an eye sore.8

She blinked a few times before she carried on walking, searching for any signs of life, though she wasn't expecting to find anybody. Then, just on the horizon, she saw a little silhouette of a village, just visible through the trees and the brightness of the world. She headed towards it, knowing that it was her best option to figure out more about this exciting new place.9

She had finally entered the little village after what seemed like hours of wallking, but it could have just been an illusion from the bright colours confusing her senses. She had hoped that there would be male and female occupants residing here, but instead, as she walked through the street, she found just women. She was just about to ask one of them to help her when another greeted her rather too enthusiastically.10

"Hi there, I'm Bettie." she said over excitingly, holding out her hand.11

"Errrrr... Hi. I'm Tamsin." she replied, shaking her hand briefly. She was a little scared by this figure. Bettie was beautiful, yes, but she was so crazy, like she had nothing bad in her life and went mad due to the lack of another emotion. 12

Bettie seemed to be able to read her mind though, "Nothing bad happens here silly," she laughed, "It's all good. No sorrow, no pain, no general badness." She smiled idiotically.13

"What nothing at all? What about heartache, anger, jealousy even?"14

"Oh we have none of that here. We're all equals, we shouldn't envy each other."15

"Ok, what about the good things then. Like love, happiness and hope? Surely you can't feel the good things if you can't feel the bad?"16

"Oh, we can feel them, but maybe just in a different context to what you're used to."17

"What to you..."18

"Nothing dear don't worry about it. Forget I said it."19

Tamsin didn't want to forget it though. She wanted to know exactly how they could feel the good and not the bad. They must not be human she thought worryingly.20

"What about men then?" Tamsin asked cautiously, "I haven't seen any around. Where are they?"21

"Men? There's no men here." Bettie exclaimed, "What would we need men for?"22

"Well, to couple with, to have children with. Someone of the opposite gender that understands you and loves you for who you are." It would have pained her to say these words in her world, but because you couldn't feel anything bad like that, she felt strange happiness in saying them.23

"Children? There's no children here either, there has never been. And why need a 'man' to understand you when you're surrounded by the gender thats knows you best because you belong with them."24

"Then how did you come to be?"25

"I will tell you, if you swear to stay in this life for eternity and never return to yours."26

Tamsin had to be careful of her next move. If she said that she would stay, she'd know the woman's secrets and how they don't have bad feelings, men or children around, but there was a downside too. She'd never see her family again, never go back to her own reality. As much as her life sucked at the moment, it would pass with time, she'd find another guy to love as deeply as her ex. It was a difficult decision to make. The answers intrigued her to breaking point, she really wanted to know, but she had to make a decision quickly. She didn't know how long th woman's oppertunity would last.27

A few minutes had passed since she was given the question, and she had an answer she knew she wouldn't regret.28

"It's a nice offer but this place is crazy. I'm intrigued to learn more of your culture but not at the price of forfeighting my proper existance in the real world. Therefore, I will not stay or swear to your question. I just want to know how to get out of here."29

"Very well," said Bettie, "But you will never get the chance again."30

"I don't care, send me back."31

Bettie sighed and snapped her fingers. Tamsin disappeared in a flash.32

Tamsin lay flat on her back on the floor of her room. She woke from her unconscienceness and found Sam staring down at her, holding her in his arms, soft crsytal like tears flowing down his face.33

"Sam! What are you doing here?!"34

"I came round to see you,"he stammered, "Your Mum told me you were in your room and then... when I saw you lying on the floor... I thought you were... dead."35

"How long have I been lying here?"36

"About ten minutes. I was going to call an ambulance but then you woke up."37

"What about your new girlfriend?" she said sitting up.38

"I finished with her. I missed you, and having nearly lost you just now, I don't want to live without you."39

"I just don't know if I can trust you." she replied sadly," I mean, you hurt me pretty badly."40

Sam looked disappointed, "I'm really sorry. Come on, doesn't everyone deserve a second chance?" He looked longingly at her.41

She waited a moment and then smiled, "I suppose so. I do love you after all."42

"I love you too." 43

They kissed briefly, feeling the passion they felt before they split up, and embraced each other lovingly. Tamsin had never thought he'd come back to her and she was so happy that he did. She was glad she came back from the mirror world, and her mirror was now completely back to normal, just gleaming in the ordinary sun's rays. 'Besides,' she thought, 'Who wants a life with just the good things, you need the bad things to really know what living is. It turned out alright for me after all.'44