Total Pageviews

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Chapter 5


Opening the door with a disturbing crack, an old bell hanging above the door clang, as it had been doing for so many decades, alarming the owner of the shop about the arrival of new potential customers. An old man, with his back deformed by time and deep wrinkles probably hiding many past stories, came forward from the back room, walking very slowly and carefully. He pointed his watery almost blind grey eyes upon Amy, and when he managed to focus his sight upon her face, he gasped and raised both of his long curly eyebrows:
“Miss Lenora… How...? I don’t even…”, mumbled the old man, swallowing his words.
“Ah, I’m sorry, but I am afraid this is a mistake”, replied Amy, being certain that that senile old man was very confused. “My name is Amelia Knight and I just came in search for a present”.
“My apologies, young lady! I am inclined to believe that your face just reminded me of someone… I am an old man. Sometimes memories or thoughts tend to seem real for my age. Please, take a look around and tell me if you need my aid with anything. Meanwhile I will just try to polish the edges of this fake old trophy”, said the old man, still staring at Amy’s face, while he walked to his working desk.
All this time, knowing she didn’t belong in that conversation, Anna pretended to be studying the old objects, while in fact, she was trying really hard to overhear what they were saying. Continuing to seem interested in the antiquities, she waited for Amy to join her in search for the mysterious gift. Being rather amused than intrigued by the recent event, Amy started investigating every corner of the shop. To a person with a healthy imagination, the place would most probably resemble the magical shops in the movies: the upper shelves were filled with books, that were so rugged that time even erased their titles from their covers, while on the lower shelves, that were easily reachable to the customers, there were places all kinds of old objects, from old pictures, to antique telephones or practical items, such as irons and those sharp blades which were used by barbers. Each item had a story.
“I wish I could hear the story of each item in this store”, Amy whispered so quietly that not even Anna, who was by her side, could possibly hear her. “Where is it hidden? I know there is a reason for which I am here. There is something that should seem familiar to me here. I am not mad! I can’t be! That voice was real!”. She kept repeating this in her mind, giving her patience and strength to keep looking.
Anna gave up trying to understand what was that thing that Amy wanted so much, so she grabbed a photo album, older than her parents, took a sit and enjoyed the pictures, while Amy was still browsing carefully every shelf. A sudden metallic faint sound came from the western corner of the room. In that place there was small beautifully-carved bookcase, under which the carpet looked as if it had something beneath. Checking if the owner of the shop was still absorbed by his work, she quietly removed the hand-made carpet and saw a door so small, that only one hand could fit in there. Surprisingly enough, she noticed that the lock was broken, so she carefully opened the tiny door. Ignoring the thick dust, she deepened her hand in the narrow hole, trying to reach whatever there was hidden there. Touching a cold metallic edge of a thin object, she felt a strong sudden cramp in her whole torso, realizing she had touched that object before. Quickly pulling put the item, she went numb seeing that beautiful old mirror. It was strange how, just touching it, she experienced so many emotions, although practically it was the first time she encountered it. The silver decorations of the round mirror were so carefully made, that Amy realized that it took the hands of an artist to produce such beauty. The bright silver seemed like classy lace, with ornaments of roses, made in blackened silver.
Her reflection was so faithful, yet the mirror seemed to be stuck in a past time. It was like the mirror was supposed and wanted to reflect the world in which it served. It was not fit for this century.
“Anna! Are you done with the album? I think I am done here”, said Amy hastily, grabbing a random old locket from the shelf. She preferred to hide the mirror in her bag, because she was pretty sure that she was not supposed even to find it there. “Look, this locket is pretty nice. I think I’ll get this one. What do you think?”
“I think it’s just an old piece of metal… but if you like it, then buy it!”.
Reaching the old man’s working desk, the girls saw that the old man was not there anymore. They waited for about five minutes, but then Amy decided that she should leave ten dollars on his desk, with a note: “You were away, so I’ll just leave some money for the locket with two cherries on it. Please let me know if you need more money for it. I will come back in a few days.” Leaving the money and the note on the desk, the girls left the store and went back on the narrow grey streets.
“Anna, would you mind if I went home now? I am rather tired and I am planning to start my paper today”
“It’s fine, I’m actually starving anyway. Shall I see you tomorrow at classes?”
“Sure! I guess I’ll be there… if I wake up”, said Amy with a faint sense of humor.
As they went on separate ways to their homes, Amy felt how the mirror had the same memories as the streets and walls that surrounded her had. They were all part of the same past… or madness
“I am not mad…”

1 comment:

  1. ty for being the first one to read it, as usual! Promise I'll try to write the next part as soon as possible! Now it's your turn :D >:D<

    ReplyDelete