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…”
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<
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