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Midnight Hour.
Ann stepped through the door of the small white cottage nestled deep in the forest, and sighed. At last she was home.
For years as a child she
had visited this place. Then it was her great grandmother's home, then her grandmother's.
Ann always wondered why her mother never wanted to live there when it passed to her, but now, it was Ann's. It was the only place she felt that she ever truly belonged.
Unpacking her belongings took no time at all, she brought little with her. Apart from this place, there was nothing in her life that mattered enough.
She wandered from room to room. The sun drifted through the windows bathing each in a warm amber glow, the same glow Ann felt being here.
Walking up the old oak staircase, she marvelled at how little things had changed over time. It was exactly as she remembered, all those happy memories overwhelmed her, she felt as if she would burst!
The room at the end of the small landing was the room she used to stay in when she visited. Although it had been a number of years, it looked exactly the same.
The large bed was at one end, and in contrast to the furnishings in other rooms this one was white. The wooden wardrobe, painted white. The dresser white as well. Its large oval mirror the centre piece. Set out, as if she had never left, her wooden hair brush, small jewellery box and an old bottle of perfume, almost empty now, evaporated over the years, still sat on top of the dresser.
Suddenly overcome with tiredness from the events of the day, she slowly walked over to the bed and lay down on top. In no time at all, Ann was asleep.
The clock in the hall chimed midnight. Ann, obliviously still in the realm of sleep heard nothing. The mirror in the centre of the dressing table glowed eerily in the dark, it shimmered, then a figure appeared, a ghostly figure of a pale man. He glanced over at the sleeping form before him and whispered, “Welcome home my love”. Deep inside her slumber, Ann smiled and sighed. The man in the mirror continued to watch her as she slept, smiling a gentle smile at the little noises she made, as if he could understand the language of sleep. Almost at the stroke of one, Ann began to wake. She stretched and yawned and opened her eyes. Immediately they were drawn to the eerie light emanating from the mirror, as the clock in the hall struck one o’clock, she was sure she saw a ghostly figure in that mirror smile at her, ‘dreaming again’, she thought.
The weeks passed quickly for Ann, and even though she was isolated here in this quiet cottage, she never felt alone.
Then, one night, she sat at her dresser brushing her hair as the clock in the hall chimed midnight. The mirror shimmered and glowed before her eyes and the image of the man appeared before her. Her heart beat wildly and her eyes opened wide in wonder, yet she was not afraid. The image smiled at her, a warm and loving smile. That smile awoke memories in her mind from long ago when she was a child, of the image of a small boy in the mirror who spoke to her of another realm, another universe. This boy quickly became her friend, comforting Ann in the night, soothing her dreams, her fears. She smiled at the image in the mirror...”Max, is it really you?” she whispered.
He smiled and nodded. “I have waited many years for your return my love...and I have watched over you every night whilst you slept, hoping that you would wake in time so we could speak before I had to fade away once more..” He reached out his hand to her, and, as Ann touched the mirror it rippled, melted and her hand passed through the glass as if it were made of air. Their fingers entwined, and she felt the coolness of his lips brush against her hand. The clock in the hall began to chime, one o’clock was here once more. Ann glanced back at the mirror, her fingers now pressed against the cold glass, and the image was gone. She felt her heart sink, and silent tears fell as she made her way across the room and fell onto the bed and drifted into a restless sleep.
Over the following weeks, Ann, and Max the enigmatic man from that mysterious realm, met on the stroke of midnight. They talked of life, and love, of music, and nature. They laughed, they cried. Their love, strange as it seemed, blossomed and deepened into something rich and rare. Then one night it happened....
A storm raged outside the small cottage, thunder and lightning split the sky as the clock chimed midnight and the mirror shimmered. Ann pressed her fingers against the glass and once again they passed beyond into the lonely place between their realms. As her fingers entwined with his lightning flashed outside, her fingers tingled sharply, and she drew them back towards her. Max gripped her hand tightly, not wanting to let go, and, as she pulled her hand back from the mirror, he emerged out of that mysterious fluid space.
Ann stared in amazement at the glowing image that stood before her. The possibility that he could cross into this world or she into his was something that neither had dared hope were possible....and yet, there he was, right in front of her. Tentatively she reached out her hand and touched his face. His eyes closed as her fingertips stroked gently across his skin, and a warm smile played across his lips, his hand gently caressed over the back of her hand, and he slowly drew her to him. She became surrounded by the gentle glow emanating from his body, and, as their lips gently touched, she felt her skin tingle, and warmth spread throughout her whole being. Time seemed to stand still, the only sound she could hear was the beating of their two hearts matched in perfect rhythm. Ann felt as if she were floating, and deep inside her heart, she wished this moment could last forever. Somewhere in the distance...a clock chimed...one o’clock....
Oblivious, the pair still locked in that first perfect kiss, failed to notice the mirror on the dresser. It shimmered and shone with a brilliance that lit up the whole room, and its light cascaded out through the window, piercing the dark like a beacon. The glow that surrounded Ann and Max as their souls entwined, pulsed in time with their beating hearts. As the clock struck one, the light from the mirror disappeared suddenly, plunging the room into darkness.....
As the years passed, Ann returned to that room on occasion at the stroke of midnight, wondering if the door to the other realm would open once more. All she ever saw in the mirror from that day, was her own reflection, and that of the man she loved so deeply, as he stood behind her and wrapped his arms slowly around her waist. As she turned to meet his kiss, she whispered his name.... ”Max”....
© KarenWood
For years as a child she
had visited this place. Then it was her great grandmother's home, then her grandmother's.
Ann always wondered why her mother never wanted to live there when it passed to her, but now, it was Ann's. It was the only place she felt that she ever truly belonged.
Unpacking her belongings took no time at all, she brought little with her. Apart from this place, there was nothing in her life that mattered enough.
She wandered from room to room. The sun drifted through the windows bathing each in a warm amber glow, the same glow Ann felt being here.
Walking up the old oak staircase, she marvelled at how little things had changed over time. It was exactly as she remembered, all those happy memories overwhelmed her, she felt as if she would burst!
The room at the end of the small landing was the room she used to stay in when she visited. Although it had been a number of years, it looked exactly the same.
The large bed was at one end, and in contrast to the furnishings in other rooms this one was white. The wooden wardrobe, painted white. The dresser white as well. Its large oval mirror the centre piece. Set out, as if she had never left, her wooden hair brush, small jewellery box and an old bottle of perfume, almost empty now, evaporated over the years, still sat on top of the dresser.
Suddenly overcome with tiredness from the events of the day, she slowly walked over to the bed and lay down on top. In no time at all, Ann was asleep.
The clock in the hall chimed midnight. Ann, obliviously still in the realm of sleep heard nothing. The mirror in the centre of the dressing table glowed eerily in the dark, it shimmered, then a figure appeared, a ghostly figure of a pale man. He glanced over at the sleeping form before him and whispered, “Welcome home my love”. Deep inside her slumber, Ann smiled and sighed. The man in the mirror continued to watch her as she slept, smiling a gentle smile at the little noises she made, as if he could understand the language of sleep. Almost at the stroke of one, Ann began to wake. She stretched and yawned and opened her eyes. Immediately they were drawn to the eerie light emanating from the mirror, as the clock in the hall struck one o’clock, she was sure she saw a ghostly figure in that mirror smile at her, ‘dreaming again’, she thought.
The weeks passed quickly for Ann, and even though she was isolated here in this quiet cottage, she never felt alone.
Then, one night, she sat at her dresser brushing her hair as the clock in the hall chimed midnight. The mirror shimmered and glowed before her eyes and the image of the man appeared before her. Her heart beat wildly and her eyes opened wide in wonder, yet she was not afraid. The image smiled at her, a warm and loving smile. That smile awoke memories in her mind from long ago when she was a child, of the image of a small boy in the mirror who spoke to her of another realm, another universe. This boy quickly became her friend, comforting Ann in the night, soothing her dreams, her fears. She smiled at the image in the mirror...”Max, is it really you?” she whispered.
He smiled and nodded. “I have waited many years for your return my love...and I have watched over you every night whilst you slept, hoping that you would wake in time so we could speak before I had to fade away once more..” He reached out his hand to her, and, as Ann touched the mirror it rippled, melted and her hand passed through the glass as if it were made of air. Their fingers entwined, and she felt the coolness of his lips brush against her hand. The clock in the hall began to chime, one o’clock was here once more. Ann glanced back at the mirror, her fingers now pressed against the cold glass, and the image was gone. She felt her heart sink, and silent tears fell as she made her way across the room and fell onto the bed and drifted into a restless sleep.
Over the following weeks, Ann, and Max the enigmatic man from that mysterious realm, met on the stroke of midnight. They talked of life, and love, of music, and nature. They laughed, they cried. Their love, strange as it seemed, blossomed and deepened into something rich and rare. Then one night it happened....
A storm raged outside the small cottage, thunder and lightning split the sky as the clock chimed midnight and the mirror shimmered. Ann pressed her fingers against the glass and once again they passed beyond into the lonely place between their realms. As her fingers entwined with his lightning flashed outside, her fingers tingled sharply, and she drew them back towards her. Max gripped her hand tightly, not wanting to let go, and, as she pulled her hand back from the mirror, he emerged out of that mysterious fluid space.
Ann stared in amazement at the glowing image that stood before her. The possibility that he could cross into this world or she into his was something that neither had dared hope were possible....and yet, there he was, right in front of her. Tentatively she reached out her hand and touched his face. His eyes closed as her fingertips stroked gently across his skin, and a warm smile played across his lips, his hand gently caressed over the back of her hand, and he slowly drew her to him. She became surrounded by the gentle glow emanating from his body, and, as their lips gently touched, she felt her skin tingle, and warmth spread throughout her whole being. Time seemed to stand still, the only sound she could hear was the beating of their two hearts matched in perfect rhythm. Ann felt as if she were floating, and deep inside her heart, she wished this moment could last forever. Somewhere in the distance...a clock chimed...one o’clock....
Oblivious, the pair still locked in that first perfect kiss, failed to notice the mirror on the dresser. It shimmered and shone with a brilliance that lit up the whole room, and its light cascaded out through the window, piercing the dark like a beacon. The glow that surrounded Ann and Max as their souls entwined, pulsed in time with their beating hearts. As the clock struck one, the light from the mirror disappeared suddenly, plunging the room into darkness.....
As the years passed, Ann returned to that room on occasion at the stroke of midnight, wondering if the door to the other realm would open once more. All she ever saw in the mirror from that day, was her own reflection, and that of the man she loved so deeply, as he stood behind her and wrapped his arms slowly around her waist. As she turned to meet his kiss, she whispered his name.... ”Max”....
© KarenWood
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