Errand NaNoWriMo The Mirror

Camille was distracted from her reading when a loud knock sounded at her door. She had just enough time to slip her book under her pillow before her annoying younger sister barged in. Camille sat up and glared at the unwanted intruder.

"You know you are supposed to knock before intruding into my room." Camille grumbled half-heartedly.
"I knocked." Hazel's annoyingly condescending voice replied, not skipping a beat. She paused momentarily before continuing "What did Sarah steal that was so important?"
"Why would I tell you?"
"You know!" She squealed.
"I never said that. Now get out. Now." Camille sat up, threatening Hazel enough to hurry away without another comment.
Honestly, Camille had been wondering the same thing all night. But being three years older than her sister, Camille took it upon herself to annoy her sister as much as humanly possible. She hoisted her backpack onto her back from its resting place on the trunk at the foot of her bed before heading out the door. She left a note on the inside of the main door using a slip of paper they used for all of their absences.

Going out
Be back by 4:30
Don't need lunch
-Camille

Camille jumped onto her silver bicycle and clipped her old purple helmet on her head. She peddled away down the gravel driveway looking in wonder at the beautiful surroundings. The Washington state mountains and three acre property made plenty of space for a tired teen to make a get-away. Camille stopped by one of the apple trees lining the exit of their property and tossed her bike aside. She jumped to grab two apples and stuff them in her backpack. She jumped back on her bike and took off, not leaving a backwards glance.

Camille took her bike with her down the worn, dirt trail pulling it beside her. She found an adequate bush to hide her bike under and covered the handlebars with a pine branch. She raced down the dirt trail breathing in the scent of pine trees, damp moss, and clean glacier water. She hid her footsteps behind the loud sound of a nearby woodpecker. Someone else was in the forest too. A hooded figure was sitting on a lone fallen tree watching the swirls and ripples of a creak in front of them.

Camille approached silently, "BOO!" she yelled right in his ear.

The hooded figure jumped up, startled, revealing a high school student under the hood, "You scared me half to death!" Rowin complained.

"I got you again." Camille winked. It was a game they had started three years ago with Sarah. They would sneak up and scare the other person and keep track all week to the number of times they scared another and the person with the most at the end of the week got to have ice cream bought by the other two.

"You would think I would be used to it." Rowin grumbled, his gravelly voice almost inaudible compared to the stream a few feet away.

"Here," Camille tossed one of the apples at Rowin and took a bite of her own, "Check for worms- we had a few yesterday while we were making apple pie." He made a face but checked carefully before every bite.

"Oh, I brought this for you. I finally found it." Rowin grabbed a crumpled paper from his hoodie pocket and handed it to Camille. She read it with a sad face. The paper read:


Dear Rowin,

Meet you for dinner tonight. I gonna check the ruins out after school again. I found something I want to show you.

-Sarah


The joy Camille felt was zapped away as tears creeped up behind her eyes. It had been a whole two years since she had seen Sarah. And oh, how she missed her best friend and cousin. They were in 7th grade when she saw Sarah last, now she was a freshman. What would Sarah think of her now? She would never have thought she would go through high school without her buddy. At least she still had Rowin, he had been her friend since fifth grade and Camille and Sarah once initiated him into their family- as an honorary member of course.

The teenager slipped off her shoes and trotted towards the brook. She avoided a few pointy rocks and pine needles. A small squeal escaped her lips as the frigid water lapped over her toes. She grimaced and forced the expression into a playful smile. Her toes had already become numb in the ice water.

"Come on Rowin,"" she called out over her shoulder, "It isn't that cold." she grinned for it was extremely cold.

"No way, your feet already red, I--" he sputtered as an intentional splash of water smacked his face.

She trudged out of the way-too-cold water and rubbed her feet on some moss nearby. Rowin had a glint in his eye. One that Camille knew very well.

"Tell me, what is it?" she inquired, shooting him a knowing look.

"What?" He started, then realized what she meant, "Well, I was just thinking. We should investigate the ruins."

Camille interjected, "We have already gone over this, we are not going to give ourselves to the Rouges. We could be killed!"

"But what if we could find Sarah?"

Camille knew the chances of actually finding her was impossible. But what if she was just waiting for them to come and get her? What if she was still alive?

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Camille was regretting her life choices. She was so gullible. They were going to be killed. She would never see her parents again. The world was misery. All of the dark thoughts filled her head from somebody who knew they had made a terrible mistake. She glared at the ground accusing it for the annoyance she felt. Even the crickets and wolves in the distance were telling her to turn back. Icy fingers dripped down her back while tiny spiders crawled up. Her skin was covered in goosebumps but not from the cold. Her hands felt clammy in their fists at her side. The girl pulled her jacket closer and wished she was wearing boots instead of her soggy tennis shoes. A small snake slithered in front of her and it was in all of Camille's power not to scream. The bushes rustled to her right, and a lone owl hooted. The sliver of the moon and the sparkling of the stars even seemed menacing as the trees obscured their light to shadows. The forest was haunted.

Rowin's small flashlight bobbed up and down before her and Camille had to jog to keep up with his long legs. He abruptly stopped and put his hand up to warn Camille. A hushed voice traveled through the trees. The duo ducked down and Camille noted Rowin's face was unnecessarily pale. Camille's must have been too, for Rowin put a hand on her shoulder and gave her a small smile in his own Rowin way.

"I thought I hurd somefing," a loud masculine voice found it's way to their ears. Someone had heard them. Camille's heat doubled its speed and Rowin's hand fell off her shoulder. Footsteps resonated through the damp earth. Rowin scrambled deeper into the foliage and Camille followed suit.

"Somefings here," he grumbled, a deep throaty accent slurring his words.

Rowin took a dash forward and Camille struggled to catch up. Low tree branches slapped her face as a tree root tripped her. Camille nose-dived into the ground, tears sprung from her eyes and she righted herself quickly and continued. Camille touched her face and blood was smeared on her fingers. Her stomach clenched as she still sprinted.

The ruins were barely visible through the trees and Camille knew that if they could get to their unseen, they would be safe. Rowin obviously had the same idea as he jumped through an open window and darted inside. Camille was right behind him, not missing a beat. They both silently made their way through the door from the room they were in and into the building.

The hallway they walked through was scorched and falling apart. Remnants of a feast lay as they were when the people ran from it. The entire place was stripped bare from scavengers and the rouges. There was little to hide behind. The duo scored the area for a place to hide. There was a door-- still intact. Through one hallway. Rowin reached it first and tried the handle.

The small room was filled to the brim with baskets and bags, satchels and boxes. Loud breathing and stomping increased in noise and the room shook. Camille dived into the crammed space and Rowin followed her, shutting the door. They were enveloped in darkness, not the dark you are afraid of in your room at night. But the overwhelming darkness that drained the optimism from you and made you forget what light really was.

The loud footsteps reached the door. Camille and Rowin held their breath in anticipation. This was it.

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The footsteps slowly left and the two stood frozen in fright. They both knew what would have happened if they had been caught. The rouges were a gang of violet people that were known to capture and even kill the people that were caught trespassing on what they called, "their territory". The Ruins didn't truly belong to anybody, but nobody stopped the Rouges. Now, Camille and Rowin were trapped. There were more than two dozen individuals that wouldn't hesitate to kill them that were prowling just outside the pantry.

"What are we going to do?" Rowin breathed into Camille's ear. There was just enough space for the two of them to stand with the door shut, but no way to get out or hide deeper in the room.

"We need to get out," Camille whispered into his ear. Everything they said was so quiet they had to strain to hear one another speak.

Camille saw Rowin reach his hand out to grasp the handle and she caught his hand just before he reached it. Their eyes had somewhat adjusted to the all-consuming darkness and she could barely make out his figure. She gave him a meaningful look that said everything on her mind before letting his hand go. He slowly opened the door and allowed their eyes to partially adjust to the lighting before stepping out.

The timid pair crept through the empty rooms. Staying vigilant and silent as much as they could. The ruins were a maze, walls were crumbling, rooms had caved in, and ivy had grown on the walls. The place seemed hundreds of years out of place and time seemed to stand still. Miles away people were bustling around in a city full of skyscrapers and electronics, but here-- things were different. It was almost as if they had traveled back in time.

Finally they had found a more modern-looking rotten wood door. It seemed to be an exit to the outside, but once Rowin opened it they both had to stifle a sigh of despair. The room beyond the door was no different than the rest of the castle.

Inside lay a bedroom with a four-poster bed. Disintegrating curtains lay draped over the four beams that housed bed-frame. The mattress, pillows, and blankets were long-gone. The bed was all wooden and rotting. To the right was an old dresser with the empty drawers lying beside it. To the left was what seemed to be a desk and chairs, but they had both collapsed into a heap of rotting wood. A large shattered window, much to high off the ground to climb out of, sprinkled glass shards across the stone floor and desk.

A feminine voice drifted to the duo. And both of their eyes widened in fear.

"Quick under the bed," Rowin whispered while scooting under it.

Camille closed the door and followed him. There was an assortment of forgotten items under the bed. A satchel lay with pearl beads and a few bent forks spewed out. Camille grabbed it and opened the bag. Under it was a small golden mirror.

The sound of clicking heels resounded from the concrete floors. "Found it," a shrill voice seemed to screech from the person. She slammed the door shut behind her. A pair of red stilettos stood just past the bed.

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The world began to spin. The ground began to turn into waves. The roar of thunder and the splints of lightning shook the room. The walls dissolved into monstrous waves. The ceiling formed into clouds. The room quaked and twirled. Camille felt that she might be sick.

"Camille!" Rowin yelled at her.

"Found them!" The lady in red stilettoes yelled at her companions.

"Grab my hand!" Camille grabbed Rowin's hand as darkness enveloped them.

"What is happening?" Rowin called out as the world shifted for him too.

Several sets of footsteps approached the room and began to yell. The sound grew dimmer for Camille. It seemed like they were yelling into a pillow. Camille squeezed herself deeper and deeper under the bed. The noise began to subside as the Rouges saw them and were shutting the doors and blocking the windows. Camille glanced over her shoulder at Rowin. His eyes were closed and she couldn't tell if he was breathing. Camille scooted closer to him and slapped his face.

"Wake up! We need to get out of here! Are you alright?" Camille was desperate, this couldn't be how it ended.

It seemed to get darker in the room. She realized that her peripheral vison was closing in. She blinked her eyes a few times to shake the darkness off. She slowly lost control of herself. The darkness was just so welcoming. If she could just sleep for a bit, everything would be alright. She would just take a nap. Camille closed her eyes and welcomed the darkness. She was floating in the dark abyss of unconsciousness. She was free. Darkness welcomed her with open arms.

---------

"Wake up. You need to wake up," A hushed voice whispered in her ear.

Someone was shaking her. Camille pried open her dry eyes and looked around. She was laying on a cold floor. A person was sitting beside her shaking her. The room was made of stone. Her thoughts came at her sharp and random. Somebody she didn't recognize. It was all so much. Her memories were gone.

Then suddenly it began to come to her. Thoughts, memories, dreams, everything that makes a person human. It was almost as if someone was pouring sticky molasses into her cotton candy head. The world felt heavy and real. Rowin had a caring look in his eyes as he shook her. Rowin. That was his name.

"What happened?" Camille's voice seemed far away and spoken in a tin can.

"W-we were captured by the Rouges. I thought I had lost you." grief racked his voice, "they took us. You passed out or something. We were dragged here."

"Where is here?" her voice seemed unused, "How long have we been here?"

"I don't know where we are. And we have been her for two days."

Shock seemed to choke Camille. What about her parents? What about school? Why weren't they dead? What happened? Two days!?

Rowin spoke again, a softer tone brushing his words, "This place seems-- different. It is like the ruins, but the walls and collapsed rooms are gone. It's really weird."

Camille was about to question him again when someone began walking towards them. Their loud steps seemed to echo through the rocky walls. It was then that Camille really looked around. There was a barred door blocking their way to the hallway. The ground and walls were rough and made of stone that it seemed to be chiseled. There was a small window showing darkness outside. The air smelled fresh and earthy.

The person that appeared at the door was in odd clothes. He wore red-stained leather armor and held a sharp wooden spear with a stone tip. His hair was pulled back into a brown pony-tail. He sized them up before talking.

"Quod summus autem videbo vos," contrary to his old appearance, his voice seemed not much older than them.

Rowin replied to him, "We speak English?"

"Oh, then: the chief will see you now." he replied, slightly annoyed.

The Camille looked at Rowin startled. He was speaking in some odd language and then easily spoke in English. Things were getting really weird. The guard person beckoned for the two teens to follow. They trailed behind him looking around in wonder.

They reached a grand room that strangely resembled the grand hall from the ruins. The table was pushed to the back of the room and wooden pews filled the space instead. The precarious chandelier was looking as good as new and not crooked at all. The large shattered stained glass windows were not shattered, but instead refracted the colored light about the room. On a grand pedestal, a throne was perched. On that throne was a man that made Camille's blood freeze.

He had a scruffy beard, cloudy eyes, and snow dusted hair.

"Veni," he had a deep brass voice.

Camille looked at Rowin while he took her hand. The small gesture would have meant the world to her, but at the moment it was reassuring. They were both shaking with fear. The man's face was the same that had been peering out of newspapers and television screens for years. He was the head Rouge. The guard approached the man on the throne and whispered something in his ear.

"Come forward." he spoke in a deep voice just slightly annoyed.

Rowin gripped Camille's hand tighter and pulled her forward with him. They both took only one step before they were interrupted. Rowin gave her a look that clearly said, "Go ahead, I will be fine." The look answered all of her questions.

"Just the girl."

Camille shot a panicked gaze at Rowin. Tears teased her eyes, welling up and threatening to spill. Camille squeezed her eyes shut and willed her tears to disappear. She knew this would be where her story ended. She stood frozen with panic. He beckoned her with a finger and-- against her will-- her feet began to progress towards him. The terror of moving without her knowing shook her up. He stood and stepped from the pedestal towards her.

A scream caught in her throat as Rowin ran forward. The man pointed a finger at him and he fell unconscious. Magical ropes wound around him. Camille screamed as she was torn from here and transported elsewhere.

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Camille stood up, brushing sand from her jeans. The Rouge sat on a boulder protruding from the sandy beach with his head in his hands. Camille slowly backed up remembering what had happened to Rowin. The questions if he was alright plaguing her conscious. She slowly backed up making a face as the silky golden sand slipped into her tennis shoes. She tripped and fell into the sand.

"Oh, you are awake," the head Rouge addressed her, standing up and coming over to her, "Sorry about the magic. I didn't mean to give you the wrong impression." Camille scoffed and tried to hide it behind a cough, "I shouldn't have teleported you, you could have been killed."

Camille gasped and regretted it instantly, forgetting who he was.

"Were are my manners?" he said either not hearing her gasp or ignoring it, "My name is William Smithe, you probably know me as the head Rouge, or some other evil pseudonym," Camille had to keep reminding herself that he was evil despite his suave appearance and deceiving tone, "Now, I'm sure you have plenty of questions, as your face portrays, now it is time for you to ask them."

Camille was taken off guard again, "What did you do to Rowin?" her voice came out more as a squeak then she would have liked.

"Oh the boy. I just Froze him and Bound him," his answer was not what Camille wanted.

"Magic? And where am I? Is he alright? Why did you take me here? And how?" The questions tumbled out before she could stop herself.

"Oh, my. You are from the Reflection aren't you," Camille's confused face must have meant nothing to him for he continued, "Yes, I have magic. You are just a mile or so from the Ruins, this is the Deep Lake. He should be fine, we can see him soon. I took you here so we could have a private conversation, and it was mostly just a rash decision. And again, magic."

Camille realized that magic must be common here in this odd place. What if he could read minds? Camille thought loudly. -- Can you read minds? --


"Yes, I can." William's response froze Camille's blood, "But it is usually considered rude. Here, anyone can. It is an odd thing. There are three main kinds of mental communication. First, Private Talking, it is where two people talk and they put up a 'mental shield' around it so no-one else can hear it. Second is normal Talking, people who are near can hear it; you can also set it up for long distance. Third is Prying, where you come into someone's mind without permission."

"So you Pryed when you read my mind just now."

"No, you set up a Talk when you did that."

--Like this?-- Camille thought, then she tried to do it to Rowin --Rowin! Can you hear me?--

Things were getting really odd and Camille just wanted to return home. The Rouge stared at her and Camille quivered slightly.

"You kids need to go home," William's soft cover was gone and his voice was callous, "this is no place for children." Camille had to bite back an rude response and waiting to hear him out, "There is a series of clues that lead to the way back to the Reflection… the first is the name of the place you are from."

"So there are two dimensions?"

"Yes, here and the Reflection. It is easy to get here but impossible to get back. Well, not necessarily impossible- hence the clues."

"Reflection as in a mirror or water?" she inquired.

"I suppose… well, we better get back to the Ruins,"

Camille stiffened, she heard what could happen to her if he used magic again. Instead of placing his hand on her shoulder, he began to walk into the woods. It took a moment for her to realize they would be walking the entire way.

---

Camille reached the castle not breaking a sweat, while the head Rouge was struggling and gasping for air. She supposed it was because he always teleported. It was nice to be on the upper hand for once. She was glad her frequent biking trips had paid off.

"Camille!" Rowin sat on one step up to the Ruins, he struggled to stand and Camille could see red marks on his wrists, "You are alright!" Tears appeared to well up behind his eyes.

"I will leave you two here, I had better head inside," William's fatigued state was covered by his suave appearance again.

Rowin stiffened as the Rouge walked past and a million questions were hidden in his eyes. Once he left, Rowin opened his mouth and Camille shushed him. She explained what had happened to her, the mind reading, the magic, the fact that William Smithe was indeed the head Rouge and how terrified she was. The entire time Rowin had stayed silent.

"I-I wow," Camille didn't remember him ever being speechless, "So, we need to get back. I guess…" his voice was quiet and timid, the complete opposite of his normal demeanor.

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