In response to Sara (vamp_chick) . . . writing evil Paul is just what I do!
I love it. I can't see him any other way. Although I particularly like Nice
Hayley's latest story. If you want less evil Paul, but still very
practical, go there. Its FAB.
Oh, come on Hayley. Stop blushing. It's a GREAT fic.
Well, I think so.
Stop staring at me . . .
This chapter is farfetched. But, I like it because of that. Please read and review?
**************************************************************************** *************
It was a horrible thing to do! God, opening a door in the Shadowland? What was I THINKING?! Well, I knew precisely what was parading through the old noggin . . . but that's not the point! Just to think, if I hadn't have done that, gone through, none of this would have even happened . . .
But who knew what Paul would have done to me, if I had have stayed.
Oh, oogies . . .
The moment the door opened a millimeter, there was a blinding white light, and I literally felt myself disintegrate. Not such a hot feeling. It was like I was a cookie, grinding.
And that's the way the cookie crumbles, my friends.
But I am so serious! It was the single most scary moment of my life. I was so like, "Oh my God . . . that wasn't your brightest idea, Suze. Well, heaven? Suze Simon is moving in." Call me naïve but I'm probably going to end up there, rather than hell. I mean, I'm like, a saint or something.
The canonizing is yet to come.
Oh God! I SO get off track! But after the flash, and the horrible feeling of corrosion, I opened my eyes, and the weird sensation stopped. My heart's pounding slowed down to what would be considered normal human activity, and my breathing became even again. I stared around, with confusion surfacing on my face. This was weird . . .
I was in a very strange chamber. It was small, compact, you know? Well, not really, in the middle was a pedestal, with a bowl of hot red fire. The flames reflected on the four walls that surrounded me. The whole space was black, save these dim read shadows. It was the only light there.
I felt very hot. And not in the good way. Just, muggy. Like I was overheating. My forehead was now glistening with beads of sweat, and droplets had formed on my upper lip. I licked my lips, and tasted the familiar saltiness in my mouth. The crackling of the fire was all I could hear. That and my steady breathing. I had to get out of here . . . This was weird. I didn't know where I was. And there was NO DOOR.
Feeling sufficiently freaked now, I stood up gingerly, and wandered over to the basin of inferno. The flames danced and licked up towards the roof, yet there was no smoke to be seen, nor steam. Just hot red fire . . .
My head felt slightly overwhelmed with the heat, like I would pass out. It was very unpleasant. I wiped my forehead slothfully, and breathed out. Great. Nothing but a tub of fire, and a dark room. What? When all the oxygen burnt out, was I just going to die? I mean, with the fire in here, it would go quicker. What was the deal with this?
But it was about then that I felt a very strange magnetism . . . like the twisting, curling flames were hypnotizing me. Something within myself, my very skin, was urging me to simply star at the scorching, roaring element before me. The sizzling radiance hurt my eyes, but I had to keep looking.
Red . . . hot . . . burning . . .
The milieu went very fuzzy. The heat was too much. Was this hell? No . . . even hell could have afforded a bigger venue, right? And where were all the damned souls? What, had I been sentenced to an eternity of solitude, because of my diabolical thoughts? Great . . . just great . . .
But the first would not release me from its mysterious spell.
Hey! What was that?!
I glared into the very heart of the fire, and to my alarm, I saw something there, hovering at the core! It was a ball or something! Round, and darkly shadowed in the midst of the blaze besieging it.
Again, my recklessness defeated me, and not thinking, I plunged my hand into the fire to grab the orb-like object.
Did it burn? Did it char? Did my skin blacken and crack?
No . . .
I didn't understand it. I cried out, but it wasn't a true cry. I had been preparing for the pain. A pain that never came.
But no, the very second my finger made contact with the blaze, the whole thing suddenly turned a deep plum blue! It cast immediate indigo shadows on the surrounding walls. And get this – the fire? Ha, not anymore. Nope, it transformed into a sphere of water!
It was beautiful liquid. It seemed thicker than water. It had a purplish tint to it, among the divine dark blueness. The shadows on the walls were moving in a very fluid way, like the bottom of a swimming pool, with all the reflections, and the ever-moving shapes? Like that. I sighed breathily. It really was gorgeous. Artfully so. It was pleasantly cool on my wrist, which was still in the very center, clutching –
. . .
An apple?!
I must have had a really weird look on my face, because it felt embarrassing. Jeez, all that for a stingy little apple? What the hell?
I withdrew my hand, pulling the apple through its glistening liquid barrier, but sadly, the whole orb collapsed to the floor with a huge splash! The water sizzled bizarrely, steam arising, and then melted into the bricks.
I stared. My God, this was weird . . .
I rolled my eyes. The Shadowland was obviously a big supporter of the "Eat your fruit and vegies" policy, weren't they? I mean, they had a very good introduction to the apple thing here, didn't they?
Golden Delicious Apples, proudly sponsored by Purgatory Inc.
Joy . . .
But, this apple. It wasn't golden, or green.
It was blood red.
I gasped. You know how it feels when you find, like, the perfect apple? You kind of feel like Snow White, don't you, when the Witch was offering her the poisoned apple? Well, I felt like than in a big way. Scanning it, I saw that it was the perfect example of Snow White's apple. It was like a crimson pearl, so perfect . . . Not a wrong shade anywhere. Its dark red exterior was almost intimidating. Oooh, it looked so good to eat. But, something told me that I couldn't. Eat it I mean. Like, it was wrong. Yeah, I dunno! It was just a feeling, okay? Or a conspiracy . . .
I continued to stare, when out of nowhere – I am SERIOUS! – a SNAKE slithered up my arm!
I screamed and dropped the apple, shaking my arm furiously, and the snake fell to the floor. I gasped. It hissed at me furiously, its eyes fixed on mine.
I went dead still. It was poised to strike at any moment. To kill.
But something weird had happened. When I had dropped the apple, it had not fallen. No, it had stayed when I had let go of it, hovering in the air, still as anything. As if it were on a tree, or something. It had this weird, dull red glow to it.
This was now getting VERY weird.
Yay. Death by snake bite. No one would ever know.
*Woman.*
My heart thudded. What the?! Who just spoke? Despite the serpent – which was glaring fiercely at me, its tongue flickering in and out as to smell the air – I looked around furiously. I needed help! The snake was going to attack me, for God's sake!
And who the hell called me "woman"? That was just gay.
*Do not move, woman.*
WHAT THE HELL?!
I stopped my movement completely, staring worriedly at the snake. What if this voice commanded it to kill me or something? Was it venomous, or was it a python? Because, I did NOT want to be squeezed to death, NOR did I want to have poison surging through my veins.
The odds were not at all good for little Susie.
'Who is there?' I managed to cough out. 'Look, there's been a mistake. I'm not supposed to be here, I was running from this weird guy – who happens to be kind of hot – but you get that, and you wouldn't believe,' I laughed nervously in my babbling, 'I fell in this room! Isn't that a hoot? So, if I could just –'
*Silence!*
My voice cracked and died instantly.
I waited edgily for this disembodied voice to continue, quietly. And entirely immobile – a statue.
My heart rate again, increased. The oxygen was seriously running low now.
*Eat the apple, Eve.*
What? Eat the . . . what did it – he just call me?!
'No,' I replied. 'I had dinner, chipolatas, very tangy, I'm okay for –'
*Eat it. Why do you not wish to eat an apple so sweet? So succulent?*
What the? This guy had ISSUES. He would also have made an extremely successful food salesman. I mean, he had that persuasive "You know you want to" voice, ya know? But that didn't make it any less scary. The snake slithered coolly closer to me. I twitched, but managed to stay moderately still under the distressing circumstances, ya know?
YA KNOW?!
'I . . . I really don't think I should,' I stuttered. 'It's probably not mine, you know?' I still tried moving away quietly from the snake, but no go. It struck like lightning, curving rapidly and sliding so it was right in front of my feet. And worse of all, with a sudden roar, the fire in the basin exploded into crackling life again, almost singing me from the eruption. Once again, the whole chamber was plunged into a dark malevolent red glow. I let out this really embarrassing squeal, squashing myself against the wall as hard as I could. I could feel my hands going numb from the pressure.
*Eat the apple, Eve. It tastes even better than it looks. Trust me.*
Yeah, as IF. How old was that line again? Um . . . I dunno, since forever?
'I really don't –'
*Are you refusing my generous offer, Eve? Do you know how rare apples such as these are to come across? This apple is the richest and sweetest in taste, melting on your tongue, making you crave more. It's juicy ripeness will beckon you.*
The voice hissed demonically around me.
I didn't want to listen, but . . . it was mesmerizing. And what was the harm? It was just an apple, right?
Just an apple . . .
The crimson fruit drifted amid a tongue of fire, till it was right in front of my face. I blinked. The apple was not charred in the slightest . . .
*Go on, Eve. You will be astute when you do . . .*
I sighed, and held out my hand. It felt as my body was a robot, obeying these coaxing orders. The apple fell into my hand, plump, smooth . . .
Red as my own blood.
'I can't,' I choked out, sounding very similar to Minnie Mouse. 'I'm like . . . an opposite to a vegetarian. I'm like – like a carnivore. Fruit? Not me. Fruit is healthy, and healthy is –'
*EAT!*
With that, the snake launched itself at me, coiling rapidly around my leg, slithering up my body, and around my neck! It was an impossible feat to do in three short seconds, but this was no ordinary reptile . . .
The warm, scaly body tightened around my fragile neck. This was weird. It was like, it was venomous, and a python! Oh, great! I had to get the freakin' double-whammy, didn't I? That is so GREAT!
Its tongue wavered in my ear, tickling my earlobe and making my body turn to lead. Right now . . . it could so easily sink its teeth into my vulnerable flesh! Like, argh! And poof! I was dead! This was WRONG!
Feeling terrified for my life and my life alone, I raised the apple to before my face, and stared at it in horror. The snake hissed forbiddingly in my ear.
*Bring it to your lips, Eve.*
Hiss . . .
E – Eve? Who was Eve? I was Susannah Simon . . . This wasn't meant to happen . . . Oh, I desperately wanted the apple, so sweet, but I knew it wasn't right. I wanted it very badly.
*Eat the apple . . . who has commanded you not to? No one. It is what you desire. You desire perfection, Eve. Eat the apple. Slake this hunger you feel.*
One bite? Just one . . .
I brought the apple to my teeth, and with my front two, I pierced the thin skin of the fruit. Oh, the flavour was amazing! Cool juice filled my covetous mouth. Tropical taste teased me, and I bit a chunk out of it, hearing the textured body of the fruit break apart with the piece that I subtracted. I ground the single morsel with my molars, relish the pure sweetness, the divine bliss, the rapturous festivity on my tongue. I smiled dreamily, swallowing the bite.
It felt terrible and wonderful at the same time . . .
OH!
The snake, with a break-neck movement, zipped down me as a horrible bubble grew within my gut. I sucked in sharply, and keeled forward.
What had I done?!
With a look of sheer horror on my face, I collapsed to the flaw, clawing that the bricks. The apple rolled away from me tenaciously, far away . . . My body was burning against the intense heat of the rocks beneath me. What was happening to me? Had this apple too, been poisoned? Where was this pain coming from?! Oh my GOD, why could it not stop?! It was like someone was trying to squash my stomach into a mouse's corset or something! I couldn't breathe!
God, I COULDN'T BREATHE!
. . . But then, it vanished. The pain, I mean.
Panting breathlessly, and terrified, and sat up, leaning back heavily, as if my very life depended on the pressure I applied to the wall. I rolled my head against the bricks, globules of perspiration sliding past my temple. My whole face was horribly moist, and my nose was slippery when I touched it. Still gasping, I struggled to stand. The fire was raging on in a vivacious, spirited manner, still calling to me wanting to burn me.
However, as soon as I was on my feet, an icy wind blasted at me, and I found that the chamber's wall was layered with a solid stratum of ice. Thick and freezing . . . the bowl and the fire had froze, the fire artfully carved into a jagged, ominous glacier. The apple, now bitten, was unaffected. The snake was no where to be seen . . .
Glaring, I stumbled forward, and leant heavily on the edge of the basin, and to my bewildered incredulity, the iced fire was now a frosted metallic mirror.
I gasped, and shivered horribly at the drastic climate change. Fog was pouring from my mouth with each heavy breath. My throat felt like it was already frozen. I stared into the mirror, wondering what it was I was supposed to see . . .
I only saw me.
But – no.
That wasn't me. It couldn't have been me. No where had I seen such beautiful green eyes. Such perfect curly russet hair, glossy and gorgeous. I gasped again. But the face . . . the lips, they were mine. What was this mirror?!
It showed me, but I was pretty. It couldn't have been . . . was it really me?
*It is you, Eve. This mirror reveals to you the face that others see, not yourself. It shows the countenance that is paraded to others, and how they view you. You are beautiful here. This mirror shows the truth. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Eve.*
I gasped for the millionth time, staring avidly at this reflection. Never had I seen myself in this way. I was . . . I was beautiful. Oh, my . . .
Quivering madly from the cold, I clutched my arms tightly. This was me . . . this woman before me, blinking in shock, was me. My eyes, I never knew how green they were . . . It was breathtaking, this mirror.
*Take the apple with you, Eve, and you may keep the mirror. It always shows the truth of what others see you as. Take the apple . . . *
The voice was deep, demonic, evil . . . and yet I listened to every syllable religiously. This mirror, it was enchanted! He – the voice – was giving it to me! I could see myself like this whenever I wanted! Woot!
'Yeah, okay,' I breathed huskily, staring in motionless amazement. I scooped down, and snatched up the blood red apple, and returned to the mirror. My complexion, it was so creamy! My lips were shaped like rosebuds. Hair fell softly and framed my pale face, and rosy smudges stained my cheeks charmingly. I'd never felt beautiful like this before. I'd never seen this side of me.
I was LIKING this side of me . . .
*Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Go now, Eve.*
**************************************************************************** ******************
I am officially buggered. So tired guys. Okay, very metaphoric chapter here. Wait for it, it DOES have a point! I promise. Okay, be nice and wonderful and review? Tell me critically what you thought. If you were confused, that's okay. It's supposed to confuse you at the moment. Nothing has really been revealed yet. Well, it has if you look for the clues. But please be nice, and give LONG reviews. I LOVE them.
I love you!
Regards, MystAngel.
Oh, come on Hayley. Stop blushing. It's a GREAT fic.
Well, I think so.
Stop staring at me . . .
This chapter is farfetched. But, I like it because of that. Please read and review?
**************************************************************************** *************
It was a horrible thing to do! God, opening a door in the Shadowland? What was I THINKING?! Well, I knew precisely what was parading through the old noggin . . . but that's not the point! Just to think, if I hadn't have done that, gone through, none of this would have even happened . . .
But who knew what Paul would have done to me, if I had have stayed.
Oh, oogies . . .
The moment the door opened a millimeter, there was a blinding white light, and I literally felt myself disintegrate. Not such a hot feeling. It was like I was a cookie, grinding.
And that's the way the cookie crumbles, my friends.
But I am so serious! It was the single most scary moment of my life. I was so like, "Oh my God . . . that wasn't your brightest idea, Suze. Well, heaven? Suze Simon is moving in." Call me naïve but I'm probably going to end up there, rather than hell. I mean, I'm like, a saint or something.
The canonizing is yet to come.
Oh God! I SO get off track! But after the flash, and the horrible feeling of corrosion, I opened my eyes, and the weird sensation stopped. My heart's pounding slowed down to what would be considered normal human activity, and my breathing became even again. I stared around, with confusion surfacing on my face. This was weird . . .
I was in a very strange chamber. It was small, compact, you know? Well, not really, in the middle was a pedestal, with a bowl of hot red fire. The flames reflected on the four walls that surrounded me. The whole space was black, save these dim read shadows. It was the only light there.
I felt very hot. And not in the good way. Just, muggy. Like I was overheating. My forehead was now glistening with beads of sweat, and droplets had formed on my upper lip. I licked my lips, and tasted the familiar saltiness in my mouth. The crackling of the fire was all I could hear. That and my steady breathing. I had to get out of here . . . This was weird. I didn't know where I was. And there was NO DOOR.
Feeling sufficiently freaked now, I stood up gingerly, and wandered over to the basin of inferno. The flames danced and licked up towards the roof, yet there was no smoke to be seen, nor steam. Just hot red fire . . .
My head felt slightly overwhelmed with the heat, like I would pass out. It was very unpleasant. I wiped my forehead slothfully, and breathed out. Great. Nothing but a tub of fire, and a dark room. What? When all the oxygen burnt out, was I just going to die? I mean, with the fire in here, it would go quicker. What was the deal with this?
But it was about then that I felt a very strange magnetism . . . like the twisting, curling flames were hypnotizing me. Something within myself, my very skin, was urging me to simply star at the scorching, roaring element before me. The sizzling radiance hurt my eyes, but I had to keep looking.
Red . . . hot . . . burning . . .
The milieu went very fuzzy. The heat was too much. Was this hell? No . . . even hell could have afforded a bigger venue, right? And where were all the damned souls? What, had I been sentenced to an eternity of solitude, because of my diabolical thoughts? Great . . . just great . . .
But the first would not release me from its mysterious spell.
Hey! What was that?!
I glared into the very heart of the fire, and to my alarm, I saw something there, hovering at the core! It was a ball or something! Round, and darkly shadowed in the midst of the blaze besieging it.
Again, my recklessness defeated me, and not thinking, I plunged my hand into the fire to grab the orb-like object.
Did it burn? Did it char? Did my skin blacken and crack?
No . . .
I didn't understand it. I cried out, but it wasn't a true cry. I had been preparing for the pain. A pain that never came.
But no, the very second my finger made contact with the blaze, the whole thing suddenly turned a deep plum blue! It cast immediate indigo shadows on the surrounding walls. And get this – the fire? Ha, not anymore. Nope, it transformed into a sphere of water!
It was beautiful liquid. It seemed thicker than water. It had a purplish tint to it, among the divine dark blueness. The shadows on the walls were moving in a very fluid way, like the bottom of a swimming pool, with all the reflections, and the ever-moving shapes? Like that. I sighed breathily. It really was gorgeous. Artfully so. It was pleasantly cool on my wrist, which was still in the very center, clutching –
. . .
An apple?!
I must have had a really weird look on my face, because it felt embarrassing. Jeez, all that for a stingy little apple? What the hell?
I withdrew my hand, pulling the apple through its glistening liquid barrier, but sadly, the whole orb collapsed to the floor with a huge splash! The water sizzled bizarrely, steam arising, and then melted into the bricks.
I stared. My God, this was weird . . .
I rolled my eyes. The Shadowland was obviously a big supporter of the "Eat your fruit and vegies" policy, weren't they? I mean, they had a very good introduction to the apple thing here, didn't they?
Golden Delicious Apples, proudly sponsored by Purgatory Inc.
Joy . . .
But, this apple. It wasn't golden, or green.
It was blood red.
I gasped. You know how it feels when you find, like, the perfect apple? You kind of feel like Snow White, don't you, when the Witch was offering her the poisoned apple? Well, I felt like than in a big way. Scanning it, I saw that it was the perfect example of Snow White's apple. It was like a crimson pearl, so perfect . . . Not a wrong shade anywhere. Its dark red exterior was almost intimidating. Oooh, it looked so good to eat. But, something told me that I couldn't. Eat it I mean. Like, it was wrong. Yeah, I dunno! It was just a feeling, okay? Or a conspiracy . . .
I continued to stare, when out of nowhere – I am SERIOUS! – a SNAKE slithered up my arm!
I screamed and dropped the apple, shaking my arm furiously, and the snake fell to the floor. I gasped. It hissed at me furiously, its eyes fixed on mine.
I went dead still. It was poised to strike at any moment. To kill.
But something weird had happened. When I had dropped the apple, it had not fallen. No, it had stayed when I had let go of it, hovering in the air, still as anything. As if it were on a tree, or something. It had this weird, dull red glow to it.
This was now getting VERY weird.
Yay. Death by snake bite. No one would ever know.
*Woman.*
My heart thudded. What the?! Who just spoke? Despite the serpent – which was glaring fiercely at me, its tongue flickering in and out as to smell the air – I looked around furiously. I needed help! The snake was going to attack me, for God's sake!
And who the hell called me "woman"? That was just gay.
*Do not move, woman.*
WHAT THE HELL?!
I stopped my movement completely, staring worriedly at the snake. What if this voice commanded it to kill me or something? Was it venomous, or was it a python? Because, I did NOT want to be squeezed to death, NOR did I want to have poison surging through my veins.
The odds were not at all good for little Susie.
'Who is there?' I managed to cough out. 'Look, there's been a mistake. I'm not supposed to be here, I was running from this weird guy – who happens to be kind of hot – but you get that, and you wouldn't believe,' I laughed nervously in my babbling, 'I fell in this room! Isn't that a hoot? So, if I could just –'
*Silence!*
My voice cracked and died instantly.
I waited edgily for this disembodied voice to continue, quietly. And entirely immobile – a statue.
My heart rate again, increased. The oxygen was seriously running low now.
*Eat the apple, Eve.*
What? Eat the . . . what did it – he just call me?!
'No,' I replied. 'I had dinner, chipolatas, very tangy, I'm okay for –'
*Eat it. Why do you not wish to eat an apple so sweet? So succulent?*
What the? This guy had ISSUES. He would also have made an extremely successful food salesman. I mean, he had that persuasive "You know you want to" voice, ya know? But that didn't make it any less scary. The snake slithered coolly closer to me. I twitched, but managed to stay moderately still under the distressing circumstances, ya know?
YA KNOW?!
'I . . . I really don't think I should,' I stuttered. 'It's probably not mine, you know?' I still tried moving away quietly from the snake, but no go. It struck like lightning, curving rapidly and sliding so it was right in front of my feet. And worse of all, with a sudden roar, the fire in the basin exploded into crackling life again, almost singing me from the eruption. Once again, the whole chamber was plunged into a dark malevolent red glow. I let out this really embarrassing squeal, squashing myself against the wall as hard as I could. I could feel my hands going numb from the pressure.
*Eat the apple, Eve. It tastes even better than it looks. Trust me.*
Yeah, as IF. How old was that line again? Um . . . I dunno, since forever?
'I really don't –'
*Are you refusing my generous offer, Eve? Do you know how rare apples such as these are to come across? This apple is the richest and sweetest in taste, melting on your tongue, making you crave more. It's juicy ripeness will beckon you.*
The voice hissed demonically around me.
I didn't want to listen, but . . . it was mesmerizing. And what was the harm? It was just an apple, right?
Just an apple . . .
The crimson fruit drifted amid a tongue of fire, till it was right in front of my face. I blinked. The apple was not charred in the slightest . . .
*Go on, Eve. You will be astute when you do . . .*
I sighed, and held out my hand. It felt as my body was a robot, obeying these coaxing orders. The apple fell into my hand, plump, smooth . . .
Red as my own blood.
'I can't,' I choked out, sounding very similar to Minnie Mouse. 'I'm like . . . an opposite to a vegetarian. I'm like – like a carnivore. Fruit? Not me. Fruit is healthy, and healthy is –'
*EAT!*
With that, the snake launched itself at me, coiling rapidly around my leg, slithering up my body, and around my neck! It was an impossible feat to do in three short seconds, but this was no ordinary reptile . . .
The warm, scaly body tightened around my fragile neck. This was weird. It was like, it was venomous, and a python! Oh, great! I had to get the freakin' double-whammy, didn't I? That is so GREAT!
Its tongue wavered in my ear, tickling my earlobe and making my body turn to lead. Right now . . . it could so easily sink its teeth into my vulnerable flesh! Like, argh! And poof! I was dead! This was WRONG!
Feeling terrified for my life and my life alone, I raised the apple to before my face, and stared at it in horror. The snake hissed forbiddingly in my ear.
*Bring it to your lips, Eve.*
Hiss . . .
E – Eve? Who was Eve? I was Susannah Simon . . . This wasn't meant to happen . . . Oh, I desperately wanted the apple, so sweet, but I knew it wasn't right. I wanted it very badly.
*Eat the apple . . . who has commanded you not to? No one. It is what you desire. You desire perfection, Eve. Eat the apple. Slake this hunger you feel.*
One bite? Just one . . .
I brought the apple to my teeth, and with my front two, I pierced the thin skin of the fruit. Oh, the flavour was amazing! Cool juice filled my covetous mouth. Tropical taste teased me, and I bit a chunk out of it, hearing the textured body of the fruit break apart with the piece that I subtracted. I ground the single morsel with my molars, relish the pure sweetness, the divine bliss, the rapturous festivity on my tongue. I smiled dreamily, swallowing the bite.
It felt terrible and wonderful at the same time . . .
OH!
The snake, with a break-neck movement, zipped down me as a horrible bubble grew within my gut. I sucked in sharply, and keeled forward.
What had I done?!
With a look of sheer horror on my face, I collapsed to the flaw, clawing that the bricks. The apple rolled away from me tenaciously, far away . . . My body was burning against the intense heat of the rocks beneath me. What was happening to me? Had this apple too, been poisoned? Where was this pain coming from?! Oh my GOD, why could it not stop?! It was like someone was trying to squash my stomach into a mouse's corset or something! I couldn't breathe!
God, I COULDN'T BREATHE!
. . . But then, it vanished. The pain, I mean.
Panting breathlessly, and terrified, and sat up, leaning back heavily, as if my very life depended on the pressure I applied to the wall. I rolled my head against the bricks, globules of perspiration sliding past my temple. My whole face was horribly moist, and my nose was slippery when I touched it. Still gasping, I struggled to stand. The fire was raging on in a vivacious, spirited manner, still calling to me wanting to burn me.
However, as soon as I was on my feet, an icy wind blasted at me, and I found that the chamber's wall was layered with a solid stratum of ice. Thick and freezing . . . the bowl and the fire had froze, the fire artfully carved into a jagged, ominous glacier. The apple, now bitten, was unaffected. The snake was no where to be seen . . .
Glaring, I stumbled forward, and leant heavily on the edge of the basin, and to my bewildered incredulity, the iced fire was now a frosted metallic mirror.
I gasped, and shivered horribly at the drastic climate change. Fog was pouring from my mouth with each heavy breath. My throat felt like it was already frozen. I stared into the mirror, wondering what it was I was supposed to see . . .
I only saw me.
But – no.
That wasn't me. It couldn't have been me. No where had I seen such beautiful green eyes. Such perfect curly russet hair, glossy and gorgeous. I gasped again. But the face . . . the lips, they were mine. What was this mirror?!
It showed me, but I was pretty. It couldn't have been . . . was it really me?
*It is you, Eve. This mirror reveals to you the face that others see, not yourself. It shows the countenance that is paraded to others, and how they view you. You are beautiful here. This mirror shows the truth. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Eve.*
I gasped for the millionth time, staring avidly at this reflection. Never had I seen myself in this way. I was . . . I was beautiful. Oh, my . . .
Quivering madly from the cold, I clutched my arms tightly. This was me . . . this woman before me, blinking in shock, was me. My eyes, I never knew how green they were . . . It was breathtaking, this mirror.
*Take the apple with you, Eve, and you may keep the mirror. It always shows the truth of what others see you as. Take the apple . . . *
The voice was deep, demonic, evil . . . and yet I listened to every syllable religiously. This mirror, it was enchanted! He – the voice – was giving it to me! I could see myself like this whenever I wanted! Woot!
'Yeah, okay,' I breathed huskily, staring in motionless amazement. I scooped down, and snatched up the blood red apple, and returned to the mirror. My complexion, it was so creamy! My lips were shaped like rosebuds. Hair fell softly and framed my pale face, and rosy smudges stained my cheeks charmingly. I'd never felt beautiful like this before. I'd never seen this side of me.
I was LIKING this side of me . . .
*Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Go now, Eve.*
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I am officially buggered. So tired guys. Okay, very metaphoric chapter here. Wait for it, it DOES have a point! I promise. Okay, be nice and wonderful and review? Tell me critically what you thought. If you were confused, that's okay. It's supposed to confuse you at the moment. Nothing has really been revealed yet. Well, it has if you look for the clues. But please be nice, and give LONG reviews. I LOVE them.
I love you!
Regards, MystAngel.