One of my takes on Mirror of Erised.

What exactly do you think is inside a mirror? I think someone is on the other side...

Please review!

My world is black. The lights flicker, the hallways stretch onwards till my vision hurts trying to find the exit. Sometimes the reflection of the flames on the wall give me a glimpse of the person who walks in front of me.

I don't see.

I can't hear outside.

They think I am magical. They think I have been given abilities that few are gifted with.

I'm not. I'm cursed.

My fingers press up against the glass, my fingernails scrape, scrape, and scrape at the clear glass because I am trapped and nobody cares.

Someone steps in front of me, their mind fills and echoes in my cage. Their wishes, their hopes, and their desires. With cry in my heart, my hand falls away and I do my duty. I show them. Every dream they have ever dreamed. It appears in front of us.

It's taunting me. What I can not have.

Then they are gone.

I'm alone. Scratching at the glass, pleading to feel the air again and drown myself in wonderous water. To experience the reality again instead of dwelling this madness. That's what some say, that staring at me will cause them to lose their sanity. Those fools. They don't know what it feels like. To hear your own screaming in this cage, to hear others and what they desire, the petty items and riches that they want. When all I wish is to break the glass and leave my broken cage behind me.

My cage isn't broken. My mind is. Sometimes I see, the glass slowly cracking and then, I'm free. Those nights I scream the most and the cracks spread faster.

Then everything just stops.

No one comes to me for awhile. Pity, really... Seeing how wonderful people's lives are while they think it's awful... I find it gives me a good sense of rage and anger.

How dare they complain about their lives when they have so much and me so little?

They say the hallway I am placed in is haunted. Filled with rats and other vermin hiding in the corners, making those little scraping noises and moans, trying to escape.

That's me, you know. Scraping at the glass, moaning, and trying to escape. That's me. Against the mirror.

I show you dreams and I experience the nightmares.

Mirror of Erised, they call me. Magical mirror, they say.

No...no...

I'm just a stupid, stupid girl who pissed off the wrong person at the wrong time.

This is my punishment.