Mina 'Mirror Walker'

                   Mina ‘Mirror Walker’

Scrunched up in the back seat of the car, Mina fumed about being dragged to her new dad’s place.

Her mom one day just left her and her half brother at a friend’s house, then the next thing she knew she had a dad she didn’t even know.

“this is not cool mom. How do you know he wont send us to a boot camp or boarding school the first chance he gets,” Mina looked in the rearview to see what her mom would do.

Her mom didn’t say or do a thing except drive.

Mina leaned back with a huff, then just dodged a paper football her brother Ethan tossed at her.

Ethan was from their mom’s first marriage, his father died in a war.

They soon parked in front of a huge house with at least three levels.

Mina and Ethan climb out just as some people walk out and carried their bags to their rooms.

“I hope they will show us around, or finding our rooms will be the least of our worries,” Ethan joked, and got Mina to giggle.

“can you believe we get to live here,” both Ethan and Mina jump as they here their mom talk after such a long drive of silence. “now lets head in and meet everyone,” she ‘lead’ them up and into the house.

Mina rolled her eyes as they walked in, “and maybe meet our new dad for the first time.”

The first room was a cross between a hall and room, with a high ceiling and two sets of stairs leading to the second floor.

They stood there several minutes before a tall burly man walked out reading a book, glanced at them and yelled into the house, “Darin, its for you,” and continued walking.

A tall man strolled in shaking his head, “sorry about him, he gets into books and forgets everything. Claire it is good to you again,” pulled Ethan and Mina’s mom into a hug and kissed for a long moment.

Ethan groaned, “get a room already. Mom, are you going to introduce us, or do I have to do it?”

Claire giggled, “oh yes. Darin, these are my kids, Mina and Ethan. Kids, this your new dad.”

Darin only glanced at Ethan, but locked eyes with Mina. “how old are you two?”

Mina shivered as he stared at her, “he is in his teens, I’m a preteen for a few more days…or so. Why are you staring at me?”

Before any of them could say another word, a maid walked in and said, “your meal is ready.”

“good. I assume you are hungry?” Darin grinned from ear to ear as he walked with one around Claire’s waist into the dinning room.

Darin and Claire sat at the far end of the table, talking and laughing.

Mina sat near the middle with her mind racing about how her mom met this guy and why they married so fast.

Ethan sat at the end, nibbling on crackers with cheese and deli meat on them.

Suddenly the doors swing open and several adults walk in and sit in any empty chair.

A man with a white beard asked Darin, “who are all these people Darin?”

Darin motioned as he said, “this is my wife, Claire, that you met just after we got married. The teenager at the end is Ethan, her eldest child. The girl with striking eyes is Mina, her youngest child, who is into books. Am I right Claire?”

Claire nodded before leaning in to kiss Darin.

Mina was tired of this. She stood up and asked, “my I go to my room and rest after the drive?”

Neither of her ‘parents’ seemed to even hear her.

A maid touched Mina on the shoulder and led her out of the dinning room.

“they look vary happy together,” the maid said as they walked up the stairs to Mina’s room.

“I wish I had known about him, or known something for that matter.” Mina looked into a room, and saw a sheet covering something tall, “was that a mirror, with a sheet over it?”

The maid stiffened at the question, but they were at Mina’s room so she just said, “we cover them when we are not using them. Will you need anything else miss Mina?”

Mina sat down on the bed and looked around, “no. I just want to sleep for a bit. If my mom ever asks…”

The maid smiled and nodded, knowing where Mina was going with it.

The maid flipped on the light switch so Mina would know where it was, then closed the door as she left.

Mina opened her bags and started to put her things away.

She was told to bring just enough cloths to last until the boxes came with the rest of their stuff.

Once she emptied that suitcase she moved to her bag of books.

As she reached the bottom, she found a picture of her Claire and Ethan sitting under a tree.

“I wish things had never changed,” she said with a deep sigh.

When she finally finished she laid down on the bed with her teddy bear, and tried to get some sleep.

~

When everyone went to their own rooms, Darin finally saw that was Mina was gone from the table. He asked the butler, “where is Mina?”

The butler pointed out the door into the hall and answered, “a maid took her to her room. I believe she said she was tired from the trip.”

Darin said “thanks,” to the butler before quickly walked out of the room.

Darin had personally picked out their rooms for each of them.

A room with a window bench for Mina so she could read by sunlight.

A ‘game’ room, with every game system hooked up to solar panels to cut down on electrical usage for Ethan.

He even arranged for a place in the craft room for Claire so she could sew whatever she wanted.

He knocked on Mina’s bedroom door and waited for a response, then entered when he heard nothing. He looked around and saw a bulge in the bed.

He crept over and pulled back the covers just enough to see Mina sleeping with her face half buried in her toy.

He gently kissed her on the forehead and said, “sweet dreams, baby girl,” put the covers back and closed the door as he left.

Darin walked into his room, and found Claire ready for bed already. “guess you were tired to hu?”

Claire sleepily smiled, “it was a long drive over. Is Mina ok? She didn’t look her normal happy self.”

“I think the whole change has her feeling left behind, confused, and maybe a little hurt. She just needs to settle in and get comfy, like any other person. You get in bed, I am going to walk around the house for a bit before I join you,” Darin kissed Claire goodnight before going back into the hall.

As Darin turned into the sunroom, he was nearly run over by Ethan who was trying to get away from one of his new relatives.

Darin covered his mouth as he laughed, “what happened that would make you chase him Shane?”

Shane bent over to catch his breath, “I was just talking about how many books I have. Then Ethan came in and blurted out that it didn’t matter the number of books, but that you read them and know them. I then asked him if he had red every books he had, and he said course, narrowed his eyes and said he only had comic books. I didn’t think he should have a say about it when he doesn’t read them.”

“he said that because Mina reads a lot, and can quote any book she has ever red.” Darin leaned against the wall.

“has she red Shakespeare?” Shane asked with a raised eyebrow.

Darin shook his head then headed back to get some sleep.

~

Mina woke to someone knocking on her bedroom door.

“Mina, get up and get dressed.” It sounded like Darin.

Mina groaned as she pushed the blankets off her, “you already sound like a dad, even though your not my dad. Better head down anyway and get some food before Ethan eats it all.”

She walked down stairs two at a time, and ducked as she went past the maid and butler along the way.

In the dinning room, Darin Claire and Ethan were sitting at one end of the table, together.

Mina stood there staring at them until Darin said to her, “come have some breakfast with us sweetie.”

Mina cringed in her mind when he called her sweetie, “I am not that hungry right now.”

Claire knew better though, “he wont bite baby. Come and sit with us.”

Mina didn’t understand why this was hard for her mom to understand her side.

She grew up with no father figure in her life, now her mom expects her to just let a stranger in without an issue.

“you may have known him for months for all I know, but don’t expect me to want him as dad the moment I see him,” and she stormed out of the room.

Darin turned to Claire and asked, “I thought you told them about me before we got married.”

Claire twirled some hair in her fingers, “things got a little crazy near the end.”

Darin rolled his eyes, “then I will see if I can fix what you left out. Ethan you ok with everything before I go and try to talk with your sister?”

Ethan shrugged, “yeah, but then again I am not a girl who is about to turn thirteen in a matter of days, and have the whole teen girl issues to deal with.”

Darin gave Claire one last glance before heading out on his little fixing ‘quest’.

The door to Mina’s room was open, but he knocked anyway and asked, “may I come in and talk with you?”

He heard a sniffle then, “whatever”.

Mina was scrunched up on the window nook, with a toy being squeezed tight in her arms.

He grabbed a spare chair and asked, “did you mother say anything about me, or how long we had been seeing each other?”

Mina shook her head, “sense I was ten she just didn’t talk much. If she went anywhere and left us at home for to long, her parents would just come and look after us until she came back a few days later. The only dad like person was my granddad, don’t expect me to just call you that right off.”

“I don’t, but what I did expect was for her to at least tell you and your brother who I was, show you what I looked like. She mentioned how Ethan loved videogames, that was about it on him. She also talked about you, and how many books you have red. She talked about you half the time. If you want, I can arrange for you to go back and live with your grandparents.” Darin reached out one hand to touch Mina on the knee, but stopped thinking she would just consider him a stranger right now.

Mina glanced at Darin, and just saw his hand pulling away from her, “you are not a parent, yet you think more about kids then mom ever did. I’ll stay, for a while. By the way, what is with all the tall mirrors covered with sheets?”

Darin open his mouth about her talking about her mom in that way, but stopped short when she asked about the mirrors. “we…they came with the house when we bought it. We just ask other people how we look, or whatever. You want something to eat?”

Mina smiled and nodded.

Darin took her hand in his and they walked together back to the dinning room, where just Ethan was left sitting and drinking fruit juice.

Ethan gave a half wave as Darin grabbed a bowl and Mina grabbed some cereal and milk.

“I have some RPG games you could play when you finish your breakfast Mina,” Ethan stated as he took his glass to the kitchen before going to his room.

Mina greedily munched into her cereal, showing she was vary hungry to Darin.

He leaned on his hand and asked, “are you really about to turn thirteen?”

She nodded, with a mouthful of cereal in her mouth.

“you want a party or anything?”

She tried to say something, but she nearly spit her food out of her mouth.

He chuckled under his breath, “answer when your mouth is not full of food.”

She pushed away the bowl and finally managed to say, “yeah, a little party anyway. Present wise, I have a list of all the books I have, so you could look for any in a series that I don’t have.”

“that is pretty pacific young lady,” he brushed hair out of her face, and saw the same eyes he saw when they first walked in the door. “your eyes are really something.”

She pushed her chair away from the table and headed for the stairs as she said, “uh, thanks. I am going to take Ethan up on his offer to play some games. Later…Darin.”

He watched her walk out, and wondered if he would ever get close to her, like a dad.

Then his twin cousins poke their heads in and say, “dad wants everyone ready in time. You do know when we are going to do this right?”

Darin rolled his eyes, “yes I remember. I don’t want either of them to know about it though, is that understood.”

The twins nod then run before he blew a gasket.

The last thing Darin wanted was for Ethan or Mina to know what his family’s big secret was.

~

Ethan and Mina played for hours, and she was kicking his but.

She asked her brother, “you have talked to Darin. Do you know how long he and mom were going out before they married?”

Ethan fell back into his gaming chair and said, “about fifteen months after you turned ten, that is the only way I figured it all out. He saved her from a car crash, then they just kept seeing each other by chance. Pretty soon they were meeting on purpose for dates.{ Then they both got all mushy and you walked in.} Mom has dated worse though, you should give Darin a chance sense he did come and try and fix mom’s little mistake.”

Mina sat back in the beanbag, “its not him, its how mom is dealing with it all. She just expects me to be ok with it all. We suddenly move out here, and she didn’t say a word. If I go one way, she may start going crazy with something else, and I don’t think I can handle that. I’m going to the screened room to relax for a while.” She dropped the controller in the basket as she left.

Mina past a set of double doors, and could just hear people talking. She leaned again the door and listened to them as they talked about…the mirrors?

“we can not keep doing this. What if someone really gets hurt in the process.”

“we must do this, or the world could be in danger. You said that girl had unique eyes didn’t you?”

“not in the way you think,” the last voice sounded like Darin, “and she is not part of any family that has a history of that sort of thing. You will not do a thing to any of them. Is that understood?”

“vary. Then are you going to try again, after you last attempt.”

“I thought he lost the ability after his last try.”

“he did. He is no longer a mirror walker.”

Mina wondered, ‘what is a mirror walker.’

“well, sense none of you have a better idea, I am going to go and find Mina and have some father daughter time with her.”

Mina heard foot steps coming toward the door.

She ran down the hall and into the screened room, grabbed a blanket and laid down to try and look like she was resting.

She heard the door open and light steps as someone walked in.

“you are not that quite, especially when you are running.” it was Darin.

Mina sat up and asked, “what is a mirror walker anyway?”

Darin sat on the other end of the lounge chair, and started by saying, “in my family, some people have the gift to walk into a mirror like it a doorway, into a mirror world. Over the years less people have been born with the gift, the records show I was the last one but I can not do it anymore. All the tall mirrors you have seen with sheets over them, we used them as doors to enter the world, they are covered because…something is trying to get out. The talk was about how to handle it.”

“didn’t someone ask about me?” Mina fiddled with the corners of the blanket, not sure she wanted to hear the answer.

Darin took her hands in his and said, “I said you had striking eyes, and to them that means you are a mirror walker. I just meant you had pretty eyes. You don’t have to do anything they ask you to do, and they can’t force you either. It is way past lunch hour. You want something to eat?” he pointing toward the door.

Mina smiled and walked out the door by herself.

Darin sighed as he followed her out.

They find only two plates and glasses left for them.

He shoved her into a chair then went to find something for them in the kitchen.

He spotted the butler going through the silver ware, and polishing anything that didn’t look back at him.

Darin stated, “you know we don’t like mirror like surfaces everywhere.”

The butler jerked at the sudden voice, bowed and quickly left.

Darin chuckled as he grabbed sandwich makings of cheese meat and bread, then carried it all back to the table on a big tray.

Mina for once didn’t feel weird eating around Darin, though it may have been because her mom was not there to make a big deal out of it. It didn’t last long.

Claire walked in looking for Darin, then spotted Mina and went to town. “see sweetie, he is not that bad. Now I think we should go native, so to speak. I found some plaid fabric, and I want to try making a jumper for you.”

Mina wished to be anywhere but right there at that moment.

Darin saw that Mina didn’t like any of what Claire was saying, so he leaned forward to block her from Claire’s view and suggested, “my aunts save that kind of fabric for making kilts to send back home, to boys and men that are born into families that are from places that wearing that kind of thing is normal. I think you should put it back where you found, and use more solid colors for cloths for any of us in the house.”

Claire tried to move so she could see Mina’s face, but by know Mina was standing behind Darin’s chair waiting for her chance to get back to her room.

Claire sighed and walked out with her shoulders sagging.

Mina breathed a sigh of relief, “thanks for the save da… Darin.” She took a step back as it hit her what she nearly called him.

Darin turned around in his chair and said, “any time Mina. I am here for you, and the rest of your family. Why don’t you go and rest in your room for a while, and I will try and steer your mother toward less embarrassing colors and patterns.” he stood up and blew out a breath, like he was readying himself.

Mina watched him leave, and waited a moment before heading back to her room.

She grabbed one of her bigger books, and snuggled into the reading nook for a few hours; or at least till someone called her to supper.

~

Supper that night was quite, to say the least.

All of Darin’s immediate family just kept staring at him.

Claire glanced at Mina every few minutes, who was trying to hide under the table while she was eating.

Ethan sat between the twins, and the three were the only ones having any fun.

By the time desert was brought Mina was ready to get away.

Mina stood up and asked, “may I go back to my room?”

Owen, Darin’s father, started to say but then Claire slammed her fist down and stated, “you will not. You will sit down, and talk with me…us.”

Mina stared her mother down for a long moment.

Darin said as loud as he dared, “you may go Mina.”

Claire started to protest, but Darin said to her, “you and I will talk about how you handle things later.”

Claire snapped her mouth shut, and leaned back in her seat.

Mina gave Darin a small smile and made a quick exit and dashed back to her room.

As she shut the door, she wondered if this might cause them to split up.

‘please don’t split cause of me’ she whispered into the door.

She grabbed a book, but then dropped it back on the table and crawled into bed.

At around 10:30 she heard her bedroom door creak open and someone walk in.

“you ok Mina,” it was Darin checking on her.

She nodded, afraid she would cry out loud if she opened her mouth.

He leaned close and gave her kiss on her temple, “goodnight,” then closed the door as he left.

She mouthed ‘thanks dad’, closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Darin walked into the drawing room, where Claire sat waiting to talk.

He closed the door and asked, “did you talk to them at all about this?” He waved his hands around the room, to mean the whole move and marriage.

Claire rubbed her forehead, “things got crazy. Sense we first met, when you saved me, I have felt different somehow. I’ll admit my mind has been on other things, especially after you proposed to me.”

“I proposed thinking your two kids knew about me, and maybe liked me. You talked about them enough when I asked one or two questions. Ethan is at the stage where he could care less about it all, as long as he has games to play. Mina is at a point in time where her mind doesn’t know what to think without a little comforting help. Tomorrow we will have a talk with Mina, you me and her. Understood?” Darin crossed his arms over his chest.

Claire was starting to feel bad about everything, “clear as day. May we please go to bed now? I am tired”

Darin took Claire’s hand in his and they slowly walked back to their room for the night, with expectations of a long and hard talk tomorrow.

~

*Mina opened her eyes, and saw a man with no face holding her in his arms.

She wiggled and squirmed, but the man held on.

She first cried out, hopping someone would come and get her away from him.

Her baby cry turned into a scream that seemed to echo around wherever she was.*

“Mina wake up, your having a nightmare,” Darin leaned over Mina in her bed, watching her cringe in her sleep.

Mina’s eyes sprang open and stared up at Darin, “where am…oh, Darin,” she could see his face of worry turn into slight sadness, “sorry, I was having a bad dream. A man with no face was holding me. I got scared and screamed.”

Darin brush hair out of Mina’s face, “the man maybe your mind trying to understand who your dad is, or was. You feel ok?”

Mina wanted to say something, but wasn’t sure how to say it. “yeah, maybe your right. It was freaky though.”

Darin chuckled, “I bet. Come get some breakfast, then you I and your mother will have a talk about…stuff.” he left so she could get dressed.

Mina jumped out of bed and pulled on some nice cloths, then ran downstairs.

Her parents were sitting across from each other.

Mina cringed ‘that can’t be a good sign of what’s to come’.

Darin waved her over, but she didn’t want to cause anymore harm then she already had.

Mina sat down at the end, so she was on neither side of the table.

Claire sighed and said, “its my fault sweetie. You can sit with your dad if you want.”

Mina didn’t budge.

They ate quietly for what felt like hours, when they finished Darin led them to the drawing room for the talk he and Claire had ‘planned’.

Mina sat in the big arm chair as her parents paced around the room.

Darin glared at Claire yet said to Mina, “your mother has something to say to you, Mina. Claire!”

Claire sighed as she sat down in a chair and started, “I guess I should start with how I met Darin.

I went to town because I felt down from everything. I walked right into the street, as a car sped down the road. I only had time to turn and see the car before someone ran into me and carried us both back to the sidewalk. Once we could both sit up again I saw who saved me; Darin.

He was so kind, he helped me get back to my car but stayed with me until I felt good enough to drive myself home.

For a few weeks we kept running into each other, then we intended to meet and hangout. Then after a while he proposed to me, and I said yes out of happiness.

I didn’t want a big wedding, so we eloped.

I didn’t say anything to you and your brother, because I was not sure if it would work out.”

“when she spoke of you and Ethan, her eyes lit up and she would go for what seemed like hours. I never minded that though. I want to be your dad, but I don’t want any of you to try and be like you have been in a my family sense day one,” Darin gave Claire a glance as he finished with, “and you mother will not be trying to go ‘native’ either. Right Claire!?”

Claire nodded and started to say something else, but Mina didn’t seem to hear.

Mina was looking at a mirror who’s sheet was slipping off to show the room with…a dog thing looking back. She raised her hand and asked, “where is the dog?”

Claire and Darin exchange looks of confusion, then Darin asked, “where do you see the dog?”

Mina pointed as her eyes go wide, “in that mirror.”

Darin turns slowly, then jumps up and replaces the sheet on the mirror, hiding the dog again.

“I am sure you saw a trick of light, or something. Lets not tell my family about this, ok you two?” he looked from Mina to Claire, biting his lip in wait.

Claire shrugged, “yeah, ok, though I didn’t see anything.”

Mina was scratching her head as she looked at the sheet covered mirror, “yeah, sure, but can we talk dad? Alone.”

Someone knocked at the door, so Darin said, “later Mina, I promise.” He shooed Claire and Mina out as his dad came in for his own talk.

Mina wanted to go back to her room and try to understand what she had just seen in the mirror, but her mom wanted some quite time with her daughter.

Claire dragged Mina into the screened in room, and into a big swoop chair by the back wall. “listen Mina, I am sorry about the suddenness of it all. You like Darin as a dad though, right?”

Mina curled up next to her mom in the chair, just like when she was little, “he is great. Just don’t go crazy mom on me, or try and get me to do baking with you.”

Claire giggled, “I have my own bad memories of baking with my mom. Maybe Darin’s mom and other girl family members can help with that. How about, I help you and Darin figure out your little…mirror thing?”

Mina shrugged, “I don’t even know what I saw. I thought I saw something, but it look see through. Maybe it was a trick of the light.”

“head back to your room, I am sure he will be by soon,” Claire pushed Mina out of the chair, then found she couldn’t get out vary easily.

Mina laughed and pulled her mom out, though they both nearly fell onto the floor in the process in a fit of giggles.

~

Mina laid in her bed for what felt like hours, waiting for her dad to come so they could talk.

She glanced at the clock, it red 12:20, lunch time.

She sat up just as the door opened and Darin walked in with a rolling tray of food for them both.

Darin smiled as he pulled the trays over to the chairs in the corner, “sorry it took so long. My family would not let me go. I thought sense it was lunch time, we could talk and eat in here, and I will help you clean up after.”

Mina jumped off her bed, and tripped on the leg of a chair and fell into Darin’s arms with a vary red face. “I am so clumsy. Sorry dad.”

Darin set Mina in a chair with a wide grin on her face, “no problem. The maid and butler maid bread-cheese rolls to dunk in tomato soup, and I found a pitcher of sweet tea that I thought you would like.” he lifted the lids to show two bowls that had steam flouting up, and plates full of anything with cheese. “maybe not just rolls,” he said with his eyes wide.

Mina laughed at his reaction.

They ate quietly for a few minutes, cause they both were way into the food.

When the soup was gone, Mina sat back and nibbled on the last of the cheese filled food, “so did I really see something, or are you going to make something up?”

Darin recovered the trays, “I am not positive if you saw anything, but I have a way to find out,” he walked over and took out a mirror from behind a dresser. He set it against the end of the bed and asked, “look into the mirror, and tell me what you see.”

Mina didn’t understand, but looked anyway.

After a while she felt stupid and started to stand up, then caught sight of something and stumbled back instead, “the dog thing.”

Darin held her against him and asked, “tell me where it is, what it looks like, anything and everything you can think of.”

“it’s right in the middle. It just sat down and is looking right at me. It looks like it has two different coats of fur, one of straight black and the other of flowing colors, lots of colors. I see other things in the back ground, but it’s behind us right?” Mina rolled out of Darin’s arms and looked around.

Darin turned the mirror around and said, “they are mirror hounds. They wander the mirror world, but will not attack unless you try and harm their world.”

Mina looked back at him, “you saw it?”

“yes I did, and what you said has told me everything I need to know. You and I are mirror walkers, people who can see that world and go into it through any mirror that is about the same size as a door.”

Mina remembered all the sheets hanging over what had to be tall mirrors, “and your family collects that kind of mirror?”

Darin shrugged with guilt, “yeah. We have the first mirror ever made, and have one made when a new method is found; no matter the cost.”

Mina turned the mirror back around and saw the hound was gone, but shadows were still moving in the background, “can you show me how to go to the world? Do ‘we’ have any other powers?”

She continued to talk, but Darin couldn’t hear the rest.

“for your first question; you don’t ‘learn’ to walk in, you just walk. Two; I never tried to find out if there are other powers given to walkers apart from the obvious. Just keep this between me you and your mom for now, the rest could go a little loopy if they found out.”

Mina recalled the partial conversation she heard when she had been heading to relax in the screened room. “can you at least tell me what you and the ‘mirror keepers’ were talking about that night. The whole thing!” she cocked her head to the side in anticipation.

Darin saw this coming from a mile away. He plopped down on the bed and tried to start explaining, “we were talking about retrieving a item. A special one. We know where it is from a journal we found in the attic, but something is stopping us from getting it. Before I was born, there were about five mirror walkers; one is now terrified of mirrors, and another has been in the hospital sense before I was told I was a walker.”

Mina could guess what happened to the others. “so, why don’t the hounds get rid of it?”

“it does not pose a threat to their world. Not yet anyway. I tried a few years back, but I went into a coma from it. From that day on I figured I couldn’t do it again, and didn’t really want to try anyway. If you try to do it please be careful,” Darin pulled Mina close, holding her hands in his and trying to keep from showing how scared he was for her.

Mina took her hands out of her dad’s hands, and wrapped her arms around his middle. “I wont go there, unless as a last resort. We better not tell Ethan either. The ‘loose lips, sinks ships’ is not a saying when it comes to him.” she rubbed her face in Darin’s shirt.

Darin hugged Mina right back, now feeling like he was ‘dad’ to her.

A knock and a voice asking, “is Darin in there?” startled them, but it was only Owen.

Darin groaned, “I’m here, trying to have some father daughter time. What do you want?”

“I, we, wanted to talk some more about…you know what. The usual place in ten minutes,” they hear steps as Owen walked away.

Darin stood up and headed for the door, “better go do this. don’t eavesdrop this time, got it!”

Mina smiled and nodded before running past him to go and find Ethan and ask if he wanted to play games with her.

Ethan was soundly beating her in the games, but that was only because her mind was on other things.

After a while she just went back to her room to try and relax.

She found one of Darin’s cousins waiting for her when she opened the door. “may I help you?”

He glanced at Mina at first with no smile, then slowly a smile crept onto his face, “I think you can.”

Mina had a pretty good idea what was on his mind, “you can’t make me do anything.”

He stood up and walked toward the door, “we can’t make you, but we can guilt your new dad into it. Think about it. You have a few hours to decide.” and shut the door as he left.

Mina stared at the door for a moment, then ran out to look for Darin.

She checked Ethan’s room, her Parent’s room, even the screened room but couldn’t find him anywhere.

“dad where are you?” she found her mom in the dinning room, “mom, do you know where dad is?”

Claire shrugged, “I haven’t seen him for a while. I would like to know myself. I will help you look for him.” they searched the whole house again, but still found nothing.

“I think his family is going to force him to go into the mirror. One of them said if I wanted to keep it from happing I would have to go in. what do I do?” Mina sat down on the floor and cried.

Claire sat down next to Mina and tried to calm her down, when around the corner Darin walked in grumbling under his breath, “I told them not to, but do they listen? No, course not. They don’t have to.” He then saw Mina crying on the floor and Claire trying to calm her down. “is everything all right?”

Mina stopped crying long enough to look up and see Darin staring down at her. “dad, your ok!” and threw her arms around his neck.

Darin was stunned, but hugged her back, “course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“they said they would guilt you into going in, and that I was the only one could stop it by going in your place. I don’t want you to get hurt dad,” Mina blurted her words out before leaning into him again.

Darin got most of it, and was now enraged by his family, “I told them…don’t you worry. Neither of us have to go in. they can get it themselves.”

“you know we can’t without a walker,” Claire Darin and Mina turn and see Owen at the end of the hall, “if we don’t, it could win and…”

Darin didn’t want to hear it, “he can’t use it in the mirror world. I say we leave it there, and forget the whole matter.” he took Mina by one hand and Claire by the other and started to lead them away.

“if it stays in the mirror world, the wall between our world will become weak enough that it could come through. You two are the worlds last hope. Are you really going to ignore that?”

Darin turned to yell, but Mina asked, “can I get back easily?”

Owen nodded, “yes. It is easy. You just walk back through any mirror that is the same size as a door.”

Darin kneeled down so he was looking Mina in the eye, “I don’t even remember the last time I was in there. It could have control and we don’t know it. I can’t let you do this.”

“and I can’t let you after what you said happened to you last time. There is no other way. Just promise you will be waiting for me at the mirror when I come back out,” Mina was barely holding herself together.

Darin hugged Mina close, “of course I promise. I will watch the mirror until you come home, back in my arms.”

Owen gave a single nod, “we need a few days to prepare. Ready yourself with rest and food, and the company of family.” then walked away before he cried along with them.

“Claire, if you don’t mind I would like to talk to Mina about the process. What they are doing to set up and all. This is big for a first timer, and I want to make sure she knows what might come,” Darin said, grasping Mina’s hand in his.

Claire sweetly smiled, “sure. And while you two talk, I will keep Ethan on other things. By the way, do you think Ethan could be a walker like Mina?”

Mina rolled her eyes, “not likely mom, not likely.” then ran down the hall, with Darin being dragged behind her.

Claire thought of yelling, but just went to find Ethan instead.

Mina sat on her bed as Darin paced around her room, “I would think they just uncover one of the mirrors and I walk in. What more is there?”

Darin ran his fingers through his hair, “they have to ready a special room, where they will let you out by holding the only door open for you. Oh I forgot, you can push open any door that is ajar, but you can’t open any door while you are in the mirror world. Then they close the door to keep it contained, and after a period of time they open the door to allow you back in the room with the uncovered mirror. They need to first find the keys, find the door ‘cause I think they forgot sense last time, unlock the room and place a pacific mirror on the back wall.”

Mina chuckled, “oh, don’t tell me, they do this all while ‘under the cover of darkness’.”

Darin made the half way motion with his hand, “sort of. They carry the mirror with a tight sheet over it, to make sure it doesn’t see what we are trying to do. We are hopping it doesn’t watch the room, or door, and has tried to get in that room before this time. I think waiting for a baby to be born is less stressful.”

Mina drew Darin to sit down next to her on the bed, “you are starting to stress me out dad. All we can do is go with it and see what happens. I would think they keep a key that valuable in a safe place, and the door likely goes to a storage room in the basement. If they find the key and room early, do we still have to wait?”

Darin raised an eyebrow, “you really want to try your mirror powers that badly?”

Mina shook her head, “no, I want to be done with this as soon as possible.” she just covers her mouth as she yawns big, “guess everything really tired me out.”

Darin smiled as he picked Mina up in his arms, and laid her in bed with her head on a pillow. He covered her with the blankets and gave her a kiss goodnight on the forehead. “sleep well baby.”

He started to walk away, but Mina pulled him close and hugged him tight, “you too dad.” He hugged back, then turned off the light and closed the door behind him.

Back in his and Claire’s bedroom, he found Claire already dressed and in bed.

He swiftly got dressed himself, then got into bed without waking her up.

The moment he stopped moving under the covers, Claire spun around and hugged him close.

He was stunned, for a second, then hugged her for a hopefully goodnight sleep.

Mina was the first up, though the staff wondered if she even went to sleep at all last night.

Owen and his branch of the family came half an hour later, then Ethan with his nose in a list of codes for a game, and finally Claire and Darin holding onto each other for support.

One of Darin’s cousin’s struggled to keep food in his mouth, “what kind of night did you have?”

Claire glared, but Darin said, “I kept waking from a nightmare, and doing so I woke Claire as well.”

Ethan dropped his list on the table and asked, “what was it about dad?”

Darin glanced at Mina before saying, “I was trapped somewhere, with something chasing me. I tried to get out, but everything was blocked or locked. I finally was cornered by whatever was after me, then Claire woke me up as I apparently moaned in my sleep.”

Claire scrunched up her face, “and a few times you were screaming.”

Darin looked at Claire out of the corner of his eye with a glare, but a smile creeping across his face.

Owen’s eyes widened as he remembered something, “oh, Mina, Darin, we found what we were looking for last night. We thought we could all do a search for the other thing after breakfast?” he shifted his eyes from the two, waiting for their answer.

Darin and Mina looked at each other, knowing what he meant.

“I was thinking I would take my new family out on a picnic. Would you three be ok with that?” Darin said more to Ethan than Mina or Claire.

Ethan shrugged, “yeah, sure. I can try and read these codes for games later. Should we dress for swimming, or what?”

Darin chuckled in his throat, “dress for a nice walk, then sit and eat. Go get dressed while your mom and I get the basket packed.”

Mina was heading for her room first, but Ethan was waiting at the front door first.

With Ethan carried the basket and Mina carrying the blanket for them to sit on, Darin led them up a path worn down by other people walking along that lead away from the house.

The sun shined through the trees over head, casting shadows everywhere that moved as the leaves rustled in the slight breeze.

Mina giggled as she tried to dance between the light spots, Ethan groaned at her childish antics, Darin and Claire happily laughed as they watched her try and dodge the constantly light and shadows.

Just as they started to feel tired walking, they came out into a clearing that over looked a plain where animals ran around and played.

They sat and quietly ate as they watched the animals running stumbling and generally having fun.

A little afraid her kids could get sun burned, Claire asked, “can we head back now? We have been out here a while, and didn’t bring sun screen.”

Darin stretched, and fell backwards, “yeah, we better, before we fall asleep and have animals eating our hair.”

They look at him with raised eyebrows. “don’t ask!”

They stuffed the blanket into the basket, then had Ethan carry it again with him groaning about it; but he did it anyway.

Claire walked by Ethan, to give him a hand if he needed it, giving Mina and Darin a chance to talk a bit.

“do you think they will have found the door by now, and have everything set up?” Mina asked, struggling to keep her hair out of her face.

Darin took some ribbon out of his pocket, and brushed Mina’s hair all to the back then tied it all into a ponytail with the ribbon. “as you said before, we will handle thing as they come. Maybe you and your mom should go and find some hair things for you to wear when it gets windy out here.”

Mina looked down as she blushed, “my hair doesn’t like to be tied down in any way.” at that vary moment the ribbon slipped off and her hair flew into her face again. “see what I mean?”

Darin rubbed his chin as he tried to remember something, and snapped his fingers with recollection, “there are hair wraps, that you can tie behind your head. They look a little weird, like a maid or something, but it should keep your hair under control. I think I know where some are even.”

“stop dragging your feet back there. I want to get back to my games,” hollered Ethan a ways ahead of them.

Mina giggled as she said, “lets go before the natives riots.”

Darin rolled his eyes at the joke, “technically, he is not native to here. Lets go.”

Back at the house, most of the family was off looking for ‘something’, which gave Mina a chance to run back to her room to read a bit before dinner and Darin to try playing some video games with Ethan.

After being beaten at every game Ethan had, Darin went to talk to Mina some more about the mirror world.

He opened her bedroom door, and saw his father Owen standing in the middle of her room with Mina sitting on her bed. “what is going on here?”

Mina bit her lip as she looked at her dad, “they found the door, and want to do it right after dinner. Guess they heard me say I wanted this over with.”

Darin looked from Mina to his dad, and asked with wide eyes, “I thought the plan was to wait, and let her prepare. I mean…is everything ready? The right mirror, the right place, everything?”

Owen, for the first time in a long time as far as Darin could remember, sighed heavily, “I know you are worried. Believe it or not ever time you went in, I would tense up myself until you came back out, and was scared to death when you blacked out the last time. We have taken every precaution to make sure it as safe as we can make. We must do this in the next day or so, before it can figure out what we are doing.”

Darin pinched the bridge of his nose, “I know you have a point, but that does not mean I have to like it. We’ll have to tell Ethan, or he will go on his own hunt and we don’t want him getting stuck in the house somewhere. Mina, go find your mom, I’ll get Ethan and meet you in the drawing room downstairs.”

Mina did as she was told, because she knew her dad was on her side when the rest of his family were still in question.

Claire was reading in the screened room, and after Mina told her about the plan she was happy to come and try to explain thing to Ethan.

Darin and Ethan were already in the drawing room, waiting for Mina and Claire.

Ethan asked, “why did you drag away from my game? I was winning.”

Darin and Claire were not sure where to even start explaining the whole mirror walking thing.

Mina saw her parents practically sweating, so she spun a small mirror around and asked, “do you see anything other then us in the mirror Ethan?”

Ethan raised an eyebrow as he looked in the mirror, “is you mom dad and me…what am I meant to see?”

Mina smiled as she looked at the mirror, “I see a dog with a swirly coat looking back at me, with it’s tongue hanging out of it’s mouth.”

Ethan rolled his eyed, “you and your imagination. Dad what do you see?”

Darin was getting the idea of what Mina was trying to do. “I see the same thing, a dog looking happy to see us.”

Ethan didn’t get it, “what dog? Mom, do you see anything?”

Claire didn’t even have to look before answering, “no, they can see it because they can do something we can’t. They are mirror walkers, people who can through a mirror as if it were a doorway.”

Ethan stared back for a moment, then started rolling on the floor in laughter. “people who can walk into a mirror. Seeing invisible dogs. Maybe the sun today fried your brains.”

Darin shook his head, “you want proof, come with us after dinner to the basement. You should see everything that you need then.”

“I think I am going to get some sleep before dinner. I all of a sudden feel shaky,” Mina headed for the stairs, rubbed her arms as if she were cold.

Darin picked Mina up and said to Claire, “I think I’ll tuck her in, and keep an eye on her. She maybe just having a little shock that it might really be happening.”

Mina moaned as the they went upstairs, “I can look after myself.” Then curled up even more in Darin’s arms.

Darin tucked Mina into bed, and brushed her stubborn hair out of her face again.

“how did you feel before the first time you went in the mirror?” Mina asked.

Darin thought about it for a moment, and chuckled, “I guess, about the same as you do right now. I could give a lot of facts about this and that, but sometimes your brain just worries. Do you mind if I hang out here for a while?”

Mina pulled his hand close, squeezing it with both of her hands, “you mean keep an eye on me, your thirteen year old baby girl. Yeah, go right ahead,” yawned, then closed her eyes as she fell asleep.

Darin wriggled his hand free, adjusted the covers before sitting in the reading nook and pulling out one of his books he had tucked in under the cushion.

“knew this would come in handy one day,” leaned back to enjoy some quiet time with his daughter, being in the same quiet room as her anyway.

Claire knocked on Mina’s bedroom door when dinner was ready, but when they got there Ethan was sitting at one end by himself with trays full of food.

Darin pulled out a chair for Mina and Claire, and asked, “where is everyone?”

Ethan rolled his eyes, “they said they are getting everything ready and perfect for after dinner. Lets eat so you can ‘show’ me about mirror walking.” he tore into his steak, barely taking a breath between bites.

Mina hardly touched anything on the table other then her glass of water.

It took Darin quite a bit of encouragement to get her to even eat a little something.

After sitting quietly at one end of the table, the twins pop their heads in to signal they were ready.

They follow the twins into the hall, but then Mina ran up the stairs without warning.

The twins start to go after her, but Darin pushed them back and said, “I’ll go. She is my daughter after all.”

He found Mina not in her own room, but curled up on his and Claire’s bed.

He slowly sat down next to her so he didn’t move her to much, “are you ok Mina?”

Mina shook her head, tears crawling down her face, “I don’t want to go. What if I get stuck in there? What if that thing you keep talking about gets me? I’m scared.”

Darin carefully wrapped his arms around Mina, hugged her close and gave her a kiss on the forehead. “its ok to be scared. I was trying not to let it show, but I am scared as well.”

Mina rubbed her tears on Darin’s shirt, “then why are you letting me do this? You kept talking about all this stuff that happened.”

“because it is hard to talk to you in this house privately, with the rest of my family always walking around and hearing everything. You have a few chooses. 1, you can go in the mirror, get the item get out and be done with it all. 2, not go in at all, believe they are making things up, and we can leave and find a life with just the four of us. 3, I can go in if we do find this whole wall thing is real, get the item and face whatever is in there.”

Mina looked up sharply at option three, “you can’t go in! what if something happens to you?”

Darin let out a shaky breath, “I have gone in before, so I know what is in there. I am sure I can handle…anything that comes up.”

Mina shook her head, making tears fall all over her face, “no dad, I can’t let you do that. I’ll go in, I’m sure nothing will happen.”

Darin helped Mina back onto her feet, then took her hand and led her back downstairs all the way to the basement room where everyone was waiting.

Owen raised his hand to keep them talking, and asked, “are you sure you are up for this Mina?”

Mina walked over to the still covered mirror, and pulled the sheet off.

She saw her own reflection, and a mirror hound laying on the floor relaxing, “as ready as I’ll ever be. Would the hounds help me, in anyway?”

Owen looked at Darin with a raised eyebrow.

Darin shrugged, “I don’t remember even seeing any hounds when I was in last time. Good luck Mina.”

Mina took a deep breath as she turned back to look at the mirror. She half thought this was all crazy, going into something that was solid. She closed her eyes and walked straight ahead, the last thing she heard was Ethan saying ‘wow’ before everything went silent.

¥She slowly opened her eyes, and saw shadows swimming around her.

Stared at the moving shapes for a long moment, then jerked as she realized she was not breathing.

She tried to breath but found she didn’t need to here, in fact she didn’t feel much of anything other then the coolness of the dark room around her.

She turned and saw everyone sitting in the lit room, but not even showing a dark shape in the mirror world. ‘how is that possible?’

She turned back around and walked out the now open door, ‘better get started.’

She walked out of the basement mirror room, and into the mirror house.

Everything was reversed, but she didn’t feel that lost at the fact.

She walked up the stairs, feeling a pull of sorts drawing her to the attic.

She looked down the hall, seeing shadows flying around like living scarves, and a few mirror hounds just hanging around.

One hound walked over and looked at Mina with it’s head cocked to the side, as if it was asking what was up.

She scratched behind it’s ears, causing it’s tongue to hang out of it’s mouth. ‘I came to retrieve something. Do you know what it is by any chance?’

The hound raised it’s ears as if it heard something, then barked before running down the hall and into one of the several rooms.

‘what caused that?’ Mina put her hands on her hips, but slowly turned as she heard the stairs creak.

Coming up the stairs was a man with moon beam gray-silver-blue skin, staring Mina down.

She didn’t hang around to find out if this guy was the it everyone had been talking about.

She ran down the hall, and up the stairs to the attic where she shut and bared the door. ‘something tells me he has not gotten a lot of sun recently’.

She looked around, and groaned, ‘I am here, so I can find that thing; but how do I get out of here and back home with that mad man out there?’

She felt the pull again, and just pushed the thought back for now.

As she walked farther into the depths of the attic, she thought it was longer then it should be. ‘if my count is right, I should be outside the house! Whatever I have to find is still ahead of me, but this shouldn’t…wow,’ she stumbled as the floor shifted beneath her feet, ‘ok, trying to figure this out makes everything go weirder, got it. Now, where is it?’

The wall in front of her soon came closer, and with it a light coming from something.

She pushed what boxes blocked a old ornate trunk with some worn drawings all over it. ‘I really need to take a better look at what is up here when I get back.’

She pulled at the lid, but then saw with the crack of light coming through that it was locked, ‘that is great, send me to get something and where it is being kept is locked. Maybe there is a key nearby.’

She turned over every box of stuff, looking for anything that looked like a key.

With the attic a utter mess, she leaned against the trunk with a huff.

‘how do I open this thing?’ she jerked as something hit her in the back, turned but saw only the lock just slightly swinging.

She took the lock in her hand, and it just fell right off.

Groaning she thought, ‘was that really all I had to do?’

Flipping open the lip, and found a much smaller box with writing she had never seen sitting alone on the bottom.

She slowly lifted the box out, getting a new weird vibe from the house as the lid of the trunk slammed shut and fell apart in front of her.

‘ok, will not be putting that back. Now for step two,’ she walked back down the attic, that seemed a great deal shorter then when she was going the other way, and got down to moving everything that bared the door.

Once it was free, she peered out and looked for the man with bad skin.

She breathed a sigh of relief, ‘good, no sign of him so far. For once I don’t think mom would yell if I run in the house.’

She bolted down the hall, took the stairs two at a time, rounded the corner for the basement and came to a sudden stop in the room just outside the basement. ‘this is way to easy. No hounds, no man, nothing. Did I get the right thing?’

She glanced at the box, but then jumped at the sound of a bark behind her.

With their backs arched, was a small group of mirror hounds, that were not happy.

She stared down the one closest to her, seeing not red rage but a black cloud.

She looked at the box again, ‘did I take the right thing,’ she looked up, and saw the hounds were not look at her but something behind her.

She slowly turned, and saw the man with moon skin coming right at her.

‘ok, really not good. Hounds help me!’ she ran at the hounds, that let her get behind them before going after the man.

The man yelled and kicked at the hounds, giving her the chance to get back to the room with the mirror and her family.

She pushed opened the door, and tried to shut it but the lock kept going right through her hands, ‘would have been helpful to know about that guys.’

She propped the door closed with some boxes and kept running till she reach the door she had first walked through when she entered the mirror world.

She pushed and shoved but it wouldn’t budge. ‘how do I get them to open it. Maybe they can hear me if I bang on this one’. and started hitting the door with both hands.¥

Darin was staring the mirror down, waiting for Mina to return.

It took him a moment to realize someone was banging on the door to the room. “do you hear that?”

Owen listened hard, and his eyes sprang open, “yes. Someone is knocking on the door. But who, and how?”

“I know who, move it,” Darin shoved his cousins out of the way, and pulled the door wide open.

¥Mina fell through as the door just opened up.

She got up dusted herself off, happy her planned worked.

‘thanks dad. Now where…oh no!’ she didn’t see the mirror anywhere in the room.

She shouted as loud as she could, ‘how do I get home?’¥

The twins look at each other while Darin looked from the mirror to the door frame.

“if that was her, then she got the item and is back.”

“we need to open the door again.” they pull off the sheet, showing Mina looking around for the mirror.

Darin stood feet from the mirror and yelled, “Mina, hurry!”

¥Mina spun around at the light change, and saw her dad standing waiting for her on the other side of the mirror.

She ran right for it, but turned her head at the sound of another set of feet.

The moon skinned man was back, and coming for her.

She stuffed the box in her shirt and ran, dived at the mirror as the man reached for her.¥

Mina fell into Drain’s arms, having trouble breathing.

Darin held her neck in his hands, trying to open her air way a bit more.

Owen stood in front of the mirror, and saw the mirror man looking back at him, “it’s over, you lost.”

Owen tied the sheet tight around the mirror, and turned to see how Mina was doing.

“Mina calm down. Your safe. Your home. Come on baby,” Darin started sliding his hand under her shirt to rub her chest, but found the box instead, “here dad, get it out of here.”

Owen took the box, and left knowing his caused this because of his past.

Darin carried Mina back to the drawing room, and laid her on the floor before rubbing her chest to try getting the blood flowing right. “Mina please, wake up. Come on baby girl, open your eyes.”

Suddenly Mina’s eyes sprang open as she gasped for air. She sat up coughing hard, gripping the first thing she touched, which happen to be Darin’s arm.

Once she could breath again, she leaned into Darin and cried, “I saw the hounds, and this man with skin like the moon. Was he the it? Then I was in the attic, which was longer then it should have been. I took the box, and everything started to feel weirder then before. The man came back, all I could think to do was run. Oh daddy.”

Darin hugged Mina close, feeling her heart still beating hard from it all, “everything is ok now. I’ve got, your safe. We can talk more later.” he motioned for Claire to take Mina.

Claire instead led a stunned Ethan out of the room to give Darin and Mina some alone time.

Darin carried Mina into the sitting room, and sat down on the over sized couch in the corner.

Mina jerked and whined in her half sleep, Darin kept rubbing her back and hugging her close till they both just fell asleep right where they were.

The next mourning Darin and Mina woke to the smell of food being cooked in the kitchen.

Darin brushed some stray hairs from Mina face, “you hungry?”

Mina put her arms back around Darin, “not really. You?”

Darin grabbed a blanket and draped it around them both, “no, not after last night. Is there anything you want to ask, about what you went in the mirror world?”

“yeah. First, how come the doors opened by themselves, and why I couldn’t lock them from there?”

“that is just something that has always been there. I asked the same thing to my father, who just shrugged and walked away every time I asked.”

“why was the attic bigger in that world then here?”

“our laws don’t apply in that world. It thought it would be better to be longer, so it was.”

Mina looked away as she asked her last question. “who is the man who chased me? Was he the it you talked about?”

Darin sighed as he thought it over. “I am not sure if anyone knows who that really is, but he is the it we talked about yes. Dad has his box now, so you will not have to go back in the mirror ever again, if you don’t want to.”

“thanks dad,” Mina cuddled closer, but her stomach growl like a bear, “ok, maybe I am a little hungry.”

Darin kicked the blanket off and onto the floor, “then lets go and eat. Race you to the kitchen.”

Mine jumped off Darin, and tossed the blanket back at him, “catch me if you can dad.”

Darin shoved the blanket back onto the couch, and chased Mina all the way to the dinning room where Claire and Ethan were already eating breakfast. They tumbled on the floor until Claire shouted, “stop playing and eat!”

Mina sat down to eat, but took a moment and looked at the mixed up people who were in her family.

None of them really seemed to fit together like a normal family, but then again they were anything but normal.

Darin handed Mina her cereal while he munched on his toast.

Mina ate happily, knowing this family would last for a long time.