Cathrine's Mirror 2

Cathrine stood by the school entrance.

Edward greeted her with an uncertain smile. “Good morning cat-”

“I want to ask you something.” She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him to the side of the building. “O-kay, what is it?”

What was she doing? Even if he knew about the mirror. He’d make fun of her and tell everyone she was crazy. She took the mirror from her bag and thrust it forward.

Edward’s eyes widened.” Where… Where did you get this!?”

“Blood-” Cathrine bit her lip. “Where do you think?”

“No. you- you summoned Bloody Mary?!”

“I didn’t do it! Anyway, How do you know about this mirror?”

He stared at the ground.

Catherine held his arm tight. “Tell me, please.”

He sighed and dug into his messenger bag. He pulled out another small mirror, but it had a decorated bronze frame with an E. D. on top.

Her reflection of a pure British woman. Graceful, and-

Edward hid the mirror. “Don’t look into it!”

She blinked and shook her head. “What… What was that?”

“Sorry, I’m still trying to figure this thing out.”

“Why do you have that? Why is it different from the one I have?”

“It’s a long story. Promise you won’t get mad.”

“I can’t promise that, and you know it.”

He turned his gaze to the red break wall of the school building. “I told everyone a scary story about Bloody Mary. Some people didn’t believe it. And some told me to prove it… I called her name, but she didn’t come… So I scared them myself by pretending to be her.” He pulled on a small strand of his hair. “I thought it was a good prank, but When I was alone she appeared.”

“It was you!? Did you start the rumor too?”

“I didn’t have a choice, but-”

It’s his fault her sister called bloody Marry. It’s his fault she came into their home. Her family was suffering because of him.

Her hand curled into a fist and flew.

“This is your fault!”

He almost tripped backward and was about to shout at her, but tears ran down her cheeks as she yelled. “I’m sorry.” Even if she didn’t hear him. He said it over and over.

Cathrine hid her face behind her knees.

“I’ll help you.” Edward crouched beside her.

She Shook her head.

“Bloody Mary wants something from you, right? What is it?”

She couldn’t trust him. She didn’t want to. Catherine stood up and glared down at him.

Edward covered his mirror in a piece of cloth and gave it to her. “If you show that to anyone. She will take me and everyone will forget about me.”

As much as she didn’t want his help, she need did it. She tucked it away in her satchel, then glances at her own mirror. “Has this happened before?”

“Someone called Mary before your sister, even if I told you. You wouldn’t remember them.”

In the hallway, girls crowded around a tall boy. One of the tallest boys in school with bright blonde hair.

Cathrine called out to him when everyone left to go home for lunch. “Excuse me.”

Dean was about to turn but looked away. “I’m sorry! But I must go!”

“Wait a moment, before class begins. I like to have a word with you.”

“Um. As long as it’s before the bell rings.” He was almost in a sprint.

Why did the girls like him so much? He wasn’t that much different from any of the other boys. It isn’t fair.

Catherine placed a blanket on the school steps and sit down to eat her sandwich.

Catherine explained to Edward what blood Mary wanted her family and her to do.

“Did she say you couldn’t say her name?” asked Edward.

Cathrine thought for a moment. “I don’t believe she did.”

Edward expressed concern. “Bloody Mary gave you and your family different tasks.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“You don’t think it’s weird that she singled you out?”

Catherine remembered how Bloody Mary spoke to her. How Mary held herself, graceful and powerful. What about her family? Did they see the same thing? Stop! Stop!

“We don’t have time for this! Just tell me what I need to do!”

“Okay… I learned that there are three students who have the most influence at school. Jenna, Hazal, and Dean.

At present. Dean hid behind a tree. He didn’t notice people glanced at him as they walked by. Ms. Hobgoblin stood by the entice of the school.

“Dean, what are you doing?” asked a female classmate.

He jumped an inch away. “Nothing! Nothing at all.”

She tilted her head.

“Could I ask for your help with something?”

He went around the school to the entry on the other side. Few students go that way because the door locks on its own, but someone inside the school could open it.

The door opened. “Thank you for-”

The girl he had asked to open the door didn’t have curly brown hair. Or glared at him with dark blue eyes.

“Hobgoblin!” He fell on his back.

“I Beg your pardon, but my name is Catherine.”

“How? What?”

“The Student who was supposed to open the door wanted me to tell you her deepest apologies.”

“But. But. But.”

She closed the door behind her. “According to the rumor, if anyone looks Ms. Hobgoblin in the eyes. I will curse them with bad luck for the rest of the school year.”

Dean’s eyes fixed on his untied shoes. “No. I was so close.”

“That’s not how a gentleman should act.”

“Your right,” he groan and stood up. “My apologies. At home, I’m teased for being clumsy. If not for my older sister, it wouldn’t be any different at school.”

“Oh, I… see. But why would you believe such a thing?”

“After Edward spoke to you on the first day of class. It went around that he got sick the next day,”

“He did?” she asked.

“When He came back, things would fall on him out of nowhere. He’d dropped things and trip for no reason.”

“None of that is my fault. I didn’t even know he got sick.”

“That’s just how it happened. And it lasted for a year.”

A year. When did he call bloody Mary? But she couldn’t ask that.

“Can you not tell anyone about this, please? It’s my last year of school and I don’t want to be known as Dean the dunce.”

The most popular boy in school. A rumor about him will go around like wildfire. Aside from her, any others wouldn’t compare whether it was good or bad. He probably deserved it. He is probably the type that takes advantage of people. After all, he isn’t much of a man if his scared of a girl smaller than him. But who would have thought he would have so much in common with this little girl?

“Alright, but one more thing. What you’re favorite dessert?”

“Excuse me?”

“Well, are you going to tell me or not?”

“It's… fruitcake?”

“Okay.” She turned away from him but paused. “Also, your shoes are untied.”

“my? Oh!”

While Dean was tying his shoe. Peeking behind the back of the door, Edward and a girl with big brown glasses. Catherine, staring at them, shrugged for them to leave. Edward rushed the girl to the small stairway on the far right side.

“This is some good stuff! How did you know Ms. Hobgoblin was going after Dean?” asked Hazal.”

“I-”

She started writing in a notebook. “I did not know he was afraid of her.”

“I think-”

“To think Ms. Hobgoblin would go after him like that.

“I wasn’t going after him!” Catherine came in and Haze went up the stair.

Her golden eyes shined under her glasses. “Hello, Ms, Hobgoblin.”

“My. Name. Is. Catherine. Wait. you looked me in my eyes just now.”

“Why not? If I don’t see it with my own eyes. It might as well be a lie.”

“Anyway, do you think the cake thing is better than the Bloody Mary Dare?” asked Edward.”

“No. Dean has always been clumsy, but a lot of girls are going to be baking.”

“Everyone knows he's clumsy?” asked Catherine.

“Yes.” She wrote in her notebook.

“Could you give us a moment?” The two of them went into the hallway. “Did you know about this!?” she whispered.

“Yes, but I thought he would do something stupid. Now's not the time to talk about this.”

She crossed her arms. “Why not?”

He opened the door to the stairs.

“OW!” Hazal rubbed her forehead.

“That’s why.”

“Hey, are you planning your next prank on Jenna too?”

Late in the afternoon, all the students and teachers left for the day. Jenna entered an empty classroom.

“Hazel, Hazel! Where are you? You better not be chasing another rumor again.”

She sat down at a desk. “I’ll give her five minutes and then I’m leaving.”

There was a knock on the door.

“Come in already, Hazel. I don’t have all day.”

In a tattered white dress and hood, a figure appeared. Its white hands reached out. “Jennaaa.”

“What?” She backed away.” It-its you, isn’t it Edward? I’m not falling for it.” She ran to the other door, only to be met by the same figure on the other side.

The two walked towards her. She unbuckled her bag and through books, pencils, and a brush with her eyes closed, screaming.

“Stay away from me! Stay away from me! I never summoned Bloody Mary!!”

They came in closer, backing her into the corner of the classroom. She had no more to throw, so she curled into a ball and covered her face.

Hands touched her shoulder.

“I finally got you, Jenna.” Edward laughed.

He took off his hood. “I can never be pranked. That’s what you said!”

“Edward”! You- you. She slapped him and the other person, still wearing a hood. Outside the classroom, she bumped into Hazal in the hall.

Hazel bit her upper lip in a grin.

“Hazal! Did you…”

She shook her head.

“Haze. Don’t-”

Hazal run. “I’m sorry! I have to tell someone!”

Jenna went after her. “Hazal!!”

Cathrine took off her hood. “Well, that work?”

We’ll have to see. I’ve always wanted to do that. The pain was worth it.”

Catherine admired the clothes she had made and the makeup she got from her mother. “It really was. Did you see the look on her face?”

It has been three days since they played the prank on Jenna. If things had changed. Edward would tell her today.

Not long after, the bell rang. Catherine’s sister rushed into the classroom.

“Did you - Did you make this?” In Florence’s hand was the tattered white dress.

“That! Did you go into my room?” Catherine got up from her desk and reached for the dress, but Florence pulled it away.

“So it was you! I thought for once Hazal was making it up. Why?!”

The students stared at them. “Calm down, Florence. I did this, so she’d leave.”

Leave! She shoved the dress into Cathrine’s face. “How was this going to make her leave? She threw it on the floor. “You did this to get back at me!” Her voice cracked.

“I don’t know what you’re saying. Please stop before you-” Florence pushed her away as she tried to cover her mouth.

“You did this-”

“You did this so I would say, Bloody Mary!” Not long after those words left her lips. Her face turned white.” No…”

“Wait. we can figure this out!” Before Cathrine could reason with her, Florence raced out of the room.

Cathrine gave chase, but when she got outside, Florence was gone.

They bagged her to bring her sister back.

“She’s mine now.” Bloody Mary echoed the house. “But call my name tomorrow, then we’ll talk. Oh, and one more thing.”

A mirror flew out of Cathrine’s bag up the stair. “I do not believe this belongs to you.”

The next morning, Cathrine ran to the stairs leading to the bathroom on the second floor of the house. Her father appeared in front of the stairs.

“Sorry about that! Are you okay, Cathrine?”

She looked up at him. Yesterday he was shouting her sister’s name over and over again, ready to break the mirror, but now all that anger and worry he had were gone.

“Did you get Florence back?”

“Florence?” He scratched his chin.

It’s a habit he’d often do when he was thinking or confused. She lost her breath. The words hung on her until she had no choice but to say them.

“My sister.”

He kneed down to meet her eyes, “You don’t look too good. Did you have a nightmare? Or are you sick?” He placed a hand on her forehead.

Her mouth quivered. “Florence. my sister. We have to save her.” She sobbed.

“It must have been a nightmare.” He cradled her in his arms. “There’s nothing to worry about. There is no Florence. You don’t have a sister.”