FINAL EPISODE - The Mirrored Staircase

Short Story Tuesdays

Just as Jake’s eyes shift from iridescent to icy cold blue Lucas feels the weight of a couple of pounds atop his wounded hand, and once he sees the bright blue return to his cousin’s irises he looks down to find an open book lying across the palms of his hands.

When an innocent has been captured for her blood berry, she may bring about her own release by the will of her own hand.

Blood berry…

Lucas looks to the glass portraits of slaves, all staring back at him with even more life than before.

Both of Isha’s palms are now against the glass which holds her great great-grandmother, the soundtrack of sorrow growing stronger.

Dazed, confused, Jake asked, “Is it over? Did it work? Where’s that music coming from?”

“It worked,” Lucas replied. “We have to go back upstairs. To the bathroom.”

He folds the page in the book and holds it tight in his good hand, urging Jake to follow. “What about her?” Jake asked of Isha.

“Leave her. She’s safer now than she’s ever been.”

On up the twenty-three steps they hurried, then took a moment to breathe, to contemplate.

“How do we get past the old evil bitch?” Jake asked. “Do we use the mirror we used earlier?”

There was only one way to find out. Lucas pulled the lever down to open the wall…

The mirror with his blood was no longer hanging over the keyhole, but instead scattered in pieces, both big and small, on the floor below.

They both peeped out and spotted the silhouette of Aunt Mama on the other side of the room, just standing there like a statue in stillness.

Could she hear the soundtrack of sorrow? Was she just waiting to pounce?

Jake pulled Lucas back in behind the wall. Shirtless and huddled close, it reminded Lucas of the few times his cousin had convinced him to join in playing football against the neighborhood kids.

“On the count of three you’re gonna take off up those stairs faster than you’ve ever run before, ok?”

“What do you mean? What are you gonna do?”

“Don’t worry about it. Just givin’ my cousin a little help, that’s all.” Jake smiled.

Lucas wanted to hug him, to say he was sorry for being wrong about the mirrored staircase, but before he could do anything…

“Three.”

Jake had bent down, snatched up a shank of blood-smeared glass, and took off towards the deadly beast of Aunt Mama.

“B…I…T…C…H!” he yelled as he charged. Lucas did as he was told, taking the stairs two at a time in record time with counter-curse in hand, not daring to look back down once he reached the top.