Reflection
an excerpt

[Almost the end of Chapter 16, written from Inside {inside the mirror}]

Rose slowly walked past the mirror, casting an apprehensive look inside the mirror. I did exactly as she did, with barely any delay. When she was out of the mirror’s view, I did not move because if she leaned to the side, she would be able to look into the mirror.
But she did not lean, and I did not have to be Rose for a while. I did take a peek Outside, though, to see what she was doing. There were books spread out all around her, and she was reading a bit then writing on paper quickly.
If she had looked up, she would have seen me. Of course, that did not matter, for she had already seen me in another mirror, although I had not been aware of it.
And she had not been extremely afraid of it…she still trusted mirrors!
I laughed, then clapped my hand over my mouth. I know she had not heard it, but I did not want to take the risk. If she did hear it, then she heard it very faintly.
I may be able to make direct contact with her sooner than expected! I rejoiced in my mind. This is turning out wonderfully!
But I did not bring my hopes up. There were still those who hated me and misjudged me, but I would not let them stop me from freeing myself. Simply escaping the Inside was not hurting anything, and would not change anything.
Except the banishment.
I jumped at the voice in my head. I did not think that, something thought it for me.
The banishment will be betrayed.
What had I to lose? I listened carefully.
You must either stop her from banishing you, or go back to sometime after the day the old witch dropped lifeless on the church floor.
“Yes,” I whispered.
One of these things must be done unless you wish to go back to exactly where you started: in the room of Pure White.
I shuddered. Never again would I step foot anywhere near that place.
The voice stopped.
I made up my mind.
Rose would meet me the next day.