TAPESTRY

- Four -

"You have to help me," wails the girl who dragged me into the alley. She looks to be my age. She is pretty, with black hair that hangs down to her shoulders, dark skin, and hazel eyes. Her clothes tell a different story. They are ragged, a plain grey dress and black boots. There are multiple patches on the dress, and the bootlaces are untied.

"Don't look at me!" she cried, noticing me about to look up at her. "You will end up like me, don't look at me," she repeated. "Well, alright, but how do I help you?" I questioned her, looking away.

She grasped my hand in hers, and she spoke. "If I look in a mirror, I can stop weeping and be free. The problem is, the only mirror in this village is owned by a horrible couple, the Buggses. They are too strong for the weepers to get past, but perhaps with your help we can get to the mirror. Would you agree?"

I frown, then I put my hand on her shoulder. "Of course I'll help you. What's your name?"

"Aliyah."

* * *

We enter the old house at the end of the street, and I look around. The place is gloomy, with a fire that burns grey flames in one corner. There is a three-legged sofa, and an armchair in the room. The rest of the room is empty, save for cobwebs and dust. The walls are lined with a wallpaper filled with different bugs. There is a case on the wall with dead bugs on display. I shudder. She leads me down to the cellar, the entrance at the back of the room.

If I thought the room we were in moments ago was creepy, the cellar was nightmare fuel. It was a long dark corridor that definitely didn't stay confined to underneath the house, as it was much too long. The walls were made of stone bricks. The floor was gravel, unusual for an indoor setting. There were various bugs crawling around the floor and walls. I look up.

Mrs. Buggs was on the ceiling. She was some sort of spider, except that she had a human head, one that would almost be friendly if it wasn't on the body of a horrifying creature. Her head twists towards us, and I can hear the audible crack of her bones as she moves. Her mouth opens wide, and a gargling sound escapes from it.

"Looking for something, dears?" she shrieked, and she pounced.

Aliyah and I ducked out of the way of Mrs. Buggs' landing area, and we started running down the corridor. She gave chase, her eight legs scuttling after us. "What the heck?!" I yelled, as we ran into a side room and locked the door. Inside, there it was.

The mirror.

Aliyah looked at it, and she saw her true reflection. It wasn't one of sadness, despair, or anything negative. It was a small smile, her eyes bright, her face healthy, her clothing beautiful. She turned around to face me, and now her face was almost the same as the one in the mirror.

"I'm free," she said, and she looked me right in the eye. "Let's get out of here..." I responded, and we left the room. I peeked into the bedroom on the way out of the cellar. I recoiled in disgust. Mrs. Buggs had four of her limbs wrapped around Mr. Buggs. He was a human, not a creature like her. He was covered in some silky substance, and his face was distant, as if he wasn't really there. She was whispering to him, as black liquid dripped from her hair.

"That's weird, what is she doing?" I asked Aliyah. "She's crazy, I don't even know," replied Aliyah. We both broke out into laughter, and we exited the village.