Reflection

18

"Ow!" I cried. "Sorry!" said Ellie. "I'm almost done!"

It turns out that the sharp pains I had felt in my back was shattered glass I had landed on, and now I couldn't heal properly with the shards still in the wounds. So Ellie was ripping the pieces out of my back, something that she was clearly not happy doing.

We had walked all night and day, and decided to camp out somewhere in the woods now that the sun was setting. I had no idea where we were, but thankfully the others seemed to know what they were doing, for the most part, at least.

Ellie checked one last time to make sure all the glass was out, then wiped off the blood and announced, "Done! That wasn't so bad, was it?"

I glanced at the pile of bloody glass and grimaced. "No, Ellie, it wasn't. You should be a doctor." She grinned, clearly pleased with herself. "Hurry up and change before the guys get back," she ordered.

I grabbed a spare shirt from my bag and quickly slipped it on over my head. I started to zip the bag closed when something caught my eye. The mirror.

I snatched it out of the bag, examining it. A long, thin crack ran along the surface, but it miraculously appeared otherwise unharmed. I held it to my chest, sighing in relief.

The reason for this mirror's importance wasn't that Ellie had given it to me, though I did appreciate it; it was that it reflected who I used to be, and it was a reminder that no matter what, there would always be a small part of me that was still human. Humanity wasn't defined by what you could and couldn't do; it was defined by your emotions, and by your choices. So I considered myself human, in the ways that matter.

"That wasn't meant for you," said a voice. Soft but sharp, it seized me from my thoughts. I jumped, fumbling with the mirror before stuffing it back in the bag. Serenity stood behind me, her ink black hair spilling over her shoulders, her fingers clasped tightly in front of her. "It was meant for Elizabeth," she continued, contained anger and suspicion visible in her dark eyes. "Did you steal it?"

"What?" I exclaimed in surprise. Was she calling me a thief? "Of course not! She gave it to me."

"Why?" Serenity snapped immediately. I glanced around. James and Adam had returned from getting firewood, and they were talking with Ellie by a blazing fire. They didn't seem to be listening, and the roar of the flames had to have blocked out our conversation, unless they intentionally listened in.

Even so, I spoke softly when I answered. "Kindness."

"Kindness?" Serenity demanded, her voice rising ever so slightly. "When did Ellie give you the mirror?"

"Last nigh—"

"So she gave it to you after she knew I hated you," Serenity said bitterly. I glanced nervously at Ellie, hoping I didn't cause an argument between her and her friend, even if said friend was a jerk. "Why do you hate me?" I asked, trying to distract her from being mad at Ellie by directing her anger towards me.

She looked at me like I was a smashed bug on her windshield. "Because you're a danger to yourself and everyone around you. Wherever you go, darkness and destruction follow. You're a threat, and you're going to get someone killed."

I shook my head, glancing over at Adam, who was laughing at something Ellie was saying. When I looked back, I found Serenity staring at him as well, her face clouded with longing. "That's not it," I said. Her eyes shot back to me, then flicked back to Adam one last time before settling on me. There was something in her eyes—worry? Fear?

"It's because," I began, watching her expression carefully. Don't do it, her eyes said, widened. "You're in love with Adam," I finished slowly. A mix of emotion crossed her face—rage, sadness, frustration, defeat, but most of all: pain. Her lip quivered and her hands trembled, but she quickly tensed them to keep from shaking.