15

I jogged blindly, ducking my head because the ceiling was so low. Finally, my eyes adjusted to the darkness.

The tunnel ended, and I found myself in a narrow corridor with mirrored walls and a mirrored ceiling.

"Oh!" I uttered a low cry. I could see my reflections — dozens of them. I seemed to surround myself!

I stopped for a moment and adjusted my long, black braid. It was always coming loose. Then I called again to the boys, "Where are you? Wait up!"

I could hear them giggling somewhere up ahead. "Try and find us!" Luke called. More giggling.

I made my way quickly through the mirrored walkway. The walls curved to the right, then the left. My reflections followed me, stretching deep into the mirrors, dozens and dozens of me, getting smaller and smaller, stretching to infinity!

"Hey — don't get too far ahead!" I cried.

I heard them giggling. Then I heard a rumble of footsteps that seemed to come from the other side of the mirrored wall.

I followed the corridor, walking slowly, carefully, until I saw a narrow opening up ahead.

"Wait right there. I'm coming through!" I called.

I started through the opening, and — BONK! — hit my forehead on solid glass.

"Ow!" I cried out as the pain jolted across my forehead, then down the back of my neck, all the way down my spine.

I raised my hands to the glass and waited for my dizziness to fade away.

"Lizzy, where are you? Try to find us!" I heard Luke call.

"I hit my head!" I shouted, rubbing my forehead.

I could hear him and Clay laughing. Their voices seemed to be behind me now. I turned back, but there were only mirrors behind me. No opening.

My head still ached a little, but the dizziness had gone away. I started walking again, more carefully this time. I kept both hands out in front of me so I wouldn't bump into anything again.

I turned a corner and stepped into a different room. To my surprise, the floor in this room was a mirror. The walls, the ceiling, the floor — were all mirrors. I felt as if I were standing inside a mirrored box.

I took a few careful steps. It felt so weird walking on my own reflection.

I could see the tops and the bottoms of my sneakers as I walked. It made it really hard to walk. I kept having the feeling that I was going to fall into myself!

"Hey, guys — where are you?" I called.

No reply.

I felt a sharp stab of fear in my stomach.

"Luke? Clay? Are you there?" I saw the mouths of my reflections move as I called out, dozens of mouths. But only one voice came out, my voice, tiny and shrill.

"Luke? Clay?"

Silence.

"Don't fool around, guys!" I shouted. "Where are you?"

Silence. No reply.

I stared at the dozens of reflections on all sides of me. They all looked very frightened.

"Luke? Clay?"

Where had they gone?

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***