Through the Mirror and Into Snow

by Ann T Bugg

“We didn’t even get your name,” Sam said.

  “Sorry. I’m a little out of sorts right now. It’s Snolindria.”

  “Snolindria? That’s really pretty. Way different than anything I’ve ever heard before.”

  “I guess so,” she replied with a shrug. “My mom used to call me Snow.”

  Valerie and Samantha stopped dead in their tracks. Sam’s eyes widened as Valerie gave Samantha another pleading look. I know you’re thinking what I’m thinking, but let’s not say a word!

  “Is something wrong?” she asked.

  “No, we’re fine.” Samantha’s voice cracked as she spoke. She and Valerie took a few hurried steps to catch up. “We’ve just been walking for a very long time. We, umm, got lost in the woods by Valerie’s house. We were wandering after a possum and I guess we lost track of the direction, as well as the time.” Sam paused. “What did you mean when you said your mom used to call you Snow? She doesn’t call you that anymore? You didn’t like it?”

  “It’s not that,” she replied. “My mom died when I was little. I have a stepmother now. She isn’t very nice to me and doesn’t really call me much of anything, other than a pain in the butt.”

  The girls giggled at her language, then Val felt bad. She stammered through an apology. “I’m sorry. Your mom dying isn’t funny. It was…well…you said…”

  The young girl gave them a soft smile. “No worries. I understand.” She let out a heavy sigh. “My dad is hardly ever home anymore. I don’t like to complain when he’s around, so I never mention it to him. We have so little time together…I want to make it happy for us. You two can call me Snow if you’d like.”

  “I’d like that. Friends use nicknames. You can call me Sam and you can call her Val or Larrie.”

  “Larrie? That’s funny.”

  “I know,” replied Valerie. “I told you my mom was goofy. You know, ‘Val-Larrie.’ It got shortened to ‘Larrie.’ Sometimes she just says ‘Lar.’”

  After a quick belly-laugh, they continued through the forest. Otter happily trotted beside them, occasionally pushing her head under a free hand for a quick scratch.

  Their eyes had finally adjusted to the dark and they were able to maneuver their way through the forest without any problems. The girls didn’t want to use the flashlights. If Snow truly was who they thought she was, she would have no clue what the strange devices were, and they would probably frighten her. Of course, she couldn't be that Snow, but it was in the back of their minds just the same.

  After walking across a small meadow, they stopped briefly after catching sight of a couple of deer grazing nearby.

  Samantha turned to Snow. “How is it you came to be out in the woods alone—” She stopped her question. “Hey, look! A cottage! Maybe someone is home and can help us.”

  “I don’t know. I don’t see any lights.” Val quickly recovered. “I mean, light from candles or anything.”

  “But it’s late. Maybe they’re just sleeping. Let’s stay together and try to be quiet. We don’t want to scare anyone and have them come out with a shotgun…uh, weapon or anything,” Sam said.

  Val nudged Sam. “Drama Queen.”

  Together they walked closer to the cottage. “This place is small. Look how low the roof is. You think it’s a playhouse?” Sam asked.

  “I don’t know,” answered Valerie. “It would be a little big for a playhouse, even by your grandpa’s standards.” Samantha’s grandfather had built her a huge playhouse when she was three years old. It was a Victorian style and had two stories. “It doesn’t look like anyone is home…if anyone lives here at all. I’ll go check it out, you guys wait here.”

  Val walked to the house and stepped up to the door, placing her ear to it. When she didn’t hear any sounds, she went in. She couldn’t find a light switch, so she moved her flashlight beam across the house, looking for signs of someone living there. The light revealed quite a mess.

  Certain they were alone, she shouted to Sam and Snow. “Either someone left in a hurry, or they are very messy. This place is a disaster. You guys can come inside. I don’t think anyone is home.”

  Lightning cracked as soon as the words were out of her mouth. Sam and Snow hurried toward the cottage. It started to pour almost the second they walked in.

  “Whew. We got in just in time,” Samantha said as she closed the door behind them. “Isn’t this strange? A cottage way out here in the middle of nowhere? Lucky for us, though.” She turned to Snolindria. “You’re awfully quiet. Are you okay?”

  “I’m okay, just very, very tired. Let’s look around for some beds.”

  “I’m tired, too.” Valerie walked past the kitchen area, through a doorway, and stopped dead in her tracks. “Um, Samantha, you want to come here for a second?”

  Samantha hurried to her side, and gasped. “You have got to be kidding me!”

  There they stood, looking into a bedroom with seven small beds. Snow came over and joined them.

  “That’s odd. This is the only room. You think children live here on their own?”

  “I don’t know.” Valerie glanced over to Samantha. Again, her eyes were wide and filled with wonder.

  “It’s awfully late for them to not be home if they do still live here,” Snow said with a yawn. “I’m so tired, I’m going to fall over. Let’s crawl into bed and worry about what to do tomorrow. At least it’s a nice dry place to sleep for tonight.” She walked to one of the beds, shook out the top blanket and crawled in.

  Val whispered to Samantha, “Still think we’re in the forest by my house?”

  “I stopped believing that a while ago, Val. I don’t know how she could be who we think she is, but this is getting stranger by the second. It’s late. We can get her story in the morning.”

  Val and Sam chose beds beside Snow. Despite the excitement the day brought, they managed to fall asleep almost immediately after a quick, “Goodnight.” Otter curled up in the doorway to the bedroom as if on guard duty. She was asleep in seconds as well, dreaming as she always did, with a low whimper and her legs slightly kicking. No doubt her dreams were of chasing rabbits, squirrels, barn cats, and perhaps an occasional possum.

  The storm died down, but the rain continued to fall throughout the night. The girls slept well, considering their current circumstances. Even though the house was a mess, the roof didn’t leak and kept them snug and dry. Samantha was usually the early riser, and was the first to awaken to the bright morning sun shining in the tiny room.

  “Yuck, this place is even dirtier in the daylight.”

  Valerie and Snow woke up at Samantha’s protests. Valerie took a few blinks as if she was trying to figure out where she was. She glanced over at Samantha and Snolindria and stretched wide.

  “Excuse me.” Her morning stretch, more often than not, was followed with a slight musical from her behind. The other two girls laughed.

  “That’s nothing,” said Samantha. “You should hear her burp! If there were windows, she would make them rattle.”

  Valerie’s eyes widened. Staring at Samantha, she blurted out, “Safety!”

  Just as Val began to shout, Samantha cried out, “Doorknob!” Valerie got her reply out first; she was the victor this time. They laughed instead of beginning a chase.

  “What was that about?” asked Snow.

  “It’s just a game we play,” explained Samantha. “If I say ‘doorknob’ before Valerie says ‘safety’ after she farts, she has to run to the closest doorknob and touch it for a safe base; otherwise, I get to punch her as hard as I can.”

  “You two are sure weird,” Snow said with a grin. “Let’s take a look around the house. Maybe there’s something to eat.” She stood up and stretched. No music accompanied it.

  There were dishes in the sink as well as most of the countertops. Valerie and Samantha noticed the sink was actually a washbasin made of wood, and the faucet connected to a small well. There was no sign of a refrigerator. There were no lights either, but instead tiny lamps that needed to b
e lit with a match.

  “That explains why I couldn’t find a light switch last night,” Valerie whispered to Samantha. “We must be in another time.”

  Snow found some fruit that had been preserved in jars in the cabinet, and Val found some clean forks. Sam cleared a spot on the table so they could sit down to eat breakfast. After eating, Val proved Samantha correct about her burping skills, then stood after saying, “Excuse me.”

  “No chase after a burp?” Snow asked with a smile.

  “I can’t run that much in a day.” Sam laughed. “Well, we have no game plan. I say we clean this dump up as payment for the food, in case someone does actually live here.”

  “Sounds like a fair trade to me,” Val said.

  “I’m in,” Snow added. “I just wish I could make animals help us. This is going to be quite a chore.”

  Val and Sam grinned. If only real life could be like the movies…

  Valerie worked on the dishes that were in the sink, as the other girls brought dirty ones off the counters over to her. With Val on dish detail, Samantha took the task of shaking off the bedding, while Snow dusted.

  When Samantha came back in with slightly less dusty comforters, she told the other two about a creek she found out back. A group decision was made to go out and relax by it once they were done, soak their tired feet, and let some sunshine sink in while they discussed what to do next.

  Chapter 7