“Do you the lace is too much ,Min-sun?”Prim asks tugging nervously at the fries.
She smooths down the stiff pleats of her bright pink dress,turning left and right in the small bedroom mirror.
“I don’t want everyone to look at me like I’m some antique doll.”
Min-sun pauses,a hairbrush halfway through hairbrush sky blue locks.
She looks at her younger sister through the reflection ,soften her expression.” Not at all Prim.
You look absolutely perfect.
Besides,making an impression is what we want today.
It’s our very first day after all.
We need to look like we belong.
”
“I suppose.
“Prim mumbles, though she still looks entirely unconvinced. She picks up a white ribbon from her vanity table.”Can you help me tie this?
My hands are shaking too much.”
“Come here.” Min-sun says gently.
She takes the ribbon, her fingers working quickly and deftly to form s nest bow at the back of Prim’s collar.”There.
Ready to conquer the world.
Or at least the ninth grade.”
Before Prim could reply, the heavy oak door to their room creaks open.
The ambient warmth in the room seems to drop a few degrees instantly.
Aunt Seul-gi stands in the threshold, her silhouette framed in the dim light of the hallway.
Her sharp eyes scans the girls,lingering on their pristine uniform and neatly brushed hair.
“Well,look at my beautiful nieces. ” Seul-gi says, her voice smooth and dropping with an unsettling sweetness.
“Are you both finally ready for your big first day?”
“Yes Seul-gi!”Prim cheers instantly brightening up.
She grabs her leather backpack from the edge of the bed and swings it over her shoulder.
“We’ve been ready since dawn. We didn’t want to be late.”
Aunt Seul-gi lips curves into a sharp, devious smile that didn’t quite reach her cold eyes.
“Excellent. Promptness is a virtue. Follow me, girls. We have a small detour to make before you head out to the courtyard.”
Min-sun exchanges a brief, cautious glance with her sister.
“A detour? Aunt Seul-gi, the bus will be here in exactly fifteen minutes. If we don’t leave now,we might miss the orientation assembly.”
“The bus can wait Min-sun.”Seul-gi replies, already turning on her heels.
“What I have to show you is far more important than a morning lecture. Come along.”
With no other choice, the sisters steps at out of the room.
Instead of heading through the grand staircase that leads to the grand entrance, Seul-gi turns left,heading them deep into the sprawling estate.
The hallways are lined with massive,gold portraits of ancestors whose eyes seems to follow their every movement.
Prim hogs a few quick steps to catch up with her older sister, her shiny patent-leather shoes clicking loudly on the polished marble floors.
She reaches out,tugging tightly on Min-sun’s sleeve to pull her close.
“Min-sun,”Prim whispers anxiously, her voice barely audible over the sound of their footsteps.
“Aren’t we supposed to be going downstairs towards the driveway? Why are we going towards her private wing? This doesn’t feel right.”
Min-sun feels a sudden ,sharp priceless of unease rise up in her spine.
Her internal alarms-honed by many years of looking out for Prim,begins to ring.
Her CIA-level instinct told her something was wrong,but she forces her face to remain completely calm.
She couldn’t let Prim panic.
“Aunt Seul-gi?”Min-sun calls out keeping her voice polite but firm.” The school bus passes the main gates in about twenty minutes.
Of we don’t leave now, we’ll miss the registration.
”
“Don’t worry about the time Min-sun.
“Seul-gi replies without slowing down or looking back.
“Time is a very flexible concept where you two are going. You won’t be late for what I have planned. ”
“What does that mean?”Prim whispers frantically, her grip tighten on Min-sun’s arm.
“I don’t know. ” Min-sun whispers back,her muscles tensing.” Be ready to run if I tell you to”
Aunt Seul-gi stops abruptly in front of a pair of ornate double doors at the end of the hall.
She pushes them open with ease ,revealing her private sitting room.
The room is lavishly decorated but the center had been cleared out.
Standing prominently in the middle of the room is a massive, antique full-length mirror.
It’s silver frame is carved with intricate, twisting patterns that looks almost like writhing serpents.
“In here girls.” Seul-gi says, stepping aside ,gesturing for them to enter.
Min-sun hesitates but seeing no immediate threat, she guides Prim into the room.
The stop a few feet from the grand mirror, their reflection staring back at them.
The two sisters looks small,dressed up in their beautiful uniform, contrasting against the dark imposing room.
“Why did you bring us to this room Seul-gi,” Prim asks,her voice trembling.” Are we going to take a picture before school?”
Seul-gi walks up behind them, placing a cold hand on each of their.
She looks at their reflection in the glass, her expression devoid of its usual warmth.” Tell me, girls.
Are you ready?”
“Ready for what?” Min-sun asks, her eyes narrowing as she stares at Seul-gi’s reflection.
She tries to step forward to pull Prim from her aunt’s grasp,but it was surprisingly vice-like.
“Ready for school? Yes we are. Now let us go. You’re hurting my shoulder.”
“Are you ready for your true education?”Seul-gi corrects, her voice dropping to a low, chilling purr.” Are you ready to see what lies beyond the mundane little lives you have been living?” This story is hosted at novelping.com.
“Seul-gi you’re scarring me.” Prim cries out , tears welling up in her eyes.
“I wanna go to school! I don’t wanna play this game anymore!”
“This is no game, my dear Prim. ” Seul-gi says, her voice smooth.
Before either sister could react, Seul-gi steps back releasing her grip.
In a fluid, incredible motion, she pivots on her supporting leg and executes a devastating, high-extension kick, straight into the center of the standing mirror.
CRASH!
The heavy glass shatters into thousands of sharp fragments, raining down un5o the hard wood floor with a deafening roar.
Prim shrieks, burying her face in Min-sun’s side.
Min-sun throws her hand around her sister, bracing for the impact of flying glass,but strangely, none of the shards hit them.
Instead of a solid wall behind the broken mirror, a swirling, violent vortex of violet and deep blue light materializes.
The air in the room instantly changes, replaced by a howling wind that begins to pull at their clothes and her.
The portal hums with a low vibration, that shakes the very floorboards under their feet.
Prim trembles on fear.
Min-sun stares at the swirling void , completely astonished”What…What did you do?”
“What is that thing ?!” Prim screams over the roaring sound of the wind, her eyes widens with terror as she stares into the glowing abyss.” Min-sun let’s go!
Let’s get out of here!”
Min-sun tries to turn around to drag her sister towards the exit, but aunt Seul-gi blocks the doorway, standing perfectly calm amidst the howling gale.
Her sharp smile is fully on display now.
“What is this Aunt Seul-gi?!” Min-sun demands,her voice cracking either a mixture of fear and rage.” Where’s the wall?!
What did you do to the mirror?!”
Seul-gi chuckles, a sound cutting through the sound of the vortex.
“It’s exactly what I said it was ,Min-sun. It’s your future. ”
“Our future isn’t a hole in the wall!”Min-sun yells ,taking a defensive se p back, keeping Prim behind her.” We’re going to school!”
“Oh you are going to school, but just the one on the map.” Seul-gi says stepping forward.
” Your parents hid you away in this ordinary boring realm for far too long.
It’s time for you to fulfill your lineage.
”
“No stop! Stay away from us!” Prim sobs, clutching Min-sun’s waist.
“Don’t be afraid children.” Seul-gi says, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness as she closes the distance between them.” It’s just a little trip.”
“Run Prim!”Min-sun shouts trying to dive to the side to bypass her aunt.
But Seul-gi was far too fast.
With a sudden extension of both hands, she delivers a powerful, dual push towards the sisters’ chest.
“Ahhhhhh” Min-sun and Prim screams in unison as the force knocks theme off their feet.
They tip backwards, falling directly into the center of the violent vortex.
The room, the broken glass, and the triumphant smiling of Seul-gi instantly vanishes replaced by an endless, swirling tunnel of blinding light and cosmic energy .
They tumble through an interdimensional void, their screams echoing in the infinte unknown as the portal snaps shut behind them.