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A gasp flies from my lips and my eyes open.

It was morning. The mirror was gone. And I'm safe in my room.

I look around, and everything seemed....normal. Like any day.

But the feeling of eyes, those eyes, were still on me.

All through the morning, I was mentally shaking. Those eyes were burned into my mind, and no matter where I turned I could still feel them on me, analyzing my every move. And it was starting to unnerve me.

At least I stayed in control for most of the morning and afternoon. Breakfast, reading, even thinking to myself. And making sure THAT door was locked. But those eyes wouldn't leave me.

"You seem to be in a bit of a muddle." I look up in surprise. It was aunt Sam, sitting next to me. Wait, when did she get here? Was I thinking too much to notice things around me? Most likely.

"I've just...been thinking." I shake my head, looking back at the carpet. I feel her rubbing my arms as if I'm cold.

"Well, signorinella, I may not know what's going on in that pretty little head of yours, but-" she turns to face me. "I'll tell you something that I told your mother when she was stuck in a time like this." She takes Hernandez in mine. They felt so soft, loving and warm, much like her towards me and my siblings. "I'm here for you. We all are. No matter where you turn, you'll never be truly alone. And if you do feel trapped....When all odds are against you, there is always a way out. Never let your fears, your weaknesses, control you. When you find what they are, you can turn them to your advantage, and become stronger than before." She looks me sternly in the eye, as if demanding that I absorb what she's saying. I don't break my face from hers. Not for a second.

"Wait right here. I've something I need to give you." She gets to her feet and scurries upstairs. My eyes follow her as she moves down the hall. I could only think about what she said until she came back.

"You mother wanted me to give this to you....as a little something to help you." She explained. I molded as she produced what was in her hands. "It's been in the Luchessi bloodline for many years. Passed down from one Luchessi woman to the next. And now it's yours, Charlotte."

A pendant. Three flower-like petals With a small diamond in the middle. Hanging from a sturdy gold chain.

"Auntie...it's beautiful!" I breath out. She unclasps it and puts it around my neck. It hung perfectly against my collarbone.

"Whenever you look at this, just remember what I told you. And you'll find that inner strength." She tilted my head up with her hand on my cheek. I nod and mouth a silent "thank you".

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The clock in the hall tolled it's tune, signaling it was noon.

Charlotte shot up from her place on the couch. A woven blanket was draped over her form. She must've passed out a while after her talk with aunt Sam.

The first thing she saw was a crisp white and blue parchment of note paper sitting under a coaster on the coffee table.

The girl nods her head, folding the paper up neatly before tossing it in a nearby wastebasket.

Stalking for the sliding door, she pushes it open and steps outside. She wasn't worried about bugs getting in.

She lets out a sigh. So many things have happened these past few days and it's already confusing her. All she wanted was to spend time with her aunt. And in the span of three days, there have been weird visions, cryptic dreams, and an encounter with a gypsy and a raven who stole her key-

"Oh shit. The key!" She hissed with worry. She fumbled for her pockets before feeling a small bulky thing in her bra.

She let out a sigh of relief, mentally thanking her sister for the tip.

Looking down at the key, she lets her thoughts settle. To tell or not to? That's the question. Let these feelings fly so you don't go crazy or keep them in, find out for yourself and essentially spiral into insanity?

She starts to walk around the gardens, breathing in the fresh air, and ponders her choices.

Meanwhile in the locked room, that same mirror stood silently amongst the junk piles. The glass warped like someone had touched the water's surface, leaving ripples in its wake.

From the glass, a raven flies out. It turns its head around the room, finding no signs of life. He flaps to the door, and in a snap, the lock clicks and the door swings open. Letting out a satisfied caw, he flies out of the room, and down the stairs, straight for the open backdoor. Outside, He moves higher up to the roof until he spots a small dark-haired being walking around the extravagant gardens. Their face turns to look at the sky.

It's her. He blinks his eyes as if signaling for a nod, and follows close behind.

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I let my thoughts roam as I walk. I distinctly recall a song my mom sang when I was younger. I remember it by heart now, and I start to sing.

I never really knew what the song meant but she claims it could help anyone who needs to find the truth.

I could see it perfectly: a younger me, crying her eyes at things that should never be said to herself or her friends. Or what friends she had at the time. The mother comes to her aid, consoling and soothing the child's tears with words of love and compassion. The girl listened as her mother spoke words of encouragement to get the girl back on her feet.

My heart starts to beat out loud the more I feel the song flow with the wind. The flowers were moving as if harmonizing with me, their petals fluttering like butterfly wings. I could hear not just my voice being carried on the wind's wings, but my moms. It brought a tear to my eye. I open my eyes and it's as if I could see her eyes made out in the clouds. Her smile matching the brightness of the sun's rays. The feelings of loss, love, sadness, hurt, and happiness clashed against one another as I let my voice fly.

The breeze against my face and hair were speaking my feelings. I love her, and I still do. No matter where she is. It howled in my ears but my mind listened to the song and my heart felt her love.

I breathe out as the last note sails off. I dry my eyes, and look at the key once more.

Thinking about what Aunt Sam had said, carefully and deeply, I nod my head.

"I'll tell her the truth." I decided.

However, it seemed like fate had other plans for me.

A black blur flew down right in front of me and the next thing I knew, the key was gone.

I gasped. Aunt Sam will kill me if she finds out I lost it!

I hear a sound and turn towards one of the stone benches. I sucked in a breath as adrenaline shot through me.

The Raven from my dreams was standing there, it's head tilted, the key in its beak.

"Okay, Charlie. Keep calm. Think this out. There's gotta be a way to get it back without letting the bird fly off with it." I thought.

Slowly, I got up, and step by step, I approach the bird cautiously.

"Okay, hey lil guy. Okay, now I know you don't want any trouble and frankly, neither would I. So, how bout you just gimme the key and we'll call it off okay?" I smile nervously.

I was arms length from him. Just a little closer. Little more.... almost!!!

And he takes off.

"No!" I cry. He starts for the house as do I. "dammi la chiave! That's mine!" Why do I have a feeling of déjà vu?

That damn bird swoops right through the door as I clam it through it. He lands on the island as I fumble with closing and locking the door. I whip back to see him standing there smugly. Damn bird.

"Okay, maybe you didn't quite understand me, bird brain!" I hiss. "Give me that key unless you'd like me to rip your feathers off by the handful!" I run at him, anger sparking. I feel my fingers brush his wing before he takes off again, this time for the staircase.

"Ma stai scherzando?!" I screech, doubling up the staircase.

Hold on....

I stop, looking at were he's heading.

There can only be one place he's heading. And if it's what I think it is, then I'm not going without a few supplies!

I hurry to my room. Bursting through the door, I snatch my shoulder bag. I run around the room, grabbing everything I need:

I grab my favorite black and white sneakers, my phone and portable charger, extra hair ties, pins and a brush, some bathroom stuff, my pencil pouch and 3 notebooks, my water bottle, my chapsticks, my lucky hoodie, and stuff them into my bag. And anything else.

And then, I look at the bag that I got at Madame Mim's. I crawl over to it and still see the hair clips still wrapped up carefully, with the stones and book untouched.

I thought about what she said....

"Wait until the right moment to find what you need an answer too."

Eh, screw it. What have I got to lose?

I grab the book and stones and the three hair pins. Placing the book next to my shoes, I place the stones and clips in the back zipper.

I haul my bag over my shoulder and zip out the door.

I speed my way down the hall, until I'm

right in front of the door.

I felt my legs shaking as I reached for the handle. Turning it slowly until it clicked and with a minor squeak, I lightly pushed it open.

There was that damn raven. On top of the mirror.

He still had the key with him where he stood. And that's when I knew: he's not backing out of this. Leading me to where the mirror is, and forcing me through.

It really does seem like fate works in strange ways...

I walk to where the mirror was propped up. My eyes trail to the bird as he looks at me. We don't break eye contact.

"...You're not letting up on that key, are you?" I mutter with sarcasm. He blinked, as what I assume to be a 'yes'.

I sigh, rolling my eyes. Guess there's no turning back.

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Charlotte faces the mirror. Her eyebrows crease in fear. However, with an inhale and exhale, she sets her focus and recites what the voice said:

A bright red flame lit the mirror's surface. She gasped but soon went back to focusing on her task...wait, what else did the voice say? Oh right!

A blue and white shard was shown.

Green sparks were lit ablaze.

As she spoke the words like a sonnet, the hand she had seen before hovered in the mirror, and a deeper voice joined hers in unison.

The raven, who had been watching the events unfold, fluttered down from his place on the mirror to her shoulder. But even if she felt that, she paid him no mind. She breathed the final words,

She turns to look behind her, where the door laid ajar. She wanted to run, run from the mirror, the room, the house and find someone, anyone to help her!

....but you can't defy fate. No matter where you turn, you'll still end up where you were. It's inevitable.

"Don't worry, Auntie. I'll be back soon. Te lo prometto." She whispered over her shoulder, tightening her grip on her bag.

She faced the mirror. And with one fell swoop, she let her hand touch the glass.

All there was was a bright light that swallowed the whole room. Brighter than any light seen. Then slowly, it dimmed to nothing.

The light was soon gone, and with it, so was Charlotte.