The beautiful plan in the mirror
Now this is something. Lisa gazes intently at it. The box is small, but the thing in it, moves like it is from the bottom of the sea. Slow and deliberate. In fact, it looks almost like a sea star. And that is what she thought it was, at first. Until it tried to run away. So, she caught it. Strange that it moves so slowly now, when it was so fast as it tried to get away from her. Even stranger that it would be upstairs in their new house.
This had something to do with Edward. She was positive it was his handiwork. Her little brother could be very annoying at times. Furthermore, this was something he did all the time. Bringing strange animals, and creatures, into their home. Similarly she remembers the day she discovered his pet snake. Quite by accident of course. After it found its way into her room. That little episode inspired the new rule. No creature of any kind in the house, unless approved by Mom and Dad.
The Beautiful Plan
Now as she stares at this…thing, she knows it’s another one of Edwards pets. Mom is going to be so mad at him when she finds out. The thing in the box continues its lazy, and slow, exploration of its confinement. If it has eyes, Lisa can’t tell. It resembles a sea star, but that’s only how it is shaped. In fact, they didn’t live anywhere near the sea. It has legs like a Praying Mantis but no obvious head or tail. There’s absolutely no telling where Edward found this thing.
He was always getting into trouble. Too curious for his own good. Thank goodness she had Bethany to help balance her little brother’s weirdness. As she watches the creature move around the box, she wonders what something like this eats. Dragonflies eat mosquitoes. And sea stars eat mollusks and oysters. This thing looks like it could eat almost anything. The thought barely enters her mind when the creature jumps. Straight toward her face.
In The Mirror
Edward is sitting at the table, thinking deeply, when he hears Lisa scream. It startles him from his daydream. The memory of being chased through that strange place, was still fresh in his mind. If not for Bethany, he would still be there. Or worse. At first, going through the opening behind the mirror, seemed like a beautiful plan. However, it almost ended in disaster.
Therefore he was sitting at the kitchen table trying to think of a bribe. He knew Bethany would tell Lisa about his little adventure. Then he would really be in trouble, because Lisa would then tell Mom and Dad. He didn’t need anymore trouble. After his pet snake got banished he was grounded for a week. He still couldn’t understand what was so bad about a pet snake in the house.
With this in mind, he is sitting at the kitchen table trying to think. What would it cost him to bribe Bethany, not to tell their parents? As he studies his options a new thought occurs to him. Would they even believe Bethany? The hole in the wall behind the mirror was gone. There was really no evidence of anything. And then, from upstairs, they hear Lisa scream.
The Beautiful Plan
Bethany is sitting at the kitchen table across from Edward. They are waiting for Lisa so they can eat dinner together. Their parents are trying to cut down on screen time again. The latest plan is everyone sitting together for dinner, at the kitchen table. Of course Bethany thinks this is the most boring thing imaginable. Therefore she is thinking about how she can annoy Edward.
She can tell by the look on his face he is feeling guilty. And she knows he doesn’t want Mom and Dad to know about his little adventure. She wouldn’t know about it either, except she went into his room the moment he disappeared. It surprised her at first. To see him vanish. So she waited for him to get back. Then she had to help him get back.
Therefore this was too good of an opportunity to pass up. She is thinking about this when Lisa screams. And then nothing is boring. In fact, from that moment on, everything changes.
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Beautiful Plan