Mirror Mirror, On the Wall

The mirror had been hanging in the shop window of Aladdin's Cave ever since Kevin or anyone else could remember. The shop was run a by a funny little man with very long white hair, 'Bill' as he was known throughout the town of Burton-on-Sea.

For over 20 years the mirror had hung in the window. It's magnificent gold frame gradually gathering dust and your reflection gradually growing more and more grubby looking. The men in the Nag's Head, the local pub, often took bets to see how long the mirror would last before it was taken down. Bill had once been asked by a man to place a bet on how 'long that mirror will stay in that barmy old codgers shop window'. He had blown a fuse and was rarely seen out of his little shop.

Once summer day, Kevin and his friend Sarah walked along the high street, on their way to town. It was Kevin's mother's birthday and Sarah had promised to try and find a suitable gift for his mum. They walked down past the various burgerbars and clothing boutiques when Kevin stopped outside Aladdin's Cave.

"What's the matter Kev?" Sarah asked.

"The mirror." Kevin said. "It's gone."

The mirror had indeed gone. The shop window, surprisingly empty without it.

"Who do you think bought it?" Kevin asked Sarah. She shrugged.

"I dunno." She murmured, "C'mon, let's go. It's not like it was anything special."

"What do you think you two whippersnappers are looking at?" a gravely, croaky voice questioned suddenly. The two jumped and turned to find the toothy, smiling face of Bill.

"Y-your mirror. It's gone." Kevin told him, pointing at the empty space. Old Bill laughed.

"'Course it's gone young'un. I sold it didn't I!"

"Who bought it?" Sarah asked. "I mean it was very old."

"Oh, a man. Pettigraw or something like that. Gave me a pretty penny for it too. £1500. Small man. Thinning brown hair. Tubby. Never seen him before. Looked rather nervous. He was wearing a glove on one hand. Funny that. Wearing only one glove. And in May! Ha!" He paused his description and looked at the two children. They looked spellbound.

"Yes, funny man. Pettigraw I think."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Far away, a tubby man with thinning brown hair and carrying a large rectangular shaped package hurried along a dirtpath towards a large house. His movements like that of a small rodent. Say, a rat. He reached the house and pulled out a long stick from the insides of his cloak. Tapping the door, it opened and he hurried inside, slamming it behind him.

He crept along the hallways, up a once grand staircase. At last, a sliver of light broke across the dusty floor. He stopped in front of it. Summoning up courage, he raised a fist to knock. But a voice got there first.

"Wormtail! You are back. Come in."

The voice was abnormally high and not at all welcoming. The tubby man, obviously Wormtail pushed the door open. For the first time, warmth brushed past his pale face. He bowed before a tall figure dressed in black.

"I have returned my master." He said.

"Well done." The high voice said again. "Did you get what I asked for?"

"Yes Master." Wormtail replied, handing the package over. The other man ran his long, bony, white hands over it. He suppressed a laugh and tore the brown paper off. He stood before the mirror, looking at his reflection. Smiling an evil smile, he turned once again to Wormtail.

"You have done well and shall be rewarded" he said. Wormtail, still bowed made a snuffle in thanks. "You can go now. I will require more assistance later. Summon Lucius. I have a job for him."

As Wormtail turned and fled the room, the tall figure sat in an armchair.

"Soon I will have what I want." He said and then he laughed. A cold, high, evil laugh which would make a man's skin crawl.