C. M. Mason - Author Facebook ad: “He waited by the mirror for twenty years to finally.”

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“Vanessa!” her mother yelled. “Vanessa, are you here?” The crowd thundered down the wooden steps like a herd of wild beasts. The wooden steps creaked as they bore the weight of the concerned adults rushing into the musty darkness. “Were you playing in the crawlspace?” Charlie’s dad asked. “I told you kids to stay out of the crawlspace.” Charlie’s dad pulled the draw string from an overhead light. The soft orange glow of the incandescent bulb illuminated the basement. Stacks of cardboard boxes and other plastic containers littered the space like castle walls. A bench in the corner scattered with an assortment of tools and other items for menial home repairs. Christmas, Halloween, and other holiday decorations packed into a corner waited for their seasons. The hint of mildew permeated the air. “Vanessa,” her mother called out. “Vanessa, this isn’t funny.” “Vanessa. Get out here right now or you’re grounded for a week,” her father yelled. The adults scattered to the four corners of the basement searching for her. A pair of feet thundered down the steps. “Loser, what did you do now?” a voice asked. Charlie turned and glared at his sister, Julie, standing near the end of the basement steps, still wearing the sweatpants and T-shirt from her volleyball practice. “Julie, this isn’t the time,” Charlie’s mom said. She pointed a finger at her—the universal parental sign to knock it off. “Go back upstairs.” “Fine,” she said as she stomped her way back upstairs. “Get the flashlight from the workbench,” Charlie’s dad said. “I think I see something in the crawlspace.” “Here. Use mine,” Officer Ron said as he rushed to join Charlie’s father. He shone the light into the small space above the cinderblocks on the back side of the basement. “I don’t see her,” Officer Ron said. “I don’t see anything. Wait . . . maybe something back there. Here, give me a hand.” The other adults tore into the boxes and plastic containers. They searched under every nook and cranny of the basement. They searched a few cabinets that had been placed down there. Nothing. They found nothing. “Where is she, Charlie?” his mother asked. Charlie’s eyes locked onto her real location. Where she was hidden. Where she was trapped. Next to an old storage cabinet was the oval-shaped full-length mirror carved into a dark mahogany wood. A radiant sun dial was in the wood above the mirror. Two wooden legs kept it upright. This was their secret. Their secret place for adventure. For fun. And now everyone must know. Charlie’s mom approached him. She placed her hands on his shoulders. “Charlie, you need to tell us right now,” his mother said. “Where is Vanessa hiding down here?” Charlie gulped. “Promise I won’t get in trouble?” “I promise you. You won’t be in trouble.” Charlie pointed to the mirror and said, “She’s in there.” “She’s in where?” Vanessa’s mother asked. “She’s in the mirror,” Charlie said. “Charlie, this isn’t one of your silly games or stories,” his mother said. “This is serious.” Tears welled in Charlie’s eyes. “I’m serious, Mom,” he said. “I need you to believe me.” “Charlie, tell the truth,” his father said in a stern voice. “Where is she?” “She’s in the mirror!” Charlie yelled. “And I can’t get to her.” “What is he talking about?” Vanessa’s dad asked. Charlie rushed over to the mirror. “She’s in here,” he proclaimed. “Nessa is in the mirror. We can travel through this mirror to a magical realm. It has castles and knights and magic. Turning this dial activates the mirror.” Charlie turned the sun dial clockwise and counterclockwise a series of times. “When I do that, it should open, and we can pass through. We’ve been going there for years. Years. Since we were like five. We were supposed to go through today after school. But I had my doctor’s appointment. She must have gone through before I got home.” His words trailed off. Tears fell down his face. He continued, “Now, I can’t get it to work again, and she’s trapped inside.” Silence fell over the basement. The five adults stood in stunned silence. It could have been a moment, an hour, or a week. It was all the same to Charlie. Their eyes wandered back and forth between each other. Their mouths moved, but Charlie didn’t hear what was being said. He only thought of Vanessa and how he couldn’t get to her. Charlie’s mom broke the silence. “When will you grow up?” she shouted. “Charles Grimm, this isn’t one of your little games. This is serious.” Vanessa’s mother sobbed uncontrollably, consoled by Vanessa’s father. Officer Ron jogged up the steps. “I’ll call in the missing person report. We’ll get an Amber Alert out as soon as possible.” Charlie’s mom helped Vanessa’s parents up the steps. Charlie’s father approached in large steps. His chest puffed out and his head pulled back. He pointed a finger at Charlie, wagging it back and forth. “I want you to go upstairs and head to bed right now,” he commanded. “We’ll discuss this in the morning.” Charlie flared out his arms before smacking the sides of his legs. “But Dad, I’m telling you the truth.” His voice cracked, pleading for anyone to believe him. “I don’t want to hear it. Playtime is over. You’re thirteen. This is serious. Upstairs. Now!” “But, Dad . . .” Charlie said. “You’re done,” Charle’s dad scolded. “You need to grow up.” Charlie slumped his head, curling in his lips. His fingers dragged across the mirror, hoping one final touch would activate it. There was nothing. Only his defeated, dejected reflection. Charlie sniffled, fighting the urge to bawl his eyes out as he climbed the steps. He knew where his friend was. Trapped in a magical realm. Hopefully safe. She must be scared. Maybe something happened on her end. Maybe she tried to get back and couldn’t? Charlie’s dad pulled on the drawstring, shrouding the basement in darkness. In that moment, Charlie vowed to never stop trying. To never let her down. On that night, a girl vanished, and a young boy vowed to wait for her. Continue Reading The Fairy Tale Fantasy, Once Upon A Mirror. Available on ebook, Kindle Unlimited, Paperback, and Hardcover. *** This book is not affiliated with, authorized by or endorsed by Disney or any other company. All characters and dialogue are products solely of the author’s imagination. Some of the characters were inspired by public domain characters from Charles Perrault or the Grimms Fairy Tales.

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He waited by the mirror for twenty years to finally...

If you enjoy the portal fantasy of Jumanji and the fantastical realm of Narnia, then Once Upon A Mirror will captivate you.