THE MOMENT
Susan opened her eyes slowly when the brilliant golden light faded. She stood alone in the elevator. The dim emergency light proved that Kent was no longer there.
"That's the last time I step in an elevator with him," the mid-30s woman grumbled. The small complaint was not enough to ease her frustration; her jealousy piqued. "I don't even know why a Unique needs a job anyway. He'd better send help, it's not like he couldn't take me with him. I wonder if I could report him for leaving me stranded...,"
Susan's thought process was interrupted by a pry bar slipping between the elevator doors. Despite being glad for the rescue, it irked her that it came so soon when she wanted to use it against Kent.
After a five minute ordeal, she was out of the elevator. Another 20 minutes after that, she walked into her apartment. She was eager to leave the day behind and headed straight to her bedroom to change into something more comfortable. She almost jumped out of her skin the moment she stepped into the room.
A blood-curling scream sounded from the closet. Susan turned and saw the closet door open, just as she left it in the morning. Though, her reflection in the closet's mirror was surprising. It stared at her with wide, panicked eyes. Mirror Susan's hand trembled while covering her mouth; obviously the source of the scream.
"Residual effects my ass," Susan grumbled. The existence of Alternate universes was common knowledge on her Earth. Though she had yet to hear of a mirror universe, it made sense to her that one existed. She immediately linked her screaming reflection to Kent's quick departure from the elevator. She held her palms up to show the mirror she meant no harm and took slow steps forward until she stood before her trembling self.
"Hey, uh. Me. Calm down."
"What do you want?" Mirror-Susan asked.
"To put some flannel on and relax," Susan offered her friendliest smile. "I think I have an idea of how this happened, but it was an accident. I'm not going to hurt you or anything."
"An accident?" the reflection asked. She seemed to relax almost insantly. "Do you know a Sol? I mean, Unique Soul #46, El Sol?" she asked.
"Yes!" Susan said. "Kent's a schmuck. How'd you know?" Susan's reflection rolled her eyes.
"We hate Sols over here. They think they're so great just because they're,..." she used air quotes. "...destined to be the most powerful being in their universe."
"God, tell me about it," Susan replied.
"Hey, wanna prank him?" the reflection asked with a sinister grin.
"Yeah! How?"
"Let me come over there, I've got a plan."
"Sure, I guess. If you get here, you have a place to stay, but Kent is the only one I know that can Traverse. I'm not about to ask him for a favor." Her reflection shook her head.
"There's another way. It only works with a mirror universe though."
"Really? How!?" Susan was eager to learn. She was currently saving up to take a trip to a magical Earth. But if her reflection knew a different way to Traverse, it would definitely get her traveling sooner.
"Get in the closet and close the door. It has to be completely dark." Susan shrugged and did as she was asked. She stepped into the closet, turned around and pulled the door closed while staring at the mirror. It was a tight fit with her clothes rubbing against her back but she hoped it wouldn't be cramped for very long.
"Still there?" Susan asked the darkness. Her reflection responded, even though there was no light to reflect.
"Yep. Okay, put your hand on the mirror. I can't see either, so tell me when it's done."
"Done."
"Now, say this phrase: It is my soul's deepest wish to know the depths of the Abyss." Susan had seen a lot of strange things in her lifetime, so many that she hardly questioned them anymore. She took in a quick breath and repeated the line.
"It is my soul's deepest wish to know the depths of the Abyss." At the last word, she felt a feather touch on her fingertips and jumped at the unexpected contact. She yelped, then giggled. "Did it work?" she asked.
"It did," her other self replied in the darkness, but something didn't feel right. She expected the closet to be even more crowded, but she could no longer feel the clothes pressing on her back. She pushed against the mirror to open the door. Instead of it swinging open, Susan's view moved until she was staring out into her own bedroom through a window. She watched herself step out of the closet and smile, even though she still felt like she was in a darkened closet.
"Thanks!" she said to Susan. "This is going to be an epic prank." She smiled, then kicked the mirror. Susan's window shattered and disappeared leaving her alone and in the dark.