Mirror Lake, the largest lake in the enchanted forest, was no ordinary body of water. Its mystical powers were known throughout the land. People warned her of the danger lurking underneath the surface. She heard rumors that when you sat by the lake, you could hear the call in the depths of your soul to something deeper. 

Months ago, she felt a pull to the lake. She would find herself entranced in a spell walking down the path that led there. But at the last minute, she would awaken from trance, alarmed, and reminded of the warnings she had heard. She tried to stay away, to keep her mind busy so it would not be open to the call. But that pull was strong, and she was only able to stay away so long.

Tonight, she awoke from the trance to find herself standing by the large oak tree closest to the lake. But tonight, instead of feeling alarmed, she felt physically drawn toward the lake, a yearning deep inside her soul which she could not ignore. And so, she walked, a bit tentatively, but also excitedly, towards the lake. 

As she drew closer, she found a rock on the edge, a perfect seat for reflection. She slowly sat down on it. Immediately, she felt her body relax into its surface, allowing the rock to hold her body softly, as though she were floating on a cloud. She slowly turned her eyes down, looking into the lake. And as she did, instead of seeing her reflection, she saw the face of another looking back at her. 

Her mind told her she should be alarmed. This was no ordinary occurrence and could be dangerous. But her heart was inexplicably calm as she allowed herself to gaze directly into the eyes of another. As she did, she found eyes looking back at her with such a piercing gaze that she suddenly felt exposed, as though the depths of her heart and soul were written on her eyes to be read. The masks she wore each day crumbled and her whole being was exposed. 

Her heart began to race as she realized that her defenses were down, causing her mind to come alive again. It began racing, trying to busy itself and distract her from the pull of the lake. Her mind reminded her that she couldn’t trust anyone, let alone the face in the lake. It could see right through her defenses, leaving her vulnerable to attack. And so, she found herself standing up and leaving that rock. 

And yet, some part deep inside her knew that she needed time at this lake. The masks were so heavy and putting them down for a bit made her feel lighter, if only for a few minutes. Deep inside, her heart and soul knew she would be back at this lake. She did not know whether it would be days, weeks, months, or years. But she knew she would be back.