Mirror Girl

By Paul Carlson

Mirror Girl is about a young lady who suspects that her idyllic home town is wholly different than it appears.
Desdemona Pringle investigates several anomalies, and with the help of a mysterious friend, learns the astonishing truth about her existence and world.

First published in Abyss & Apex, "Mirror Girl" has received an Honorable Mention in "The Year's Best Science Fiction, 27th Edition."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Paul Carlson
• Release date: Dec 29, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301220717

Paul Carlson

Paul Carlson is a science fiction author, and member of SFWA. He also rants and raves about a wide variety of topics. He's a delivery truck driver to pay the bills, and a gardener and hiker and such on the weekends.

Book preview

Mirror Girl

by Paul Carlson

Copyright 2012 by Paul Carlson

Published at Smashwords by Paul Carlson

ISBN: 9781301220717

I loved Montrose Terrace. Skipping down the sidewalk with my best friend Susan, books about to fly from our tote bags. Autumn colors graced the trees, while toy-strewn lawns and the scent of home cooked breakfasts guided us all the way to school. It was, the old timers liked to say, a modern day Mayberry.

First up on Tuesday was People in History, and I already knew who I was going to speak about. All around me, students were getting ready for their own reports. I waited until the teacher was busy, then took a peek. Susan was looking up Martin Luther King, while Jolene had picked a chapter on Homer, from ancient Greece.

When Susan finished giving her report, I raised my hand. Only a few other kids volunteered, but the teacher looked right past me. I glanced up and saw the reason: my left hand and arm were missing.

Teacher? No response. Teacher? Finally I stood. Teacher! I have to go see the nurse.

It's not your arm again? Very well, you may be excused. Please be back in time to give your report."

Yes, teacher.

#

Desdemona 'Desi' Pringle, muttered the nurse. We were alone in the school's tiny clinic. Eleven years old, excellent fifth grade scores. Complains of missing extremity.

Not missing, ma'am, I corrected. Invisible.

Let's have a look. The nurse snapped on gloves and patted my left side. Raise it. More poking and squeezing. It's there, all right. She reached my fingers. Hmm. Left pinky finger seems insubstantial. Better get in the chair.

I didn't like the chair, but obeyed. Made of unvarnished wood, it sat, an object of whispered lore, in a corner of the room. Despite its general disuse, no