The Dream Mirror

By
Frits Schotsman

 

Prologue – The Man on the Tower.

The man stood all alone on the trans of the tower. No one knew he was there. It was his secret place to contemplate, and as always he felt extraordinarily powerful when he was here. Not that he really felt weak in other circumstances, on the contrary, he had always had a strong will and a lot of self-confidence. But this place had something special for him. From here he could overlook the entire Lower Town, and to the north he even had an unobstructed view of the impressive shapes of the Grey Mountains. Every time he looked at them he felt something of that magical power that was waiting for him somewhere in the future.
He knew that he would have to be patient for some time to do so, because the time to actually strike was not yet ripe. However, that decisive moment was coming closer and closer, and therefore today he had called an intensive meeting with the people with whom he had founded the Revolutionary Society. They had all been loyal to him over the years, despite the long wait everyone had had to endure. But he had never failed to impress upon them that one day their dream would come true, and that this moment was drawing ever closer. His power of persuasion had always been great and today, too, he had managed to revive their enthusiasm. He could afford to be so full of conviction because he knew that the gate was about to open. Then, finally, the time would come to take action and reassemble the various parts of the coveted relic. For one part, he had already worked out a detailed plan. Everything depended on precise timing, for the rest he did not foresee any problems. It would be much more difficult to obtain the second part, but he believed that he would find a suitable solution for that in the time to come.
He felt tremendous excitement at the thought of what all this would eventually bring him. He knew that from that moment on he would be the absolute autocrat of his world, a man of unlimited power. He would be master of creation and could create whatever he chose. Not only that, but every human being would be indebted to him and would have to pay the price that he would impose on him as he saw fit. While the fact that he still had to wait a while filled him with excitement, it never really made him impatient. The years of waiting had taught him the art of patience very well, and he knew how to remain internally calm and balanced despite the enticing prospect.
By now it was getting late and the sun was beginning to set. On the western horizon it was glowing like an enormous red fireball, setting the whole environment in warm glowing hues. For a moment a small cloud slid in front of it, and for a few moments the soft hues dissolved into a ghostly gray light. The man turned and looked at the White City towering above him. There the great uprising was supposed to take place, bringing the people the final victory. Only he knew that this would only be a sham victory, bringing nothing but more suffering to the people. However, he did not care about that. All that mattered was that he would achieve his goal, and he was willing to sacrifice everything for that.
Suddenly the sun broke through again and set the white buildings in a scorching red light. The man grinned, and for a moment his face showed a devilish grimace as he thought about how this might be a harbinger of the fire that was about to hit the country. For a moment he stood there staring at the dramatic scene as if petrified, until finally he heaved a deep sigh, looked around once more absent-mindedly, and then energetically descended the stairs.

*****

1. The way forward.

1

It was a beautiful spring day. Lucas Harding was in the city park and had just taken a seat on a bench overlooking the park pond. Moments before, he had managed to get a hunk of bread from one of the garbage cans, which he sat greedily devouring. The last few days he had been able to eat practically nothing and he was grateful that he could finally fill his stomach with something solid again. Meanwhile, he was under the blessing of the mild spring sun which pleasantly caressed his face.
Suddenly, as if by magic, he felt a vague sense of joy arise, which rather surprised him. Recent times had been very hard for him, and this hesitant feeling of joy, even though it was so small, confused him. He tried to give the feeling a place, but really didn’t know what to do with it. Everything in his life at that moment was in stark contradiction to any feeling of happiness.  His clothes were dirty and worn. His lean face was surrounded by a wild bunch of hair and he wore a tousled, unkempt beard. The last time he had taken a proper bath was months behind him, and he could not remember how long it had been since he had enjoyed a decent meal. Everything about him breathed an air of hopeless gloom, and he felt a fierce helplessness and shame about it daily. There was really nothing in his life to be happy about. And yet suddenly there was this brief burst of joy that he could not quite place in any way.
As he did his best to comprehend this miraculous event, a broadly smiling man suddenly walked up to him. The man, Lucas estimated him to be about sixty years old, was slender and wore a dark gray suit that fit him like a glove. His friendly face had a healthy tan and his bright blue eyes sparkled with vitality. All in all, he exuded great affluence. He stopped right in front of Lucas, took off his hat with a broad gesture, and asked in a cordial tone if he could sit down with him for a chat. Lucas, surprised that someone took an interest in him, agreed, and soon they were engaged in an animated conversation. At first it was about small talk, but gradually the conversation deepened. The man began to ask Lucas more personal questions, and as he did so, his bright eyes looked at him more and more piercingly. This made Lucas uncomfortable, but because the man was so warm-hearted, he was tempted to continue the conversation. The man gradually gained his trust and when he suddenly asked him directly how he had ended up in his current situation, Lucas felt his last bit of resistance disappear and spontaneously started telling his painful history.
“Barely a year ago, I was still leading a quiet existence as a teacher in the elementary school of a small village not far from here. I enjoyed teaching, and had the feeling that the pupils liked me. I also had a good relationship with my colleagues, although I suspect they found me rather strange. All in all, I was doing reasonably well until some unexpected setbacks put an end to that. Both my parents died in quick succession and, as if that wasn’t miserable enough, my girlfriend, who I had been engaged to for over a year, suddenly broke up our relationship. In a short time my whole world collapsed and I was no longer able to teach. During a visit to my doctor, he diagnosed me with depression and said that it would be wise to stop working for a while. I did so, but the situation did not improve. I started to feel worse the longer I worked and I didn’t know how to stop it. In the long run my family doctor wasn’t of much use to me either. He gave me medication, but this didn’t help enough. I kept feeling bad and wasn’t able to do anything.”
Here his story stopped. Suddenly Lucas realized how strange it was that he was sharing his deepest misery with this completely unfamiliar man. The latter, however, looked at him with a gaze so deeply rooted in compassion that Lucas spontaneously felt encouraged to continue his story.
“The school principal, who initially had some understanding of my situation, dropped his support after a while because in his view it had gone on long enough. He put more and more pressure on me to go back to work. That had the opposite effect, because it caused me to block completely and to develop more and more aversion to my work. Because the director didn’t know what to do, the whole affair escalated and eventually I was fired. Even my family doctor, who had supported me in the beginning, suddenly dropped me completely. He said he could do nothing more for me because, according to him, I was not open enough to suggestions from others.
There I was – all alone – with no one to help me. I had no more income, and felt completely paralyzed. Eventually I couldn’t pay the rent on my house anymore either.”
The man, who had continued to listen attentively, now interrupted the story.
“But didn’t you have any further family or friends who could assist you financially?”
“If only that were true,” Lucas responded in a sad tone. “I was an only child and with my parents’ family I had no contact for years. I never had any real friends. Somehow, I find it difficult to establish permanent relationships with people. Other than my colleagues, I didn’t really have contact with anyone.”
“I understand your problem,” the man spoke sincerely. “But please continue with your story.”
“Well fine, “Lucas continued. “My landlord at one point was no longer willing to give me a reprieve, and so I was evicted from my home overnight. From that day on I was homeless. I didn’t know who else to turn to for help, and I started to roam. Eventually I ended up in this city where I have been living for about six months now. At least here I have a better chance of finding food than in the countryside. But I do have to think of all sorts of things every day to provide for myself.  Sleeping is never a big problem; I have my own spots here. Only last winter presented some difficulties, because it was sometimes very cold, and I had trouble keeping warm. It all worked out, but don’t ask me how.”
Lucas interrupted his story for a moment and sighed deeply. “And don’t think,” he continued in a bitter tone, “that there are people, who want to help you. Nobody cares about people like me. Sometimes I just have to steal to get some food, and I hate that.”
Lucas suddenly looked at the man defiantly. The latter, however, did not let himself be distracted and responded with a friendly smile that still contained a lot of compassion.
“What do you think is the real cause of your current situation,” he asked suddenly probing.
“What exactly do you mean?” spoke Lucas in astonishment. “I don’t understand.”
“I think on a deeper level you do understand me,” the man spoke decisively, “but you are simply afraid to face the answer.” Meanwhile, his gaze drilled its way into Lucas.
The latter felt himself becoming insecure and wanted to react strongly. Before it got that far, however, the man put his hand on Lucas’ arm in a soothing gesture.
“I mean no offense.” he spoke forgivingly, “but I’m just curious how you assess your current situation when you think about it a little more deeply. Don’t you think there might be something that makes you partly responsible for this?”
Lucas felt himself becoming more and more insecure. He had not counted on this approach at all. How did the man think that he could be in any way guilty of this hopeless situation.
“What is going through your mind right now?” the man asked, while his gaze remained unbroken on Lucas.
“Annoyance and anger!” burst forth this one suddenly, “and I don’t believe you understand a single thing about my situation.” Lucas was shocked by his own vehemence, but continued undaunted. “You should know that there has been no one, who has been willing to do anything for me. I am alone in everything, and I think it is unfair for you to suggest that I myself would have somehow contributed to this situation. I really don’t know how I could have handled this any other way. The way the world is now, there is never any help for people who are truly in need.”
“You mistakenly think I don’t understand you,” the man responded unperturbed. “I really do see that you are struggling. I believe, however, that there is something working in you that knows more about how you got into this situation. I am trying to appeal to that part in you, but perhaps that is a bit too intrusive.”
Lucas felt his anger slowly subside. The warm heartedness with which the man expressed his thoughts somehow calmed him. However, he did not know how to respond further.
“It might be better to let this matter rest for a while,” the man responded unexpectedly. “Apparently the time is not yet ripe for that. However, I would like to make you a suggestion. How would you like to come with me to my home and be my guest there for some time.”
Lucas felt overwhelmed by the unexpected proposal. He had only just met the man, and just like that he was spontaneously invited. It made him suspicious of his intentions. The man, sensing his hesitation, responded immediately.
“I see that my proposal embarrasses you, and I can well imagine that. However, you need not be afraid to act on it. I assure you that it will do you good, and about my motivation you need not worry either. I have a peculiar habit of caring about the fate of people in need. This may surprise you, but that’s the way I am.” At this he looked at Lucas with an elated twinkle in his eye.
The last resistance was broken and at that moment Lucas decided to go with the man.

*****

Subchapters 2 & 3 omitted

4

Midway through the next morning, Lucas and Leopold were sitting in the garden. It was a beautiful spring day with lots of sunshine and a mild spring breeze. Lucas had slept extremely well and was feeling better than he had in a long time. Over a cup of coffee, their broken off conversation began to pick up again. Lucas was very curious about the nature of the plan Leopold had suggested the previous evening and asked curiously. Leopold smiled amusedly and thought for a moment about how he would return to his suggestion from yesterday. He hadn’t quite figured out if Lucas was the intended traveler, but expected to be more certain about that in the next few minutes.
“Yesterday I told you that I had a plan in mind that I might tell you a little more about today,” he finally began. “I gave it some more thought as to whether it was right to present my plan to you, and I decided to take a chance. I’m not sure if you’ll accept it, of course, but my gut tells me that there’s more to you than meets the eye. I was especially encouraged by your response to my question about whether you ever had big dreams.
Anyway, to the point now. When I heard your story yesterday, it reminded me in part of my own history. I made an allusion to that earlier, but I don’t think it came across very convincingly to you. Still, there was a time when I was not doing well at all. I was in a lousy shape at the time. At the moment when my misery had reached an all-time low, I had a number of experiences with two friends that gave me a totally different outlook on life. What’s more, after this I was able to actually accomplish everything I had always longed for. You can see some of the results here around you, but this is only the tip of the iceberg. For what I learned at the time was many times greater and more powerful than the mere creation of better living conditions. It went much deeper, deeper than I can tell you now. It has made me an extremely happy person.”
Lucas became extraordinarily fascinated by what Leopold was telling him, and desperately asked himself if such a profound change was really possible. If that were true then he had to know more about it. With a passion that amazed him himself he expressed his desire.
A mysterious smile appeared on Leopold’s face.
“You should know that not every person is receptive to what I have just told you,” he responded, “but the fact that you are responding so enthusiastically makes me suspect that you may be ready for an important step in your life. You will need some help with that, however, and my plan may be able to provide that. I don’t know exactly where this will take you, but I am convinced that it will bring you infinitely more than your current walk of life.”
Now Leopold was silent for a moment to increase the tension. The effect was not lacking, for it was clear from Lucas’ face that he would like to pull the words out of his mouth.
“The thing is, I have a friend who lives in a town not far from here,” Leopold resumed after a loaded pause. “His name is Martin, and he is a very special person, who likes to help other people. I know, that he owns a number of houses, and has good connections with the local middle class. My plan is the following: I am going to write a letter to him, briefly telling him something about your condition. Then I will ask him if he might have suitable housing for you, and recommend you for work by one of his relations. I dare ask him to do that because I am sure he will take your fate to heart and will do everything in his power to help you. I think it would be best if you travel to him yourself to give him the letter, so that he can immediately see what kind of person he’s dealing with. But I won’t stop there, because you will need money in the near future to make your new start run smoothly. That’s why I want to lend you a small amount of money to get you through the initial period without any worries. However, there is one condition attached, and that is that you will not pay me back until you have made your own fortune.”
Lucas was deeply moved by this wonderful proposal. He had a lump in his throat. Were there still people who cared about his fate? For a moment he knew nothing to say, but his eyes shone with grateful joy. Suddenly, however, the familiar feeling of doubt returned to him. How on earth would he repay all this kindness? Leopold seemed certain that he would make a fortune sometime in the future, but he didn’t exactly see that happening.
“Your proposal is extremely generous.” he responded, “but I doubt I can meet your expectations. You seem to assume that I will make a fortune, but I see no reason to believe that. My only concern lately has been to survive, and that’s a bit far away from what you have in mind.”
“I understand your doubts,” Leopold responded to Lucas’ objections, “but at the same time I believe that you have much more in you than you suspect. You can’t see that yet, but I think it won’t be long before you really start to discover what you’re really capable of. In any case, I have every confidence in that. That is why I dare to invest in you.”
Lucas felt particularly touched by this rock-solid confidence, but felt nothing but great uncertainty about his perceived abilities. Nevertheless, he realized that he could not avoid this challenge. He certainly would not get a better chance to start all over again.
“I can’t express how pleasantly surprised I am with your proposal,” he responded moved, “and I realize that I have no choice but to seize this opportunity with both hands. Although I don’t know at all how I will fare, I want to promise you at least one thing, and that is that no matter what happens, I will one day pay you back the money I borrowed in full.”
“You see,” Leopold laughed broadly, “you’ve already started.” At that, he looked mischievously at the astonished Lucas.
The latter did not understand at all what Leopold meant, but felt overwhelmed by his helpfulness and began to express it at length. This made Leopold happy, all the more because he noticed that Lucas, without realizing it himself, had undergone a complete metamorphosis in a short time. His face, over which until now a dark and lifeless shadow had lain, was now warmly flushed and his eyes shone with expectant zest for life.

*****

5

Two days later, Lucas was on foot to Maartin, who lived in a town about twenty kilometers away. He was wearing clean clothes, was cut and shaved, and had enough money in his pocket to get through the next few days. A new vitality had taken hold of him, and he saw, to his own amazement, some perspective in his existence again. Walking had always been a passion of his, so he had decided to go on foot to his future home. It turned out to be a beautiful journey through a desolate part of the country where nature was still pure and almost untouched. A few scattered farms were the only sign that the area was inhabited by humans. Lucas enjoyed this land intensely. With deep sips he breathed in the soft spring air. The sweet scent of newly blossomed wild lilac floated into his nostrils, leaving behind a memory of times long gone. The wind blew playfully through the trees, leaving a soft rustle that had a salutary effect on him. How long had it not been since he had felt so at one with nature? In the past this had always given him an intense sense of strength and renewal and he wondered how he could ever have lost it. Spontaneously, therefore, he decided to go outside a lot in the coming time to get the nourishment and inspiration he so desperately needed.
At the end of the afternoon he arrived in the small town. He immediately fell in love with it, so beautiful and unspoiled it lay there. The houses were old, but well maintained, and radiated something of days gone by, which made his nostalgic heart beat faster. He took out Leopold’s letter and looked again at the address. Leopold had told him that Martin lived somewhere on the outskirts of the town, but not exactly on which side. He stopped a passerby and asked him for directions. It turned out that he was not far from his goal and ten minutes later he arrived at a beautiful country house. It was situated in a park-like landscape of green fields, bordered by ancient oaks and beeches. In front of the house was a large chestnut tree, whose dense leaf roof almost completely overshadowed the front of the house. Scattered through the huge garden were a rich variety of shrubs and everywhere there were flowers in the most beautiful colors. The whole was intersected by a wide gravel path that led meanderingly to the front door. Now this really was a place to love, Lucas thought and for a moment he stopped his stride to take a deep breath of the wonderful atmosphere. Soon, however, he set himself in motion again and walked down the gravel path in tense anticipation.

*****

Subchapter 6 omitted

7

Lucas walked up to the house and used a large brass door knocker to make his presence known. It took some time before the door was opened by an older man. Lucas was overwhelmed by the man’s impressive appearance and immediately felt that it had to be Martin. He estimated him to be about the same age as Leopold. The man was tall and looked rather fierce with his feral gray hair and shaggy beard. He was also dressed rather carelessly in old worn pants and a blue smock that had clearly seen better days. His clothes had paint stains all over them. But despite that, the man had something noble about him.
“Good day.” spoke Martin in a deep bass voice. “What can I do for you?”
“Also good day,” Lucas responded a little bashfully. “My name is Harding. Is it true that you are Martin Graves?”
Martin nodded. “Yes indeed,” he said.
“I have come to bring you greetings from your good friend Leopold. He referred me to you with this letter of introduction.” At this, Lucas handed an envelope to Martin and waited for his response. Martin looked at the envelope and let it play through his hands for a moment. He was surprised and wondered what Leopold had to tell him about this man. He looked at Lucas fleetingly, stepped aside, and made an inviting gesture.
“Come in, and be welcome. I’m curious to see what good old Leopold has to tell me.”
Lucas stepped inside a large hallway on which a number of doors opened. At the back, a beautifully carved wooden staircase led to a wide landing on the upper floor. The man opened one of the doors and preceded him to a large, beautifully furnished parlor where he asked him to take a seat.
“Would you like a cup of coffee or tea?” he asked after Lucas sat down.
“Coffee please,” the latter replied.
At that, the man excused himself and left the room. Lucas was now alone and had the opportunity to survey the room at his leisure. In Leopold’s case, the furnishings had already had a particularly prosperous appearance, but this room surpassed anything he had ever seen. It was large and tastefully furnished with leather armchairs and large wooden cabinets, which were filled with countless books. There was oak paneling all around it and the walls were sauced in soft pastel shades. Several large paintings depicting beautiful landscapes hung there. On the slate-tiled floor was a warm red Persian carpet depicting beautifully woven motifs. Against the back wall was a large fireplace with a chimney made of natural stone. Everything breathed an atmosphere of great wealth. Lucas’ attention was particularly drawn to a painting depicting a fantastic mountain landscape. He stood up and walked over to take a closer look. Fascinated, he studied the artwork. The mountains depicted were of breathtaking beauty. Lucas was completely absorbed in the beautiful painting.
“I see you are admiring my mountain scenery,” Martin’s voice suddenly sounded behind him. Lucas was startled and felt a little caught. Embarrassed, he turned around and wanted to apologize, but immediately saw that this was not necessary. Martin was standing there with a broad smile on his face.
“How do you like my work?”
“Did you actually paint this?” asked Lucas in surprise. “I don’t remember ever seeing such a beautiful landscape. Where is this, anyway?”
“I’m glad you appreciate my work.” Martin responded, smiling. “It is always nice to learn that people like my work. By the way, this is not an existing landscape but one I created from my imagination.”
There was suddenly something indefinable in Martin’s behavior that Lucas couldn’t quite put his finger on. It seemed as if he was holding something back. But why? Why this sudden reticence? He feared, however, that it would be rude to ask about the reason for this sudden reserve and left it at that.
“I think it’s downright fantastic that you can create something like this,” he said commendingly. “I envy you for your creativity.”
The compliment passed Martin by, however, as his attention was now largely occupied by what he had read in Leopold’s letter moments before. Would this timid man really be the next traveler, he wondered. There had to be something special about this Lucas, otherwise Leopold would never have taken so much trouble. From his letter it appeared that he had even lent Lucas a considerable sum of money, and Martin knew that Leopold only invested in matters in which he suspected a high chance of a successful outcome. Moreover, the fact that he had involved Martin in the case indicated that he expected him to use all his human knowledge to judge whether his assessment had been correct. So there was still something for him to do.
“Did you hear what I said,” Lucas asked with some emphasis.
Martin was startled out of his musings. “Oh pardon,” he responded. “I was momentarily distracted by another matter requiring my attention. I did, however, hear your compliment and am pleased with it. But I must say that my creativity is not at all as special as you think. There is something of an amazing creator in every human being.”
Lucas’ face showed an expression of disbelief, which elicited a hearty laugh from Martin.
“Forget that last remark,” he spoke kindly. “I have a tendency to speak to people in a pedantic way, without asking whether they want to hear it. But now for something else. I have read Leopold’s letter and I would like to have a word with you about it.”
He took a seat on one of the armchairs and made an inviting gesture to Lucas. The latter sat back in his seat and waited to see what Martin would say.
What followed, however, was an uncomfortable silence for Lucas, during which Martin kept looking at him inquisitively. Just when the situation was about to become too much for Lucas, a door opened and an older woman entered the room. She was slender and wore her long, gray hair tied together in a ponytail. She wore a beautiful sky-blue gown, which showed off her slender figure well. Lucas found her appearance impressive. Like Martin, she had something regal about her. She carried a tray with coffee, which she quickly placed on the coffee table. Then, with a warm smile, she turned to Lucas and gave him a pleasantly touching hand.
“Hello, Lucas,” she spoke in a warm voice. “Nice to meet you. My name is Marian, and I am Martin’s wife. Welcome to our home and I hope you will feel comfortable here.”
Lucas’s gaze flicked back and forth quickly between the two spouses for a moment. Although Marian looked beautiful, you could clearly see that she was at least 15 years older than Martin. What a big age difference, he thought, while hoping his surprise at that wouldn’t be visible to either spouse.
As far as they noticed his surprised reaction, however, Martin and Marian didn’t let on. Marian turned to the coffee table and poured the cups full.
“Would you put the milk and sugar in yourself?” she spoke invitingly.
Lucas picked up a cup, put some sugar in it, stirred it and took a sip. The coffee tasted excellent.
“From Leopold’s letter, I understand that you want to make a new life,” Martin spoke after taking a sip of his coffee himself. “Although he didn’t go into too much detail about your history, I could tell from everything that you haven’t exactly had it easy lately. That’s why I want to start by congratulating you on being willing to put your problems behind you and being willing to make a new start. That takes a lot of courage and I respect that. For me, that is enough of a recommendation to give you a helping hand.”
“Thank you very much.” Lucas spoke from the bottom of his heart. He felt himself getting all warm under so much willing kindness.
Martin, carefully observing Lucas’ reaction, saw that he was truly delighted with his commitment. He could see from this that Lucas sincerely longed for the renewal of his life. However, he could not yet determine whether Lucas was really the chosen one for another journey; it was too early for that. Leopold had written to him that the traveler had been foretold to him in a dream and that he had subsequently met Lucas. Although his intuition whispered to him that Lucas was the chosen one, he still had doubts. That is why he had asked Martin for help. Martin could not yet tell whether Leopold’s feeling was correct, but he had decided to follow his suggestion and shelter Lucas for a while in one of his houses. That would give him the opportunity to keep an eye on him. Hopefully, the matter would then be clarified soon. As for the house, by the way, he still had a problem. Currently, there was not one vacant.
“Leopold asked in his letter if I could provide living space for you,” Martin resumed, “I would gladly comply with his request, but the problem is that currently none of my houses are vacant. They are all rented out, and that is a problem I will not be able to solve in a moment. Of course you are welcome to live with us for a while, but I doubt that this is a good start for you.”
“One moment.” Marian interrupted her husband. “I think you’re forgetting the house at the edge of the woods. Surely that could be a good home for Lucas as well. It may be neglected, but I think with a little work it could be made into something.”
Martin looked thoughtful. “I don’t believe this will be something for our young friend. I went to inspect it the other day, and found that a lot of work is needed to make it somewhat habitable again. The last tenant made quite a mess of it, and I have not yet had the opportunity to have it refurbished. I’m afraid it will take a very long time to make it habitable again.”
Lucas sprung to his feet. He did see an opportunity. “I don’t want to impose myself, of course, but I’m satisfied with very little, and besides, I could do a few things about that house myself. That immediately gives me an opportunity to give something back.”
As he said this, the fear crept up on him that he might be a little too bold. Immediately he apologized for his utterance.
“That’s not necessary at all,” Martin responded kindly. “Just stand up for yourself. That will do you good. You know what we’ll do? I’ll take you to the cottage after coffee, so you can judge for yourself if you want to give it a chance. How about that?”
Lucas felt a wave of joy rise up in him. How fortunate everything was all of a sudden. He wanted to respond, but Martin was already ahead of him.
“You already don’t need to answer anymore. Your face already speaks volumes. I do hope, however, that you will not be disappointed later on. But we’ll see about that. All that remains is for us to find you suitable work so that you can provide for yourself again. I assume that’s what you want.”
“Yes I do,” Lucas replied enthusiastically. “I am really beginning to believe that life wants to give me new opportunities. Therefore, I am willing to take advantage of anything that is offered to me.”
“Excellent. Then I believe I do know something for you. At least when Marian approves. After all, we have quite a large garden that needs a lot of maintenance. Marian has always done the garden, but was helped in this by a regular gardener. Some time ago, however, he quit because he was getting too old. So far, however, we have not been able to find a replacement.” He turned to Marian. “Do you feel anything about the plan to hire Lucas as a gardener.”
Marian looked at Lucas smiling. “Do you think you can handle that, Lucas?”
“I haven’t worked in a garden before, but I’d love to learn from you if that’s possible.”
“In that case, I’m willing to take on the adventure with you,” she spoke decidedly. “However, I do believe that you will still need the initial time to make your new home habitable. Let’s wait and see how that all turns out before you are employed here. Does that seem like a good suggestion to you?”
Lucas looked at both people. He was speechless at their warmth and could barely hold back his tears.
Martin stood up.
“Come,” he spoke as he placed a hand on Lucas’ shoulder for a moment, “It’s time to check out your new home.”

*****

Subchapter 8 omitted

9

The next day, Lucas began the big job of fixing up the house. He figured he would need about four weeks for the most necessary work and started whistling. As the days passed, his mood only got sunnier. As did the house. It seemed to sense the change in Lucas and gradually exchanged its stuffy dejection for an atmosphere of peaceful comfort.
One day Lucas interrupted his work and went to the local market to see if he could get hold of some household goods for a cheap price. After some fruitless time browsing around, a large antique mirror suddenly caught his eye. Although it looked pretty neglected and was hidden under a thick layer of dust and dirt, the mirror exerted an inexplicable attraction on him. Although he knew he had to watch his spending, the mirror fascinated him so much that he considered buying it. The merchant, sensing his interest, began an enthusiastic sales pitch without being asked. He told him that the mirror, although priced at 100 florins, was a real antique and might bring him good luck.
” In fact,” he continued shrewdly. “There may well be a special reason that just today someone has cast his eye on this particular mirror. You are the first person in years to show genuine interest, and that must mean something, don’t you think?”
At this he looked at Lucas with leering eyes. He had the appropriate people skills and had already seen that the latter would be impressed by his argument. His years of experience told him he had a bite, and he had no intention of letting go of his loot now.
“Sir, I can tell this mirror intrigues you beyond measure,” he said.
“That’s right, but what am I going to do with it?” responded Lucas in desperation. “A mirror is not really what I need. There are more important things I need for the decoration of my new house.”
“And yet, I think, there is a special reason that you have had your eye on this mirror,” the merchant responded alertly. “Something in me tells me that this mirror is meant for you personally. Please take a closer look at it and ask yourself if there might not be a place in your home where it would look good. Do you have a hallway?”
“Yes I do.”
“Aha, do you see now. Then this mirror will probably look beautiful there. Your house might get a totally different look because of it. But beyond that, I have a feeling that there is an even more important reason why you have set your sights on this mirror.”
“And what should that reason be,” responded Lucas, who found the course of this conversation quite curious after all.
“That only you can say for yourself. But I firmly believe that somewhere deep in your mind an answer to this question is waiting,” the merchant spoke in a mysterious tone.
Suddenly, Lucas noticed to his surprise that from an indefinable depth of his mind, an enigmatic voice sounded, urging him to buy the mirror. His last resistance dissolved completely as a result and he made up his mind.
“I will buy the mirror,” he spoke firmly.
“A wise decision,” spoke the merchant. “Shall I deliver it to your home or do you have suitable transportation yourself?”
Only then did Lucas realize how colossal the mirror, with its height of some two meters, actually was, and in despair he now wondered if it was not too large for the hall. However, he decided to go through with the matter and asked the merchant if he would deliver the mirror to his home. After giving the merchant his address and the 100 florins, Lucas headed for home.

*****

Subchapter 10 omitted

11

As soon as the merchant had left, Lucas immediately went to work cleaning the mirror. The dirt was caked on so tightly in some places that it took him more than an hour to get it off. From under the thick layer of caked-on dirt an exceptionally beautiful work of art emerged. The flawless mirror glass was encased in a matte-gloss mahogany frame, which had been expertly carved. At the top was a beautiful gilded 8. The latter struck Lucas in particular. He wondered what could have prompted the maker to incorporate the number 8 into this mirror frame. He took a few steps back and discovered that the mirror harmonized particularly well with the hall. It gave it a rich appearance. A good purchase, he thought, as he carefully studied his own reflection. He noticed that he still looked surprisingly good despite the difficult time he had been through. Although his face still showed a few wrinkles as a result of the suffering he had endured, he did not think it looked unfavorable. He even secretly enjoyed looking at himself. It made him happy that you could see that he was doing so well now. I firmly intend to hold on to this feeling and make a success of it in the time to come, he thought boldly. Immediately thereafter, a mysterious ripple traversed the mirror image. It was a minute movement, and barely noticeable, but Lucas had clearly seen it happen. Stunned, he stared at the mirror, wondering desperately where this puzzling ripple had come from so suddenly. Was it because he had done something special…..? But what then…..? He had merely stood there and taken pleasure in the positive image he had been shown of himself. But wait a minute! Could it have something to do with that? No, surely that was too silly to be true. How could a mirror possibly react to something as vague as a state of mind. But still….., he couldn’t think of anything else. Suddenly an idea came to him. Perhaps it was possible to test whether his statement was correct. All he had to do was to go back to the same state of mind that had preceded the phenomenon. He tried to imagine this mood again as best as he could, but there was no result. The mirror surface remained wrinkle-free straight. Apparently the mysterious rippling had not been caused by his mood after all and it had all just been imagination. He didn’t know what to think of it anymore, and tried to let go of the issue again. In any case, he knew one thing for sure: Whether or not something wonderful had just happened to the mirror, he was happy with the new opportunity life had given him, and resolved to hold onto his new happiness. There, the mirror image rippled again. This time even stronger. It startled Lucas. So it was true after all. This mirror did respond to him. Suddenly it became clear to him. The ripple was caused not only by his state of mind, but also by the thought that was feeding it. Probably the mirror only showed its mysterious behavior when a thought was extremely positively charged.
He stood up again and looked intently at the mirror. I would like to be rich, he thought expectantly. The mirror, however, did not respond. Now Lucas did not understand a thing. Suddenly, however, from the depths of his mind he heard that commanding voice speaking to him again.
“You must truly believe in what you think.” it sounded with great emphasis.
Lucas was utterly surprised. Although the voice had been clearly heard in his own head, just like last time, it seemed to come from a completely different world. Nevertheless, he understood the message all too well. Becoming rich had never been more than a vague yearning for him, and apparently that was not concrete enough to make the mirror respond. All in all, he found it extremely fascinating. Now he began to scan his mind for positive thoughts that he could believe. Eventually he stumbled upon his old, almost forgotten desire for success. This stemmed from a time long gone, when life had been carefree for him, and he had firmly believed that his life could be successful.
With some effort, he recalled this desire and tried as best as he could to imagine the same sensation he had felt in the past. The consequences were immediate, for immediately a strong ripple rippled across the reflection. At the same time, from the depths of Lucas’ being, a feeling of bliss bubbled up so strong that it threatened to engulf him completely. Instinctively, he pulled away from the reflection and fled to the living room. He needed to sit down and process it all. He could not find an explanation for this miraculous experience, but something in him said that this could have far-reaching consequences.

*****

 

2. The discovery of Trueland.

1

The days passed, and Lucas worked intensively on the house, which began to look more and more beautiful. Every morning and evening, moreover, he spent some time in front of the mirror, practicing affirming positive thoughts. It turned out to be true that the mirror only responded when these affirmations were sincere and heartfelt. In that case, the mirror invariably showed a ripple on its surface, and, like some kind of magical accompaniment, an intense feeling of joy bubbled up in Lucas He was no longer concerned with the question of what caused all this, but only rejoiced in the strengthening effects of this miraculous phenomenon. He felt better and better and experienced an unprecedented life force.
When he had finally finished his redecoration, he made an appointment with Martin to start his job as a gardener the next day. He wanted to begin his new task well rested, and decided to go to bed early in the evening.
In the middle of the night, however, he was suddenly awakened by a violent thunderstorm that passed over his house. The rain was pouring down and the lightning was almost continuous. It was a frightening experience. In the midst of the turmoil, he suddenly heard the sound of a rattling shutter, which he had obviously forgotten to fasten. It was being tossed violently back and forth by the stormy wind. Lucas feared that it might be broken from its hinges, or cause other damage. Reluctantly, he got out of bed, got dressed, and walked outside somewhat fearfully. A pounding rain lashed his body, while a fierce wind tried to blow him over. An almost continuous lightning set the surroundings in a ghostly light. Lucas struggled against the wind to the shutter in question and saw that the latch was broken. He lifted it from its hinges and laid it flat on the ground, where it could do no further damage. As quickly as possible he then struggled back inside through the storm.
However, when he returned to his bedroom and wanted to undress, he suddenly heard a voice from the hall. It frightened him to no end and he was filled with fear. What was the meaning of this? He pricked up his ears to be able to hear the voice better in the midst of the thunder and discovered that his name was being called. Cautiously he crept out of the bedroom to find out exactly what was going on. To his dismay, the hallway appeared to be shrouded in a mysterious blue glow. His bewilderment increased when he turned to the mirror and saw not his own reflection, but the figure of a small, unsightly man. To make the bewilderment complete, this one also began to speak to him.
“You called, Lucas, so now you are called,” he spoke enigmatically.
Lucas was stunned, and for several moments could not utter a word.
“You don’t have to be so shocked,” the little man resumed. “It is perfectly natural for me to appear to you in this way. Only you don’t understand this yet. Just take a few deep breaths, and you’ll be able to come back to yourself.”
Instinctively, Lucas followed the suggestion and took a few deep breaths. Indeed, he felt himself calming down a bit. Now he could take a closer look at the little man. This one had a funny face with a big crooked nose and a pair of mischievously twinkling eyes. On his head he wore a hat that reminded Lucas most of the headgear of a medieval court jester. He also wore tight black tights and a green and red striped jacket. On his feet were a pair of leather slippers with raised points. Lucas thought it all looked rather droll.
The little man looked at him kindly and took the floor again. “I can still see surprise on your face, but I can honestly imagine that a little. For you, this meeting is one big surprise, but for me it certainly is not. In fact, your arrival was predicted a long time ago. I’m glad you’re ready, but there are still some things that need to happen before I can let you in.”
“What on earth do you mean,” Lucas responded in bewilderment. He didn’t understand at all what was going on.
However, the little man continued unruffled. “First of all, I want to know from you if you want to continue on your quest for success. You’ve made it known a great many times now that you want the best for yourself, but I want to know if you’re willing to really put everything into learning the great secret of success. So hence, I want to ask you the following question. Are you willing to give yourself completely in order to receive the great secret of success?”
Lucas was perplexed. “But I don’t know what this is all about at all,” he exclaimed desperately.
At the same time, a bright bolt of lightning shot through the night, and it seemed to Lucas as if it was being responded to from high in the sky. The male in the mirror looked at Lucas amusedly for a moment before responding.
“I understand that things are moving a little fast for you. You obviously think this is all too crazy to be true, and I get that. However, I can assure you that it’s really serious and that there is a deeper intention behind my question. But let me make it a little easier for you. First, try to tell me if you really want to revive your old desire for success, or if you just want to experiment with it in a casual way. And don’t come now and ask me how I found out these things about you, because I won’t tell you that anyway. Just accept it. In the end, that will be the easiest thing for you.”
Now the little fellow tilted his head slightly, which gave his already mischievous face an even more comical expression.”
Lucas was still all confusion, but did recognize that it would be best if he answered the question directly.
“I do recognize that desire,” he spoke hesitantly.
“Aha,” the man spoke in a cynical tone, “so you still want to hold back. We’re not exactly getting anywhere with this, are we? Now what’s hard about just giving a direct answer to my question.”
The cheerful mischief that had lain across his face until now had suddenly disappeared and given way to a cool, stern look.
“Uh…… yes,” Lucas stammered intimidated. “I quite understand what you mean, but surely you can also see how extraordinarily strange this whole situation is to me.”
The little man did not respond, which gave Lucas the opportunity to somewhat regain his senses. Then he searched for the best continuation.
“Very well then,” he resumed after some time. “You apparently want to know if I take my desire for success seriously enough. I can tell you that I do. But why do you really want to know?”
“Wonderful,” the little man continued without addressing Lucas’ question.”  Now we’re getting somewhere. So you admit that you still crave success fiercely?”
“Uh….., yes,”
“Then we come to my next question. If you still desire success now, are you willing to give anything for it?”
“How do you mean?”
“Stay with it. You’re almost there. What I mean is, when you long for success, it can only become something when you are willing to do some work for it. Have you done that so far?”
“Not enough, I suppose,” Lucas replied hesitantly, “but……”
“So you know.” The man ruthlessly interrupted him and continued laconically. “Then it’s now time to take steps, at least if you really want to see your desire manifested. Hence my question. Are you now willing to give everything to make your desires come true, and bear the consequences?”
Although Lucas was quite taken aback by the man’s radical approach, he fully realized that there was no escape. He was not expected to do anything other than commit to his desire. Presumably, the male would then tell him a little more about his motives. Deciding to accept the challenge, he spoke in a resolute tone:
“Yes, I am willing to give the best of myself, although I am totally unaware yet of where this will take me,”
“I will tell you where it will take you ,” the male immediately replied. “When you are willing to give everything, then this gate opens, and then you can step right into a world where everything will be revealed to you. Are you also willing to take this step?”
The little man once again looked at him piercingly and Lucas feverishly wondered what was required of him now. Did he understand correctly and was he being offered the opportunity here to step right through the mirror into a totally different world? Would that really be possible? As the storms slowly began to recede, Lucas tried to come to a decision.
“I’ll give you one more minute,” the little fellow suddenly spoke implacably. “Within that time you must decide if you really want to step in here, otherwise your chance is gone forever. Should you decide to come here, I advise you to look for the king as soon as possible. He is expecting you and will help you further.”
As he uttered these words, he gracefully stepped aside, making an inviting gesture with his left arm. Immediately thereafter, a ripple drew across the mirror and the male faded away. In a short time, he disappeared completely from view. An even-gray mist was laid over the mirror’s surface. Not for long, however, as suddenly movement began to appear in the fog and vague shapes appeared. These grew brighter and brighter, until finally a razor-sharp image of a brilliant white city appeared. In the middle ran a road that seemed to have its origin at the edge of the mirror.
Lucas reached out with his hand to the mirror surface, and felt it pass through some kind of warm, translucent membrane. Behind that membrane, he felt an empty space, and he realized that something must be present behind the mirror. Startled, he withdrew his hand. He was now in violent dilemma. Did he dare to go on an adventure by entering this world – with all the risks that entails. Or would he stay here in his own familiar little world that had given him so much beauty lately. It oppressed him to have to come to a decision. Sweat broke out on all sides. Although he realized that he had little time left before the gate in the mirror would close again, he could not come to a final decision. Suddenly, a wave of expectant joy swept through him with great force and at that same moment Lucas made his decision. He tensed his body, pushed off with all the strength that was in him, and leapt right through the surface of the mirror into the great unknown.