Resting on the last summit of the highest mountain ridge, the gate with its golden doors glowing in the last minutes of sunset was a compensating view for all the tolls this nearly endless journey had taken on her. The gate was guarded, so she approached slowly and in an amicable manner. One of the guards came down to meet her at the stairs that lead to the gate.
“You want to go further?” the guard asked her. When it spoke, she could hear a choir of voices, but when she looked up to see if only this guard had spoken, she saw that it was faceless.
“Yes” she replied confidently.
“I shall grant you a crossing after you paid the price” the choir of voices said.
She was pretty sure that the price would not be paid by money, as nothing here gave the impression that such profane currencies had any meaning. What could they want from her as payment? She hoped that it was not paid in blood. She took a deep breath.
“How do I pay?”
“Mortals are only allowed to go further after they acknowledge their true being, their true essence” the guard explained. It gestured her to follow it up the stairs. “You will have to recognize yourself and all of you that has never been visible to this world, for better or for worse.” As the voices spoke, the gate silently opened its doors.
She felt dread creeping up inside of her, as they reached the end of the stairs. The gate stood open, but a mirror-like surface reached from door to door. The guard stayed behind as she slowly took one step after another. She could see her reflection growing bigger the closer she got. She tried to breathe steadily. She could not yet see anything frightening, just herself with a wary expression and tense posture. She had reached the surface. Her reflection stared right back at her. Something was odd, she took a closer look and tried to fight down a strange feeling in her stomach. She noticed something like cobwebs on the face and neck of her other self. It seemed like it had been standing here for ages, waiting, and collecting dust. It seemed old, she thought, ancient even, as her gaze followed the outlines of her reflection’s face, holding her breath. She was so close that her own face nearly touched the mirror’s surface. Suddenly, she felt an icy shiver running down her spine. Her fearful eyes finally met the gaze of herself. No words could describe the being that looked her back in the eye. If there had been any air left in her lungs, any strength left in her body, she would have screamed in horror over what she realized, was her.
Photographer: Drasko Plemic DHM
Model / Text: Filth_Noir
Music recommended: Hans Zimmer - A Place Among the Stars (Interstellar Soundtrack)
Shot in June 2023
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LG Drasko