Bloody Mary, Quite Contrary

In the spectral confines of the other side - a realm existing within the flawless gleam of unblemished mirrors - the Red Queen lurks, a haunting fusion of grotesque and regal. Known also as Bloody Mary, her stature is statuesque, dressed in the grandeur of a fallen monarchy. Her raven hair cascades in flowing locks, a stark contrast to the pale, spectral hue of her skin. Her obsidian eyes, cold and unyielding, watch her realm with an unsettling blend of fascination and revulsion.

This realm, a reflection warped by unseen forces, is a maddening mosaic of the Victorian era. It reverberates with echoes of a gruesome parody of the French Revolution, where the screech of guillotines slices the air and mob rule drowns out the final pleas of the condemned. The chilling delight reflected in Mary's icy gaze at each execution seems strangely disjointed, as if her joy, much like her, is a twisted reflection of another emotion altogether.

And amidst this madness, there is a place where suffering is dressed in the garb of mercy - the hospital known by more than one name. A relapsing patient might notice a disturbing anomaly, a discordant note in this symphony of dread. At times, St. Mary Bethlehem is overseen by Dr. Tarr, a well-intentioned specialist in phrenology and lobotomisation. At others, the sadistically gleeful Professor Fether is head of Bedlam Asylum. No transition marks the switch, no explanation justifies it, as if the mirror world flickers between these variants like a capricious candle flame.

Yet, as the mirror realm undulates between these fractured realities, a disturbing inconsistency becomes apparent. Bloody Mary's form seems to change when unobserved, her flowing hair becomes bound in tight coils, her firm lips curl into a cruel smirk. Yet, no observer witnesses these transformations. Her appearance seems to change between glances, making her the embodiment of the realm's unsettling fluctuation.

A young girl, locks of golden hair tumbling down her back, gazes with bright, wide azure eyes that flicker with ceaseless curiosity. Her petite form is neatly dressed in a simple blue frock, the hem dusted with the whispering secrets of countless childhood adventures. She is standing before an untouched mirror, a lone candle casting wavering shadows in the gloom. Her eyes, filled with a burning curiosity, reflect the mirror's gleam as she whispers, "Mary..." She hesitates. "Mary!" A primal instinct stirs within her, halting her from uttering the name for the final time. Leaving the mirror's eerie stillness untouched, she withdraws.

The mirror continues to invert the mundane room, obeying the laws of reason and normalcy, not a gateway to another world, but a level, reflective surface.

Bloody Mary (also The Red Queen, The Blood Queen): An eerie figure of folkloric repute and Gothic horror, whose origins are traced to the spectral echoes of the Victorian era. She dwells within the reflective boundaries of undamaged mirrors, known as the mirror world - a realm shaped by unseen forces into a grotesque parody of a world turned upside down by revolution. Here, the screech of guillotines and the clamor of mob rule form a sinister soundtrack to the spectacle of beheadings, watched over by Bloody Mary with a twisted fascination.

In this distorted reflection of our reality, one finds the macabre institution of Bethlehem, or Bedlam, an asylum or hospital that flits between the stewardships of the well-intentioned but misguided Dr. Tarr and the sadistically gleeful Professor Fether. The shifting landscape of the mirror world mimics the unsettling transformations of Bloody Mary herself. Her appearance seems to change between glances, making her a living embodiment of this realm's fluctuating inconsistencies.

To summon this specter, one must recite her name three times in close succession before an unblemished mirror. By primordial law and custom, Bloody Mary is forbidden to leave the mirror realm. Yet, she defies the letter of the law, reaching out to snatch the summoner into her tumultuous realm. The unsuspecting individual is thus thrust into a seven-year ordeal within this mirrored nightmare.

Survival in this harsh world is rare but not unheard of, and the few who manage to endure the full term of seven years emerge with a peculiar gift - the ability to traverse mirrors, slipping effortlessly between the reflection and reality. This has led to some speculation amongst scholars of the occult that certain notorious individuals from history could have been such survivors. One chilling theory postulates that the infamous Victorian serial killer, Jack the Ripper, was a product of Bloody Mary's mirror world.

Given this terrifying lore, many occult practitioners and spiritualists take particular care with their mirrors. A slight chip, a scratch, or any damage is deliberately inflicted on each new mirror they acquire - a safeguard, however small, against an unwanted summoning of the Blood Queen.