As I stepped through the mirror, the world around me shifted dramatically. Gone were the dilapidated walls of the temple and the oppressive weight of post-apocalyptic Tokyo. I now stood in a garden that seemed to stretch endlessly, bathed in a soft, golden light. Cherry blossom trees swayed gently, their petals falling like a delicate rain, carpeting the ground with their soft pink hue. A gentle stream meandered through the garden, its waters clear and sparkling, reflecting the azure sky above.

I looked down and gasped. I was no longer in my school uniform but was adorned in a beautiful traditional kimono. Its fabric was a deep shade of indigo, embroidered with intricate patterns of silver and gold. As I touched the fabric, it felt like a gentle caress against my skin, both familiar and foreign.

I then noticed the old woman, who had followed me into the mirror, but she too was transformed. No longer aged, she now appeared as a vision of ethereal beauty. Her raven-black hair flowed down her back, and her eyes, deep and wise, sparkled with an inner light. An aura of soft luminescence surrounded her, making her seem as if she was a part of the very fabric of this heavenly realm.

Usually quick with a sarcastic remark, I found myself struggling to find words. “This isn’t Tokyo,” I finally managed, my voice tinged with an unusual note: wonder.

The woman smiled, her voice melodious, “No, child. This is a place within you, a sanctuary where your true self resides.”

Taken aback, I replied, “I don’t remember having a place like this inside me.”

The woman approached me, her gaze gentle. “Everyone has a sanctuary, a place of peace and beauty. But the noise of the world, and our own fears and insecurities, often drown it out.”

I looked around, the beauty of the place slowly chipping away at my defensive exterior. “So, what now? Do I just… enjoy the view?”

The woman nodded, “For now, yes. Embrace this place, let it heal you.”

Feeling a sense of calm I hadn’t felt in years, I took a deep breath, letting the tranquility of the garden wash over me. I realized that, for the first time in a long time, I felt truly at peace.

The transformed woman, with a grace that seemed to belong to another world, retrieved a small broom from behind a nearby cherry blossom tree. Before I could react, the woman began to gently brush me off, starting from my head and moving downwards.

I flinched, taken aback. “What are you doing?”

The woman paused, her gaze steady. “Expelling the minor demons. They cling to you, feeding off your insecurities. This is the first step.”

I looked down and saw tiny shadowy figures being brushed away, dissipating into the air like smoke. They writhed and hissed, but the woman’s broom seemed to have a power they couldn’t resist.

Once the last of the shadows had been brushed away, the woman set the broom aside and approached me. Taking her hand, she said, “Now, for the next step.”

I felt a warmth spread from the woman’s hand into mine. The woman leaned in, her voice a soft whisper, “Close your eyes. Breathe deeply. Let your mind wander to the most peaceful memory you have. Hold onto that memory, let it envelop you.”

I hesitated for a moment, then closed my eyes. I took a deep breath, letting the woman’s instructions guide me. Slowly, a memory surfaced —a time from my childhood, playing in a garden with my parents, the sun warm on my skin, laughter filling the air.

As I sank deeper into the meditation, I felt a strange sensation. It was as if I was being lifted off the ground. The sounds of the garden faded, replaced by a gentle, rhythmic heartbeat.

When I finally opened my eyes, I was no longer in the heavenly garden. I was actually floating a few inches above the courtyard of my own home. The familiar surroundings, though still bearing the scars of the apocalypse, felt comforting.

I slowly descended, my feet touching the ground. The weight of my decayed world,  which had felt so oppressive before, now seemed lighter. The minor demons, those manifestations of my insecurities, were gone. I  felt cleaner, somehow renewed.

I took a moment to gather myself, then made my way inside. The encounter with the woman, the journey within myself, had changed me. I felt stronger, more resilient, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.