Infinity mirror

This was written in response to #MidWeekFlash writing prompt. The picture can be found here. Do check out the image before reading so you know who you are following into the woods…

“We’ve been here before.”

“We can’t have been, no footprints look.” Harley pointed down at the blanket of snow, completely untouched.

“We’ve definitely been here.”

“How can you possibly know that?” Harley snapped. Her voice hung in the air, not echoing or travelling any distance. It was like they were in dead space. “We’re surrounded by trees that all look the same.”

Phoenix pointed at the tree behind Harley. She turned and shrugged, seeing nothing.

“About three metres up, the bark is peeling away and hanging off, it looks like there’s a face on the tree. I remember it from earlier.” His tone was very matter-of-fact, only serving to infuriate Harley more.

“That tree has a face on too, so?” She kicked at the snow and began walking again, shaking her head in despair. “No-one has stepped here, we’re not going in circles.”

“So what about those two?” Phoenix hurried to stand level and pointed off in the distance. Harley squinted through the haze. He was right, up ahead there were two people.

“I guess they turned back further up, or came through the trees, or…”

“Harley.”

Harley rolled her eyes; he was always cutting in when she spoke. Taking a deep breath, she turned but all thoughts of chastising him disappeared when she saw the panicked look on his face.

“What is it?”

“Those people up ahead,” he began. He squinted and craned his neck forward. “They. Well they look like us.”

“Oh for, this isn’t funny Nix, I know you didn’t want to come but…” The haze thinned for a split second and Harley froze. She had a better view of the pair. He wasn’t kidding. They did look like them. How many people were going to have a mustard puffa jacket like hers whilst walking without someone in a bright green hat? The other pair stopped and looked back. Harley’s heart convulsed in fear. She was staring at herself. Harley looked back over her own shoulder, looking for the way back but saw Phoenix was already staring, fear freezing him to the spot. Harley’s eyes widened. Back from where they had come were no footprints in the snow.

But there was a couple of people further back.

Another pair of them.