Question
You are advised to write between 350 and 500 words on the following topic:
‘As they looked in the mirror they were amazed to find two completely different people smiling back at them.’ Use this sentence as the beginning of a story.
Model Essay
As they looked in the mirror they were amazed to find two completely different people smiling back at them. Sarah and Emily, identical twins, had always reveled in their uncanny resemblance, using it to play pranks and switch places for fun. But today, something was different. They stood side by side, yet the reflections in the mirror showed two distinct individuals with unique expressions, styles, and even hair colors.
Sarah, the more adventurous twin, reached out to touch the mirror, her fingers trembling. The reflection of herself—short hair dyed a vibrant blue and eyes sparkling with mischief—did the same. Meanwhile, Emily’s reflection, with long, wavy brown hair and a gentle, serene smile, mirrored her sister’s movements but seemed to exude a completely different aura.
“What is happening?” Emily whispered, her voice barely audible. She glanced at Sarah, who was equally bewildered.
“I don’t know,” Sarah replied, her voice filled with a mix of curiosity and unease. “This has to be some kind of trick, right? Mirrors don’t just do this.”
The twins had discovered the old mirror in their grandmother’s attic earlier that day, hidden beneath a dusty sheet. Intrigued by its ornate frame and antique charm, they had decided to clean it up and bring it down to their room. Now, as they stood before it, they couldn’t shake the feeling that it was more than just a simple looking glass.
“Let’s try stepping away and then back again,” Sarah suggested. They both took a step back, their reflections vanishing from view. When they stepped forward once more, the two different versions of themselves reappeared, smiling enigmatically.
“It’s like the mirror is showing who we truly are inside,” Emily mused. “Not just our outward appearance, but our essence.”
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Sarah nodded slowly. “Maybe it’s a chance to see ourselves in a new light, to understand each other and ourselves better.”
The idea was both intriguing and unsettling. The twins had always been close, often finishing each other’s sentences and knowing what the other was thinking. But this mirror seemed to highlight their differences, offering a glimpse into their individual identities that they had never fully explored.
Determined to unravel the mystery, they decided to dig deeper into their grandmother’s attic, hoping to find more clues about the mirror’s origins. Among the old photographs and forgotten keepsakes, they discovered a dusty journal that belonged to their great-grandmother. Flipping through its pages, they found an entry that caught their attention:
“August 15, 1925. I acquired a most peculiar mirror today. The shopkeeper claimed it reveals the true nature of those who gaze into it. A gift, he said, for those seeking clarity and self-discovery.”
Sarah and Emily exchanged glances, their curiosity piqued even further. They spent hours reading through the journal, learning about their great-grandmother’s journey of self-discovery and the profound insights the mirror had offered her.
As the sun set and their room was bathed in the soft glow of twilight, the twins stood before the mirror once more. This time, they looked at their reflections with a sense of acceptance and understanding. They were no longer just identical twins; they were individuals with their own dreams, fears, and strengths.
The mirror had shown them that while they shared an unbreakable bond, they were also unique in their own right. And in that realization, they found a deeper connection to themselves and each other, ready to embrace their individual paths while supporting one another every step of the way.
Word Count: 578