Chapter Text
Your name is John Egbert, and today is April 13th, your 11th birthday.
You have been very excited for today, because today you get to see something special.
You get to see if your letter has arrived in the mail.
Your father is downstairs, excitedly baking his second cake of the day. He claims it’s because he needs the celebratory cake ready just in case, but you know it’s really because there’s no doubt in his mind that you won’t be accepted, which secretly makes you a little nervous.
You walk over to your window and stare at your mailbox for the third time of the day. The letter is supposed to arrive by owl, and whenever your dad gets owls they don’t deliver to the mailbox, but it doesn’t hurt to check, you think.
You hear a chime, and quickly rush over to your desk.
You own a special ENCHANTED MIRROR. You use it to communicate with your best friend, JADE HARLEY, who sent it to you on this very day last year for your tenth birthday.
“Happy Birthday, John!” Jade squeals from the mirror. “Has your present arrived yet? Or, ooh- your letter?” Jade had already received her own letter on her 11th birthday, December 1st.
“No,” you say, trying not to sound too put out. Jade frowns, setting her mirror down so her whole body comes into frame. “Hm! Well tell me when they do, okay?” She glances down at her hands, which are covered in ribbons. “Oh! I have to go! Call me later, okay?”
“Okay,” you say, but she’s already gone, nothing in the mirror but your own reflection.
It’s been a few minutes. Why don’t you check the mail again?
You look out the window and are delighted to see an owl swooping in your open living room window, bright green package in hand. As you watch, another owl quickly follows it.
Yes!
You rush down the stairs and into the living room, where your father stands by the table. On the table are two cakes, one your typical BIRTHDAY CAKE, and the other the POSSIBLE CELEBRATORY CAKE.
Your father makes TOO MUCH CAKE, you think. But you don’t tell him that. Instead, you ask him if your letter arrived.
Why yes it did, he says, gesturing to the wrapped present and letter on the table. You better open it.
You pick up the letter, and with trembling hands, flip it over, popping the wax seal holding it closed.
Before you can read it, however, you have something else to do: be the other guy.