The Mirror Thieves

Illustration: 자기연민 / Be leave by Dae-Hyun Kim for Moonassi

Estimated Read Time: 5-6 minutes

In a land far removed from our own, there existed a society where the people had never seen themselves. This was not due to any natural limitation or affliction, but rather a cultural decision made by their ancestors. They believed that self-reflection was the root of all evil, and as such, they blackened and hid all mirrors in their world.

As the generations passed, the people of this society grew increasingly insatiable for introspection. They yearned to know who they were, but had no means to seek answers to their internal inquiries. The desire for self-understanding became a fierce hunger within them, pushing some to leave the comforts of their society and journey to distant lands in search of answers.

In these foreign lands, the travelers discovered people who not only possessed mirrors, but seemed to have an innate ability to reflect upon themselves. Intrigued, the travelers approached these strangers and asked if they might borrow their mirrors. The kind-hearted people, sensing the desperation of the travelers, agreed to help them and taught them the art of self-reflection.

The travelers, now equipped with the ability to see themselves, rejoiced in their newfound skill. They marveled at their own faces, their eyes wide with wonder as they finally beheld their own features. However, instead of using this new knowledge to better understand themselves and share it with their people, something darker stirred within their hearts.

Driven by greed and a hunger for power, they began to steal the mirrors of the people around them, claiming the reflections as their own. With each stolen mirror, they took on the identity of another, amassing a collection of stolen selves. As they grew bolder, they ventured further and further, stealing mirrors from every land they visited.

Back in their homeland, news of their actions spread like wildfire. The anti-introspection society was now consumed with fear and paranoia, as they learned of their own people's wicked deeds. They had never imagined that the desire to know oneself could lead to such darkness.

Meanwhile, in the lands where the mirrors had been stolen, the people who once knew themselves so well now found themselves adrift in a sea of confusion. They had lost their ability to reflect upon their lives and experiences, and with that loss, a vital part of their identities was stripped away.

The mirror thieves continued their sinister conquest, leaving entire societies bereft of their reflections, their own insatiable hunger for self-knowledge consuming any trace of empathy or understanding. They had become monsters, reflections of the very evil their ancestors had tried to prevent by hiding the mirrors.

The world now faced a great imbalance, as those who once had the gift of self-reflection were robbed of their mirrors, while the mirror thieves continued to amass their collection of stolen identities. It was a tragic reminder that even the pursuit of knowledge and understanding can be twisted by the darker impulses of human nature, leaving entire civilizations stripped of their true selves.