[ 1 ] 1960

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H. Q. - 2 0 1 3.

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The Irwin family never had much when their children were growing up; their first son Ashton knew it well. His father, John Irwin was a young aspiring law student when he left his home, kicked out and shunned by his wealthy family when he fell in love with a beautiful girl who came from a poor family. The Irwin family didn't want their prestigious family name to be stained by their youngest son having children with a girl from a family who wasn't in their social class.

He left his home in Brisbane with nothing, and later John Irwin struggled to put himself through law school in Sydney, graduating first in his class. It wasn't long before he became a promising young lawyer at Foxworth Firm.

He was only twenty when his first son Ashton was born, and John couldn't be more proud.

From then on, John would always proudly say, "One day Ashton and I will open up a law firm together. I just know my son will make me proud."

By the time Harry and Lauren were born, John Irwin had acquired a good paying position and a nice house, that although small, was cozy and was all his family needed to be happy. It was a two bedroom house in a middle-class neighborhood of Sydney and John hoped to one day have a bigger house to prove to his family in Brisbane that he was doing fine without them and their money.

When his oldest son turned sixteen, John was thirty six years old and was promoted to a higher position that would pay him over double of what he normally earned.

The first thing the young lawyer decided to do was to purchase a house.

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"I don't want to move out of our old house." Ashton complained, crossing his arms over his chest, yet he still got in the car when everything was set in the trunk and ready to take them to their new destination. It wasn't like he could refuse anyway. His father was the one who earned money while he and his siblings went to school. John Irwin always made it clear that education was first for his kids and that he would provide everything for them until they could get a college degree and work in a successful profession.

But unlike his father, Ashton never knew what it was like to be born in a golden crib and grow up among luxury. John Irwin did and if he had to be honest, he missed the things he had as a teenager with his family. Though he didn't regret leaving his house because then he would've never married his beautiful wife and he would be without his perfect family.

His mother scolded him, "Ashton. Will you quit complaining? This house is going to bigger than the one we leave behind. You haven't even seen it yet. Just give it a chance."

"Its a house fit for Sydney's next wealthiest family." Mr. Irwin said with a grin.

The whole family rode past several smaller houses in their brand new Dodge Dart until they reached a closed off manor, separated from the other houses by several acres of fields filled with wildflowers. The house was a two story, upper class house with smaller, adjoining houses to the left and right of the main house that served as guest houses. On the far left of the manor was a garage. According to his father, the house had been built a couple of decades earlier and no one had lived in it yet because the property was too expensive.

They followed the dirt path up to the house and parked right in front. When Ashton opened the side door and stepped out, he took one look at the large house and commented at the lonely building before him, "This looks like a death house." 

"Mommy?" His younger brother Harry said in fear.

"Ashton!" His mum yelled at him in a scolding tone, swatting him on the shoulder. "Stop saying those types of horrible things. You're scaring your little brother." Sqatting down so that she was at eyelevel with her youngest son, she said soothingly, "Don't worry sweetie. Your brother is only joking. Aren't you, Ashton?"

But Ashton shrugged his shoulders, "I'm sorry. But you purchased an isolated house that no one has even lived in yet. I'm just saying its an eerie place."

"Oh, my son." Mr. Irwin set a hand on his eldest son's shoulder with a proud smile that reflected over fifteen years of hard work, "You'll love the house once you get settled in your new room. You won't have to share with Lauren and Harry anymore. Our life will be much better from now on."

Ashton sighed, muttering under his breath, "Why am I not feeling the excitement?"

"How about..." The older man began, "I take you to a car dealer this weekend so you can get your first car?" He grinned at his son. When he left his house in Brisbane, he left his car and all his belongings behind. And he wanted to give his children all the things he once had when he was growing up.

At that, Ashton smiled. "You mean it, dad?"

"I mean it." Mr. Irwin nodded.

"I'd much rather like a motorcycle though..." Ashton began.

"Not those rebel death traps." His father shook his head. "You're getting one of those brand new American Camaro cars, cherry red, imported."

"Gee dad," Ashton breathed. He had always had a liking for red sports cars, but he never thought he would ever own one when he was younger. It was always something he could look at, but never touch. "I think that's swell. Thank you."

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He pushed the door to his room open and wasn't impressed by what he saw. The room was big, but was a standard square shape with wooden floors and white walls. The closet had sliding doors and big enough for him to have all his clothes in, which were mostly leather jackets, jeans, and t-shirts. Across from the door on the far end were glass sliding doors that opened up to the balcony which faced the front of the house, out onto the dirt trail that led towards the front gate. 

The wall on the right was bare, and on the other side was a golden, full length mirror leaning against the wall. Sliding his bag of clothes off his shoulder and setting it next to the doorway, he walked toward the left behind antique. 

A large hand stuck out to feel the cool metal of the mirror, as if to check that it was real.

"What is this?" He wondered out loud to no one in particular, as he was the only one in the room. "Who could have left it here?"

Out of curiosity, his hands gripped the heavy mirror, pulling it towards him and exposing the bare wall behind it. It was contrasted in color with the rest of the wall, making it clear that the mirror had been there for a long time. He thought maybe a family had lived there very briefly and when they left, they forgot their mirror. Or maybe they purposefully left it because it was so heavy to more and it was more trouble than it was worth.

Behind the mirror, on the back side of it, he was able to make out some letters and a few numbers carved into it.

H. Q. - 2 0 1 3

"H, Q, two, zero, one, three. What does that even mean?" He examined the strange markings.

He was startled by a knock on his open door and released the mirror, making it crash against the wall with a loud bang. "Ashton?" His mum asked, eyeing her first son suspiciously.

"Mum, you scared me." He told her with a slight laugh.

"What were you doing with that mirror?" She looked from him to the golden colored mirror.

He shook his head, replying casually, "I was just looking at this mirror someone left behind."

Her face contorted into something that looked like confusion. "That's curious. There was no mirror in this room when we came to see the house last week. I'm sure your father and I would remember an antique like that."

Ashton shrugged, "It doesn't matter to me. I just thought it was curious."

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That night, the Irwin family all slept in the same bedroom, the master bedroom, which already had a king sized bed set up for them to sleep in, as it was the only bed they could carry on the roof of their family car.

Despite Ashton's comments about their new home looking like a death house, the two youngest children slept soundly.

The only one who could not seem to close his eyes long enough to drift off to sleep was the family's eldest son. His eyes were trained on the ceiling above him, but his mind had other thoughts. 

No matter how hard he tried, he could not seem to forget about the mirror.

But he especially couldn't forget about the strange combination of letters and numbers engraved behind it.

H. Q. - 2 0 1 3

What did that mean?

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first chapter for ides of march.

it might seem familiar because it is. its one of the flashback chapters from man in the mirror, but i added a few things to it.

so i hope you all like it. 

the next time i will post another update for this probably next week, or a few more days after that. i just don't want to post them too rushed so i can focus on the rest of the books in the series.

thank you for reading.

i love you.

-clary xx