Alla finds a strange mirror in her grandmother's cellar and steps into a bright, magical world full of curious creatures and a purple castle.
One sunny afternoon, Alla was playing hide and seek at her grandmother's house. She slipped into the big old cellar to hide. The air there was cool and smelled of dust and apples. Then Alla stopped.
In the far corner stood a shiny mirror she had never seen before. Its silver frame glimmered in the dim light. Alla took a step closer. In the glass, her reflection lifted its left hand.
Alla blinked. She had lifted her right.
Her heart gave a little jump. She reached out and touched the mirror. Her fingers sank through it like water. Before she could call out, the whole room spun around her. One quick step, and she was somewhere else.
Alla stood in a strange, bright world. Pink butterflies floated high above her head. The grass under her shoes was soft and blue, like a fluffy rug. Far away, a purple castle rose on a hill.
A small yellow dog with green ears bounced out from behind a bush. "Hello, Alla! We've been waiting for you!" he said in a clear, human voice.
Alla stared at him. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.
"Come quickly!" said the dog, and he darted toward the castle.
Alla hurried after him, but then she heard it: a soft, secret laugh drifting from a rainbow cave nearby. It sounded close. It sounded like someone was watching.
Alla stopped between the cave and the castle. Which way should she go?