Finish the Tale Contest: The Oracle in the Oak Frame

She bought the mirror for its antique frame not knowing it reflected the future instead of the present. Clara, an artist with the penchant of beauty, stumbled upon the mirror in a dusty antique shop. Its frame, a riot of carved oak, large enough to capture her physique, and a simple decor she had always wanted for a frame- this, captured her interest, and not the cloudy, tarnished glass that was within. She imagined it'd grace her studio, being the only thing missing whenever she wanted to capture her countenance after a good work day. She haggled a good price with the shopkeeper, her heart set on the captivating oak frame, not knowing the true treasure of the simple oak-frame mirror was yet to be uncovered.

Back in her studio, Clara began the work of restoration, cleaning off the dust and cobwebs that had covered the mirror surface. She hummed a tune as she polished the once dirty glass. Her reflection appeared hazily, but while she watched herself with a smile she noticed something shifted, her dress changed, replaced by another, her appearance solidified, now with a low haircut different from the wig she wore. Clara stood there confused, she blinked, hoping it was her vision, but the image persisted. It was her undeniably, but a version of her she didn't recognize.

Image generated using Gemini AI

The next day, the same thing happened and this kept repeating over time. She had initially dismissed it as a trick of light, but gradually it started to become clear as she saw herself at events she had always dreamt of and reaching goals she had set in close doors- she couldn't ignore them. The mirror wasn't showing her present, it was reflecting her future. Even though the mirror offered a cheat sheet to success, Clara was worried if knowing the future would diminish the joy of the journey, but while she pondered whether to keep the mirror, she noticed something striking. Marcus, her rival, known for his cutthroat ambition stood in one of her exhibitions, whispering evil to a woman who must have been his accomplice, and this made her cautious, keeping the mirror to avoid future harm.

The day of the exhibition arrived, and it happened the same way the mirror had shown. Clara was prepared for this. The triumphant smile playing on her lips showed she had gotten a friend, "an Oracle in the oak frame".