It was dark now. I was but a forgotten memory, stuck playing a lullaby and spinning around in circles. I gazed at the moon and the stars, the cracks in the shattered mirror distorted the image and made it seem less real.

Once I stood tall and proud on the shelf. The music chimed brightly and I danced my heart out. The song was as light as my feet, as I delicately spun.

My heart soared, not knowing of the prison, this cage formed around me. The song turned sour. A depressing lullaby droned on, until the smile painted on my face was all that it was.

Hollow inside, the song was lifeless. I heard the strain with every twist of the key. The gears were not so new, and the strings were not as tight. I could hear how out of tune they were.

Then they placed me higher up on the shelf. I watched as dust settled around me. A new music box replaced me with her hair in tight red ringlets and a dress delicately draped around her. It was brighter and more colorful than my faded gown.

She never smiled. There was not even a smile painted on her face. Her song was beautiful and enchanting. She danced with such grace. I would be jealous, if not for the refreshing sound. My gears have grown tired, my spinning around ended.

Time went by and the girl played her tune. Suddenly they took me down and wound me up. I danced once again, never missing a beat. I never forgot the dance and my feet were still light as before. My heart soared, I had forgotten my own sweet lullaby, if I were not porcelain, I would probably have cried.

Soon my song died down and I came to a stop. The other girl faced me she did not look amused. A shadow fell over her innocent eyes, and she glared with such anger.

She placed me back up on the high shelf, almost as if I was better than everyone. She still glared, but I had no concern now. She could not get me, but I could not see why she was so angry with me.

She now danced with poise, still enchanting but almost in a competitive way. Her notes were sharp and clear, perfect as always.

I noticed after while, they took me down more, they played her less. My song was still smooth and clear, hers became jagged and mechanical. Her dancing kept faltering, as she tried her hardest. She was perfect the first time, why was she pushing herself so hard.

Each time afterwards, she would glare with such hatred. I did not even know what I had done to her to deserve it.

One night, they neglected to place me back on my perch, but I felt thrilled to be back where I was, when I first started out. My melody played in my head in a whisper. Oh, the joy I once had when my heart was in full bloom.

There was a tick, and slowly I heard it again. It was a mechanical ticking like a clock, rhythmic and soft.

The other girl turned to stare with such wrath. Yet this time, she looked to have a dark smile, her eyes burned with fire. I wondered what she was doing. Then she struck a note. It was a high-pitched note, intended as a challenge.

I paid her no mind, but then she played her sound in an eerie way. The notes were out of tune and the tempo was unsteady. She danced with deadly grace and paused. She waited for me and I slowly started my song. In a slow calming sound, my feet began to itch in anticipation to dance faster, as I slowly spun around.

Her song interrupted, matching tempo with mine, but suddenly sped up a bit. I matched the tempo with hers, before she sped up the tempo slightly again.

Her song and dance disillusioned me this was not a game. She wanted to prove, she was the best. She wanted to prove, she was better than me. It was clear now why she pushed herself so hard. She wanted the attention. She wanted it to be just her.

I sped up the tempo drastically. My feet flew through the air. I let my heart and soul fly with my song. She matched mine perfectly and together the songs seemed almost harmonious, until I heard some notes went flat. She could not keep up the pace for long. Her dancing was no longer graceful, more like an animal, raw and rough. It only annoyed her more that I still played on. My song was as strong as my heart.

Then, I actually soared. She shoved me off the shelf. I crashed to the ground and the sound died away.

My song echoed faintly off the walls, as I lay broken, staring up at the other girl. I was surely going into the trash bin, but they scooped me up, and placed me back on the self.

No more music played. I watched the passing of time through the cracked mirror.