Maja was standing in the bathroom when the clock struck nine. Mum called out from the hallway: "Two minutes and bedtime!" Maja picked up her electric toothbrush, Sparkle, and sighed. The little light in the handle blinked briefly, a cool blue. The girl began small circles, tooth by tooth, carefully. "Top, bottom, tongue too," she whispered, watching for even movements. The built-in timer ticked and flashed a green dot, quietly. Suddenly, the toothbrush cup trembled on the white countertop. A silver key slipped out of the tube of toothpaste, blinking. A vapour settled in the mirror and drew a map oddly. Molarne Hill and Glaze Corner could be seen, clearly. Maya swallowed her saliva slowly and stopped brushing. "Shine, what is that actually?" she asked uncertainly. The toothbrush whirred and replied in a thin voice: "Plaque alarm. They're building a fortress between the molars." The memory stung Maja: she hadn't flossed today. A caramel from the evening popcorn was stuck in the sixth. "Gotta floss every night," she muttered quietly to herself. In the mirror something flashed with sudden light again. A wide, shimmering bridge appeared on the map. It was made of cotton candy and led directly to the Dark Rift. The flash emitted three quick beeps, like a school bell. "Mission clear one minute: floss, brush, rinse," he said gravely. A small spool of floss popped out of the drawer. The tip formed a loop, like a lasso nimbly. The mouthwash smelled of mint and sounded like a rough sea. "Shall we go in?" asked Shine, shining harder, invitingly. Then a door opened quietly on the surface of the mirror. Behind them pulsed a city of white towers, cracked bridges and narrow streets. Slippery, yellowish creatures ran across the rooftops, carrying buckets. A scraping sound came from the distance, as if someone was scratching at the glass with a fingernail. Maja squeezed the spool of thread and glanced at the clock. There was exactly one minute left on the timer. A handrail slid out of the mirror, cool and damp. Maja took a breath and lifted her foot over the threshold.