Reflection

The mirror showed a reflection that wasn't my own. It was a face I had never seen before, with sunken eyes, a twisted smile, and rotting flesh. I screamed and stumbled backward, knocking over the vase on the dresser. It shattered on the floor, sending shards of glass flying everywhere. As I stood there, trembling and gasping for breath, I realized that the room had changed. The walls were covered in a thick, black substance that oozed and dripped like tar. The furniture had rotted away, leaving only piles of moldy fabric and splintered wood. The air was thick with the stench of decay and something else, something that made my stomach churn. I turned back to the mirror, hoping that the face I had seen was just a trick of the light. But it was still there, grinning at me with bared teeth. I reached out to touch the glass, and my hand went right through it. The surface rippled like water, and then the mirror shattered into a million pieces. Suddenly, I was falling through darkness, my body tumbling and twisting as I plummeted down an endless void. I tried to scream, but no sound came out. I was completely alone, surrounded by an abyss that seemed to go on forever. Finally, I landed with a jolt, my body hitting a hard surface. I looked up and saw that I was in a narrow hallway, lined with doors on either side. They were all closed, except for one at the very end. It was slightly ajar, and a faint light flickered from within. I got to my feet and cautiously approached the door, my heart pounding in my chest. As I pushed it open, a wave of cold air hit me, sending shivers down my spine. The room was completely dark, except for a single candle that burned on a table in the center. I stepped inside, my eyes adjusting to the dim light. And then I saw her – a woman standing in the shadows, her back to me. She was tall and thin, with long hair that hung in greasy strands around her face. "Who are you?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. The woman turned around slowly, and I saw her face. It was the same face that had appeared in the mirror, twisted and distorted with madness. "I am the reflection," she said, her voice echoing in the darkness. "The part of you that you hide away, the darkness that you deny. And now, you are mine." I tried to run, but my legs wouldn't move. I was frozen in place, unable to escape the horrors that surrounded me. The woman began to move closer, her steps slow and deliberate. With each step, the room grew darker, the candle flickering out. And then she was upon me, her hands reaching out to grab me. I closed my eyes and screamed, bracing for the worst. But then, I felt a sudden warmth, a light that pushed back against the darkness. And when I opened my eyes, I was back in my own bedroom, safe and sound. I sat up, gasping for breath, and looked around. Everything was back to normal, the walls white and clean, the furniture intact. And as I looked in the mirror, I saw my own reflection staring back at me, with no sign of the twisted, nightmare version of myself. But the memory of that night stayed with me, haunting me for years to come. I never knew what had happened, whether it was a dream or a hallucination or something else entirely. But I knew one thing for sure – I would never forget the terror I had felt, the sense of being trapped in a world of darkness and madness.