Horror logo

The Haunted Mirror

Horror Mystery

By Ebad Paras AfzalPublished 11 months ago 8 min read
1

It was just a simple antique mirror, the kind you might find in an old thrift store. But for Emily, it was more than just a piece of furniture. Ever since she had brought it home, strange things had started happening in her apartment.

At first, it was just little things. Emily would hear footsteps in the hallway, or see a shadow move out of the corner of her eye. But soon, the disturbances became more frequent and more violent.

Emily would wake up in the middle of the night, feeling like something was watching her. She would hear voices whispering her name, and feel a cold breath on the back of her neck.

But the worst was yet to come. One night, Emily woke up to find herself standing in front of the antique mirror, staring into her own reflection. But something was different. Her reflection wasn't quite right. It was like looking into a distorted funhouse mirror.

And then, she saw it. A pair of glowing red eyes staring back at her from within the reflection. Emily tried to scream, but no sound came out.

The next morning, Emily knew that she had to get rid of the mirror. She didn't care how much she had paid for it, or how valuable it was. She just wanted it gone.

But every time she tried to move it, the mirror seemed to resist. It was like it had a will of its own, and it wasn't going to let her go that easily.

Days turned into weeks, and Emily began to lose hope. She felt like she was trapped in her own apartment, with no escape from the terror that lurked within the antique mirror.

But then, one night, something changed. Emily woke up to find herself standing in front of the mirror again, but this time, something was different. The reflection was no longer distorted. Instead, it was like looking into a window, with a clear view of another world.

And in that other world, Emily saw something that made her blood run cold. It was a figure, a creature of some kind, with long, spindly limbs and glowing red eyes. It was staring back at her from within the reflection, and Emily knew that it was coming for her.

She tried to run, but her feet wouldn't move. She was trapped, just like she had been trapped in her own apartment. And then, the creature stepped out of the mirror, into her world.

Emily felt a cold hand wrap around her neck, and she knew that it was all over. But then, something strange happened. The creature seemed to recoil in fear, and then it vanished, back into the mirror.

Emily never found out what had happened that night. But she knew that the antique mirror was no ordinary piece of furniture. It was a gateway to another world, a world filled with darkness and terror.

She got rid of the mirror, finally, and never looked backShe got rid of the mirror and tried to move on with her life, but the memory of that night stayed with her. Emily had trouble sleeping, plagued by nightmares of the creature that had come through the mirror. She felt like she was being watched all the time, like the creature was still out there, waiting for its chance to strike.

Emily had never been a superstitious person, but after what she had experienced, she couldn't help but believe that there were things in this world that were beyond explanation.

One day, she received a package in the mail. It was a small package, wrapped in plain brown paper, with no return address. Emily opened it cautiously, half-expecting to find the antique mirror inside.

Instead, she found a small, ornate key and a note. The note was written in an elegant script, and read simply: "The key unlocks the door to the other side. Use it wisely."

Emily felt a chill run down her spine. She didn't know who had sent her the package, or what the note meant. But she couldn't shake the feeling that it was somehow connected to the antique mirror, and the creature that had come through it.

Curiosity got the better of her, and Emily decided to investigate. She went to the address listed on the package, a small antique shop in the heart of the city. The shop was dimly lit, with rows upon rows of shelves lined with strange and unusual objects.

The shopkeeper, an old man with a long white beard, greeted her warmly. When she showed him the key and the note, he nodded knowingly.

"That key unlocks a door that should never be opened," he said. "It leads to a world beyond our own, a world of darkness and shadows. You must be careful, child. There are things in that world that are better left alone."

Emily didn't know what to make of the shopkeeper's warning, but she felt like she had come too far to turn back now. She asked him where the door was, and he gave her directions to an abandoned building on the outskirts of town.

The building was old and rundown, with boarded-up windows and a rusted iron door. Emily found the keyhole and inserted the small ornate key. The lock clicked, and the door creaked open.

The room beyond was dark and musty, with cobwebs hanging from the ceiling. Emily felt like she was stepping into another world, one that was both familiar and yet completely foreign.

She heard a noise in the darkness, a low growling sound. She realized too late that she had made a terrible mistake. The creature had followed her, and now it was loose in this world.

Emily turned to run, but it was too late. The creature caught up with her, and she felt its cold breath on the back of her neck.

She closed her eyes, waiting for the end. But then, something strange happened. The creature seemed to recoil in fear, and then it vanished, back into the darkness.

Emily knew that she had been lucky. She had come too close to the brink, but somehow, she had managed to escape. She took the key and the note, and she returned to the antique shop.

The old man was waiting for her, and he looked relieved to see her alive.

"I warned you, child," he said. "The other side is not a place for mortals. You were lucky to escape with your life."

Emily nodded, understanding now what the old man had meant. She had learned a valuable lesson, one that she would never forget.

She got rid of the key and the note, and she never spoke of the antique mirror again.

But she knew that she had to move on with her life. Emily tried to put the incident behind her and focus on her work. She threw herself into her job as a graphic designer, spending long hours at the office and trying to forget about the strange and terrifying experiences she had gone through.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Emily began to feel like she was finally getting back to normal. She stopped having nightmares and she no longer felt like she was being watched all the time.

One day, she received an email from an anonymous sender. The subject line read simply: "I know what you did." Emily felt a chill run down her spine as she opened the message.

The email was short and to the point. It accused Emily of stealing something, and it threatened to expose her if she didn't come clean.

Emily didn't know what to make of the message. She had never stolen anything in her life. But then, she remembered the antique mirror. She had taken it from the old woman's house, without permission. Could that be what the email was referring to?

Emily decided to confront her accuser. She replied to the email, demanding to know who was behind it and what they wanted.

The reply came quickly. It was another short message, but this time, it contained a photo attachment. Emily opened the photo and gasped in horror.

It was a picture of the antique mirror, sitting in the middle of a dark, eerie room. But that wasn't what terrified her. In the reflection of the mirror, she could see the face of the creature that had come through it. Its eyes were fixed on her, and its lips were twisted in a sinister grin.

Emily felt like the ground had fallen out from under her. She knew that she had to get rid of the mirror, once and for all.

She made her way back to the old woman's house, heart pounding in her chest. She found the mirror in the same place she had left it, propped up against the wall in the corner of the room.

Emily took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She remembered the old man's warning, about the danger of opening doors that should never be opened. But it was too late for that now. She had already opened the door, and now she had to face the consequences.

She picked up the antique mirror and carried it out of the house. She walked through the streets, feeling like she was being followed. She could feel the eyes of the creature on her back, its presence looming over her like a dark cloud.

Finally, Emily found a dumpster behind a deserted alley. She tossed the mirror inside and walked away, feeling like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

But as she walked away, Emily heard a sound behind her. She turned around and saw the dumpster start to shake and rattle. The lid flew open, and the antique mirror tumbled out onto the ground.

Emily screamed and ran, heart pounding in her chest. She knew that the creature was still out there, somewhere, waiting for its chance to strike.

She never looked back, and she never spoke of the antique mirror again. But she knew that the memory of that night would stay with her forever, a constant reminder of the danger that lay behind closed doors.

supernaturalurban legendslasherpsychologicalmonsterhalloweenfictionbook reviewsart
1

About the Creator

Ebad Paras Afzal

Welcome to my Vocal Media profile! This is where you'll find my written work, ranging from personal reflections to informative articles on a variety of topics. As a writer, my aim is to entertain the readers.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.