The Reflection

“In the spooky search for who we are, we must face the unsettling emptiness when we can't see ourselves in the mirror” - Unknown

"Slow, slow, come on, open your eyes," the doctor gently urged as Sona slowly blinked her eyes open after the surgery.

Back in 1998, there was a young woman named Sona. She was 21 years old and had a special talent for playing the piano and singing. But Sona had been blind since she was just a year old because of a sickness she had.

Then, something amazing happened. After waiting for so long, she got a chance to see again, thanks to someone who donated their eyes. Can you believe it? After 20 years of darkness!

Sona's very first wish when she could see again was to look at herself in the mirror. And guess what? Her wish came true! She couldn't stop smiling.

But you know, when you've been in the dark for so long, suddenly having light in your eyes can be a bit much. "Everything's so bright," Sona said to the doctor.

"Don't worry, it'll get better," the doctor assured her.

Now that she could see, Sona recognized the faces of her hostel sister and her boyfriend, Rahul. Rahul was thrilled for her! He promised to take her everywhere she wanted to go and show her everything she wanted to see. He'd always taken care of her, even when she couldn't see.

After getting her sight back, Sona spent a lot of time looking at herself in the mirror. She loved seeing her own beauty and would often ask Rahul about it whenever they went out.

"You look beautiful, Sona," Rahul would say, smiling at her.

"Yeah? How beautiful?" Sona would tease him, laughing.

"More beautiful than the stars," Rahul would reply, making her blush.

Rahul had promised Kayalvizhi's parents to give them 5 Lakhs because their family was struggling with poverty. Kayalvizhi, who was only 18, had passed away after a severe accident and her parents were left in a difficult situation. After arranging the money, Rahul went to Kayalvizhi's village to give it to her parents.

On the other side, Sona, Rahul's girlfriend, went to his house to see him. Rahul's grandma welcomed her but didn't know the real reason Rahul had gone out of town. She just said he went to see a friend.

Meanwhile, Kayal's parents wanted to see Sona's photo to remember the girl who received their daughter's eyes. Rahul remembered that Sona had asked for Kayal's photo to see the girl who gave her eyes. So, he kept it in his diary.

But when Sona was in Rahul's room, she found a photo album named "My Love" with a heart on it. When she opened it, she was shocked to see pictures of a strange girl posing very close with Rahul in all the photos.

Feeling upset, Sona couldn't help but cry. She left the house without saying anything, leaving Rahul's grandmother puzzled.

Later that night, Rahul went to see Sona at her hostel after returning from Kayal's village.

"Hey, Sona, I'm back," Rahul said, trying to break the ice.

Sona wasn't happy to see him. "Why didn't you tell me you were going?" she asked, feeling hurt.

Rahul sighed. "I'm sorry, Sona. I should've told you. But I have something important to show you," he said, taking out a photo.

Sona looked at the photo in shock. "She looks exactly like me," she whispered, confused.

Rahul was surprised. "No way, Sona. You both look different," he insisted.

But Sona wasn't convinced. She grabbed Kayal's photo and compared it with her reflection in the mirror. To her horror, she saw Kayal's face instead of her own.

"I don't understand," Sona said, her voice trembling.

Suddenly, Rahul reached into his purse and pulled out a photo, handing it to Sona. "Look at this, Sona," he said urgently.

Sona took the photo, her hands trembling slightly. As she looked at it, her eyes widened in shock. "Who is she?," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Rahul nodded gravely. "That's you."

Sona felt a chill run down her spine as she realized the truth. The girl in the album—it was her all along.

For a moment, the room fell silent as they both tried to make sense of the inexplicable situation. Then, Sona's eyes drifted to the mirror, and she saw Kayal's face once again.

Terror gripped her heart as she struggled to comprehend the bizarre reality. "Why... why is this happening?" she whispered, her voice trembling with fear.

Rahul could offer no explanation. He could only watch helplessly as Sona grappled with the unsettling truth.

And so, in the confusion and terror, the mystery of Sona's reflection remained unsolved, leaving them in fear.