Start your story with someone buying a cursed — or perhaps blessed —mirror from an antiques store.

Posted in Fantasy on Nov 17, 2023

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✍️ 74 stories

“Reflexive Secret” by Reid Lewis

Submitted to Contest #225

The stuffy air of the late afternoon hung low in the galleries of the antiques stores’ seemingly endless aisles. Particulate matter of all kinds danced and swirled in the rays of the setting sun as a lone man navigated his way over the eternally creaking floorboards. Smells of musty canvas and aged oak furniture permeated every inch of the store. “This place could really use an air conditioner,” the man thought to himself. Walking with seemingly no purpose, his eyes crossed what appeared to be an old barbershop mirror in the corner of one o...

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“The Foggy Mirror” by Michael Lauer

Submitted to Contest #225

The doorbell rang as I entered the rural antique store. The aroma in the store smelled old and dusty. As I walked onto the wide floorboards, they creaked like I hurt them with every step. It wasn't the scent of dried flowers or scented candles like in most shops, but a stale scent of old wood, iron, and copper that now reminded me of my life. I still remember when my late husband Charles and I visited many antique stores over the years together. We would always find the oldest items, take them home, and refurbish them to a time when it was n...

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“Love at Lake Asa” by Heather Zoppetti

Submitted to Contest #225

Anna sensed the hidden world all around her. Sometimes she heard whispers when she brushed past a bookshelf. Other times, she would feel vibrations when she touched a table. She felt this other realm strongest at her aunt’s antique store. This was one of Anna’s favorite places and she volunteered to work there every chance she had.Anna enjoyed helping her aunt. She was a fun, loving woman who raised her after she lost her parents as a baby. In the shop, the two of them enjoyed discovering old objects and fabricating stories about their pasts...

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“Upon Reflection” by Bettina Karpathian

Submitted to Contest #225

Scott staggered as Amanda fumbled her front door open. He was struggling to hold her latest antique shop find, a large gilt-framed mirror. Sweating and swearing, he lurched into the living room and deposited the mirror on the floor. Amanda inspected it. The ornate gilt frame was as beautiful as she remembered despite the dust in its crevices. Her face peered back at her from the blotchy glass, mousy brown hair framing a clear but pale complexion and large, expressive brown eyes almost hidden by heavy lensed glasses. She sighed. Totally nonde...

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“"Hello Gracie..."” by Regina Martin

Submitted to Contest #225

Her hands flew to her face, in utter excitement. "I have to have it!" Gracie wasn't sure if she was more enamored with how the mirror complimented her complexion, or the mirror itself. No... on second thought, the mirror definitely outshined her pale, freckled face. Many a day she had walked past this antiques store, always peeking into the window, but never taking the time to peruse within. Twenty minutes later, as she was ready to part empty handed, a mirror, hanging adjacent to the cashier's counter, caught her attention. Or perhaps...

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“Secret Legacy” by Carolyn McBride

Submitted to Contest #225

The antique store was packed with forgotten and discarded treasures, but it was the antique mirror that whispered to Sarah. ‘Me. You want me.’ She hadn’t come looking for anything in particular, she had no idea why she’d stopped at all. But once her gaze fell on the tall mirror, she wasn’t interested in seeing anything else. It stood in the window of the shop, with various other pieces that might have been found in a long-ago bedroom. But Sarah only had eyes for the mirror. The sinuous embrace of a dark, mahogany frame enveloped the silver...

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“From New Angles” by Yossi Katzin

Submitted to Contest #225

One hundred and thirty-six years it took me to find the one I needed. One hundred and thirty-six years of standing in Tallmand’s shop, watching the days pass and the people change. From my spot in the back of the store, I was ever reflecting on my environment, noting the myriad facets of the objects in it, the way the light shone and scattered through the windows across the many items for sale. Many people passed me by over those years, taking a peek at themselves in my silvered glass. I didn’t like most of them. They were incomplete, most o...

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“The Guilty Mind of Hasina” by Marcy Key

Submitted to Contest #225

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Hasina nodded her head. She was too engulfed in the masterpiece before her.“It’s on sale! It came from a very nice family not too far from here. Mmmhmm, sure did. It was their daughter’s. A nice little young thing. I’ll tell you something. You take it home today, come back tomorrow, and tell me how you like it, and I’ll tell you about who it belonged to.”Hasina looked at the middle-aged woman. She noticed that her smile was not genuine. “How much for it today?” She was not rich, but she would be crazy to pass a mi...

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“Reflections” by CM Finch

Submitted to Contest #225

The first time she noticed it, she was convinced she was seeing things. Overtired, overworked, and desiring an escape from a rather tedious reality, she had clearly wanted a moment to exist elsewhere where that tediousness was nothing but a not so fond memory. It was silly and frivolous and made no sense whatsoever. She bought it anyway. The mirror was small with a metal frame etched with a design long faded by far too many fingertips. It was oval and slightly tarnished and fit perfectly within the curve of her palm.&n...

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“Caro's Treasure” by R E King

Submitted to Contest #225

Igor looked like a hideous old toad. His creased motley face, wiry thinning hair and permanent grimace complimented his unpleasant personality. He owned ‘Igor’s Antique Shop’, but in truth, it sold all manner of second-hand goods and junk. Igor did deceased estate clearances and paid a pittance for the treasured belongings of the deceased. He made his living taking advantage of grieving people. Igor disliked me because I often browsed his cluttered store for hours without buying anything and when I did buy, I insisted on haggling. I des...

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“Eyes Full of Fire and Water” by Abbas Garmabi

Submitted to Contest #225

It happened one evening; I had been sitting for hours in front of an old antique mirror with a classic wooden frame when these words suddenly popped out of my mouth, “I’m going to buy it.” And everything started with that; it was about one year ago. I have not been interested in collecting big pieces of antiques as I do not have a place to display them. As an antiquarian, all those old stores on an ancient street in my hometown have always been an endless world of wonders for me, especially on the weekends when I walk in and out and, at...

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“Nikolas and the Labyrinth of Deceit: A Faith the Sightless Dragon Short Story (abridged to suit prompt requirements)” by Jules Fellms

Submitted to Contest #225

“A magic mirror?” Nikolas peered into the reflective surface that seemed to glow softly of its own accord.“Simply put, yes. Will you take it?”Nikolas took a breath to respond, but remembered the old woman’s previous warning. “What must I do? Or rather, what will happen if I do?”Suzanna nodded in approval. “You were paying attention. Come, sit here.” She guided the young man to a stool near a smoldering fire, and his tiny dragon companion gilded gently down before the embers to stretch out, basking in the warmth.“I trust,” Suzanna began, “tha...

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“Home Decorating” by Philip Coxon

Submitted to Contest #225

“No, no way, it’s not worth that, I’ll give you fifty.” The tiny shop was so low that I had to duck periodically to fit under the wooden beams in the ceiling. It was poorly lit by one lamp covered by a very worn shade in the corner, which was making an irritating buzzing sound. There were a great many lavender-scented car fresheners hanging off bits of old furniture, very ineffectually covering a thick musty smell which made my nose wrinkle. “Fifty and I’m losing money! It’s got to be seventy-five.” The old shopkeeper grovelled, his voice s...

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“THE ANTIQUE MIRROR” by Glenna Agnew

Submitted to Contest #225

THE ANTIQUE MIRROR The elaborate sign read ‘Victorian Vintage Village.’ It was an old Victorian house on the main drag not far from the quaint country village of Victoria. There was a wide wrap-around porch and the house was flourishing in architectural design from the Victorian Architectural Revival Period that swept through the nation years ago. The roof was steeply pitched, boasted several gables, and was crowned by a small widow's walk at the very top. The widow's walk was ornately decorated with a wrought iron railing. White...

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Start your story with someone buying a cursed — or perhaps blessed —mirror from an antiques store.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 74 stories

“Reflexive Secret” by Reid Lewis

“The Foggy Mirror” by Michael Lauer

“Love at Lake Asa” by Heather Zoppetti

“Upon Reflection” by Bettina Karpathian

“"Hello Gracie..."” by Regina Martin

“Secret Legacy” by Carolyn McBride

“From New Angles” by Yossi Katzin

“The Guilty Mind of Hasina” by Marcy Key

“Reflections” by CM Finch

“Caro's Treasure” by R E King

“Eyes Full of Fire and Water” by Abbas Garmabi

“Nikolas and the Labyrinth of Deceit: A Faith the Sightless Dragon Short Story (abridged to suit prompt requirements)” by Jules Fellms

“Home Decorating” by Philip Coxon

“THE ANTIQUE MIRROR” by Glenna Agnew

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about someone trying to paint (or otherwise create) a self-portrait.

Write a story about someone coming across their doppelganger.

Write a story about a character who one day notices that their reflection has taken on a life of its own.

Set your story in a house of mirrors and make the atmosphere increasingly eerie.

Contest #225

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

280

Contest entries

106

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: