The mirror

The clock struck midnight, as every night I covered all the mirrors in the house. It's fresh in my mind even after all this time...

Everyone is sleeping; the night is quiet, and the moon throws silvery light through the windows. I am drowned by the beauty of it, hypnotized, floating towards the open window in my bedroom. Nothing is moving outside; even the wind has stopped blowing. The trees look like majestic guardians.

Staying there under the cold watch of the moon, I don't even realize when I reach my makeup table, staring into the mirror at this ghostly figure with a pale face and lifeless eyes—deep and empty, like the night. I try to move away, but she passes through the mirror, her cold hands touching my shoulders, pulling me towards her.

The mirror becomes like a melted silver portal. I feel the embrace of death rushing through my veins, like ice, freezing the life in my body. In horror, I watch my last breath print on the mirror... I passed out.

Someone is whispering in my ear. I can't understand; the voice is so low and seems to speak a different language. My heart starts to beat fast. I realize I am still in the house, but it has a different setup: dark colors and golden details. Everywhere are black candles throwing menacing shapes with their flames.

The floor feels cold. I manage to pull myself up. It seems like I'm alone; the voice I heard is like a memory...

The door of the room is open, the door handle sitting broken on the floor. I want to find someone; maybe I can understand why I am here...

From the bathroom, I can hear a voice singing slowly, almost incomprehensibly.

Suddenly, another door slammed loudly behind me. Realization hits me; I remember this house, with long dark corridors, wall lamps everywhere, some of them just flickering slowly like somebody switches them on and off constantly.

My skin gets goosebumps, and I can hear my heart in my ears like drums. Fear is creeping in slowly.

I need to run to hide, she starts searching for me. I won't let her find me this time, like she used to when I was just a little child.

Shadows start to emerge from every room, all looking like corpses floating around, searching for prey to feed on.

This is the special moment when they are allowed to visit the places they lived and take a trophy with them to the other side.

The woman with the tall figure and pale bluish skin is coming out of the powder room, chanting a song that sends shivers down my spine.

I recognize this song, but I don’t quite remember where from.

In one moment, someone approaches from behind. I turn suddenly and fall to the ground; the noise of my body hitting the floor draws the attention of everyone.

Instinctively, I close my eyes and start saying some enchanting words that I don't even know the meaning of.

In the blink of an eye, I am in a wardrobe next to a big dining room, where all these shadows are having a feast. A few of them are carrying heavy chains on their feet and hands, making a rattling sound as they move.

It's like a glimpse into the underworld.

I remember now the way out; I need to find a mirror that has a specific frame to find my way back.

I see the pale woman searching for something in the crowd. She knows I am still here; she needs me to get back to the living world—that's what she is thinking. I can hear all their thoughts, like a beehive continuously murmuring.

If only I can distract them and reach the door on the opposite side of the dining room, I could sneak out and search for that mirror.

A bell rings loudly, like someone making an announcement. They all pay attention to the tall woman. I take advantage and walk slowly behind them, reaching the door. When I open it, it makes a squeaky sound. I get out and, without knowing where to go, I start running as if my life depends on it. Once again, I attract all the attention, and I see them emerging from the walls as if there is nothing .

Something is telling me to get inside this bright door with a strange painting on it that looks like it’s alive. It’s a garden and a fountain; I can hear the water splashing and the sounds of nature. That’s my chance. I open the door and find myself in a mirror room. I can see my reflection in thousands of pieces, all slightly different.

“Find the real you,” a voice says, “and be careful; don’t get trapped here forever.”

I look around, and all these eyes are staring at me with wonder or a creepy grin on their faces. Just one is facing away, sitting and crying like a lost child. I get closer and touch her slowly on the shoulder.

As I make contact with her, I feel thrown back through a tunnel, moving fast and with a loud noise. I fall to the ground.

It takes me a while to grasp and realize where I am.

I turn around and search for something familiar. I can see the window from where I am, and the same moon is lighting the night. A woman is standing at the same window I was, with her eyes closed, looking like a petrified figure. Her skin is glowing in the night.

My body floats quickly to her and merges like a missing puzzle. The shock of entering the body imbalances her, and she wakes up. She slowly gets her posture, closes the window, and pulls the curtains. The wind starts to blow with fury.

Still feeling unsteady, she walks toward the bed where she finds her loved one sleeping in peace. Slowly, she lays down next to him and falls into a deep sleep. Tomorrow all will be forgotten, like it was just a dream.