Muskan drifted in and out of a heavy dream less darkness, her consciousness floating as through suspended between two worlds she didn't diffenciate that what is real what is dream - like waves breaking too far from shore to reach her feet.
A heartbeat
Not hers.
A shadow.
The images.
And then a whisper.
" Muskan", like someone missing her.
And what the meaning of RIYA she remembers she saw this name in mirror. Suddenly she felt a cold air spread in her spine.
Her eyes snaped open.
She was lying in the hard floor of her hallway. She passed out from fear her head hit hard ground floor she felt dizzy and a little pain from her back head her body stiffed, as though she had been asleep for hours.the morning sun had shifted, casting long. This is not morning but afternoon.
For a moment, she didn't remember what happened.
Then the memory is clear her head slowly...
"No," she mumbled.
The reflection breathing.
The cold exhale.
The smile that wasn't hers.
And the world going dark. After that she didn't remember anything.
Muskan jerked upright with a gasp her heart hammered so violently she had clutch her chest with her trembling hands.
Her eyes snapped to the mirror.
It stood silently against the wall, perfectly still,as innocent as an empty picture frame, no ripples. No mist. No breathing.
But Muskan's skin pricked.
Something had changed.
She pushed herself to her feet slowly. her legs trembling. A dull ache throbbed behind her eyes. " Did i..... Just passed out.." she mumbled to no one.
" yes".
She had.
She remembers falling.
But didn't remember hitting the floor.
The faint realisation made her skin crawled like thousand of ants are crawling under her skin she backed away from the mirror run towards her room and try to pack her bag and return to her old house find someone - to tell her that she wasn't losing her mind. Even her grandmother's old stories would have felt safer than staying here alone.
Suddenly her mobile ring she frightened..... Huushh..
Then pick up the call it's her friend Meera.
" Hey, muskan," Meera greeted muskan with a cheerful voice.
" Hi." Muskan reply tieredlessly.
" What happened why are you sound like you are so tired.." Meera asked worriedly.
" Actually I want to tell you something, in this home there is some problem."
" What...?"
" I don't know..." Then muskan told everything about mirror and yesterday's incident.
Meera listen carefully and find this is not big deal just because she is alone and new atmosphere that's why muskan feel stress..
Then say " actually this is not big problem i think you are under so much pressure that's why you imagining some things this is 21 century and there is no ghost so relax and i will come to live with you after i finish my work." Meera said in coexing tone.
After sometime think muskan realise maybe she was really so much pressure that's why..... And there is no ghost in this world how can there is a mirror with a breath.. maybe i think too much.
Then they both talk long time this makes muskan relax and soon she forgot about mirror and fell asleep.
When her eyes open she felt dark outside the window and her eyes snapped open and she sat up on her bed and pick her phone it's already 9 o'clock she jerked off
" shit it's already late and i haven't dinner yet..."
Then run towards bathroom and wash her face . Now she feels fresh and think what should she eat. It's already late so she order online some food and pick some popcorn waited for delivery.
After thinnk carefully she decided to watch a comedy movie to relax her nerves.
Muskan go to her hallway with popcorn and start her t.v .
The hall was dim exept for the flickering light from the t.v. muskan sat curled up on the soft brown sofa, munching popcorn and laughing at a silly comedy movie.
It was almost 10 o'clock and silent everywhere only movie voice listen the quite hour when even laughter sound too loud.
Behind her, on the opposite wall , hung the tall antique mirror - tonight,the mirror looked darker than usual. As the screen on the t.v brusht in to loud laughter, muskan paused for a moment. She thought she heard....
A breath soft, slow, wet.
Hsshhhkkk.....
She turned around quickly.
"Who's there??" She whispered.
Nothing just the mirror, reflecting the empty room.
Muskan exhaled and shook her head. "Stop imagining.... it's just movie," she muttered turned back to the t.v. but the sound come again.
Hsshhhkkk.... hsshhhkkk...
Like something breathing against cold glass like last night.
This time she didn't turn.she frozen on the spot her eyes wide open popcorn half lifted to her mouth.
Her heartbeat match the rhythm of the sound.
Hssskkkhh..... hsshhhkkk....
It was coming again from behind. From the mirror.
Slowly slowly she try to turn her head.
The room reflected normally.
The sofa.
The lamp.
The curtain.
But reflection wasn't laughing.
Wasn't even smiling.
Her reflection was staring at her.
A pale face.
Dark hollow eyes.
No breathing... Except the mist formed on the inside of the mirror as if something trapped inside was exhaling like yesterday.
Muskan gasped and dropped the popcorn. her reflection didn't move.
She raised her trembling hand.
Her reflection raised it own - only a second late like yesterday.
To late.
Not normal.
Muskan stood up slowly, backing away from the mirror. Her heart hammered. But her reflection stayed still.
Before she could scream, the reflection smiled - wide, unnatural ,creepy, stretching too far.
And then...
It whispered from inside the glass.
" Muskan.... Look behind you."
Muskan's breath caught in the throat.
Her knees weakened.
But she couldn't move.
Couldn't breath .
Couldn't think.
The room behind her in the mirror began to darker.
A shadow rose, shape shifting, floating into something tall - something standing right behind the real muskan. She felt a cold breath brush the back of her neck.
The light flickend.
The mirror breathing again.
Haaaahhhh... Hasshhhkk
And the shadow slowly slowly come near to muskan and whispered in her ears with a cold voice....
" Finally... You heard me.."