The night was unusually quiet. Outside the house, the wind moved slowly through the trees, making the branches brush softly against the window.
Inside the bedroom, everything was still.
An old clock on the wall ticked steadily.
Tick… tick… tick…
Suddenly, Elara opened her eyes.
For a few seconds, she simply stared at the ceiling. She didn't know why she had woken up so suddenly. It felt as if something had pulled her out of sleep.
Her room felt colder than usual.
A small chill ran through her arms.
Elara slowly pushed herself up on the bed and looked around.
The pale moonlight coming through the thin curtains gave the room a faint silver glow.
Her study table stood near the window, covered with books and a half-open notebook. The chair beside it was slightly turned, just as she had left it before going to sleep.
Her bookshelf stood quietly in the corner.
Everything looked normal.
Yet something didn't feel right.
A strange feeling slowly grew inside her chest.
The uncomfortable feeling that someone was watching her.
Elara rubbed her eyes and shook her head.
"Stop imagining things," she whispered quietly.
She reached for the glass of water beside her bed and took a sip.
The entire house was silent.
Her parents were sleeping in the next room.
Her younger brother always slept deeply and rarely woke up at night.
There was no reason for anyone to be awake.
Still, Elara couldn't shake the strange feeling.
She lay back down and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders.
The clock continued ticking.
Tick… tick… tick…
Just as her eyes began to close again—
"Shhh…"
A faint whisper floated through the darkness.
Elara's eyes snapped open.
Her heart skipped a beat.
She sat up quickly and looked around the room.
"Hello?" she said softly.
No answer came.
The room fell silent again.
Maybe it was just the wind.
She looked toward the window.
Closed.
She looked at the door.
Locked.
Everything seemed normal.
After a few seconds, Elara let out a small nervous laugh.
"I'm just scaring myself," she muttered.
She lay down again and stared at the ceiling.
Minutes passed.
The quiet ticking of the clock filled the room.
Then suddenly—
"Elara…"
The whisper returned.
This time it was clearer.
And it had called her name.
Elara's body went still.
Her heart started beating faster.
She slowly sat up again.
"Who is there?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
No reply.
Only silence.
Elara slowly swung her legs off the bed and stood up.
The cold floor sent a shiver through her feet.
Step by step, she walked across the room.
She checked the door.
Still locked.
She looked behind the curtain.
Nothing.
She looked under the table.
Empty.
The room seemed completely normal.
Elara let out a long breath.
Maybe she really was imagining things.
She turned around to walk back toward the bed.
That's when her eyes stopped on the mirror on the wall.
It was an old mirror with a dark wooden frame.
Her parents had bought it years ago from an antique shop.
For a moment, Elara simply stared at her reflection.
She looked pale in the moonlight.
Her hair was slightly messy from sleep.
She looked tired.
Everything seemed normal.
But then something strange happened.
Her reflection looked… a little different.
Elara frowned slightly.
She stepped closer to the mirror.
Her reflection stepped closer too.
She raised her hand slowly.
Her reflection copied the movement.
Everything seemed normal again.
Elara shook her head.
"I really need more sleep," she whispered.
Just as she turned away—
She saw something that made her blood run cold.
In the mirror…
Behind her reflection…
someone else was standing in the room.
A tall shadowy figure.
Its face was hidden in darkness.
Elara froze.
Her breathing stopped.
Slowly… very slowly… she turned around.
The room behind her was empty.
There was no one there.
Her heart pounded loudly in her chest.
She quickly turned back to the mirror.
The figure was still there.
Standing directly behind her reflection.
And now it looked closer.
Elara felt a wave of fear rush through her body.
Her hands started shaking.
"Who… who are you?" she whispered.
The figure didn't move.
But something about it felt terribly wrong.
Then suddenly—
Her reflection smiled.
But Elara wasn't smiling.
Her body went completely cold.
Her reflection slowly tilted its head.
Elara's head stayed still.
Terror filled her chest.
"No…" she whispered.
Her reflection slowly raised its hand.
But Elara's real hand remained at her side.
Then the reflection's smile widened.
An unnatural, terrifying smile.
Elara stumbled backward.
Her heart was racing wildly.
The room suddenly felt colder.
The air felt heavy.
Then a soft whisper came from somewhere in the darkness.
"You woke up earlier than I expected…"
Elara turned around quickly.
"Who said that?" she asked.
Silence.
When she looked back at the mirror again—
The reflection was gone.
The mirror showed nothing but the empty room.
Elara stared at it in confusion.
"What…?" she whispered.
Her breathing slowly began to calm.
Maybe she was dreaming.
Yes.
That had to be it.
She slowly stepped closer to the mirror again.
Her reflection appeared normally this time.
She sighed with relief.
Then suddenly—
She heard a whisper right behind her ear.
"You weren't supposed to see me yet."
Elara's eyes widened in terror.
A cold breath touched the back of her neck.
And she realized something horrifying.
She was no longer alone in the room.
Elara felt a cold hand slowly touch her shoulder.
Her heart almost stopped.
Then the whisper said softly—
"Don't worry… you won't be alone in this room anymore."
Because the mirror had already chosen its next reflection.