broken mirror

I often suffer from frequent headaches, and I rely on medication to manage them. Not too long ago, my condition worsened to the point of self-harm.

My gaze wandered around the room, eventually fixating on the redwood dressing table mirror. In its reflective surface, I saw myself as utterly isolated, like a lone canoe adrift in a boundless sea.

I had become profoundly weary of this dismal place, yearning for the collapse of all rules and doctrines.

Driven by this sentiment, I snatched the redwood mirror and, amidst their startled cries, violently slammed it to the ground.

The room's atmosphere seemed to be sucked of air, and the temperature matched that of the corridor.

The once warm lighting had morphed into ordinary incandescent illumination, casting an eerie glow on the faces of the people standing across from me.

Vivian and Leon had vanished, leaving only David with a sinister grin. David tilted his head, faint red marks on his face. 'Hehe, you've caught on,' he said.

Just moments ago, it was clear that four individuals occupied the room. However, when I peered into the mirror, I only saw my own reflection.

This indicated that the others were not real.

The mirror appeared to be the source of the problem,

hence the rule: 'Do not look in the mirror.'

It had the ability to conjure illusions and deceive me.

It was increasingly likely that the entity responsible for establishing the rules was the one manipulating my reality.

'Who are you really?'

David's cries were piercing, sending a shiver down my spine, and instinctively, I took a step back. Gradually, his features shifted, morphing into the visage of a girl I knew all too well.

It was the face of my friend, Mary, who had once been David's girlfriend.

"Forgive me for startling you for so long," Mary drifted towards me with an apologetic look, just inches away. "And thank you, without your help, I would have been trapped here forever."

I shook my head, a heavy feeling in my heart.

Two years ago, we were inseparable friends. We had planned a trip together, but she had insisted on staying with her boyfriend, a choice we respected.

A couple of weeks after our return, we received the devastating news of her suicide.

It happened in this very hotel.

I often dreamt of her, and whenever something felt amiss, I would visit her grandmother in her hometown. It was during those visits that I uncovered the painful truth—she had been wronged by her boyfriend, and her lingering resentment ran deep, preventing her from finding peace in the afterlife.

Naturally, I fulfilled her final wish. A few days later, I pursued David, and within weeks, he became my boyfriend.

Today, I intentionally chose to have our date on the anniversary of her passing.

My mission is complete, but now I yearn to uncover the truth of what transpired back then.

Marry's eyes were tightly closed, as if she had returned to that day.

She said, "That night, after we had some red wine, we went to bed early. The next day, I received a message from someone else.

"He sent a link, and when I clicked on it, I realized that I had become the protagonist of an adult film.

"I confronted David about it, but he didn't seem to care. He said he was just providing some 'entertainment' for everyone.

"Do you know what he said? I was lying on the bed, disheveled, and he thought that was 'entertainment'!"

Marry, in agony, hugged her small frame, trembling.

She continued, "He hung up the phone, locked me in here, and took many photos, threatening to release them if I reported it."

She looked so tormented, and I hurriedly tried to intervene.

However, for some reason, I always felt a lingering unease in my heart.