Weight of Secrets

Nate couldn't shake the unease after his latest encounter with the shadow in the mirror. Each conversation left him with more questions and a growing fear of what he was becoming. But he couldn't keep this to himself anymore—not when the changes were becoming more frequent.

It was late afternoon when Nate decided to visit Uncle Henry again. The garage felt like the safest place to have this conversation.

Henry was tinkering with a device on his workbench when Nate walked in. "Back so soon?" Henry asked without looking up.

"I need answers," Nate said firmly.

Henry set his tools down and turned to face him. "Alright. Let's hear it."

Nate hesitated, his hand running through his hair. "It's getting stronger. The voice, the... thing in the mirror. I feel like it's taking over, Uncle Hen. What's happening to me?"

Henry studied Nate for a moment, his face a mix of concern and determination. "First, let me show you something."

He led Nate to the far corner of the garage, where a large metal cabinet stood. After unlocking it, Henry pulled out an old, leather-bound book and a set of faded documents.

"This," Henry said, placing the book on the table, "is a record of unexplained phenomena tied to the dark wave explosion in 2007. It's where your story begins."

Nate frowned. "What do you mean? I wasn't even born yet."

Henry nodded. "Exactly. You weren't born, but you were... there. Your mother was pregnant with you when the explosion happened. That wave of dark energy—it didn't just affect people directly exposed to it. It created anomalies, disrupted lives in ways we're only beginning to understand."

"What are you saying?" Nate asked, his voice edged with panic.

Henry sighed, flipping through the pages of the book until he found a diagram. It showed a seal, intricate and ancient, surrounded by symbols. "Your mother carried a dormant power inside her—something bound by this seal. When the explosion happened, the seal weakened, and whatever was inside her transferred to you."

Nate's eyes widened. "You're saying this... thing in the mirror—it's been with me since before I was born?"

"Yes," Henry said quietly. "But it wasn't conscious until recently. Something must have triggered it—maybe your emotions, your anger. Whatever it is, it's awake now, and it's trying to connect with you."

Nate backed away from the table, his hands trembling. "Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"I didn't know for sure," Henry admitted. "I've been piecing it together ever since you came to me with those symptoms. And even now, I'm not entirely sure what we're dealing with. But I do know one thing—it's powerful. And so are you."

"Powerful?" Nate scoffed. "I don't want to be powerful. I want to be normal."

Henry placed a hand on Nate's shoulder. "I get it, kid. But normal isn't in the cards for you. What matters now is learning to control this thing before it controls you."

---

Later that night, Nate sat on his bed, staring at the mirror again. The shadowy figure didn't appear, but he could feel its presence, lingering just beneath the surface.

"Why me?" he whispered.

The voice echoed in his mind, low and calm. "Because you are the key. With you, I can become whole again. And together, we'll be unstoppable."

Nate clenched his fists. "I don't want to help you."

The voice chuck