The old mansion trembled as if something deep within its walls had just woken up. Aarav and Maya stood frozen, their breaths sharp, watching the cracked mirror glow with a sinister black light.
"It's… alive," Maya whispered, stepping back.
"No," Aarav replied grimly, "it's watching us."
A chilling whisper slithered into their minds:
"One of seven… the first mirror has opened. To break me, you must bleed."
Aarav's fists tightened.
"It wants our blood. That's how these cursed things survive."
Maya's eyes widened with fear.
"Aarav, if we give it what it wants… it might take everything."
Suddenly, shadows crawled out of the mirror, forming the shape of twisted, faceless humans. Their movements were jerky, like broken dolls.
"Run?" Maya asked, her voice trembling.
"No. If we turn our backs, they'll kill us," Aarav said, pulling out the rusted iron rod he had found earlier.
One shadow reached out and transformed into something horrifying—a copy of Maya's face, but bloodied and grinning.
"Aarav… that thing… it looks like me!" she cried.
"It's feeding on your fear. Don't look at it!" Aarav shouted, smashing the rod into the shadow, which screamed like shattered glass.
The blow caused the mirror to crack slightly, oozing black liquid like tar. The voice hissed angrily:
"You dare strike me? Your soul will drown in my darkness."
Aarav wiped the black blood from his hands.
"If breaking you is the only way, then I'll destroy every mirror in this cursed house."
Just as they thought they had weakened it, Maya's reflection didn't vanish. Instead, it smiled and whispered:
"You're already dead, Maya. You just don't know it yet."
Maya screamed, falling into Aarav's arms as the room shook violently.
"Aarav! What does it mean?!"
"It's lying. Don't believe it. We'll survive this—together," Aarav said firmly.
The mirror suddenly stopped glowing, and with a loud creak, the next door in the hallway unlocked by itself.
"The game isn't over," Aarav muttered, "it just wants us to keep going."