Chapter 16: The Echo Room

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The door opens into an enormous, hollow room.

The walls pulse, faintly vibrating as if the air itself is alive.

At the far end, a single mirror stands tall, its frame ornate, adorned with twisting vines of metal and shimmering glass.

But there's something strange about the reflection.

It's not your face.

You step forward, hesitantly.

The reflection shifts.

It becomes a version of you—but not one you know.

It's a version that speaks without moving its lips.

A voice fills your mind, clear and cold:

"I am the version you have never allowed yourself to become."

You freeze.

The reflection smiles, cruel and taunting.

"You can never run from me."

You want to turn away, but you can't.

It continues:

"You keep me locked away, buried under a thousand lies. But I am always with you. Waiting."

Your skin feels cold, your breath shallow.

You back away slowly.

The reflection follows.

No matter where you go, no matter how far, it stays right behind you.

It is a whisper that never stops.

And then it says:

"You can be me."

The mirror begins to crack, one jagged line splitting down its center.

"Do you dare?"

You have to choose.

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The Sixteenth Choice:

Do you:

A) Face the reflection. Allow yourself to be the version you fear, the one you could have been.

B) Destroy the mirror. Shatter the illusion and lock this version of yourself away forever.

C) Step into the reflection. Become that version, leave the old you behind.

D) Turn and run. You don't need this version to define you.

The mirror cracks further, splintering into sharp pieces.

You feel a pull from the shards, each one calling you closer.

But the voice grows louder, more insistent.

"You can be me."

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Quiz 16:

Which version of yourself do you fear becoming?

A) The one who took everything for granted.

B) The one who gave in to others' expectations.

C) The one who lost everything for the sake of pride.

D) The one who was never true to themselves.

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The mirror shatters completely.

You stand amidst the shards, pieces of yourself scattered on the floor.

And then, as if the pieces were never there at all, the room begins to empty.

The floor disappears, and you fall.

Down into the blackness.

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End of Chapter 16