ONE SHOT HORROR BOOK

"The Mirror's Malevolence"

The wind howled through the old, decrepit mansion, creating an eerie symphony of creaks and groans. Alex, Jade, Arthur, and Miya had ventured into this abandoned place on a dare, seeking a thrill on Halloween night.

Miya, her flashlight trembling, whispered, "This place gives me the creeps. Are we sure about this, guys?"

Arthur chuckled nervously, "Come on, Miya, it's just an old house. What could go wrong?"

Jade, with a sly grin, added, "And besides, it's just a silly dare. Let's find something spooky and prove we're not scaredy-cats."

As they explored the mansion's dark corridors, Alex noticed an ancient-looking mirror at the end of the hallway. Its ornate frame seemed oddly out of place amidst the decay.

"Check this out, guys," Alex said, shining his flashlight on the mirror.

Miya hesitated, but curiosity got the better of her, and she stepped closer. "What's so special about it?"

Jade examined the mirror, her reflection dancing eerily in the dim light. "I heard legends about haunted mirrors. They say they can reveal your deepest fears."

Alex smirked. "Sounds like the perfect Halloween tale. Let's test it out."

Arthur shrugged, "Why not? It's all in good fun."

They gathered around the mirror, hesitantly making eye contact with their own reflections. Suddenly, the room grew colder, and their breaths became visible.

Jade was the first to speak, her voice quivering, "I see... I see a shadow behind me, but there's no one there."

Miya stammered, "I'm in a pitch-black room, and I hear whispers. They're getting louder!"

Alex's face turned ashen as he muttered, "I see... a faceless figure in the mirror, standing right behind me."

Arthur, with beads of sweat on his forehead, said, "I... I see a lifeless version of myself, standing lifeless and pale."

The friends broke their gaze from the mirror, panic setting in. The room felt suffocating as a chilling mist enveloped them. The whispers Miya had heard were now clear and foreboding.

"I see you," they whispered in unison.

Panicked, they rushed out of the room and back into the hallway, but the mirror's sinister spell seemed to follow them. The house groaned, the walls closing in.

"Stay calm!" Arthur shouted, though his voice quivered.

They ran through winding hallways, chased by echoing whispers. In their terror, they lost track of time and direction.

In a final attempt to escape, they stumbled upon a room that appeared untouched by time. In the center, a chest sat, invitingly open.

Jade approached it cautiously, finding a dusty old journal inside. She skimmed through it, realizing it belonged to a previous resident.

"Listen to this," Jade began, her voice trembling, "This place is cursed, and the mirror is its gateway. We must leave before it devours our souls."

The message struck fear into their hearts, and they scrambled to escape. The haunted mirror loomed ominously at the end of the hall.

As they ran, Miya tripped and fell, screaming as the shadows closed in around her. Alex and Arthur rushed to help her up, but when they turned to leave, Jade was gone, her scream echoing through the mansion.

Frantic and desperate to escape, the remaining trio fled from the cursed mansion. Their hearts pounded, and they could still hear Jade's cries in the distance.

When they finally reached safety, Miya panted, "We have to go back for Jade."

Arthur grabbed her hand, his face pale, and said, "No, Miya, we can't. The mirror... it's evil."

Though their hearts ached for their lost friend, they knew they had no choice but to leave Jade behind, trapped within the mirror's sinister world. The cursed mansion had exacted its price, and they would forever carry the horror of that Halloween night with them.