Mirrored In The Dark

Chapter 5

Scarlett thinks that she's finally starting to feel better. She's been sleeping well, and she's been having fewer nightmares. But then, one day, she starts to notice that things are going missing around her apartment. She can't find her favorite book, or her favorite scarf, or even her keys. She starts to feel like someone is playing a trick on her, but she can't figure out who it is.

And then, one day, Scarlett is home alone, and she starts to hear a strange sound. It's a low, raspy breathing sound, and it seems to be coming from the closet. She walks towards the closet, and as she gets closer, the breathing gets louder. She reaches for the door handle, and then... she wakes up, drenched in sweat. She's back in the nightmare, and this time, she can't escape. She can't wake herself up, and she can't run away.

She sees that the figure in the shadows starts to move towards her. But instead of changing into something beautiful, the figure starts to change into something horrifying. It becomes a twisted, monstrous creature, and it reaches out towards Scarlett...

As the creature grabs her, it starts to pull her into the shadows. She tries to fight back, but its grip is too strong. Just as she's about to be pulled into the darkness, she hears a voice. It's her own voice, calling out to her. "Wake up!" the voice says. "Wake up!" And she does. She wakes up in her bed, panting and shaking. She looks around, and everything is back to normal. She's safe. But then, she notices something strange... there's a handprint on her arm, in the shape of a monstrous claw.

The next night, Scarlett tries to sleep, but she's afraid of the nightmare returning. As she starts to drift off, she hears a creak in the hallway outside her room. She freezes, listening for any other sounds. Then, she hears footsteps, slowly coming closer. She pulls the covers over her head, but she knows she can't hide forever. Suddenly, her bedroom door bursts open, and the monstrous creature from her nightmare is standing in the doorway...

Slowly, the creature enters the room, its eyes glowing red. It moves towards the bed, its claws outstretched. Scarlett tries to scream, but no sound comes out. The creature reaches for her, and just as it's about to touch her, she feels a jolt of electricity run through her body. Everything goes black, and she wakes up in her bed again. But this time, it's not a dream - she's actually awake. She can hear her alarm clock going off, and she can see the morning sunlight streaming through her window.

And then, she notices something odd. There's a strange device on her nightstand, with a flashing red light. She reaches for it, and picks it up. It's a neural stimulator, with a note attached. The note says, "This device will prevent you from having nightmares, but only if you use it every night. Signed, your subconscious." Scarlett doesn't know what to think. Is this device real, or is it just part of another dream? And if it is real, who left it for her?

And just then, she hears a knock at her door. She gets out of bed and goes to answer it. When she opens the door, there's no one there. But on the doorstep, there's a small, wrapped package. She brings it inside and unwraps it. Inside, there's another note. "The neural stimulator is real. It's been created to help you control your nightmares. Use it well. Signed, your subconscious." She looks at the neural stimulator in her hand, not sure what to think. Is this all real, or is it just her imagination?

And then, the phone rings. She answers it, and it's her best friend, Sarah. "Hey, are you okay?" Sarah asks. "You haven't answered my calls or texts in days." Scarlett tells Sarah about everything that's been happening - the nightmares, the strange device, the mysterious notes. Sarah is silent for a moment, and then says, "I think you need to see a therapist. This is starting to sound like it might be a mental health issue." Scarlett is hurt by her friend's words, but she knows that Sarah is probably right.