Screams of the Night

Chapter Three: Shattered Trust.

The air felt different now, charged with the aftermath of their near escape. Trevor and Nyx leaned against the cool stone wall of the corridor, the adrenaline still coursing through their veins. They exchanged worried glances, both aware that the whispers hadn't just been a trick of the mind; they were a harbinger of something darker lurking beyond the mirror.

Mia, their mutual friend, had been trailing behind them, her usual playful banter stifled by the weight of the atmosphere. She stepped forward now, concern etched on her face. "What happened back there? You two look like you've seen a ghost."

Trevor hesitated, glancing at Nyx, who nodded slightly, urging him to share. "We found this mirror... and it, uh, reacted in a way I can't explain. It felt like it was alive."Mia's eyes sparkled with intrigue, but Trevor could see the flicker of apprehension beneath her bravado. "That's insane! Did you find anything cool? Like a way to see the future?"

"No, Mia," Nyx interjected, her voice firm. "It was more like a trap. We need to be careful."

"Careful? Where's the fun in that?" Mia laughed lightly, but Trevor noticed a tremor in her voice. "Come on, what's the worst that could happen?"

Before either of them could respond, the whispers returned, soft at first but quickly escalating into a haunting melody that seemed to curl around them. Mia's expression shifted, a mix of fascination and fear playing across her features.

"What's that?" she whispered, stepping forward, drawn to the echoing sound."Mia, wait!" Trevor shouted, but it was too late. She stepped closer to the door they had just fled, eyes wide as she peered into the darkness beyond.

"Mia, get back!" Nyx pleaded, but the pull of the whispers was undeniable. Trevor felt a panic rising in his chest.

In that moment, Mia turned back to them, a smile spreading across her face. "It's calling to me! It's—"

Suddenly, the shadows coiled around her like serpents, dark tendrils reaching out from the hallway. Trevor felt a chill run down his spine as he lunged forward, grabbing for her wrist. But as his fingers brushed against her skin, the shadows tightened their grip, yanking Mia into the darkness.

"No!" Trevor screamed, but his voice was swallowed by the roar of the whispers, now a cacophony of screams and laughter that pierced through the air.

"Mia!" Nyx shouted, panic rising in her voice. She reached for her friend, but the darkness enveloped them both, pulling Mia into the void as if she had never existed.

Trevor felt an icy hand grasp at his heart, the terror of loss crashing down upon him like a wave. The last image he had of Mia was her eyes wide with astonishment, the moment frozen in time before the shadows consumed her.

"Mia!" he cried again, but the darkness had already begun to recede, leaving behind an oppressive silence that echoed in the empty hall.

Nyx fell to her knees, hands trembling. "What just happened? Where did she go?"Trevor shook his head, breathless and disoriented. "I don't know! She... she just disappeared!"They were alone in the echoing corridor, the air heavy with the weight of what had just transpired. The whispers faded to a haunting silence, leaving a void that felt unbearable.

"Trevor, we have to find her!" Nyx insisted, rising to her feet, determination flaring in her eyes despite the fear that gripped her.

"Find her? How? We can't even go back there!" Trevor felt a mix of despair and anger, his mind racing. "This is all my fault! I should have stopped her!"

"No," Nyx replied, her voice steady but urgent. "We can't think like that. We need to figure out what that mirror was and how it did this. There might be a way to bring her back."

Trevor stared at the ground, his heart heavy. "And what if we can't? What if it takes us too?""We owe it to Mia to try," Nyx urged, her eyes fierce. "We can't let her sacrifice be for nothing."

With a heavy heart, Trevor nodded. The shadows may have taken Mia, but they wouldn't take their resolve. They would uncover the truth behind the mirror, no matter the cost.

As they moved deeper into the darkness, the weight of their loss hung over them, mingling with the whispers that promised both danger and discovery. They had stepped into a nightmare, and it was only just beginning.