Tales from the Dark

20

It was the start of a new semester at Maplewood High, and the excitement of fresh classes and new friends filled the air. Among the students was Alex, a junior who had always felt a little out of place. He was more interested in horror movies and urban legends than the latest trends. One day, while browsing in the school library, he stumbled upon an old, dusty mirror hidden in the back corner. Curious, Alex pulled it out and wiped away the dust. The glass was cracked, and strange patterns swirled across its surface. Intrigued, he decided to take it home, thinking it could make a cool decoration for his room. That night, as he placed the mirror on his dresser, he noticed something odd. The reflection didn't quite match reality. When he moved, the mirror seemed to lag a second behind, as if it had a mind of its own. Shaking it off as a trick of the light, he went to bed. The following day, Alex's friend Mia came over. As they sat chatting, Mia glanced at the mirror. "That's creepy," she said, her brow furrowing. "Where'd you get it?" - "Found it in the library," Alex replied. "What's wrong with it?"- "It just gives me a bad vibe," she said, shivering slightly. "Like it's watching us." Ignoring her warning, Alex laughed it off. But later that night, as he lay in bed, he was jolted awake by a soft whisper coming from the mirror. "Help me..." Heart racing, he sat up and stared at the reflection. The glass shimmered, and for a fleeting moment, he thought he saw a figure standing behind him—pale, with hollow eyes and a haunting expression. He shook his head, convincing himself it was just a trick of the night. The next day at school, Alex couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. He began to notice changes in his behavior. He was more irritable, his thoughts darker, and he found himself drawn to the mirror more than ever. Whenever he passed by it, he felt an inexplicable urge to gaze into its depths. As days turned into weeks, the whispers grew more urgent. "Let me out... help me..." Each night, he would sit in front of the mirror, entranced, listening to the soft, pleading voice. One evening, during a particularly intense study session, Mia came over again. She was worried about Alex's obsession with the mirror. "You need to get rid of that thing," she urged. "It's messing with your head." But Alex was defensive. "It's just a mirror! It's fine!" That night, as he lay in bed, the whispers escalated into frantic screams. "Help me! You have to help me!" He bolted upright, heart pounding. The mirror's surface twisted and rippled, and he saw the figure more clearly now—an anguished girl with long dark hair and tear-streaked cheeks. "Who are you?" he yelled, fear gripping him. "I'm Emma," she cried. "I was trapped here... you have to break the mirror!" Panic surged through Alex. "How do I do that?" "Find the shard! It's the key!" she pleaded, her voice echoing with desperation. The next day, determined to help, Alex researched the mirror's history. He discovered that Emma had been a student at Maplewood High decades ago, a girl who had mysteriously vanished. Rumor had it that she had dabbled in dark rituals and had become trapped in the mirror, her spirit unable to escape. Alex felt a heavy weight on his chest. He couldn't let her suffer alone. He returned to the library and searched for anything related to Emma. After hours of digging, he found a book with a faded photo of her, a shard of the mirror embedded in the frame. "Find me!" the whispers urged, echoing in his mind. That night, armed with the shard and the determination to help Emma, Alex stood before the mirror. The air was thick with tension as he gripped the shard tightly. "I'm going to help you, Emma!" He raised the shard and slammed it against the mirror. A blinding flash of light filled the room, and the reflection shattered, sending shards flying in all directions. But instead of releasing Emma, a dark figure emerged from the depths of the shattered glass. It was not Emma but a malevolent entity, twisted and angry. "You shouldn't have done that!" it howled, its voice a cacophony of rage. Alex stumbled back, fear overwhelming him. "No! I wanted to help!" The entity lunged, wrapping shadows around him. The whispers turned into a deafening roar. "You will pay for her freedom!" Just as he felt himself being pulled into darkness, he caught a glimpse of Emma's face, now desperate but determined. "Fight it, Alex! You have to fight!" Summoning every ounce of strength, Alex focused on Emma's words. He grasped the shard tightly and shouted, "You don't control me!" With a surge of defiance, he hurled the shard at the dark figure. It pierced the shadow, and with a blinding flash, everything went silent. The darkness dissipated, and Alex found himself back in his room, the mirror gone, the air heavy with calm. But as he looked around, he realized something was wrong. Mia stood in the doorway, pale and wide-eyed. "Alex! I was worried about you. What happened?" "I don't know," he said, shaking. "But I think I let something in." The next day, the school buzzed with rumors. A new report surfaced about strange occurrences—students vanishing, shadows flickering in hallways. As Alex walked through the halls, he felt the weight of a thousand eyes on him, whispers brushing against his ears. "Help us... help us..." He had freed Emma but unleashed something far worse. And now, the entity was free, lurking in the shadows of Maplewood High, waiting for its next victim.