Shadows in the Glass

Chapter 2 - Haunted Reflections

Aurelia woke with a violent jolt, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps, as if she had been running for her life. Sweat drenched her body, clinging to her skin like a suffocating second layer. The vivid images of the dream still clawed at her mind—so real it was as though she were still trapped inside it. The shadow... the inn... those eyes. One green, one blue, gleaming like polished gems, both unsettling and mesmerizing. The eerie combination haunted her, and despite the dream being over, the weight of it lingered.

She sat up in bed, pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes, trying to rub away the fog of sleep and the residual terror. But it clung to her like a predator in the dark, waiting to pounce again. This wasn't the first time. She'd had dreams like this before, each one more intense than the last, each one leaving her more drained. Her heart pounded relentlessly in her chest as if it hadn't yet escaped whatever chased her in her nightmares.

Throwing the blankets aside, she padded barefoot across the creaky wooden floor toward the small bathroom. Splashing cold water onto her face, she glanced at her reflection in the mirror. Her emerald eyes were wide, her pupils blown with lingering fear. They seemed greener in this light, stark against her pale complexion, which had only grown paler from sleepless nights. Her strawberry-blonde hair, usually soft and wavy, now hung in matted, tangled strands, evidence of her restless sleep. There was a haunted look to her—like someone who had seen too much and was desperate to escape, but couldn't.

She looked... trapped.

Her eyes flicked to the vanity, where her journal lay open, pages crammed with scribbles and frantic sketches of the figure that haunted her dreams. She picked up the pen, her hand shaking as she began jotting down every detail she could remember—anything to make sense of the chaos in her mind. She couldn't risk forgetting even the smallest thing.

This shadow man... he's been appearing more often now... but always just watching. He doesn't come near. Why does he feel like a predator waiting for the right moment to strike?

The thought sent a shiver down her spine, and she snapped the journal shut, not wanting to dwell on it any longer. She needed to calm down—needed to get her mind away from the ever-present feeling that something was coming for her. Something dark. Something inevitable.

Aurelia braided her long hair into a messy Dutch braid, trying to tame the wild strands. She hoped she didn't look as disheveled as she felt, though there was little she could do to hide the evidence of a sleepless night. Her hands trembled as she made her way downstairs, the wooden steps creaking beneath her feet. The house was quiet, almost unnervingly so. Even the sunlight that streamed through the windows seemed dimmed, casting long shadows across the floor. It did little to shake the unease that had taken root inside her.

As she stepped into the kitchen, the scent of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the comforting smell of bacon sizzling in the pan. Her foster mother, Mary, stood at the stove, humming softly, the wrinkles around her eyes deepening as she smiled at Aurelia. But the moment Mary looked at her—really looked at her—the smile faltered. Concern flickered in her gaze, though she tried to hide it.

"How are you this morning, my little strawberry?" Mary's voice was soft, but it held that gentle undertone of worry, the kind a mother couldn't hide. She gave Aurelia a warm smile, but her eyes betrayed her worry.

Aurelia forced a weak smile in return. "I'm fine," she lied. The words tasted hollow, even to her. "Just... another bad dream."

Mary studied her for a moment, clearly not convinced, but she didn't push it. Instead, she gestured toward the table, where breakfast was already laid out—hash browns, eggs, toast, and a fresh glass of orange juice. Aurelia sat down and stared at the food, her appetite nowhere to be found. The dream was still clinging to her, tightening its grip with every breath she took.

Mary slid into the seat across from her, concern etched into her features. "You've been having these dreams more often, haven't you?" Her voice was laced with motherly worry.

Aurelia nodded, absentmindedly stirring her orange juice. "Yeah... they're getting worse. I don't know why, but it feels like something... or someone... is always watching me."

Mary's brows furrowed in thought. "Watching you?" She leaned in, her gaze more intense. "Aurelia, these are just dreams. You've had them all your life, but they've never harmed you, right?"

"They're different now, Mom," Aurelia whispered, her voice almost breaking. "They're so real... like I'm trapped in them. And when I wake up, I feel like part of me is still stuck there."

The weight of her words settled over them, thickening the already heavy atmosphere in the room. For a moment, the only sound was the clink of a fork against a plate as Mary pushed her food around. Her mother didn't have the answers she needed, but the sympathy in her eyes was enough to calm her fraying nerves—for now.

After breakfast, Aurelia offered to do the dishes, hoping the familiar routine would help distract her from the unsettling thoughts swirling in her mind. But as she stood by the sink, scrubbing a plate, her gaze drifted to the window, catching the faintest glimpse of movement in her reflection.

A shadow.

Her blood ran cold.

She spun around, the plate slipping from her hands and shattering on the floor. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat echoing in her ears. The kitchen was empty—just as it had been moments before. But that didn't stop the prickling sensation crawling up her spine, the undeniable feeling that she wasn't alone.

With trembling hands, she crouched to pick up the broken pieces of the plate, her mind racing. Had she imagined it? Was it just her exhaustion playing tricks on her? But as she reached for a shard of glass, a sharp sting sliced through her skin. Blood welled up from the cut, the sight of it making her stomach turn.

Mary rushed in just as Aurelia's vision began to blur. "Oh no, sweetie," she murmured, crouching beside her and taking her hand gently. "Let me take a look at that."

Aurelia barely heard her. The fear, the blood, the shadow... it was all too much. Her breath came in shallow, rapid bursts, and before she knew it, the world spun, and everything went black.