Sarah stood in front of her bathroom mirror, the soft bristles of her brush gliding through her hair. The dim light overhead flickered, casting long shadows that seemed to waver and twist. Her eyes, weary from the day's events, caught something unusual behind her—a shadow that did not belong to the flickering bulb.
"What was that?" she whispered to herself, a chill running down her spine.
As Sarah spun around, the small bathroom lay silent, devoid of any intruder. She breathed a sigh of relief, but curiosity pulled her gaze back to the mirror. To her horror, the shadow remained—a dark silhouette with a wide, unsettling grin hovering just over her shoulder.
"This can't be real..." she muttered, her voice barely audible over the thudding of her heart.
Sarah reached out toward the glass, her fingers trembling with both fear and disbelief. The air around her seemed to drop in temperature as her fingers brushed the cold surface. Suddenly, the shadow's hand shot forward from the mirror, its icy grip encircling her wrist with a strength that was both terrifying and unnatural.
"Let go!" she cried, struggling to pull away from the mirror's grasp.
The shadow leaned closer, its voice a soft whisper that echoed around the small room. "Now you're mine," it breathed, each word dripping with malice and ancient power. Sarah felt the chill seep into her bones, as if the shadow's presence was consuming her very essence.
In that moment of terror, Sarah understood that she had unwittingly awakened something dark and malevolent, a presence that had long been trapped within the confines of her reflection. Her mind raced with questions and fears, but one thing was clear—this entity sought escape into the real world.
"I won't let you," she vowed, her voice shaking but determined.
Sarah summoned all her strength, both physical and mental, to fight against the shadow's hold. She closed her eyes, focusing on the warmth of her own heartbeat, the reality of her existence beyond the mirror's cold grasp. Slowly, she felt the shadow's fingers loosen, the reflection's malevolent smile fading as her own resolve grew stronger.
"You won't take me," Sarah said with newfound courage, pulling away from the mirror's grip and breaking free. She stumbled back, breathing heavily, as the shadow receded into the depths of the glass, leaving her alone once more.
