Lena did not sleep.

She sat on the floor with every light in the apartment turned on, staring at the mirror.

The words were still there.

SHE IS STILL HERE.

By sunrise, they had disappeared.

No blood.

No fingerprints.

No scratches.

Nothing.

Just clean glass.

Lena touched it.

Cold.

Unnaturally cold.

She pulled her hand away.

“I’m leaving.”

She packed a bag.

Then stopped.

Her eyes moved toward the mirror.

Nora.

The name sat heavily inside her chest.

For ten years, Lena had wondered what had happened to her sister.

Now she had heard her voice.

She had seen her face.

And if the mirror was somehow connected to Nora, Lena couldn’t simply walk away.

She picked up her phone and called the landlord.

No answer.

She called again.

Nothing.

Then a message appeared.

UNKNOWN NUMBER

Don’t look into the mirror tonight.

Lena stared at the screen.

Another message arrived.

It knows when you’re watching.

Her fingers became cold.

She typed:

Who are you?

The reply came immediately.

Someone who made the mistake of looking.

Lena swallowed.

What happened to you?

Three dots appeared.

Then disappeared.

Another message arrived.

Ask the mirror where Nora is.

Lena stared at the words.

Then typed:

How?

The answer was only two words.

Turn around.

Lena slowly turned.

The mirror stood behind her.

Nothing moved.

But her reflection was no longer copying her.

Lena was standing still.

The reflection was walking closer.

One step.

Then another.

Lena couldn’t breathe.

The reflection placed its palm against the glass.

Then it mouthed:

“Come closer.”

Lena backed away.

“No.”

The reflection smiled.

Then the glass cracked.

A thin line appeared from the top of the mirror.

It slowly traveled downward.

Crack.

Lena covered her mouth.

Another crack appeared.

Then another.

Suddenly—

the entire mirror became covered with thousands of tiny fractures.

But it didn’t break.

Instead, the cracks formed a shape.

A door.

Lena stared.

The glass began to move inward.

A dark opening appeared.

Behind it was a narrow hallway.

Lena whispered,

“What…”

She stepped closer.

The hallway looked exactly like the hallway from her childhood home.

Same wallpaper.

Same carpet.

Same small wooden table.

Same family photograph hanging on the wall.

Lena’s breath caught.

She remembered that hallway.

She remembered Nora running through it.

She remembered the night she disappeared.

“No…”

A sound came from inside the mirror.

A child’s laughter.

Then a voice.

“Lena?”

She knew that voice.

Nora.

Lena reached toward the opening.

Her fingers touched the glass.

It felt like water.

She could push her hand through.

She pulled back.

Fear screamed inside her.

But something stronger pulled her forward.

Love.

She stepped through.

---

The moment Lena entered the mirror, the apartment disappeared.

She stood in the hallway of her childhood home.

Everything looked exactly the same.

The wallpaper.

The photographs.

The old clock.

Even the smell.

She could hear rain outside.

But Lena knew that wasn’t possible.

Her childhood home had been demolished years ago.

She walked forward.

“Nora?”

No answer.

She passed the living room.

A family photograph sat on the table.

Lena picked it up.

There were four people.

Her mother.

Her father.

Lena.

Nora.

But something was wrong.

Nora’s face had been scratched out.

Lena’s hands began shaking.

She turned the photograph over.

Words were written on the back.

ONE OF THEM WAS NEVER REAL.

Lena dropped it.

“No.”

A door creaked open behind her.

She turned.

A little girl stood there.

White dress.

Long black hair.

Bare feet.

Nora.

Lena’s heart broke.

“Nora…”

The girl smiled.

“You came.”

Lena ran toward her.

But Nora stepped backward.

“Don’t.”

“Why?”

“You shouldn’t have come.”

“I’ve been looking for you for ten years!”

“I know.”

“Where have you been?”

Nora’s expression changed.

“Here.”

Lena looked around.

“Here where?”

Nora pointed toward the walls.

“Inside.”

Lena’s eyes filled with tears.

“Inside the mirror?”

Nora nodded.

“Why?”

The little girl looked afraid.

“Because she put me here.”

“Who?”

Nora whispered,

“Mother.”

Lena froze.

“Our mother?”

Nora nodded.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“She wouldn’t.”

“She did.”

Lena shook her head.

“You’re lying.”

Nora’s eyes filled with darkness.

“I wish I was.”

Suddenly, the hallway lights began flickering.

Nora looked toward the ceiling.

“She knows you’re here.”

“Who?”

Nora stepped closer.

Her voice became barely audible.

“The woman who wears your face.”

Lena stared at her.

“What woman?”

Nora pointed behind Lena.

Lena slowly turned.

At the end of the hallway stood another girl.

Same face.

Same hair.

Same clothes.

Lena.

But this version was smiling.

Nora whispered:

“Don’t let her touch you.”

The other Lena began walking toward them.

Slowly.

One step.

Two.

Three.

Her smile widened.

Then she spoke.

“You shouldn’t have brought her back.”

Lena grabbed Nora’s hand.

“Run.”

They ran.

The hallway stretched.

The door moved farther away.

Lena pulled Nora faster.

Behind them came footsteps.

Slow.

Calm.

Certain.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

“Lena…”

The voice sounded exactly like hers.

“Come back.”

They reached a door.

Nora opened it.

They rushed inside.

The door slammed shut.

Silence.

Lena looked at Nora.

“What is happening?”

Nora’s eyes filled with tears.

“You have to leave.”

“I’m not leaving you again.”

“You don’t understand.”

“Then explain!”

Nora stepped closer.

“You think I disappeared ten years ago.”

“Yes.”

“But I didn’t.”

She pointed toward Lena.

“You did.”

Lena stopped breathing.

“What?”

Nora whispered:

“The girl who disappeared that night wasn’t me.”

Lena stared at her.

“Then who was it?”

Nora looked toward the door.

A shadow appeared beneath it.

Something was standing outside.

Nora whispered:

“It was you.”

The door handle slowly began turning.

Lena stepped backward.

“No…”

Nora grabbed her hand.

“And now she wants to switch places.”

The door opened.

The other Lena stood outside.

Her eyes were completely black.

She smiled.

“Finally.”

The room began shaking.

Nora screamed:

“RUN!”

Lena grabbed her sister.

They ran toward another mirror at the end of the room.

But before they could reach it—

the other Lena appeared in front of them.

Far too quickly.

She leaned close to Lena’s face.

And whispered:

“You were never the one who survived.”

The mirror behind them shattered.

Lena screamed.

And darkness swallowed everything.

To Be Continued…