Behind the Mirror

Maya had just moved into her new apartment — old, dusty, and too quiet.

The landlord warned her, “Bathroom light flickers sometimes. Don’t worry about

it.” But every night, she heard a faint scratching behind the bathroom mirror.

It started soft, like nails tracing the glass. Then it got louder. She told herself

it was pipes. Or mice. Or her imagination. One night, after midnight,

the sound woke her again. Scratch… scratch… tap. She grabbed her

phone’s flashlight and crept to the bathroom. The mirror looked normal.

Her reflection looked tired. But when she leaned closer… her reflection didn’t lean back.