Reflections of Darkness

Mara hated the old mirror in her grandmother’s house. It was tall, cracked near the

edges, and warped the light in a way that made her reflection seem… wrong.

When she moved left, her reflection moved just a second too late. One night,

a thunderstorm knocked the power out. The house was pitch black except for flashes of lightning.

Mara lit a candle and, for reasons she couldn’t explain, stood before the

mirror. Her reflection stared back, smiling — but Mara wasn’t.

Her breath caught. She slowly lifted the candle. The reflection lifted it too,

perfectly now. The smile faded. The reflection leaned closer, pressing its palms