The Waiting Shadow

*"When I moved into my new apartment, the landlord gave me one warning: Never look directly

into the mirror in the hallway after midnight. I thought he was joking… until the

first night. At 12:03 AM, I heard footsteps in the hall. Slow… dragging…

like someone walking with broken bones. I opened my door— and the hallway was empty.

Except… the mirror was fogged, as if someone had breathed on it. The second night,

the footsteps came again— but closer. I stayed in bed, listening as they

stopped right outside my door. Then… a whisper: ‘Why won’t you look at me?’

I froze. My phone flashlight flickered on by itself, pointing straight