The shadow in the mirror

Sarah had always felt uneasy in her grandmother's old Victorian house, but she never expected her fears to be more than childhood paranoia. One stormy night, as she was getting ready for bed, she caught a glimpse of movement in the antique mirror that hung in her room. At first, she dismissed it as a trick of the light, but the movement persisted, drawing her reluctant gaze.

In the mirror, a shadowy figure stood behind her, its features indistinct but its presence palpable. Heart pounding, Sarah spun around, but her room was empty. She turned back to the mirror, and the shadow was gone. Telling herself it was just her imagination, she climbed into bed and pulled the covers tightly around her.

The storm raged outside, and Sarah struggled to fall asleep. Sometime after midnight, she awoke to the sound of whispering. It seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. Terrified, she slowly turned her head towards the mirror. The shadowy figure was back, but this time, its hand pressed against the glass from the inside.

Paralyzed with fear, Sarah watched as the shadow's hand pushed through the surface of the mirror, followed by its arm and then its head. The figure was emerging, crossing the boundary between the mirror and her room. As it stepped out, its form became clearer – it was a twisted version of herself, with hollow eyes and a sinister grin.

The whispers grew louder, filling her mind with thoughts not her own. "Come with me," the shadow hissed, its voice a chilling echo of her own. "It's so much better on the other side."

Sarah tried to scream, but no sound escaped her lips. The shadow reached for her, its cold fingers closing around her wrist. She felt a sharp pull and everything went black.

The next morning, Sarah's parents found her bed empty, the room eerily silent. The antique mirror hung undisturbed, reflecting an empty room. They searched everywhere, but Sarah was gone without a trace.

Years later, the house was sold. The new owners, a young couple, admired the old mirror in Sarah's former room. As they unpacked, they failed to notice the faint outline of a terrified girl etched into the glass, her mouth open in a silent scream, forever trapped on the other side.