The Haunted Mirror

Ruhi stood in front of the old mansion, her heart beating with excitement and a hint of trepidation poking to overtake her at any moment. The abode before her was nothing like the images she had seen in the files earlier that morning. The once magnificent exterior had lost its grandeur decades ago. Abandonment and neglect had weathered the property to a crumbling state, leaving no sign of vegetation. The whole place seemed surrounded by a desolate aura. Only an evil curse could do that. So, were the rumors true? It’s time she found it out herself. No matter what, she won’t let her only chance to get promoted slip away. 

Tearing her gaze away from the dead structure, she unshouldered her backpack, unzipped it, and rummaged inside for the key. She flinched as her fingers brushed against something metallic that was unexpectedly hot. It felt like she had knowingly dipped her fingers into a searing flame. A shriek escaped her mouth. Startled and expecting a severe burn, she withdrew her hand quickly and examined it. What? Finding no sign of injury left her bewildered. How was that possible? She had felt the scorch. A sense of foreboding gripped her. Was it an intimation to leave the property and run away?

Shoving aside the alarm, Ruhi peered inside her bag, and there, entangled in the wires of her earphones, lay the old key, the only piece of metal she had kept in the bag a few hours ago. Squeezing her eyes, she turned her face away and cautiously reached for it, mentally prepared to feel that burn again. But when her fingers touched the key, to her astonishment, the metal was as cold as it was in the morning when Ruhi had collected it from her office. Perplexed, she couldn’t help but wonder if the rumors had already taken hold of her mind. The burning sensation was still vivid in her memory, but her senses told her a different story.

Taking a deep breath, Ruhi decided not to be influenced by hearsay. She had never believed in the supernatural, so why now? For sure, the place where she stood now was creepy, but what’s the big deal? Isn’t that how every abandoned area is supposed to be? Convinced, she grasped the key and shouldered her backpack before walking towards the time-worn marble steps that led up to the mansion's main door. 

Ruhi’s sandals click-clacked as she ascended the stone stairs, breaking the eerie silence. She stopped before the doorway. The design on its metallic surface was as intricate as it was on that brass key. Everything about that colossal structure was posh. It was a shame that it was left to rot because of some stupid rumor. For three decades, the owner of this property was a client of the real estate agency where she worked. And, no one could crack a sale deal because of the gossip the mansion had amassed. She believed there always was a reason behind a property not being sold for so long, but associating it with the supernatural was absurd. And the tale affiliated with this one was ludicrous. Rumor has it the master bedroom on the first floor had a haunted mirror. The maid lost her life in that room, and the reason behind her death was not unclear. Some say it was a suicide, and some that it was a murder. Since she breathed her last, watching her reflection in the mirror, her soul got trapped inside. And, now, whoever watches their reflection in it dies. One family member died in that room because of a heart attack. Then years later, a painter lost his life while painting one of the walls in that room. He had slipped from the ladder and hit his head hard on the floor. The same year, someone skidded while the floor was wet and lost his life. And there were many more such accidents. With time people associated them with the mirror haunting. She didn’t believe any of that bullshit. The family member was a sixty-year-old man diagnosed with a heart ailment. The painter slipped because of the drops of paint that had smeared one of the ladder’s rungs while he was painting. The other person lost his footing on the wet floor. These were all mere accidents, and she believed no such nonsense of some spirit trapped in the mirror waiting to pounce on anyone who entered that room. She was going to prove it. If that mirror was the culprit, all she had to do was break it and lay the rumor to rest in peace forever. Life rarely gives such opportunities. She wasn’t going to let it just go. It was the easiest task she could do to grab that promotion she had been eyeing for a year. She couldn’t take it anymore. She needed a raise. She had to repay the money she had begged from the loan mafia, or he would kill her family.

Ruhi shuddered at the thought but mustered her courage and reached for the ancient lock. Holding her breath, she inserted the key cautiously, but as expected, the unlocking event proved challenging. After several attempts, finally, the keyhole gave away with a resounding click. She tried pushing the door, but it didn’t dare to budge, as if hinting at her for the last time to turn away. Should she take the cue and run away? No. She can’t do that. Gosh, this was getting tougher. Years of dust and moisture settling on the hinges have jammed the door. Now what? Hands propped on her hips, she looked for a tool to open the door. But, instead, disappointment showed up again, and her head hung low following a deep exhale. No matter what, she has to complete the job.

Ruhi gathered her long hair, twisted it into a messy bun, and secured it with the help of a pen on the top of her crown. She squared her shoulders, popped her neck, and utilized all her strength to push the door harder this time. Creaking, the door slowly swung open, revealing a dimly lit foyer enveloped in a musty scent. Without hesitation or apprehension, she walked into an aura of dancing glittering dust particles that seemed to welcome her into the unknown. But, the reception proved short-lived as suddenly the door closed behind her with a loud bang sending a tremor down her neck. She spun around. Oh, no. No, no, no. She threw her backpack and bolted towards the entrance. The door had shut tightly. “Help!” She pounded on it intensely, expecting someone outside to hear her cry. But before she could plead again, a woman’s scream made her spin around. “What! What was that?” With her back glued to the door, her eyes darted haphazardly, trying to catch the horror’s origin. But, she could find none. Terror filled her nerves as a distinct weird hum followed from somewhere deep inside the mansion. Trembling, she strained her ears to confirm the direction. Her tear-filled eyes fixed on the staircase landing. The murmur came from the first floor and sounded like the people were whispering something together.

“How’s that possible?” Ruhi muttered. Was she going crazy? Have the rumors taken a toll on her consciousness? How can there be someone inside when for sure she was the one who opened its door in decades? No, that’s not possible. She clasped her trembling hands. Her mind was playing tricks, the only logical explanation. She needed to get out as fast as possible. How? Amidst labored breathing and an ongoing battle between her fear and logic, she scanned around for an exit.

“That’s it.” A glimmer of hope arose inside Ruhi’s panicked heart, and she darted toward one of the floor-to-ceiling windows. The dust and mold-smeared glass barely let the light in. But that wasn’t her concern. She just needed something durable to break the pane. For sure, it wasn’t bulletproof. It could easily break in one go. Readying herself for the mission, she wiped the beads of sweat on her forehead using the back of her hands and started looking for anything to break the glass.

Ruhi gasped as her eyes fell on her backpack. “My mobile!” She rushed to pick up her bag, unzipped it, and pulled out her cell phone. Amid the terrifying experience, she completely forgot about it. Excited by the generation of a sudden ray of hope, she dialed a number. After five rings, the person picked up her call on the other side.

“Hey, Ruhi. Where are you?” Abhinav asked.

“Abhinav, I will explain everything to you later, but now I need your help.” She said in one breath.”

“Hello? Ruhi? Are you listening?”

“Hello? Abhinav? Please answer me.” Hot tears began rolling out of her eyes. “Abhinav, please?”

“Listen, love, the signal is weak, and I cannot hear you.”

“No, no, no… please don’t hang up.” Weeping, Ruhi dropped down to her knees.

“If you can hear me Whatsapp me your location, I will try to reach you as soon as possible.” With that, he hung up.

All her hopes shattered as if she had lost the battle of her life. While wiping her tears, she saw someone moving through her peripheral vision. Panicked, she whirled around to find the hall empty. The situation was getting on her nerves now.

Ruhi opened Whatsapp and sent her location to Abhinav. With her fingers crossed, she prayed for the tick to turn blue. After a few minutes of nervous waiting, it did. Tears of happiness glistened in her eyes. She started typing again and was about to hit the send button when she saw a pair of legs gliding toward her. Slowly, with her heart in her mouth, she raised her head. A young woman stood in front, the same maid who had died mysteriously years ago.

“Welcome.” The dead lady whispered and gave her a creepy smile.

Horror grasped Ruhi’s soul, and a shriek escaped her mouth before everything went black. 

The blurry world slowly came into focus, and along came the sensation of a throbbing ache in her head. With shaky hands, Ruhi pressed her temples and attempted to rise. She staggered a bit before finding support against a nearby wall. Where was she? The place looked unfamiliar. She spun around, and her pupils expanded ten folds in terror. “How did she come here?” she muttered in fright. 

Ruhi found herself standing in front of the haunted mirror. The event before she fainted replayed in her mind, and she recalled the creepy smile of the ghost. Shuddering with horror, she retreated, but her back hit something hard. “Ahh!” She whirled around and found the door closed. “Help!” she screamed at the top of her lungs. “Anybody, please!” She banged. “Get me out!” Tears cascaded from her eyes. “My mobile?” She gasped. “My bag?” She glanced around. But it was nowhere in sight. Strangely, dirt and cobwebs covered the old furniture, the chandelier, the fireplace, and everything else, but not the mirror. Its surface was clean and shiny as if unveiled just now. The terrifying part, her reflection wasn’t mirroring her actions. It stood still, staring at her. 

Hypnotized by her own reflection’s gaze, unconsciously discarding any fear that had glued to her feet from the moment she had set foot inside the mansion, she walked towards the mirror. It was just her and her reflection, yet she couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched by some sinister presence.

Smash the mirror, do it now. A tiny part of Ruhi’s active consciousness begged. Tears continued flowing, and she stood paralyzed, her vision a captive to her mirrored self.

Seconds pass into minutes. Gradually the white of her eyes and the surroundings behind her in the reflection darkened ominously until it turned completely black.

Amidst the blackness, several disembodied voices greeted her. “Welcome!”

For the first time in what looked like an entirety, she blinked. With that, the gloominess started to fade. She found herself surrounded by numerous people. She recognized none. All her fears vanished like a forgotten nightmare. She felt calmer than ever, maybe because she was relieved to see another human.

She approached an older man in the group. “Who are you, sir?”

The man smiled. “I’m Jayantilal Seth, the owner of this mansion.”

“A renovation firm hired me to repaint the interiors.” Another person came forward.

What’s happening? Ruhi’s eyes darted around. Wasn’t she alone earlier? She looked everyone in the eyes. Who are these people? How did they appear all of a sudden? I should better run away now. The promotion is not worth risking my life.

“You still didn’t get it, did you?” As if answering the queries in her mind, the same ghost lady stepped forward.

The terror returned. Ruhi screamed and whirled around but froze instantly at the sight of her reflection. She was lying in a pool of blood, the red fluid still oozing out from a horrendous cut on her wrist. A pocket knife rested beside her. She raised her hand. There was no such wound on her wrist. Then, reality hit her like a hard punch in the gut, and she staggered. “I’m dead.”

“And your soul is forever trapped in this mirror world like the rest of us.” The ghost lady stated. “This mirror is cursed. It kills whoever encounters it by bringing out their worst fear. And, you feared taking your own life.”

The door banged open. A speechless Ruhi watched Abhinav shake her dead body to awaken her from the deepest slumber she could never wake up from.

***