Angelina couldn't breathe.
The mirror swallowed her like water.
Cold wrapped around her body.
Her vision blurred.
She tried to scream—
but no sound came out.
It was like her voice had been taken.
The world spun.
Then—
Silence.
Not normal silence.
A thick, heavy silence.
Angelina opened her eyes slowly.
She was standing.
But not in the hidden room anymore.
Not in the house.
Not anywhere she recognized.
Everything around her was… wrong.
The hallway of her home stretched endlessly ahead.
The walls were darker.
The air was gray.
The lights flickered like dying candles.
And the floor…
The floor was wet.
As if the house was crying.
Angelina looked down.
Her shoes were soaked.
She swallowed hard.
The silence here wasn't peaceful.
It was hungry.
She turned around.
The mirror was gone.
There was no door.
No passage.
Only endless hallway.
Angelina's heart began to race.
She was trapped.
A soft sound broke the silence.
A whimper.
Angelina froze.
It echoed from far away.
Then closer.
Then farther again.
Like the sound was circling her.
Angelina whispered without meaning to:
"Mara…?"
Her voice came out broken.
The moment she spoke, the air changed.
The hallway lights flickered violently.
The whimper stopped.
And then—
Footsteps.
Slow footsteps.
Coming from behind her.
Angelina turned sharply.
Nothing.
But the footsteps continued.
Closer.
Closer.
Then they stopped right behind her.
Angelina's breath shook.
She didn't want to turn.
She didn't want to see.
But something forced her.
She turned slowly.
A girl stood there.
Not a silhouette now.
Not a shadow.
A real girl.
Pale skin.
Long black hair.
Bare feet.
Her eyes were dark and tired.
Her lips were slightly parted, like she was about to cry.
Angelina couldn't move.
"Mara…" she whispered.
The girl stared at her.
Then she spoke softly.
"This is where I've been."
Her voice wasn't a whimper anymore.
It was calm.
Dead calm.
Angelina looked around.
"This… this is the house…"
Mara nodded slowly.
"The house…" she said, "but not your house."
Angelina's throat tightened.
"What is this place?"
Mara's eyes lowered.
"The place between."
Angelina's heart sank.
Mara lifted her hand and pointed down the endless hallway.
Angelina followed her finger.
At first, she saw nothing.
Then…
She saw doors.
Hundreds of doors lining the walls.
Each one different.
Some broken.
Some scratched.
Some dripping darkness from underneath.
Angelina stepped back.
"What are those?"
Mara whispered:
"Rooms."
Angelina swallowed hard.
"Rooms for who?"
Mara looked at her.
And for the first time…
Her expression showed pain.
"Rooms for the ones who answered."
Angelina's blood ran cold.
Angelina shook her head.
"No…"
Mara nodded slowly.
"They all heard me."
"They all thought they could help."
"They all spoke."
Angelina's chest tightened.
"And now… they're here?"
Mara's voice was almost a whisper.
"Yes."
Angelina stared at the doors.
Then she noticed something.
Some doors were shaking.
Like something inside was trying to get out.
A faint scratching sound echoed from behind one.
Angelina stepped back quickly.
"Mara… what's inside them?"
Mara's voice turned colder.
"Not people anymore."
Angelina's breath caught.
Suddenly—
A loud bang came from one of the doors.
Then another.
Then another.
The hallway trembled.
The doors began to rattle violently.
Angelina's eyes widened.
"Mara… what's happening?"
Mara's eyes locked onto Angelina.
Her voice became sharp.
"They know you're here."
Angelina froze.
"Who—?"
Mara whispered:
"The others."
The whimpering began again.
Not one voice.
Many voices.
Crying.
Begging.
Whispering.
Calling her name.
Angelina's ears rang.
The doors started to open.
Cracks of darkness spilled out.
Hands.
Pale hands reaching.
Angelina stumbled back.
Her heart screamed inside her chest.
"Mara!" she cried silently.
Mara grabbed her wrist.
Her grip was ice.
"Run," Mara whispered.
Angelina stared at her.
"But—"
Mara's eyes flashed.
"If you stay… you'll become one of them."
Angelina's breath shook.
"Run before the house chooses."
The hallway behind them darkened.
Something moved inside the shadows.
Something tall.
Something watching.
Mara's voice trembled for the first time.
"It's awake."
Angelina's eyes widened.
"What is it?"
Mara whispered:
"The one who keeps us here."
The lights went out.
The whimpering turned into screams.
And from the darkness…
A voice deeper than any human voice spoke:
"She answered."