Ananya ran through the dark hallway, her breath uneven and sharp. The silence in the house felt unnatural, like something was waiting. Every step echoed louder than it should have, making her heart pound faster.
She didn't dare look back.
Because deep down, she knew—
Something was following her.
Not walking.
Not running.
Just… there.
Close.
Too close.
She reached the end of the hallway and stopped near the wall, trying to catch her breath. Her chest rose and fell quickly. Her hands trembled.
"This isn't real," she whispered to herself.
But the fear inside her said otherwise.
The lights flickered once.
Then went out completely.
Darkness swallowed everything.
For a moment, Ananya couldn't even see her own hands.
Then—
Tap.
A soft sound echoed behind her.
She froze.
Tap… tap…
Footsteps.
Slow.
Careful.
Coming closer.
Her throat went dry.
"Who's there?" she asked, her voice shaking.
No answer.
The footsteps stopped.
The silence that followed was even worse.
Ananya slowly turned around.
Nothing.
Just a long, empty hallway.
No movement.
No sound.
"No… I'm imagining things," she said, trying to calm herself.
She turned back—
And gasped.
A mirror stood in front of her.
Tall.
Old.
Its surface slightly cracked.
It wasn't there before.
She was sure of it.
Ananya stepped closer, her eyes fixed on it.
Her reflection appeared.
Pale face.
Wide eyes.
Fear written all over.
For a second, everything seemed normal.
Then—
Her reflection blinked.
Ananya didn't.
Her heart skipped a beat.
"No…" she whispered.
The reflection leaned forward slightly.
"Help me," it said.
Ananya stepped back instantly.
"What… what are you?"
The reflection's expression changed.
It looked desperate.
"I'm you," it said. "The real one."
Ananya shook her head.
"No… that's not possible."
The reflection raised its hand and pressed it against the glass.
"Listen to me," it said urgently. "It's already here."
"Who?"
The reflection's eyes moved past Ananya.
Behind her.
Ananya felt a chill run down her spine.
"Don't turn around," the reflection warned quickly.
But it was too late.
Ananya slowly turned.
Her body stiff.
Her breath held.
The hallway behind her was empty.
But something felt wrong.
The air was colder.
Heavier.
Like someone invisible was standing there.
Watching.
Waiting.
She turned back to the mirror.
It was empty.
No reflection.
Just darkness.
Her heart began to race again.
"Where did it go…?"
Suddenly—
A hand grabbed her shoulder.
Tight.
Ice cold.
Ananya gasped and tried to pull away, but the grip was too strong.
A soft breath touched her ear.
"You shouldn't trust mirrors…"
Her eyes widened.
The voice sounded like hers.
But darker.
Twisted.
Slowly, Ananya looked down at the hand on her shoulder.
It looked like her hand.
But it wasn't.
The skin was pale.
Cracked.
Like broken glass.
"No… no…" she whispered, her voice trembling.
She tried to move, but her body wouldn't respond.
It was like she was losing control.
The hand tightened its grip.
"You opened the door," the voice continued softly. "You let me in."
Tears filled Ananya's eyes.
"I didn't mean to…"
A low chuckle came from behind her.
"It doesn't matter."
Suddenly, the grip disappeared.
Ananya stumbled forward and quickly turned around.
Nothing.
Again.
No one there.
Her breathing became faster.
Her thoughts were breaking.
"I'm losing my mind…"
She looked down at her hands.
For a moment—
They were normal.
Then—
Crack.
A thin line appeared on her skin.
Like glass breaking.
Ananya gasped.
"No… this can't be happening…"
The crack spread slowly.
Up her fingers.
Towards her wrist.
She tried to rub it off.
But it didn't go away.
Instead—
More cracks appeared.
Her reflection suddenly came back in the mirror.
But now—
It was smiling.
A wide, unnatural smile.
"Stop fighting it," the reflection said calmly.
Ananya shook her head.
"I won't… I won't let this happen…"
The reflection laughed softly.
"You don't have a choice."
The cracks on Ananya's hand began to glow faintly.
A strange, dark light.
Her body felt heavier.
Colder.
Like something inside her was changing.
Taking over.
"Why me?" she cried.
The reflection tilted its head.
"Because you were the only one who listened."
Ananya's mind flashed back.
The whispers.
The door.
The voice calling her name.
She had followed it.
She had opened it.
And now—
She understood.
This wasn't an accident.
She was chosen.
The mirror suddenly shook.
The cracks on it grew deeper.
Faster.
More violent.
Ananya stepped back in fear.
"Stay away!" she shouted.
But it was too late.
The mirror shattered.
Loud.
Sharp.
Pieces fell everywhere.
The sound echoed through the house.
Then—
Silence.
Ananya stood there, frozen.
Her heart pounding.
Her hands still cracked.
Her body still cold.
"Is it over…?" she whispered.
A shadow moved on the wall.
Behind her.
She didn't turn.
She couldn't.
The shadow slowly grew larger.
Taller.
Twisting into a human shape.
Then—
It stepped forward.
Not on the floor.
But out of the wall.
Ananya's eyes filled with terror.
The figure stood in front of her.
Dark.
Broken.
And slowly—
It took her shape.
Same face.
Same eyes.
Same everything.
But the smile—
Was wrong.
"You see now?" it said softly.
Ananya couldn't speak.
Her voice was gone.
Her body refused to move.
The figure stepped closer.
"I'm not your reflection…"
It leaned in.
Close to her face.
"I'm what you left behind."
Ananya's vision blurred.
Her strength faded.
The cracks on her body spread faster.
Reaching her neck.
Her face.
Her eyes filled with tears.
"What… are you…?"
The figure smiled wider.
"I'm you."
A pause.
Then it whispered—
"The real you."
Ananya's world went dark.
If that was the "real" Ananya… then who has been living her life until now? 😈
👉 "Kya tumne kuch notice kiya jo Ananya ne nahi kiya? 👀 Comment me batao…"