Alright, babes, let me set the scene real quick: imagine me, your girl Bree Baxter, strolling into this crusty, sketchy-ass little occult shop that straight-up looks like the set of a B-horror movie. Like, we’re talking dim-ass lighting, major spooky vibes, and the air? It smells like... IDK, expired Yankee candles and regretful life choices. Why? Because the literal devil (or something like it) has been sliding into my DMs—in real life. Yup, you heard me! I’m like, 99% sure I’ve been haunted by Karen’s ghost after messing up her latte order last month. My mirror is haunted. My cat Fluffernutter is going full-on "demon possessed". And I’m, like, two seconds away from dropping a viral "My Life’s a Horror Movie" series.
So, obviously, I did what any sane TikTok queen would do: googled "witchy stuff near me" and found Hex & Harmony, this total goth vibes only store that screams ‘one cursed object, coming right up—but like, in the cutest packaging.’
So fast forward and here I am, looking fire in my oversized sweater and combat boots, trying to stay on-brand despite the literal demon vibes I’ve been living with for the past, like, month. I take a deep breath and step inside—instantly hit with this whole goth witch queen about to send you to the underworld aesthetic. The place? Dark, mysterious, and giving off major “you’re not making it out alive” energy.
Behind the counter is this girl—no, this vibe—like the actual human version of Wednesday Addams meets Hot Topic, flipping through a book that’s probably older than my grandma. Her name? Iris. And sis? She’s not here for the ‘gram. This chick looks like she could curse your entire bloodline with a single eyeroll, and honestly? I’m low-key terrified, but high-key obsessed. #Iconic.
I do my best influencer strut to the counter, flipping my hair like I’m on a mission (because I am), and hit her with, “Heyyyyy, so I think I, like, accidentally summoned a demon or whatever? Do you guys sell, like, sage or maybe a ‘get rid of my haunted as f— life’ starter pack? Asking for me.”
Without even looking up, Iris deadpans, “Are you trying to save your soul or just your TikTok aesthetic?”
Girl. That was a READ. I haven’t been dragged like that since my last "I woke up like this" post got ratio’d. I freeze mid-hair flip, like, is she serious? (Spoiler: She is.)
“Uh... both?” I squeak, trying to channel my best ‘I’m-too-cute-to-die’ energy.
Finally, she looks up. Her eyeliner is sharp enough to slice bread, and her aura? Full-on dark witch energy, like she probably listens to Billie Eilish while cursing people for cutting in line. “You think sage is going to fix this?” she asks, eyes locking onto me like she’s staring into my soul, which—let’s be real—she probably is.
I’m sweating bullets under her gaze, but I can’t back out now, right? “Well, uh, last week a shadow thing crawled out of my mirror and started doing the ‘creepy ghost from The Ring’ routine, sooo… I kinda figured some sage might help?”
She blinks—once—and I swear the room gets about ten degrees colder (because apparently, every creepy thing in my life comes with built-in air conditioning). “You’ve got a shadow stalking you, and you think you’re gonna burn a few herbs and call it a day?”
Um, yeah, when you say it like that, it sounds ridiculous, but I’m not about to admit that to Goth Queen Extraordinaire. “Look, I’m not exactly an expert here, okay? I just need to, like, not die and maybe post about it later. Help me out?”
Iris lets out this massive sigh like I’m the most exhausting person she’s ever met (and, okay, fair). She reaches under the counter and pulls out a black candle that looks like it could summon the Babadook and a bundle of herbs that smell like they’re straight from the “Hex Your Ex” section. “If a shadow’s crawling out of your mirror, it’s already inside your house. And it’s not gonna leave unless you make it.”
“Okay, cool, cool, cool,” I say, trying not to freak out, but my voice is cracking like a TikTok challenge gone wrong. “So, like, what’s it doing in my apartment? Trying to get a free preview of my OnlyFans or…?”
Iris glares at me like I just asked her to explain why water is wet. “It’s feeding off your fear. It’s probably been watching you for a while.”
Watching me. Okay, time out—WHAT?! I was, like, kidding about the OnlyFans thing… That’s way worse than some creepy subscriber. “Watching me, like… on my streams?!” I ask, panic hitting harder than my iced caramel macchiato.
“On your streams, through your mirror, while you sleep—take your pick.” She shrugs like this is just another Tuesday in her spooky-ass life.
At this point, I’m spiraling harder than my FYP after midnight because OMG, I literally have a ghost stalking me. My brain’s glitching, but I gotta keep it together. Freaking out? Not the vibe. Meme the panic, Bree. “So… Should I block my mirror like an ex or just hit the shadow demon with a Venmo request?”
Iris’s face does not change. Zero chill. “No. You need to get serious. Stop using your hauntings for clout, and start actually dealing with them, or this thing is gonna do more than just glitch your phone.”
Her words hit me like an accidental email to your boss that’s meant for your bestie. It stings. And I’m mad. I’m Bree Baxter! I’m built for this. But then again… I have literally been haunted for like four weeks, and my only solution so far has been to livestream my hauntings on TikTok.
My heart does that weird flip thing, like when your phone drops to 1% and you realize you left your charger at home. “Okay, fine, I’ll bite,” I say, trying to sound brave but definitely failing. “So, what now? Burn this cursed candle, wave some herbs around, and pray I don’t end up on the next ‘Girl Gets Possessed’ fail compilation?”
Iris actually smirks, and I feel like I’ve unlocked some secret level. “Something like that,” she says, but there’s this glint in her eye that makes me real nervous.
“Cool, cool, love that for me,” I mutter, grabbing the candle and the herbs. My hands are shaking because, uh, HELLO, I’m about to go head-to-head with the actual shadow demon from my mirror. “Anything else? Should I... sacrifice a pumpkin spice latte or something?”
She tilts her head, her smirk growing. “Just don’t scream when it shows up.”
Wait… WHAT?!
Iris leans forward, locking eyes with me, and the temperature in the shop feels like it just dropped another five degrees. “The candle will draw it out. The herbs? They’ll weaken it—but only for a short time. You need to trap it before it gets stronger. And whatever you do, don’t look directly into the mirror when it appears.”
I blink, my throat suddenly dry. “Wait, wait, wait. Trap it? It’s in the mirror. How do I even…?”
Before I can finish, she shoves a tiny glass vial into my hand. It’s filled with this thick, dark liquid, and it smells like… okay, I don’t even know what it smells like, but it’s gross. “Use this. If it touches you, pour it on the mirror. But you only get one shot. If you mess this up…”
Her voice trails off, and I swear, for a second, I see something flicker in her eyes. Fear. Actual fear. And if she’s scared, I’m already dead.
“Uh, what happens if I mess up?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
Iris stares at me, her face as cold as the air around us. “Then it stays with you. For good.”
My stomach plummets.
“And remember, Bree… it feeds off fear.”
Y’all, I am done. Like, actually. Done. This time, for real. This just went from TikTok spooky to actual horror movie real quick. Without another word, I spin on my heel and get the hell out of Hex & Harmony, because if I stay there another second, I might pass out from sheer panic.
So here’s the sitch: your girl Bree? She’s about to face off with a literal demon in her very own apartment, armed with a dollar-store lighter and some witchy vibes I barely understand. Will I survive? Will I make it to 10k followers before I get possessed?
Honestly, no clue. But at least I’ll get one hell of a livestream out of it.
To be continued….
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