A kid sat alone in his house, staring at the mirror, the only thing shining in the dark. The glass was clear, and his eyes glowed as he gazed into it. Something felt strange, as if the mirror was calling him. He wasn’t a kid afraid of the dark—he was used to it since there were frequent power cuts in the area. But tonight, he had never noticed the mirror so clearly, and it seemed different, almost alive. 

He reached out and placed his hand on the surface of the mirror. His reflection mirrored his movements—nothing unusual. He continued to watch his face when, suddenly, a smile began to creep onto his reflection. He stumbled back, startled by the change, but when he stood up again and moved closer to the mirror, everything appeared normal. Maybe it was just his imagination. 

As he turned to leave, a tap on his shoulder made him freeze. Whipping around, he saw his reflection in the mirror again—this time, the smile slowly spreading across his reflection’s face. Terrified, he bolted from the house and ran out into the street, sitting under the nearest streetlight. 

“You finally came out,” said the girl, his neighbor and friend. “I was worried you wouldn’t come out.” 

“Are you okay?” she asked with a concerned smile. 

“Nothing,” he mumbled. 

“Sorry, I have to go now. See you tomorrow, okay? Promise?” She smiled and ran off. 

The boy returned home just as the power came back on. His parents had come home from work, and they were having dinner, chatting and laughing. He quickly forgot about the strange experience with the mirror and went to sleep on the couch. 

The next day, as he lay on the couch, he thought about his friend and the promise he made to meet her. He thought they would play a game or chat to pass the time. As the evening arrived, he was filled with a sense of bliss. 

“You’re here, just like you promised,” she said when she saw him. 

“Yes,” he replied. 

“Are you okay? You looked scared yesterday,” she asked. 

“It’s just that the mirror smiled at me,” he confessed. 

“The mirror did?” she asked, surprised. 

“Wanna go check it out?” he suggested. 

They ran into the house together, and just as they expected, the power was out again. But the mirror was still glowing. They approached it cautiously. 

“I don’t see anything,” Aadhya said, looking at the boy. 

He was staring at the mirror, his eyes wide in fear. There, in the reflection, was Aadhya—smiling. But it wasn’t her smile—it was the same eerie smile from before, creeping across the boy’s face. 

Panicked, he ran away, screaming. Aadhya followed him, calling his name. 

“What are you doing here alone?” the mother’s voice interrupted. She had just arrived home, seeing the crying boy. 

“You should go home,” she told Aadhya gently. “Your mother must be waiting for you.” 

Aadhya nodded, wiping her tears, and left. 

The mother walked inside, unlocking the door to find the photo of her son in front of the mirror—one he used to look into every day. “I miss you, my son,” she whispered, her tears falling as she stared at the empty space.