Emma loved her new apartment. It was small but cosy, with large windows that let in plenty of sunlight. The best part was the antique mirror hanging in her bedroom. It had an intricate golden frame and a slightly tarnished surface that gave it an air of mystery. Emma often stood in front of it, admiring how the light danced across its surface.
One evening, as Emma prepared for bed, she glanced at the mirror. She gasped. Behind her reflection, she saw a figure, a tall, shadowy silhouette with glowing red eyes. She spun around, but the room was empty. Her heart pounded as she turned back to the mirror. The figure was gone.
She tried to laugh it off, blaming her imagination. But the next night, it happened again. This time, the figure reached out, its long, skeletal fingers pressing against the glass. Emma stumbled back, her breath catching in her throat. The figure’s mouth opened wide, revealing rows of sharp teeth. It let out a blood-curdling scream, and Emma woke up with a start, her sheets soaked in sweat.
The following days were a blur. Emma barely slept, jumping at every shadow. She avoided looking at the mirror, but she could feel the figure’s presence, watching her, waiting. One afternoon, she decided she’d had enough. She called a friend, Sarah, who was knowledgeable about the paranormal.
Sarah arrived with a bag full of supplies, salt, sage, and a small bell. “We’ll cleanse the apartment,” she said. “But first, tell me exactly what you’ve seen.”
Emma described the figure, the glowing eyes, the screams. Sarah’s face paled. “That sounds like a vengeful spirit,” she said. “It’s attached itself to the mirror. We need to banish it.”
They began the cleansing ritual, sprinkling salt around the apartment and burning sage. Sarah rang the bell, chanting softly. Emma felt a chill in the air, and the lights flickered. Then, a loud crash echoed through the room. The mirror shattered, sending shards of glass flying.
Emma screamed, covering her face. When she looked up, the room was silent. The mirror was gone, replaced by a gaping hole in the wall. Sarah was pale but relieved. “It’s gone,” she whispered. “Whatever was in there, it’s gone now.”
Emma nodded, but she couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. That night, she slept fitfully, her dreams haunted by glowing red eyes. When she woke up, she noticed something strange. The pieces of the broken mirror were missing. The floor was spotless, as if nothing had happened.
She called Sarah, her voice trembling. “The mirror pieces, they’re gone.”
There was a long pause on the other end. “Emma,” Sarah said slowly, “the mirror wasn’t broken. It’s still hanging on your wall.”
Emma turned to look at the mirror. Her reflection stared back at her, but behind it, the shadowy figure grinned, its red eyes burning brightly.
Look out for Part 2, next.
Vocabulary Notes
Admire (verb)
Definition: To look at something with pleasure or approval.
Example: Emma often stood in front of it, admiring how the light danced across its surface.
Similar Words: Appreciate, Cherish, Value, Praise
Gasped (verb)
Definition: To take a sudden, quick breath, usually because of surprise or shock.
Example: Emma gasped. Behind her reflection, she saw a figure, a tall, shadowy silhouette with glowing red eyes.
Similar Words: Panted, Wheezed, Exhaled, Sucked in air
Silhouette (noun)
Definition: The dark shape of someone or something seen against a lighter background.
Example: Behind her reflection, she saw a figure, a tall, shadowy silhouette with glowing red eyes.
Similar Words: Outline, Profile, Shadow, Contour
Skeletal (adjective)
Definition: Very thin, almost like bones.
Example: This time, the figure reached out, its long, skeletal fingers pressing against the glass.
Similar Words: Gaunt, Bony, Emaciated, Skinny
Blood-curdling (adjective)
Definition: Extremely frightening.
Example: It let out a blood-curdling scream, and Emma woke up with a start, her sheets soaked in sweat.
Similar Words: Terrifying, Chilling, Horrifying, Hair-raising
Blurred (verb)
Definition: To become unclear or indistinct.
Example: The following days were a blur. Emma barely slept, jumping at every shadow.
Similar Words: Fuzzy, Hazy, Indistinct, Unclear
Unease (noun)
Definition: A feeling of worry or nervousness.
Example: Emma felt a chill in the air, and the lights flickered. Then, a loud crash echoed through the room.
Similar Words: Anxiety, Discomfort, Restlessness, Nervousness
Cleansing (noun)
Definition: The process of making something clean or pure.
Example: Sarah arrived with a bag full of supplies, salt, sage, and a small bell. “We’ll cleanse the apartment,” she said.
Similar Words: Purification, Sanitization, Detoxification, Sterilization
Vengeful (adjective)
Definition: Seeking revenge.
Example: Sarah’s face paled. “That sounds like a vengeful spirit,” she said. “It’s attached itself to the mirror.”
Similar Words: Revengeful, Retaliatory, Malicious, Spiteful
Fitfully (adverb)
Definition: In a restless or uneasy manner.
Example: “That night, she slept fitfully, her dreams haunted by glowing red eyes.”
Similar Words: Restlessly, Uneasily, Agitatedly, Nervously
Story written by Proton Lumo AI
Image created by Grok 3 AI
CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads
Reading Short Stories/Content for English Learners 
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