"You're not leaving."
The thing wearing Ethan's sister's face smiled.
Wide.
Wrong.
Hungry.
Lina's heart pounded violently.
Her back hit the wall.
No door.
No window.
No escape.
"Ethan…" she whispered.
But Ethan didn't answer.
He was staring.
Frozen.
At her.
No—
At the thing.
"…Ava…" he breathed.
Lina's stomach dropped.
"No!" she snapped. "That's not her!"
The thing tilted its head slowly.
Bones cracking softly.
"Why do you keep denying me?" it asked.
Its voice softened.
Almost gentle.
"I've been waiting for you."
Ethan took a step forward.
Lina grabbed his arm hard.
"Stop! It's lying!"
"It sounds like her…" he said.
Lina's voice shook—but she didn't let go.
"It also sounded like my mom," she said.
"And that wasn't her either."
Silence.
Ethan froze.
The truth hit him.
Hard.
Behind them—
The mirror trembled.
A low, vibrating sound filled the room.
Lina turned.
The mirror.
It wasn't normal anymore.
The surface rippled—
Like water.
Something was moving inside it.
Watching.
Waiting.
"The mirror…" Lina whispered.
Ethan followed her gaze.
"…That's how it copies," he said.
Lina's eyes widened.
"What?"
"It needs a reflection," he continued quickly.
"It studies you through it. Learns you."
A chill ran through her.
"So if we—"
"Break it," Ethan finished.
The thing laughed.
"You can try."
It moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
In a blink—
It was right in front of them.
Lina screamed.
Its face inches from hers.
Eyes empty.
Smile stretched beyond human limits.
"You can't break what you belong to."
Ethan shoved Lina aside.
"RUN!"
Lina stumbled—
Then saw it.
A metal lamp on the floor.
Her only chance.
Behind her—
Ethan struggled.
The thing had grabbed him.
Its fingers digging into his arm.
"Stay with me," it whispered.
Ethan gritted his teeth.
"I'm not yours!"
Lina grabbed the lamp.
Her hands shaking violently.
"Ethan!"
He looked at her.
"Do it!"
The thing turned.
Slowly.
Too slowly.
Like it already knew.
"Don't," it said softly.
Lina ran.
Raised the lamp—
And slammed it into the mirror.
CRASH!
Glass exploded everywhere.
A deafening scream tore through the room.
Not human.
Not possible.
The walls shook violently.
The floor cracked beneath their feet.
The air twisted.
The thing screamed again—
Its body glitching—
Flickering—
Breaking—
Ethan dropped to the ground.
Free.
"Lina!" he shouted.
The room began to collapse.
The bed vanished.
The walls split open.
Darkness poured through.
"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" the thing shrieked.
Lina backed away, breathing hard.
"You said it needs a reflection," she said.
The thing's face twisted in rage.
"You were supposed to stay…"
The mirror shards on the floor began to move.
Sliding.
Turning.
Pointing—
At Lina.
Her breath stopped.
"…Ethan."
He followed her gaze.
And his expression darkened instantly.
Each broken piece of glass—
Still reflected her.
And inside each reflection—
Something was still watching.
"It's not over," Ethan said quietly.
The house groaned.
Loud.
Angry.
And then—
Everything went black.
When the light returned—
They weren't in her room anymore.
They were deeper inside the house.
And this time—
There were no mirrors.
Only doors.
Dozens of them.
All slightly open.
All leading somewhere unknown.
Lina's voice trembled—
"…Which one do we take?"
Ethan didn't answer immediately.
Because now—
He understood something new.
Breaking the mirror didn't weaken the house.
It made it angry.