By Shristi Shreya
Emma had always been curious about the old mansion at the end of the street. It had stood there, imposing and mysterious, since long before she was born. When the For Sale sign appeared in the front yard, she couldn’t resist the chance to explore it.
She convinced her parents to take a tour, just for fun. The real estate agent, a stern woman with glasses perched on the end of her nose, led them through dusty rooms filled with antique furniture and fading wallpaper. Emma’s parents marveled at the history, but Emma was focused on something else: the feeling that something was watching her.
In the library, she found it. A book out of place, sticking out just slightly from the shelf. She reached out and pulled it. The shelf creaked and swung open to reveal a dark, narrow staircase descending into the shadows.
“Mom, Dad, look!” she called. But they were too busy admiring the chandeliers to hear her. Curiosity got the better of her, and she slipped into the secret passage.
At the bottom of the stairs, she found a hidden room, untouched by time. A single candle flickered on a wooden table, casting eerie shadows on the walls. In the center of the room, a large, ornate mirror stood, its glass cloudy with age.
As Emma approached the mirror, she saw movement. Not her own reflection, but the reflection of a young girl, about her age, standing behind her. She spun around, but the room was empty.
“Hello?” she whispered, turning back to the mirror.
The girl in the reflection smiled. “Hello, Emma.”
Emma’s heart raced. “Who are you?”
“I’m Lila. I used to live here, a long time ago.”
Emma’s fear gave way to fascination. “How are you in the mirror?”
Lila’s smile faded. “I’m trapped. I made a mistake and now I can’t leave. I’ve been waiting for someone to find me.”
Emma felt a chill run down her spine. “What mistake?”
Lila’s eyes looked sad. “I was curious, just like you. I found this room, and I made a wish. A wish to see the future. But wishes have consequences.”
Emma glanced around, looking for a way to help. “How can I free you?”
“There’s a key,” Lila said, her voice urgent. “It’s hidden in the library. Find it, and you can unlock the mirror.”
Emma nodded, determination setting in. “I’ll find it, Lila. I promise.”
She raced back up the stairs, her mind whirling. In the library, she searched every nook and cranny, finally finding an old, rusty key hidden inside a hollowed-out book. Clutching it tightly, she ran back to the hidden room.
Breathless, she held up the key. “I found it!”
Lila’s reflection beamed. “Thank you, Emma. Please, use it to unlock the mirror.”
With trembling hands, Emma inserted the key into a small, almost invisible keyhole at the mirror’s base. She turned it, and the mirror shimmered, its surface rippling like water.
Lila stepped through, her form becoming solid as she crossed the threshold. She looked around, breathing in the air of freedom for the first time in decades.
“Thank you,” Lila said, tears of joy in her eyes. “You’ve saved me.”
Emma smiled, feeling a warmth spread through her. “What will you do now?” “I’ll find my family, wherever they are. And I’ll live my life again, thanks to you.”
As Lila walked out of the hidden room and into the light of the old mansion, Emma felt a sense of fulfillment she’d never known before. She had unlocked more than just a mirror; she had unlocked a friendship that transcended time.
And as she rejoined her parents, she knew she’d never forget the hidden room, the mirror, or the girl who had once been trapped inside.
By Shristi Shreya
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