Chapter 4: Whispers in the Library

The library felt different at night, as if the darkness had seeped into its walls. The group stood huddled together in the dim space, their flashlights sweeping across rows of towering bookshelves. The only sound was their ragged breathing and the faint creak of the old building settling.

“Where’s the urban legends section?” Logan asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Anna pointed toward the far corner of the library. “Over there. We need to find that book. It’s the only way.”

They moved cautiously, their footsteps muffled by the worn carpet. Shadows flickered unnaturally at the edges of their flashlight beams, as if something was just out of sight, watching.

“I don’t like this,” Mia muttered, clutching Sophia’s arm. “It feels… wrong in here.”

“It felt wrong back at the house too,” Ryan said, keeping his eyes on the dark corners. “But running isn’t helping. Let’s just get the book and get out.”

As they approached the urban legends section, Anna stopped abruptly. The book was already lying on the table, as if someone had placed it there for them.

“That’s not creepy at all,” Logan said, frowning.

Anna stepped forward, her hand trembling as she picked up the book. The leather cover was cold, and the faint smell of burnt wood lingered in the air. She flipped through the pages quickly until she found the one on The Reflection Game.

“There,” she said, pointing to the text. “It says we need to close the circle by returning the reflections to where they came from. But…” She trailed off, her face paling.

“But what?” Ryan pressed.

Anna swallowed hard, reading aloud: “‘To complete the ritual, the mirror’s owner must face their reflection alone. Failure to do so will result in permanent separation between worlds.’”

“Permanent separation?” Mia repeated, her voice trembling.

“It means whoever started this mess has to finish it,” Logan said, looking directly at Anna.

Before anyone could respond, a faint whisper echoed through the library. “Why did you leave us?”

The flashlights flickered, and the temperature dropped sharply. The shadows around them began to move, slithering across the walls like living creatures.

“Did you hear that?” Sophia whispered, clutching her flashlight tightly.

“Yes,” Ryan said, his voice unsteady. “And I don’t think we’re alone.”

Anna clutched the book tightly. “We need to go back to the house. That’s where the mirror is. It’s the only way to stop this.”

“Are you insane?” Logan hissed. “Did you see what crawled out of that thing?”

“We don’t have a choice!” Anna snapped. “If we don’t end this, it’ll follow us forever. It’s already here!”

As if to confirm her words, the whisper returned, louder this time: “You can’t run from us.”

The shadows around them solidified, taking humanoid shapes with hollow, glowing eyes. One of them reached out toward Mia, its hand passing through her arm like smoke. She let out a scream, stumbling backward.

“Run!” Anna shouted, clutching the book as they bolted toward the window they had broken earlier.

Behind them, the whispers grew into a cacophony of distorted voices, their words unintelligible but filled with malice. The shadows pursued them, their movements unnaturally fast and erratic.

One by one, the group climbed through the window, Anna clutching the book tightly to her chest. As her feet hit the pavement, she glanced back at the library.

The shadows stood at the broken window, watching them with glowing eyes. One of them raised a hand and waved slowly before disappearing into the darkness.

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