【I have a haunted house】Chapter 3: The Nightmare-Level Task

“Curious about whether ghosts truly exist? Let’s play a little game. The truth will reveal itself the moment you open your eyes.”

The description of the nightmare-level task was maddeningly vague, offering no clear instructions, only an unsettling sense of foreboding.

“Judging by the introduction, it seems to be some kind of game. But could a mere game warrant being classified as nightmare-level?” Nick muttered to himself. To complete an ordinary task, he had already worked tirelessly for hours without rest, barely managing to finish repairing all the dolls within the time limit.

Scrolling through his phone, Nick’s curiosity deepened. “Why not give it a try?”

The thought sprouted in his mind, taking root like a creeping vine, growing uncontrollably.

“Nightmare-level tasks offer the highest rewards. Besides, the other two tasks available today—simple and moderate—are completely beyond my ability to complete. I might as well take a gamble.”

Nick was acutely aware of his predicament. His haunted house business was on the verge of collapse, the off-season threatening to force its closure. This task seemed like a glimmer of hope, and he wasn’t about to let it slip away.

“Decision made. Sooner or later, I’ll have to face a nightmare-level task anyway.”

Sitting up from his bed, Nick tapped on the last task.

“Are you sure you want to accept the nightmare-level daily task? Be aware that accepting it may lead to unforeseen consequences.”

“Confirm.”

The screen of his phone flickered, and the detailed task description emerged.

“To glimpse another world requires exceptional courage, extraordinary luck, and a touch of assistance. This game is called The Mirror’s Reflection: At exactly 2:04 a.m., enter a bathroom alone. Lock the door and turn off the lights. Stand before the mirror and light a candle between yourself and the mirror. Then, close your eyes, focus your mind, and slowly chant your name.”

“In the darkness, anything could happen. Perhaps a stranger’s face will appear in the mirror, or crimson eyes will stare from the corners, or blood will seep from the walls and doorframe. Your task is to remain unmoved and stand quietly before the mirror.”

“The task will automatically succeed after thirty minutes, provided you do not open your eyes, no matter what happens.”

After reading the instructions, a chill ran down Nick’s spine. “Could there really be another world invisible to ordinary people?”

There was still time before 2:04 a.m., so Nick began searching online for information about the game.

It didn’t take long for him to uncover various accounts—some claimed to have suffered misfortune after playing, others described disfigured faces in cryptic terms, and a few even reported disappearances, speculated to have been dragged into the mirror world.

“The stories are so detailed and vivid, like urban legends,” Nick mused. The macabre intrigued him. As the owner of a haunted house, he constantly brainstormed ways to terrify visitors while ensuring their safety. Reading about the game felt like discovering a new frontier.

“Playing a horror game alone in the dead of night, inside a haunted house... just imagining it gives me a thrill!”

He checked his phone’s battery, deciding this moment needed to be documented.

“I’ll record everything. If it’s truly terrifying, maybe I can turn it into a new attraction for my haunted house.” He rummaged through his belongings, searching for a candle and lighter. At 2 a.m., armed with his tools, he headed to the first-floor bathroom of the haunted house.

Nick had chosen this location after careful consideration. If anything truly horrifying occurred, he could always escape through the window.

The haunted house was deathly silent at this hour. Driven by his determination to save electricity, the young man who would sacrifice comfort for frugality locked himself in the cramped, oppressive bathroom without hesitation, armed only with a flashlight and a candle.

“A confined, pitch-black environment is the perfect breeding ground for fear. Bathrooms, with their mirrors, sliding doors, and sinks, may seem mundane but are rife with psychological triggers. The game’s creator was clever—they understood how to exploit human vulnerabilities, crafting terror from simplicity,” Nick murmured, his unique insight into horror evident as he analyzed and learned from the experience.

“True fear doesn’t require expensive props. It’s about magnifying the unease buried within people, forcing them to confront their own imagination.”

Nick took a deep breath and activated his phone’s camera. Speaking into the screen, he said, “I don’t know what consequences this game might bring. If I meet with an accident, whoever finds this phone, please preserve this video. It will be a key—a key to unlocking the truth.”

Placing the phone on the sink, he ensured it captured both himself and the mirror.

“It’s 2:01 a.m. Three more minutes.”

The anticipation of death can be more terrifying than death itself. In the stillness of the bathroom, every creak and rustle seemed magnified. As the minutes ticked by, Nick’s heartbeat quickened.

At exactly 2:04, he extinguished the flashlight, lit the candle, and placed it between himself and the mirror.

The flickering flame became the sole source of light, casting an eerie glow between reality and reflection, like a guiding spirit’s lamp, tempting something from the mirror.

Nick glanced at his reflection, sensing a vague unease. “Has the game begun?”

Lowering his head, he slowly closed his eyes and whispered his name.

“Nick... Nick... Nick...”

Repeating one’s name can evoke a strange unfamiliarity, like writing a word so many times it starts to look alien. To avoid this sensation, Nick paused for three seconds between each repetition, using the interval to keep track of time.

Success depended on not opening his eyes for the entire thirty minutes, regardless of what happened.

“Alone at 2 a.m., in a haunted house, standing before a mirror with a candle... If I weren’t living this myself, I wouldn’t believe anyone would willingly do this,” Nick thought, chanting his name and suppressing his wandering thoughts.

“This game relies heavily on psychological suggestion. The hardest part isn’t facing ghosts or legends but mastering your own mind. As long as I don’t open my eyes, I should be safe.”

Easier said than done. Ten minutes passed uneventfully, but then, the first anomaly occurred.