The Man in the Reflection

In the small town of Hollow Pines, there was an old tale whispered among children: Never stare too long into the mirror after midnight, or the Man in the Reflection will stare back.

Mira Jennings, a 22-year-old college student, didn’t believe in urban legends. When she returned home for a break, she found her childhood bedroom untouched—posters on the wall, stuffed animals on the shelves, and the tall, antique mirror her grandmother once owned standing in the corner.

On a stormy night, out of boredom (and a bit of wine), Mira decided to test the myth.

She lit a candle, turned off the lights, and stood in front of the mirror at exactly 12:03 a.m.

She whispered, "I don't believe in you."

At first, nothing happened. Just her reflection, dimly flickering in the candlelight.

But then… her reflection smiled.

Mira hadn’t moved.

The reflection raised its hand. Mira didn’t.

It tilted its head. She didn’t.

It beckoned.

Frozen in place, Mira watched as her reflection reached out from the glass—not with a hand, but a shadowy, claw-like limb that extended beyond the surface like water rippling outward.

She ran.

The next morning, her parents found the mirror shattered, the candle burned out—and Mira gone.

All that remained was a handprint—on the inside of the mirror.

Now, they say if you stare into an old mirror at night in Hollow Pines, you might catch a glimpse of her. Not Mira as she was, but what she became.

The Man in the Reflection always needs a replacement.

And once you see him…

He sees you too.