Published on:- 17/12/24 [Tuesday]
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🍀Double update 🍀

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It was another quiet morning, and Rose wandered through the halls of the Duke's mansion. She turned a corner and noticed an old wooden door that was slightly open. Curious, she pushed it wider and stepped inside.

Her eyes widened in surprise. It was a library, bigger than she had ever seen. Tall shelves lined the walls, filled with books of all shapes and sizes.

The smell of old paper and polished wood filled the air, making her pause and breathe it in.

Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, lighting up the room and the dust floating in the air. It felt peaceful and calm, as though time had stopped.

Rose walked slowly into the room, running her fingers along the spines of the books. Some were worn and old, while others looked brand new, as if no one had ever touched them.

"How did I not know this place was here?" she whispered softly as her voice was almost getting lost in the quiet.

The library felt special, almost magical, and Rose couldn't help but smile as she took it all in.

Rose wandered deeper into the library while her eyes were scanning the shelves as her fingers brushed lightly against the old leather bindings.

There were books on every topic-history, philosophy, poetry-each one begging to be explored.

As she moved to a corner shelf, something unusual caught her attention. She paused, tilting her head slightly.

A book stood out among the others. Its cover was dark and worn, but what drew her in was the strange design on it-a mirror image.

At first glance, it looked like a simple pattern, but when she stepped closer, it became clear.

The image on the book seemed to reflect itself, as if she were looking into a real mirror. The silver lines shimmered faintly in the light, almost as though they were alive.

"What is this?" Rose whispered as curiosity was pulling her forward.

She reached out slowly while her fingers were hovering over the book for a moment before gently pulling it from the shelf.

It was heavier than she expected, and the leather felt smooth but cool against her hands.

Turning it over, she examined it closely. There was no title, no author's name - just the strange mirrored design that seemed to draw her in the longer she looked at it.

Her heart began to beat a little faster. The quiet of the library suddenly felt heavier, as though the room itself was holding its breath.

Rose swallowed and carefully opened the book. The pages inside were thick and yellowed with age. There were no illustrations, just faint, elegant writing in a language she didn't recognize.

"What is this doing here?" she murmured, a strange unease settling in her chest.

She glanced around the library, as though expecting someone to appear, but she was alone. Turning her attention back to the mysterious book, Rose couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't just any ordinary book.

It felt... significant.

And she had a feeling she wasn't meant to find it.

Rose stood frozen and the heavy book rested in her hands as though it carried a secret weight.

The mirrored image on the cover shimmered faintly again, as if catching light that wasn't there.

She flipped through the pages carefully as her eyes were skimming the strange symbols and faded writing that twisted and curled in ways she couldn't understand.

A soft sound broke the silence - a whisper. A strange air that blew in the library.

Rose stilled as her breath caught in her throat. She looked around the vast library, but no one was there.

The air seemed colder now and the light from the windows dimmed slightly.

She shook her head and convinced herself it was her imagination.

Libraries were quiet places, after all. The memories of the RavenShade manor was still fresh in her memory. Mirror was playing a significant role in her life now.

She returned her gaze to the book, but when she turned the next page, a folded slip of paper fell out and fluttered to the floor.

Rose bent to pick it up. Unfolding it slowly, her eyes narrowed as she saw a message written in delicate, looping handwriting:

"Seek the reflection. What you see may not be what it seems."

Her fingers trembled slightly as she read the words again.

'Seek the reflection? What did it mean?'

She looked back at the book's mirrored cover as her pulse was quickening.

Suddenly, a soft creak echoed through the room. Rose's head snapped up while her heart was pounding.

The door to the library where she had entered minutes before was now halfway closed, though she hadn't heard it move.

"Is someone here?", she called out and her voice sounded small against the heavy silence.

There was no reply.

Only the faint sound of the wind that was pressing against the windows.

Rose's grip on the book tightened as she carefully stepped toward the door. But before she could reach it, something else caught her eye- movement.

The large, ornate mirror on the far wall reflected the rows of shelves and the dusty stillness of the room, but there was something... off.

Rose stopped in her tracks and stared. In the mirror's reflection, one of the tall bookshelves seemed slightly ajar, as though it hid something behind it.

But when she turned to look at the actual bookshelf, it stood solid and untouched.

Her chest rose and fell quickly now. She looked back at the mirror and her eyes were narrowing as the shelf in the reflection shifted again but this time, it was moving ever so slightly further open and revealed a dark space beyond it.

'It's impossible. How could the mirror show something different?', Rose thought as she took a shaky step toward it as she was drawn by both fear and curiosity.

"Seek the reflection", the note had said.

"Is this what it meant?" she whispered to herself.

Standing before the mirror now, she reached out and touched its cool glass surface.

A ripple spread out from where her fingertips made contact, like a stone dropped in water.

Rose gasped as she stumbled back, but the mirror stilled again and showed her wide-eyed reflection.

And then it happened.

The faintest outline of a figure appeared in the mirror behind her.

The figure was tall, shadowed, and unmoving.

Her breath caught and she spun around to see but the room was empty.

Her heart was racing as she turned back to the mirror. The shadow was still there and its presence was undeniable as it was standing behind her reflection.

Slowly, it began to raise its hand, as though mirroring her movements.

"No! This isn't real", Rose whispered while shaking her head.

But as the shadow's hand touched the mirrored bookshelf in the reflection, there was a low click somewhere in the room.

Rose spun toward the actual shelf as her pulse was roaring in her ears, as the tall bookshelf shifted with a slow groan and revealed a dark, hidden passageway.

She stared into the inky darkness while her body froze between terror and fascination.

The library was silent again, but it no longer felt empty.

Something was waiting.

And now it was up to Rose to decide whether she would step into the darkness... or walk away.

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ShineeSunshine ❤️