Ghost Story

The Mirror The first day Xiaoya moved into her new rental, she felt something was off about the mirror. It was hung on the bathroom wall, with a bronze frame and a slightly mottled surface. Every time she looked in the mirror, she felt like her reflection was a beat behind – she'd blink, and the reflection would take a second longer; she'd turn, and the reflection would linger for an extra moment. She told her boyfriend, who laughed it off, calling her neurotic. Until that night. After showering, Xiaoya stood in front of the mirror, drying her hair. She looked down to grab a towel, and when she looked up again, her reflection was still looking down. She froze, staring at the mirror. The 'her' in the mirror slowly raised her head, a strange smile splitting her lips. "You noticed," the reflection said. Xiaoya wanted to run, but her feet felt nailed to the floor. "I've been trapped inside for three years," the reflection continued. "Finally, someone moved in. If you switch with me, you can get out." "Switch... what?" "You come in, I go out." The reflection reached out a hand and pressed it against the mirror's surface. "It's only fair, right? Haven't you always felt that living is tiring?" Xiaoya looked at the hand. She remembered the sleepless nights, the solitary dinners, the moments she felt unwanted. Slowly, she raised her hand and pressed it against the mirror. The next day, her boyfriend came to visit. Xiaoya opened the door, smiling brightly. "You look so much better," her boyfriend said. "Yeah," Xiaoya glanced back at the bathroom. "I slept really well." In the bathroom, the mirror hung silently, reflecting an empty room.