Horror Flash Fiction | Inside the Mirror

While washing her face in the bathroom, Shen Li noticed her reflection in the mirror moved half a beat slower than she did. She looked up, and the her in the mirror looked up too. She tilted her head, and the her in the mirror tilted hers. Normal. But when she reached out to turn off the faucet, the hand in the mirror paused for a second before catching up. Shen Li dismissed it as her imagination, dried her face, and left the bathroom. After that day, she started paying attention. When she dressed, the reflection would button up its clothes before looking at her. When she combed her hair, the hand in the mirror would comb it one extra time before putting it down. When she ate, the reflection was already chewing while she had just put the food in her mouth. The her in the mirror was always one step ahead. One morning, Shen Li stood in front of the mirror, but her reflection didn't appear. She froze and reached out to touch the mirror surface. The reflection was empty, showing only the bathroom background. The next second, the image in the mirror moved. She saw herself walking in from the bathroom doorway, standing in front of the mirror, doing the exact same actions as her. But the reflection's lips slowly curved upwards. Shen Li tried to step back but found her body wouldn't move. The 'herself' in the mirror reached out, passed through the mirror surface, and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm tired of being stuck in here," the reflection said. "Your turn to come in." Shen Li was pushed into the mirror. She hit the cold glass and felt like she was falling into water, surrounded by silver light. She pounded on the mirror, watching the 'herself' on the outside smile at her, slowly button up her clothes, comb her hair, turn, and walk out of the bathroom. From that day on, Shen Li stood inside the mirror every day, watching 'herself' live her life. Occasionally, when someone walked into the bathroom, she would pound on the mirror and shout with her mouth open.