THE WISH MIRROR

Eva wandered through the quiet streets of her neighbourhood, taking a rare stroll after a long week of work. Her eyes caught a small pop-up sale tucked between two brownstone buildings, where a few tables overflowed with trinkets and antiques. Most of the items were ordinary—dusty books, chipped vases, and old picture frames—but one object made her pause. It was a mirror. Not just any mirror. Its frame was dark wood, intricately carved with twisting patterns she didn’t recognize, almost like delicate tendrils reaching toward the glass. The surface gleamed unnaturally clean, reflecting the late afternoon light with an almost hypnotic intensity. Eva felt a shiver run down her spine as her reflection stared back at her, sharper and somehow… different. “Where did this come from?” she whispered, half to herself. The elderly man at the table smiled faintly. “Found it tucked away in an old attic. There's nothing wrong with it, I assure you.” Eva’s curiosity burned. Without overthinking, she lifted it carefully, paying him the asking price. As she carried it home, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the mirror wasn’t just reflecting her—it was watching. And for the first time, she had no idea what she had just brought into her life.