Chapter 64 – "Reflections of Fear"

Chapter 64 – "Reflections of Fear"
You know that feeling when you're standing on the edge of something huge? Not the fun kind, like a rollercoaster or a surprise concert. The kind where your stomach knots because you know you're about to fall—only you can't tell how far.

That’s exactly what it felt like as I stood frozen, staring at Lena’s phone.

“My mom?” My voice barely came out.

Lena nodded, her face pale. “She was here, Rae. In the East Building. I—I saw her.”

Lucas was already moving, wrapping his arm around my waist like he was afraid I’d collapse. “We’re going. Now.”

My head spun as I stumbled beside him. “Why would she even be here? She hates coming to campus. She barely even—”

“It’s the mirror,” Lucas said grimly. “It’s pulling people closer now.”

Lena jogged behind us. “But it was your mom who found you that night, wasn’t it? She was the one who almost saw you two switching bodies.”

I winced. “Yeah.”

“And maybe that’s why it’s after her now,” Lucas added.

The air around us grew colder as we approached the East Building—like the place itself was breathing. Waiting.

When we reached the main door, Lucas held up a hand. “We need to be smart. This could be a trap.”

“You think?” I shot back, but my sarcasm was shaky.

He softened. “Rae, listen to me. We’ll get your mom. But we have to be careful.”

I nodded, even though my entire body was screaming to run inside.

Lena stayed behind to keep watch while Lucas and I slipped through the side entrance we knew too well by now.

Inside, the corridor was darker than usual, though it was midday. The flickering lights cast long shadows. The air hummed with quiet static, like electricity thrumming beneath our feet.

“Stay close,” Lucas whispered.

I stayed close.

I wasn’t exactly built for horror movie rescue missions, but if anything happened to my mom… no. No “if.” I refused.

We rounded the first corner—and there she was.

My mother stood at the far end of the hallway, back to us, staring at a mirror. Her reflection shimmered unnaturally, warping slightly as if underwater.

“Mom?” My voice cracked.

She didn’t turn.

Lucas gripped my wrist gently. “Something’s wrong.”

My heart pounded. “Mom, it’s me. Rae. Don’t touch the mirror.”

Her reflection turned—only the reflection. My real mother stayed still.

My breath caught in my throat. The reflection smiled. Not my mom’s smile.

“Rae,” Lucas whispered. “That’s not her anymore.”

“No—no, it is.” My voice trembled. “She hasn’t touched the mirror yet. We’re not too late.”

Lucas hesitated, eyes darting between me and the reflection. “How do we pull her back?”

“I… I don’t know.”

The reflection lifted a hand, beckoning. A soft, melodic voice echoed in my head, almost like it was singing.

Come closer. You know you want to.

I took a step forward before Lucas yanked me back. “Don’t. That’s exactly what it wants.”

“But if I don’t—”

“We’ll lose both of you.”

Tears stung my eyes. I felt helpless. Trapped.

Suddenly, my mom—the real one—staggered slightly, as if breaking out of a trance. She swayed and blinked, eyes wide.

“Rae?” she whispered, confused.

“MOM!” I shouted. “Step back. Don’t look at it. Just listen to my voice, okay?”

Her gaze darted between me and her warped reflection. “What… what is this? Am I dreaming?”

Lucas squeezed my hand, steadying me. “You have to pull her away, Rae. Before it takes her.”

I swallowed, my throat tight with panic. “Mom, please. Take one step back. You’re not dreaming. I’m real. We’re real.”

Her lips trembled, but she shifted one foot back.

The mirror rippled violently.

The reflection snarled.

Mine, it hissed, voice metallic and distorted.

A sharp wind burst through the hallway, sending papers and debris flying. My mom flinched, frozen in fear.

“Keep talking to her,” Lucas said, stepping protectively in front of me.

I forced my voice steady. “Remember that day we baked those terrible cupcakes? You dropped the whole pan, and we ordered pizza instead.”

Her lip quivered. “You were seven…”

“Yeah.” My voice broke. “And you laughed so hard you cried. That’s real, Mom. That’s us.”

She took another small step back. The mirror shrieked.

Suddenly, Lucas lunged forward. “NOW!”

I grabbed my mom’s arm and yanked her fully into my embrace as the mirror howled like it was alive. The reflection shattered into thousands of sharp shards, flying backward into the glass.

The hallway fell silent.

Only the soft sound of my mom’s terrified sobs filled the space as I hugged her tightly.

“It’s okay,” I whispered. “You’re safe.”

Lucas stood close beside us, breathing hard, eyes scanning for any sign of danger. But for now… the mirror stayed still.

When my mom finally pulled back, she gripped my shoulders. “What… what was that?”

“I’ll explain everything,” I promised. “But not here.”

Lucas nodded. “We need to leave.”

We hurried back through the side door where Lena waited, wide-eyed. “You got her?!”

“She’s okay,” I said, still shaking. “For now.”

But I wasn’t okay. Not even close.

Because if the mirror was targeting people outside of us now, anyone could be next. My mom barely escaped. What if next time… it’s Lucas? Or Lena? Or—

Me?

Later that evening, after getting my mom safely home and explaining a carefully sanitized version of the truth (thankfully, she was too shaken to ask many questions), I found myself pacing nervously outside Lucas’s house.

He opened the door before I could knock, like he’d been waiting.

“You okay?” he asked softly.

“No,” I admitted. “Are you?”

He exhaled. “No.”

We stood there for a beat. The awkwardness should’ve been suffocating—but it wasn’t. Not with him.

“Come on,” he said, stepping aside.

I followed him into his room. The familiar sight of his hockey posters, messy bed, and broken guitar made me feel oddly comforted.

“Lena’s watching your mom?” he asked as we sat on the edge of his bed.

“Yeah. She insisted.” I paused. “Lucas… this is getting worse.”

He nodded. “It’s like the mirror’s getting smarter.”

“Or hungrier.”

Neither of us spoke for a long moment.

Finally, he whispered, “I keep thinking about what your Unself said. About you being afraid to feel things.”

I stiffened, my throat tight. “And?”

“I think… she wasn’t wrong.” His voice was so quiet I barely heard him. “You’re scared. And so am I.”

I turned to him. “Yeah. Because this? Us? It’s terrifying.”

He laughed under his breath. “We fought monsters made of glass and self-hatred, Rae. But yeah—this is scarier.”

I smiled despite everything. “Lucas?”

“Yeah?”

“If we survive this mirror curse,” I said, “can we maybe just… date like normal people?”

His expression softened into something so sincere, so him, that my heart practically melted.

“I’d like that,” he said, voice low.

“And maybe we stop waiting for one of us to screw it up.”

“I’m in,” he whispered, and leaned closer.

I met him halfway.

The kiss was warm, soft, full of all the things we were too scared to say out loud—but finally couldn’t hold back anymore. My fingers curled into his hoodie as his hands cupped my face.

Safe. For one tiny moment, we were safe.

But as we pulled apart, his phone buzzed.

I felt his body tense instantly. He grabbed it and froze.

“Lucas?” My stomach knotted.

“It’s from Jamie’s number,” he said grimly. “A new message.”

He turned the screen toward me.

It was a picture.

Of us.

Kissing.

From inside his house.

And in the reflection of the window behind us—

The Unself.

Watching.

Cliffhanger Ending:
The Unself has followed Rae and Lucas outside of school — watching them even in their most vulnerable moments. The threat has officially crossed into their personal lives.