WHAT IS LOST

35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUxJLPSfZm

Chapter 4

The Girl in the Mirror

The laughter echoed upward through the staircase like something alive crawling inside the walls.

Deep.

Broken.

Inhuman.

Aya pressed herself against the railing, unable to breathe properly. The dark figure below remained motionless, black liquid dripping slowly onto the steps.

Because it is you.

The man’s words replayed inside her head again and again.

“No,” Aya whispered. “You’re lying.”

The figure suddenly moved.

Not walking.

Twitching.

Its body jerked unnaturally as it climbed the stairs toward her with horrifying speed. Its limbs bent the wrong way, fingers scraping loudly across the concrete steps.

Aya screamed and ran upward.

The staircase shook violently beneath her feet as the emergency lights burst one after another.

POP.

Darkness swallowed sections of the stairwell behind her.

Aya could hear the creature climbing faster.

Closer.

A cold hand suddenly grabbed her wrist.

Aya gasped violently—

The man pulled her through a metal door just before the creature reached them.

SLAM.

The door shut hard.

Silence.

Aya collapsed onto the floor, breathing uncontrollably.

The room around them looked like an abandoned hospital ward. Rusted beds stood against stained walls. Torn curtains moved slightly despite the lack of wind.

The man locked the door carefully.

Then he turned toward Aya.

For the first time, she saw fear in his face.

“What is happening to me?” she whispered.

The man stayed silent.

Aya stood angrily.

“No. Tell me the truth!”

The lights above flickered softly.

The man looked exhausted, as though he had repeated this moment many times before.

“You were never supposed to remember this place,” he said quietly.

Aya’s chest tightened.

“What place?”

The man looked around the room slowly.

“The place between waking and forgetting.”

Aya frowned.

“That makes no sense.”

“It does here.”

He walked toward one of the old hospital beds and brushed dust from the metal frame.

“This building changes depending on memory. Fear shapes it. Guilt feeds it.”

Aya stared at him.

“Who are you?”

The man did not answer immediately.

Instead, he looked directly into her eyes.

“You knew me once.”

A sharp pain suddenly stabbed through Aya’s head.

Images flashed rapidly in her mind:

Rain against glass.

A hospital corridor.

Someone crying beside a bed.

A little girl staring into a mirror.

Blood on white floor tiles.

Aya grabbed her forehead painfully.

“Stop…”

The man stepped closer carefully.

“You locked these memories away.”

“What memories?!”

Before he could answer—

Knock.

Both of them froze.

The sound came from the metal door behind them.

Slow.

Patient.

Another knock echoed.

Then a voice spoke softly from outside.

“Aya…”

Her blood turned cold instantly.

It sounded exactly like her friend Riya.

Aya rushed toward the door.

“Riya?!”

The man grabbed her arm violently.

“No.”

“She’s outside!”

“That is not your friend.”

The voice outside became shaky and desperate.

“Aya please… let me in…”

Aya’s eyes filled with fear.

“It’s her!”

The man tightened his grip.

“Listen carefully,” he whispered. “This place copies what you trust.”

The knocking grew louder.

BANG.

“Aya!” the voice screamed now. “IT’S COMING!”

Aya looked toward the small glass window on the door.

For one second, she saw Riya outside crying in terror.

Then the lights flickered.

And Riya’s face changed.

Her smile stretched too wide.

Her eyes became completely black.

The thing outside slammed its head against the door violently.

CRACK.

The glass began splitting.

Aya stumbled backward in horror.

The creature outside continued smiling unnaturally whole blood streamed down its face.

Then it whispered softly through the cracking glass:

“You left us here.”35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3hP1gz2gX

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