Ishaan aur friends attic me khade the, aur purana mirror ab bhi unki attention ko grab kar raha tha. Uska surface shimmer kar raha tha, jaise koi invisible hand uske andar move kar rahi ho.
"Guys… ye normal mirror nahi lag raha," Rhea ne whisper kiya.
"Yeah… diary ke line ke according, ye jo reflect karta hai… woh normal eyes se nahi dikhta," Ishaan ne bola.
Kabir ne step aage badhaya aur mirror ke edge ko touch kiya. Jaise hi usne haath lagaya, ek cold shock feel hua, aur mirror me ek faint figure blink kiya.
"Guys… dekha?" Kabir ne gasp kiya.
"Shhh… silence. Observe carefully," Ishaan ne bola.
Mirror me figure dheere-dheere clear hone laga. Wo ek girl ki spirit thi, purane clothes me, jo unki taraf dekh rahi thi. Uski aankhen empty aur haunting thi.
"Ye… kaun hai?" Meera ne pucha, par voice tremble kar rahi thi.
Ishaan ne diary khol kar dekha. Ek page me ek drawing of a girl aur ek line likhi thi:
"She waits for the lost… trapped by the mirror's gaze."
"Matlab… ye attic aur mirror dono cursed hain," Ishaan ne realize kiya.
"Aur jo bhi pehle yahan aya, woh shayad wapas nahi aa saka," Rhea ne panic me kaha.
Tabhi mirror ka surface rapidly shimmer karne laga. Shadow figure dheere-dheere room me appear hone lagi – jaise mirror ke andar se directly unke samne aa rahi ho.
"Step back!" Meera ne chillaya.
Ishaan ne flashlight ko figure par focus kiya. Jaise hi light touch hui, girl ka figure silent scream karte hue vanish ho gaya, aur room me heavy coldness aur strange whispering sound spread ho gayi.
"Guys… ye serious hai," Ishaan ne bolte hue diary ko tightly pakda.
"Mirror ka secret… aur mansion ka dark past dono linked hain," Kabir ne add kiya.
Tabhi attic ka door slam hua, aur stairs ke direction se ek heavy thud sunai diya.
"Ye… ye sound kaha se aayi?" Rhea ne tremble karte hue pucha.
Ishaan ne flashlight door ke direction me point kiya. Door ke opposite corner me ek old trunk move kar raha tha – aur dust clouds upar uth rahe the.
"Trunk… khud move kar raha hai," Meera ne gasp kiya.
Ishaan ne slow step liya. "Check karte hain, par safe distance maintain karna."
Sab log cautiously trunk ke paas gaye. Jaise hi Ishaan trunk open karne wala tha, ek cold hand trunk ke lid ko thoda lift karne lagi.
"Who's there?" Ishaan ne loudly pucha.
Kuch second ke liye silence tha, phir ek soft whisper sunai diya:
"Don't touch what you don't understand…"
Sab log ek second ke liye freeze ho gaye. Rhea ka haath tremble kar raha tha.
Ishaan ne diary ke ek page ko quickly open kiya, jisme likha tha:
"The mirror watches, the lost follow, the brave survive."
"Matlab… agar hum careful nahi hue, toh hum bhi trapped ho sakte hain," Ishaan ne explain kiya.
Tabhi attic me ek aur movement notice hua – mirror ka reflection ab unka real reflection nahi dikha raha tha. Usme figure pehle se zyada clear thi, aur ab uski aankhen unke soul ko pierce kar rahi thi.
"Guys… we need to get out carefully. Immediately!" Ishaan ne whisper kiya.
Par jaise hi woh step back lete, attic ka floor suddenly creak aur shake karne laga. Dust clouds aur wind ke saath, unko realize hua ki mirror ke curse ke andar hai attic.
Sab log ek second ke liye panic me freeze ho gaye. Ishaan ne deep breath li aur bola:
"Bas… ek hi way hai – diary ke clues follow karna. Ye mirror ka secret solve karne ke liye, hum brave rehna padega."
Aur jaise hi usne last words boli, mirror ka surface ek loud shimmer ke saath blink hua, jaise koi next clue unko directly attract kar raha ho.