The Vanishing Shadow – A Terrifying Horror Story

 The Vanishing Shadow

It was 2 AM. A faint breeze rattled the window, and the moonlight cast eerie shadows across the floor. Ahmer sat on his bed, deeply engrossed in a horror novel, when he suddenly felt something move near the window. His eyes darted toward it, but he saw nothing unusual—just the swaying branches of the old tree outside.

Shaking off the unease, he returned to his book. But then, a strange whisper echoed through the silent room. It wasn’t the wind. It was a voice. Faint. Unfamiliar.

Ahmer froze. His heart pounded as he listened closely. The sound seemed to come from the corner of the room, near his cupboard. He hesitated but then convinced himself it was just his imagination.

Moments later, he heard soft footsteps. This time, he was sure it wasn’t his mind playing tricks. He turned toward the cupboard, his body stiff with fear. The door was slightly open. He clearly remembered shutting it before going to bed.

A chill ran down his spine. Gathering courage, he stepped forward and slowly pushed the door open. The cupboard was empty—just his clothes hanging neatly. But something felt off. He could still sense a presence.

Then, his eyes fell on the mirror inside the cupboard door. His reflection stared back at him, but something was wrong. He moved his hand, and his reflection mimicked him perfectly—except for one detail. There was a dark shadow standing behind him in the reflection.

His breath caught in his throat. He spun around instantly.

Nothing.

The room was empty.

But when he looked back at the mirror, the shadow was still there. And this time, it was closer.

A shiver crawled up his spine. His mind screamed at him to run, but his legs felt frozen in place. The shadow in the mirror slowly raised its hand, reaching toward his shoulder. Ahmer could feel an icy sensation creeping over his skin.

Then, without warning, the light in the room flickered violently, and the mirror began to crack. A distorted, inhuman whisper filled the air.

"You're not alone…"

Ahmer staggered back, his heart hammering against his chest. The mirror shattered into a thousand pieces, and the room plunged into an eerie silence.

He gasped for breath, his body trembling. He quickly turned on all the lights, hoping to chase away whatever had just happened. But deep down, he knew—this wasn’t over.

The next morning, he avoided looking into any mirrors. The events of the night still haunted him. But as he was leaving for work, his phone’s screen reflected his face.

And behind him, in the dark corner of his room… the shadow remained. Watching. Waiting.

SYEDA SHEHZANA HAIDER