Ivy always had an unexplained aversion to antique mirrors. So, when she inherited her grandmother's house and its ornate full-length mirror, she couldn't explain the immediate urge to cover it. It wasn't just the age or the strange way it slightly distorted her reflection; it was the eyes. Every time she glimpsed herself, her own eyes seemed...hungrier.
One evening, after a particularly rough day, she stood in front of the mirror. Her eyes looked even more fervent than before. "It's just stress," she whispered, trying to reassure herself. But the more she stared, the more her reflection seemed to separate from her movements. It was subtle at first - a tilt of the head, a smirk. Then her reflection stopped mimicking her altogether, standing still as Ivy moved away. Panic set in.
Suddenly, the reflection lunged forward, pressing its hands against the other side of the glass. "Do not blink," it hissed, eyes wild with a sinister gleam. Frozen in terror, Ivy kept her gaze locked onto those predatory eyes. Every time she felt the sting of her eyes drying out, the reflection seemed to press harder against the mirror's surface, causing the glass to creak under the strain.
Hours seemed to pass. Ivy's vision blurred, her eyelids growing heavier. In a desperate attempt, she lit a candle beside the mirror, hoping its light would keep her awake. As the wax melted, the room's temperature plummeted. Shadows danced menacingly, further warping the reflection's features.
Suddenly, a loud crash echoed through the room. Ivy, startled, blinked. That brief moment was all it took. The mirror shattered, and from the shards emerged her reflection, no longer confined to the glass. It bore a wicked grin, eyes filled with malevolence.
"I told you not to blink," it whispered, its voice echoing eerily.
As dawn broke, the neighbors reported seeing Ivy, looking more alive than ever, leaving her home. But what they didn't know was that inside, strewn amidst the broken shards of the antique mirror, were Ivy's lifeless eyes, forever staring, forever unblinking.