I grabbed the wet bar of soap. It nearly slipped out of my hand, so I had to dig my nails into it. With all my strength, I shoved it into the reflection’s eyes, dragging it back and forth.
The reflection hissed as the bar made contact. Its grip loosened enough for me to snatch away. I fell back on my ass but didn’t stay there for long. The reflection snarled at me as I scrambled back to my feet and pushed out of the bathroom.
My throat burned as if I had strep. I tried to yell out for Rae, but there wasn’t enough air in my lungs. The side of my dresser banged into my hip; a few books tumbled to the floor.
Someone called from downstairs. I continued to the bedroom door, too afraid to look when a hot breath burned the back of my neck.
“Octavia?” Rae ran into me in the hall, catching me as I stumbled out of my room. Her hands tightened around my forearms, holding me steady as I forced a few words out.
“It’s in the bathroom.” I rubbed my throat with both hands, trying to assure myself the hands weren’t still around me.
Rae snatched her gaze to my room, and with her here, I was brave enough to look back. Instead of my dimly lit bedroom, a floor-to-ceiling wall ofdark shadow met us. The darkness covered my bathroom, creeping forward like a cloud of smoke.
I pinched myself on the inner arm because maybe I’d passed out after coming upstairs.
“Oh, Octavia,” the distorted voice taunted. “You still truly believe you’re not seeing this?”
It was in my head, reading my thoughts.
“Since the beginning, yes,” it confirmed.
“Behind me.” Rae’s hand pressed against my waist, positioning me behind her as the darkness overwhelmed my room.
“We should—” I glanced downstairs to see a wall of black curling up there, too. And on the other side of the hall, more nothing, ready to trap us between.
“Rae.” Everything from my voice to my hands was shaking. Meanwhile, her face was devoid of fear, brow raised for a second with intrigue.
This thing was a puzzle to her. Rae was curious. If shock hadn’t bloated me, I would have room for admiration.
“Don’t move.” She pulled a small vial from her belt—the belt she’d only taken off to place next to her while we slept.
The darkness was slow enough for her to pour a small circle of salt around us. Once it was complete, she wrapped her arm around my waist, pinning me against her. We were face to face as she said, “Whatever you do, don’t step out of this circle. And don’t respond to it. Whatever you see or hear, don’t engage. Try to keep your eyes on mine and don’t look at it.”
“It’s…” Real. Here. Set on murdering me.
“I know,” she whispered, squeezing me gently for comfort. “But you’re going to be okay.”
“Wilson?” My heart hammered in horror. “And December?”
“They’re fine. December knows exactly what to do in a situation like this.” Rae’s grip tightened when I tried to turn. “Octavia, listen to me. If you step out of this circle, I don’t know what will happen to you. I can’t promise you’ll be okay. I will do whatever it takes to make sure you will be, but the odds of either of us making it out of this unharmed get low if that line breaks.”
We were nearly surrounded now. The dark wall closed in from every angle. I looked up to see how it’d even coated the ceiling. Deafening silence greeted us once the house’s final bit of light snuffed out.
Rae and I stood chest to chest in the middle of a black box of nothingness. I couldn’t see her in front of me. Her steady breath fanned across my cheek. Even after being surrounded, her breath didn’t hitch once. Rae’s heart was at a calm, stable pace.
I clutched her arms, pressing my face into her shoulder for a second. Breathing in her sweet scent made this almost bearable. Almost.
What would have happened if I had been alone? If that dark wall engulfed me, would that thing drag me back into the mirror where it’d come from?
“Is this Arnold?” I whispered.
Rae didn’t answer immediately. Her head moved around. I continued to follow her order, not glancing at what surrounded us. But she seemed to assess it all.
“Maybe,” she whispered.
“Maybe?” I trembled. With the darkness came a biting cold.
“Ninety percent chance.” Rae rubbed my lower back, an attempt to warm me up when I shivered.
