Episode-1

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Chapter One: The House with No Echo

The wind whispered through the trees as the taxi pulled up in front of Hillview House. Aayna Kapoor, her heart pounding with both excitement and a little apprehension, stepped out into the thick fog that seemed to blanket everything. The mansion before her was large, with stone walls covered in ivy, its windows like eyes watching her every move.

The caretaker, an old woman with silver hair, greeted her with a distant smile. “Welcome, Miss Kapoor. You’re the last one to arrive.” Her voice was brittle, almost fragile, as though each word took a great effort to say. “Your room is upstairs, Room 7. But remember… this house has its secrets.”

Aayna smiled politely, though the warning felt strange and unnecessary. It’s just an old house, she thought. There’s nothing to be afraid of.

But as she made her way inside, the air felt thick. Not in a musty way, but in a way that made her feel… watched. The hallways were narrow, dimly lit by faint light from chandeliers that had clearly seen better days. The silence was almost too perfect, broken only by the soft echo of her footsteps on the cold, wooden floor.

Her room was at the end of the hall, a small, quiet place with an old bed covered in faded sheets. A window overlooked the sprawling pine forest below, and the only furniture was a desk with an antique mirror mounted on the wall. The mirror was huge — almost too big for the room — and framed in intricate wood carvings, which looked like strange symbols.

As she set her bag down on the bed, a chill crept through the room. Aayna shivered slightly and walked over to the mirror, wiping away the dust that had collected on the glass. The symbols around the frame seemed to shift when she looked at them, but she shook it off, telling herself it was just her imagination.

Her reflection stared back at her, but it was… different.

The moment she gazed into the mirror, she felt a sudden connection, as if the glass wasn’t just reflecting her, but was showing something else entirely. Someone else.

A tall figure stood behind her, his face partially obscured by shadows, but his eyes… those eyes were unmistakable. They were dark, almost haunting, and they stared at her with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. He didn’t move. Didn’t speak.

Aayna’s breath hitched. She turned around quickly.

Nothing.

She scanned the room, her pulse racing, but the space was empty. The silence felt oppressive now, as if the house was holding its breath.

It’s just my nerves, she thought, forcing herself to relax. You’re imagining things, Aayna. It’s an old house, with old mirrors.

She went to bed that night, but sleep wouldn’t come. The image of the boy in the mirror haunted her thoughts. He wasn’t just a reflection; he felt… real.

Around midnight, the air grew colder. Aayna woke up with a start, a strange feeling creeping over her. She wasn’t alone.

The mirror across the room caught her attention, glowing faintly in the darkness. She sat up in bed, her eyes fixed on it. No, she thought. Not again.

But she couldn’t look away. Her body was frozen as if the mirror was calling her, pulling her toward it.

This time, the boy was clearer.

He stood closer. His dark eyes were now fixed on her, and his mouth moved — as if saying something she couldn’t hear. The reflection was eerily lifelike. The boy was dressed in a uniform similar to the one Aayna wore at college. But there was something about him that didn’t make sense. He wasn’t supposed to be there.

“Who are you?” she whispered, but her voice seemed to disappear into the still air.

His lips curled into a slight, knowing smile, and then, as if something unseen shifted, the glass fogged up. Slowly, words appeared, written in what seemed like condensation. The letters were jagged, not smooth — as if someone had forced them into the mirror.

“Don’t trust what you see. Especially me.”

Aayna’s heart stopped. Her eyes darted back to the reflection. The boy’s smile faded, replaced by a look of fear.

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed through the house.

Aayna bolted upright, her breath shallow. She glanced towards the door — footsteps.

Someone was coming.

The silence was shattered.

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