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Ethan’s breath caught in his throat as he stared back, his body paralyzed. It was her, but it wasn't quite the Evie he knew. Her gaze bore into him with eyes he didn't recognize. The beautiful blue he remembered was gone, now a blazing gold, like molten metal. Her dark hair floated around her face in slow waves, as if she were suspended underwater within the mirror’s glass.

“Evie?” His voice broke, fighting against the sound of rushing water as it poured in, climbing higher up his body.

Evie didn't respond. Didn't blink. Just stared back at him with those impossibly golden eyes that seemed to pull him in.

No—he was being pulled in.

He felt himself moving towards the mirror, his body being drawn forward until he was only inches from the glass, Evie's eyes piercing into his. Panic clawed inside Ethan, the water now climbing up his chest.

His body couldn't move, and his voice refused to speak, no matter how hard he willed it. It was like his body no longer listened to the screaming commands within his mind. He was locked in place, only able to stare at Evie’s face as the water continued to rise around him.

He felt his mind finally free itself from the magical gag that paralyzed his voice. “Help!” he screamed, the water now above his chest.

As soon as the water touched his neck, Evie’s hand reached through the mirror, passing through as if it were made of water. Her fingers wrapped around his throat, ice-cold and impossibly strong. Ethan’s eyes were wide with terror as he tried wrenching her hand from his throat, but her grip was too tight, compressing his airway.

As his vision began to darken, Evie disappeared. The mirror rippled as a wall of black water burst from the glass, rushing toward him and spilling from where the mirror had once been. The torrent of freezing water slammed into Ethan like a tidal wave, throwing him against the bathroom wall. The entire room was filled within seconds.

Ethan thrashed wildly as his lungs screamed for air, desperately searching for the doorknob in the dark murk, his eyes burning from the salty water.

He couldn't breathe, couldn't think.

His chest burned. His vision blurred, darkness creeping in from all sides.

The last thing he saw before the blackness took him was those golden eyes blazing back at him through the dark water. Burned into his mind like a fiery brand.

Ethan jerked awake, gasping for air as his body writhed in his tangled mess of sheets. Teddy sat at the foot of the bed, staring back at him with wide, unblinking eyes.

What the fuck happened?

It took a minute for his heart to stop racing and realize where he was.

In his bed. In his room.

Another nightmare, he thought, grabbing his phone and checking the time. 3:20 AM. It was just another dream, the same strange ones he’d been having lately. But this one was insane.

Touching his forehead, he realized he was absolutely drenched.

Sweat?

He sat up as Teddy meowed and pawed at his feet. “Sorry, girl,” he breathed, his voice shaky. “I’m all good now. Go back to sleep.” He scratched between her ears, the familiar motion grounding him.

Ethan’s T-shirt clung to his body, soaked with what he hoped was actually sweat and not the disgusting water from his nightmare. He pressed his hands against his sheets—drenched.

“Christ, that was some nightmare.”

He stood and stripped off his damp clothes, replacing them with a pair of dry boxer briefs. His hair was plastered to his forehead, and his skin was cold and clammy.

Maybe I’m getting sick? he thought, rubbing his eyes. Yeah…must be fighting off something. Or maybe he was just rattled? Shaking his head, he slowly shuffled to the bathroom, his legs still shaky and weary from the dream.

He left the door open.

Just in case.

Turning on the faucet, he cautiously splashed water onto his face, hoping the cold would shock his system and clear his mind. He paused before looking in the mirror, nervous about what he might see.

As he looked up, he was met with his familiar reflection, although more pale and exhausted than usual. Dark circles crested underneath his eyes.

Slowly bringing his hand to the mirror, he pressed his finger against the glass. He sighed with relief as his skin met the hard surface, quietly laughing to himself as he shook his head.