00:00I moved into apartment for B three weeks ago.
00:02The rent was too good.
00:04That should have been the first sign.
00:06The landlord handed me the keys without looking at me.
00:09He said the previous tenant left suddenly.
00:12He didn't say why.
00:13The apartment was empty.
00:15Clean.
00:16Except for a full-length mirror in the bedroom.
00:19I asked if he wanted to take it.
00:23He shook his head.
00:25And left.
00:26I should have taken it down that day.
00:29The first week was normal.
00:31I un-
00:32Set up my desk.
00:33Started my remote job.
00:36The mirror was across from my bed.
00:38I got used to seeing myself when I woke up.
00:40On the eighth night, I woke up at 3.17am.
00:44I don't know why.
00:46I looked at the mirror.
00:48My reflection was still asleep.
00:50I sat up.
00:51It didn't.
00:52I stared for maybe ten seconds.
00:55Then my reflection opened its eyes.
00:57And sat up.
00:59Slowly, I turned on the light.
01:02Everything was normal.
01:03I told myself I was half asleep.
01:05A dream.
01:06I went back to bed.
01:08The next morning, I avoided the mirror.
01:11But that night, I tested it.
01:14I stood in front of the mirror at 11pm.
01:17Raised my right hand.
01:18My reflection raised its left.
01:21Normal.
01:22I smiled.
01:24It smiled.
01:25I turned around.
01:27When I looked back, it was still smiling.
01:29But I wasn't.
01:33I covered the mirror with a bedsheet.
01:35I thought that would be enough.
01:37It wasn't.
01:38I started noticing things.
01:41Small things.
01:42My coffee mug would be on the left side of my desk.
01:45I always put it on the right.
01:48My toothbrush was wet in the morning.
01:50I hadn't used it yet.
01:52The chair in front of my desk was warm.
01:54I live alone.
01:55I checked the locks every night.
01:57The windows.
01:59Everything was secure.
02:00On the 14th night, I came home from the grocery store.
02:03I walked into the bedroom.
02:05The bedsheet covering the mirror was folded neatly on the bed.
02:09I hadn't touched it.
02:11I stood there.
02:12Staring at the mirror.
02:14And it stared back.
02:16That night, I stayed in the living room.
02:18I didn't sleep.
02:20At 3.17am, I heard footsteps from my bedroom.
02:24Slow.
02:26Deliberate.
02:27Getting closer.
02:28I grabbed my phone.
02:30Turned on the flashlight.
02:31Nothing.
02:32Just silence.
02:34I went back to the bedroom.
02:36The mirror was facing the bed.
02:37Like always.
02:39But now, the bed was unmade.
02:41I had made it that morning.
02:43I hadn't been in the bedroom since I got home.
02:45I moved closer to the mirror.
02:48My reflection moved with me.
02:50Step for step.
02:51I stopped.
02:53It stopped.
02:54I raised my hand.
02:56It didn't.
02:57It just stood there.
02:59Watching.
03:00Me.
03:00I ran out of the apartment.
03:02I stayed at a motel that night.
03:05The next day, I went back.
03:08I needed to get my laptop.
03:09My work files.
03:11I opened the door slowly.
03:13Everything looked normal.
03:14I walked into the bedroom.
03:16The mirror was gone.
03:18Just a blank wall.
03:19No marks.
03:21No dust outline.
03:23Nothing.
03:24I called the landlord.
03:26He didn't answer.
03:27I went to his office.
03:29The building manager said he didn't work there anymore.
03:32He quit two weeks ago.
03:35No forwarding address.
03:36I asked about the previous tenant in 4B.
03:39She looked at me.
03:40Really looked at me.
03:42She said,
03:43There was no previous tenant.
03:45You're the first person to rent that apartment in three years.
03:48I moved out the next day.
03:50I didn't take anything.
03:51Just my car keys.
03:53I'm in a new place now.
03:55Across town.
03:57Different building.
03:58Different landlord.
04:00There's no mirror in the bedroom.
04:02I made sure of that.
04:04But last night, I was brushing my teeth.
04:06I looked up at the bathroom mirror.
04:08And for just a second, I saw myself standing in a bedroom I didn't recognize.
04:13Behind me was a full-length mirror.
04:15And in that mirror, someone was watching.
04:17Someone who looked exactly like me.
04:19I don't look in mirrors anymore.
04:21But I know it's still looking back.
04:24If you enjoyed this story, please like and subscribe for more Hollow Hours.
04:28Thank you for listening.
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