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A creepy, dilapidated old manor with its windows and doors barred off, except for an opening large enough for me to squeeze through.

I was pushed into coming here by that group of girls, their constant teasing seemed endless, this is just part of that.

They told me to find a 'mirror that distorts your image' because of rumors being passed around school.

--Of course they wouldn't want to get their clothes dusty or possibly get into trouble themselves so here I am.

I want to go home.

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My reflection just spoke to me...

It disappeared and was replaced with a swirling dark void that looks like it could be a portal to Hell.

I got curious and pressed a hand against the glass---

--My fingers are getting sucked in...?!

I-I can't pull away! And now my arm is being sucked into this, uh.

This mirror. Portal. Thing!

Feeling reasonably scared I had closed my eyes during all of this and when I opened them again I saw my body was still in one piece, thankfully.

Then I looked around me.

I'm in front of the house I went into but it doesn't look broken down anymore.

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There was a statue at the entrance of the manor that looked like a gargoyle I think.

Not thinking much of it, I just walked past.

I could hear the sound of stone pavement being grinded across the ground behind me and when I looked, I saw it standing! Then it walked right at me!

Scared out of my mind, I ran.

I found some stone wall that looked part of a fence and ducked behind it. I don't think it saw me.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Or if it could even see. It didn't have a face for some reason.

With the moment to collect my thoughts I realize I dropped my flashlight. Aaand the gargoyle my flashlight okay.

Great.

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A hedge maze. This wasn't here when I came here.

I think.

There's a distant noise that sounds like it's coming from deeper inside of the maze; witch-like cackling and the sound of scissor snipping?

Those must be some huge scissors.

Or wait, no. There's hedges so maybe somewhere there's a really nice old lady trimming the hedges. I hope I bump into her.

Or anyone.

Making my way through the maze, picking whatever direction feels right, a voice calls out to me.

"Child." A soothing baritone. I stop dead in my tracks.

"Oh. I hope I didn't frighten you. I won't harm you, I promise. Are you lost?"

I turn around.

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"I am Noctumbre--master of this domain."

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"Ah. I see

Judging by your alarm, it was you that Luddiluna brought from the Human Realm."

The back of my throat feels so dry that even if I wanted to talk back to this tower face-hole man I couldn't.

I just listened, wide-eyed as words came out of this guy without a mouth.

"What do they call you, small one?"

I tried to respond, "Uh, M-Mira. I'm Mira."

"That's a pretty name, Mira," he replied.

I don't think he was trying to sound creepy but it sounded that way anyway.

I politely acted like it wasn't.

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The next thing to come out of my mouth was, "What's going on? Where am I? Why did that mirror talk to me and bring me here? Why did a statue try to attack me???"

I was reasonably anxious.

"I'm sincerely sorry," Noctumbre said, sounding anxious himself.

"But please, I mean what I say. I will not hurt you. I realize my disposition is not what humans are used to but you must trust me."

I decided to comply.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" I asked.

"Yes," he replies.

"Please. Come with me to the meeting room. Audrey, my gardener, is not best with strangers so this isn't a good place to talk."

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Noctumbre reached one of his claw-like hands for me to grab. At first I just stared at it but hesitantly I reached to grab onto it.

I don't know why, but...

Holding his large hands made me feel at ease.