The Broken Mirror
In the heart of the bustling city of New York, there was a renowned antique shop owned by a man named Oliver. With a twinkling eye, stubby moustache, and a warm heart, Oliver was known for his collection of rare antiquities and eerie artifacts that attracted customers from all walks of life. One day, he got his hands on a mirror, a mirror that was extraordinarily beautiful yet uncannily mysterious. It was a perfect combination of beauty and terror nestled into an ornate wrought iron frame - his new possession was no ordinary mirror, it was a haunted mirror.
The mirror was previously placed as an item of decor in an old Victorian mansion owned by a wealthy lady, Ms. Edna. It was said that the mirror belonged to her late husband, who had an affair with a woman, Hannah. In the rage of love and jealousy, Hannah decided to cast a curse on the mirror right before she took her last breath. From that day onward, the mirror was bound by a curse, and it was believed that anyone who dared to gaze into the mirror would see their worst fears metamorphose into reality.
Despite hearing all the spine-chilling stories about the mirror, Oliver decided to put it on sale, thinking it would attract an audience that had a penchant for the unknown and unusual. Within days, a young man named David, recently moved to New York, visited the antique shop. He was immediately taken with the mirror. Ignoring Oliver's warnings about the haunted mirror, he decided to buy it, believing nothing more than it being an intriguing urban legend.
David brought the mirror home, placed it in his living room, and turned it into the centerpiece of his home. Days passed, and nothing unusual occurred. Undoubtedly, David believed that the mirror was nothing more than just an urban legend, and lived his life normally. The mirror resembling an art of exquisite beauty radiated an unparalleled charm captivating everyone. David was rather bemused by the story of the haunted mirror, frequently sharing the tale with his friends, who also found it intriguing and spooky.
One night, during a ravaging storm, as David was sitting on his couch reading a book, he saw a beautiful yet mournful lady in the mirror instead of his own reflection. She was Hannah, the woman who cursed the mirror. Startled, his heart pounding in his chest, he ran towards the mirror, only to find his reflection. He thought it was just his mind playing tricks on him, shrugged it off, and went to bed.
But that wasn't the end. In the following days, he started experiencing strange, unexplainable things. 'David' that was not written by his hand, appeared on the misty bathroom mirror; mirrors of his house became fogged up with an unknown cold substance; he would wake up to find his house in disarray. David was living his worst fear.
In desperation, he decided to return the mirror to Oliver. Listening to David's experiences, Oliver felt deep remorse for ignoring the curse of the mirror. Oliver immediately removed the mirror from his shop and took it to a local church to be destroyed. It was rumored that a holy place could break the curse of the haunted mirror.
With the mirror destroyed, finally, David's life returned to normal. The cold winter nights were no longer filled with strange occurrences or unexpected visions. His life resumed its mundane rhythm which he appreciated more than he had ever before. On the other hand, Oliver learned the price of in-query; he decided never to put his hands on anything that was more of an enigma than just a mystery.
The story of 'The Broken Mirror' became an urban legend. It spread amongst the people, reminding them of the eerie mirror, the price one paid for mocking the curse, and the relief that followed once the mirror was shattered.