Chapter 3: Oddity

His mind begins to restless and Bradley thinks of shouting, but of course, he will be in big trouble if he makes a mess in this place.

"Brad, calm down. It's just your imagination." Bradley kept repeating those words in his mind and gently patted his face repeatedly. "Calm down, man."

Bradley lets out a long sigh and continues searching for the book. His eyes continuously observe everything around him while walking without realizing that he hit something.

"Damn!"

His head hit something and he automatically looks up seeing a large oval-shaped but fully covered with a large brown cloth that looks quite dusty and dirty.

"What is it?" Bradley raised his eyebrows "Maybe I should check it out."

His hand slowly pulls back the cloth and reveals an old mirror with delicate carvings adorning the surroundings.

"Wait, a mirror?" Bradley's eyes dilated for a moment because he doesn't know about this. "Madam Nigera doesn't mention anything about this, is she knows about it?"

He decides to take a closer look at the mirror, but the surface is opaque and dirty, so he takes out the rag from his pocket and slowly wipes the surface of the mirror.

"Hey, this mirror is pretty good." Bradley walked around the mirror and looked at each side of the mirror in detail. "Weird, why does this thing put down here?" Bradley stroked his chin as he noticed the fine yellow strokes etched along the sides of the mirror which gave it an aesthetic feel.

"Wait, I have an idea."

Bradley snaps his fingers and poses in front of the mirror, mimicking Madam Theresa's speaking style and facial expressions.

"I feel like you should learn a little from what you've done," he said in a mocking tone.

He laughs at his ridiculous face in the mirror, however, his reflection suddenly vanishes in the mirror until instantly his face turns pale like a dead man.

"Huh, where's my reflection?" Bradley continued to stare into the mirror without blinking. "I'm not dreaming, am I?" He patted his head smoothly repeatedly, making sure this was not a dream.

A few minutes later, the mirror reveals a man who is running in the dark forest and continuously looking back with a pale face.

"Wait, what's going on with that guy?" Bradley walks over to the mirror. "Why does his face look so tense?"

Suddenly, a black figure with fiery red eyes emerges from the forest and grabs the poor man.

"Hey!" Bradley yelled as he shook the mirror's body in an attempt to save the poor man, yet all efforts were in vain.

The creature uses its sharp fingernails and split the man's body into two halves, causing Bradley to scream and his heart to stop for a moment, leaving him speechless.

"What the hell just happened!"

Suddenly the creature in the mirror turns around and looks exactly at Bradley's position with a terrifying gaze.

"Oh my gosh, this can't be."

He slowly walks away from the mirror with his heart pounding as the monster walks closer and closer toward him and suddenly the lights in the room go out making the atmosphere immediately becomes dark.

"Where is that thing?"

Bradley's heartbeat quickens and his breathing becomes panting as he can't see anything around him. His hands are trying to reach out to touch something close by as he continues to move backward without realizing there is something on the floor that causes him to stumble.

"Damn it! I have to find Caden now!" Bradley quickly stood up and cleaned his palms which were covered in thick dust.

However, suddenly there is a knocking sound in front of him and it grows louder and louder. Bradley shakes his head as he wipes the sweat from his face, and starts running.

Suddenly, the lights come back on, but he continues to run away from the spot with his eyes looking into the mirror behind him and causing him immediately bump into someone in front of him.

"Hey!"

"Cad?" asked Bradley seeing Caden in front of him. "Thank God, you are okay." Bradley helps Caden to stand up.

"Geez, slow down." Caden furrows his eyebrows. "Argh! This dust is making me sick!" he continues complaining and coughing.

"Cad, we have to get out of here," said Bradley panicked. "Now!"

"Hey, what are you talking about?" Caden furrowed his brows. "Why's your face so pale?"

"Cad, I don't have time to explain it. Come on, let's get out of here." Bradley's eyes were wide with cold sweat non-stop flowing down his face.

Suddenly, a weird sound starts to hear from the same direction and makes Caden and Bradley silent for a moment.

"What is that sound?" Caden slowly walks to the source of the sound.

"Cad, what are you doing?" Bradley furrowed his brows

"Brad, I'm curious about that sound." Cad turns his head to Bradley. "If you want to go, you can wait here. I will check it first." Caden continues walking without noticing Bradley's words

"Cad, but-"

Bradley keeps warning him, but Caden's footsteps keep getting closer to the source of the sound.

"Brad, it looks like the sound comes from here." Caden pointed to a box and covered it with a cloth.

"Cad, don't you dare open that thing." Bradley widens his eyes and glares at him.

"Brad, you sound scared. Don't you?" Caden smiled wickedly. "You're too much imagining anyway."

"Cad, I warn you not -"

Caden without hesitating opens the cloth and Bradley quickly closes his eyes because he doesn't dare look at it. However, a few minutes later Caden laughs at him.

"Brad, it's just a rat." Caden's finger pointed at the bunch of black rats inside. "That's you afraid of?" He shakes his head. "You're too cowardly."

"Thank God, it's just a rat." Bradley stroked his chest and laughs.

"You're a weird guy." Caden shakes his head looked Bradley's expression. "Hey, have you got the book?" Caden asked curiously. "I've been around this place, but haven't found it yet."

Suddenly, there is another sound of something. It sounds like something falling not far from their position, so they immediately walk toward the source of the sound and it turns out near the mirror.

"Brad, what happened?" Caden furrowed his brow as Bradley stopped walking.

"Cad, you better not go there." Bradley gave a warning to Caden. "The mirror is weird, Cad."

"Huh?"

Caden laughs and ignores Bradley's words again. They just keep walking and soon they see the book right in front of the mirror. Caden walks over to the book and picks it up.

"I think you should check your eye, mate." Caden taps Bradley's shoulder. "This is the book we have looking for."

"Wait, I don't see this book earlier. Geez, I swear." Bradley sighs.

Caden tries to open the book, but it doesn't open at all, but there is a small padlock beside it. They leave the horrible room and walk toward Madam Nigeria's room located on the first floor.

Bradley tells Caden what happened downstairs, but Caden doesn't believe Bradley's words and he thinks Bradley is just delusional.

"Cad, I'm serious. I see something odd down there." He holds Madam Nigera's room handle and tried to convince Caden.

"Brad, I feel like your brain is starting to go wrong." He pushed Bradley's body and opens the door.

Bradley's face immediately turns red and Caden laughs looking at Bradley's face. Suddenly they hear footsteps behind them and immediately they turn their heads back without hesitation.

"Have you found the book?" She asked with a flat expression.

***