Sunday morning promised to be peaceful. I awoke to the sweet smell of pancakes wafting from the kitchen. My mother had always made them on Sunday for as long as I can remember. It was her way of adding warmth and coziness to every weekend. She was bustling around our small block kitchen, humming a tune under her breath.
- Maja, the pancakes are ready! - she called out, and I slowly rose from the bed, dragging lazily. - Get up, or they will get cold! - she repeated.
When I went downstairs, my mother was standing at the stove, flipping the last pancakes in the pan. The table was already prepared: plates, jam, honey, nutella and a mug of hot cocoa were waiting for me.
- Well, sit down. - Mom smiled at me, placing a hot stack of pancakes in front of us. - I hope you're hungry.
I set about eating, and my mother sat across from me with a cup of coffee. She looked happy, as if this Sunday ritual made her really happy.
- I thought we would have breakfast together and then go for a walk. What do you think? - she suggested.
I looked at her surprised.
- Walk?
- Yes. The weather is beautiful, the sun is shining, and I want to spend some time with you. - Her voice was warm but firm, as if she did not want to hear objections.
I couldn't hold back a slight smile. Time spent with just mom? It rarely happened, especially since my parents divorced.
- Okay, I can go," I replied with a slight shrug of my shoulders, feigning indifference.
Mom nodded, as if she already knew I would agree.
- Great. Then eat to the end, and then we'll get going.
Sitting at the table and finishing my pancake, I felt something strange. Maybe it was the vision of a peaceful walk, or maybe it was just the warmth of that morning. Whatever it was, I was ready for a moment spent just with my mother. I finished my breakfast and went to get my clothes on. As usual, it took me an hour.
I put on my jacket and boots, wondering if walking would actually improve my mood or just make me tired. We went out to the stairwell, and the cool September air momentarily sobered me up. Mom looked happy.
- So what? We're going to laze around in nature! - she laughed.
I shrugged my shoulders, following her into the park.
As we walked along the sidewalk toward the park, I could feel the wind smearing my face. Mom didn't seem to care about it at all - she walked with a confident step, glancing at me every now and then, as if to see if I was keeping up.
- Remember when we used to walk here in the summer? - She asked, pointing to a tree at the entrance to the park, which now stood full of reddening leaves.
I remembered. The other day we were playing hide and seek, and my mother pretended she couldn't find me, even though I was hidden behind this very tree. Now it seemed smaller, as if time had taken away some of its magic.
- I remember," I replied briefly, not wanting to get into a conversation.
We entered the park alley, which was lightly covered with leaves. Although it was cold for September, there were a few people hanging around in the park - some elderly couple were feeding the birds, and two children with their parents were running around with a kite in a clearing.
- Maja, look! - said mom, pointing to the guillemots jumping on the leaves. - What beautiful birds, aren't they?
I nodded, although I did not share her enthusiasm. I was more preoccupied with thinking about how much longer we would be walking here.
We walked along the sidewalk deep into the park, and the cool September air carried with it the smell of damp earth. The sun tried to break through the gray clouds, but its light was muted, as if it no longer had that summer energy. Mom was walking beside me, and her steps seemed all too brisk, as if she wanted to show that this was not just a walk, but something more - some mission of her own.
- Maja, look! - said mom, pointing to a squirrel that was gracefully jumping from branch to branch. - Don't you think it's amazing how they can curl up like that on the move?
I nodded, though I didn't really care much.
- How about throwing leaves at each other? - suggested mom suddenly, bending down to pick up a handful of dry leaves and tossing them into the air.
- Mom, seriously? - I looked at her in disbelief.
- So what? A little fun hasn't hurt anyone yet! - she laughed, and I involuntarily smiled under my breath.
I had no choice - I picked up a few leaves and tossed them in her direction. She laughed, and I started laughing along with her, albeit quietly, so that she wouldn't notice that I was starting to enjoy myself.
Mom was wearing a light, light dress that waved in the wind as she ran around me. Her hair, long and chestnut-colored, swirled in a slight disarray, as if the wind itself was its ally. Although no longer young, it still had a glow that accentuated her face. She had eyes the shade of hazel brown that sparkled from laughter.
Her face was full of experience - the fine wrinkles around her eyes and mouth reminded me of all the years she had lived. There were wrinkles of sadness, anger but also a memory of joy, worries that were changing into a warm, understanding expression. Her skin had a golden hue that still seemed radiant despite the years.
Mom's figure was slender, although it was clear that she no longer had the same delicate youthful figure I remembered from my childhood. Now she was full of maturity, with pronounced curves that gave her elegance. When she moved, she was still light and graceful, as if she had lost none of her youthful energy.
As she began to run around me, her laughter echoed, joyful and full of life. And although I saw in her a woman who had lived through a lot, she was still passionate and ready to play. There was something in her eyes that made me never feel alone - she was like an indestructible, beautiful force that carried not only care, but also the joy of life.
After several minutes of this strange game, we sat down on a bench by the pond. The air smelled damp, and the water in the pond was calm, as if everything around had frozen. Mom looked at me with a smile.
- Can you see the love? A walk in autumn is sometimes the best way to clear your head.
I didn't answer, staring at the park's trees, whose leaves were shimmering gold and red. Maybe she was right. Maybe sometimes such moments were necessary, even if I didn't want to notice them at first.
We sat on the bench for a while longer, looking at the calm surface of the water in the park pond. Although it was quiet, I had the impression that something was vibrating in that silence - as if nature itself was trying to tell us something. In the distance we could hear the sound of the wind as it dragged between the trees, as if it carried whispers with it.
Mom raised her eyes to the nearby hills, where a path led deep into the forest. Everything seemed different in Szklarska Poreba - the trees were taller, the shade deeper, and the air always had something fresh yet mysterious about it.
- Why don't we take a walk toward the waterfall? - She asked, pointing to the trail leading upward.
I didn't answer right away. I knew the area, and at the same time I always felt that it hid something more, something not seen at first glance. People told all sorts of stories - about hidden caves, old mines and strange lights seen at night in the woods. Even Szklarska Poreba itself seemed to be a place where the past never quite disappeared.
- Okay, we can go," I finally said, getting up from the bench.
We moved toward the trail, and with each step we were surrounded by more and more dense trees. The path led slightly uphill, and the ground was covered with damp leaves. Every now and then I heard the crackle of branches under my boots, but I had the impression that it wasn't just us making the sound. It was as if something was moving somewhere nearby - invisible, but present.
- Did you know that it was once said that these woods are haunted? - puzzled Mom, breaking the silence.
- Well, of course. Every kid in school has heard about it," I replied, trying to sound indifferent. - Apparently, once someone saw the ghost of some miner who died in a mine.
Mom smiled under her breath, but said nothing more. Maybe she wanted to scare me, or maybe she just liked the stories.
It was getting darker with every step, even though it was still before noon. The crowns of the trees intertwined so densely that the light barely reached the ground. Somewhere in the distance I heard the sound of water - the waterfall was near.
- Maja, look," Mom said suddenly, stopping and pointing to something between the trees.
I looked in that direction and saw something strange - a stone circle, almost completely overgrown with moss. It looked as if someone had once put something like an altar there, and now nature had tried to hide it.
- I've never seen it here," muttered Mom, coming closer.
I also approached, feeling a cold shiver run down my back. The stones were smooth, with engraved marks I didn't recognize. There were some spirals, lines and symbols that looked older than anything I knew.
- Maybe we should ... move on? - I asked quietly, although I wasn't sure myself why I suddenly felt uneasy.
Mom touched one of the stones, but immediately withdrew her hand, as if something had burned her. She looked at me, and there was something strange in her eyes - a shadow I had never seen there before.
- Let's go, Maja. You're right, this place is strange.
We turned around and moved on, but the rest of the way I had the feeling that something was watching us - something that stayed there in the stone circle and didn't want us to go back.
We walked on, leaving the strange stone circle behind us. The noise of the waterfall was getting closer, but the silence in the forest seemed thick, as if something was surrounding us and listening. Mom walked ahead of me, glancing over her shoulder at me from time to time.
At one point the path forked, and we saw an old woman sitting on a stump at one of the corners. She was wearing a long, dark coat, and on her head was a kerchief that partially covered her gray hair. Next to her was a basket full of herbs and some kind of roots.
- Good morning," the mother spoke up, stopping.
The old woman looked at us with penetrating eyes. Her eyes were bright, almost sparkling, as if they hid something more than just plain old age.
- Good morning, dear ones. - Her voice was low but melodious, a little like the whisper of the wind in the treetops.
Mom smiled slightly, but I sensed that something about this woman bothered me. Despite her age, she sat upright, and her gaze seemed to penetrate to the depths.
- Beautiful weather right? We went for a walk. I wanted to show my daughter the waterfall," explained the mother.
The old woman nodded, but her gaze stopped on me. She looked at me for a long moment, which made me feel uncomfortable.
- So this is your daughter," she finally said. Her voice was strangely gentle, but something in it sounded like a riddle. - What is your name, child?
- Maya," I replied, trying to sound confident, though I felt my throat constricting.
The old woman nodded, and a gentle smile appeared on her face. But it was no ordinary smile - more like something inside her recognized me in a way I couldn't understand.
- Maya... Beautiful name, like that bee - She tilted her head, as if she wanted to look at me from a different perspective. - You are... different, aren't you?
I froze. I didn't know what to answer, because I didn't understand what she meant. Mom looked at me with mild surprise, but said nothing.
- What do you mean? - I finally asked, feeling my heart begin to beat faster.
- Nothing wrong, my child. It's just... - The old woman hesitated for a moment, as if searching for the right words. - Sometimes the world hides things that others don't see. And you... You seem to see more than you should.
It made me feel cold. I had the feeling that the old woman was talking about something I didn't fully understand myself, but which I had always felt.
- I don't understand... - I started, but she interrupted me with a slight movement of her hand.
- You don't have to. Not yet. But be careful, dear, because the forest has its eyes. And sometimes what you see sees you, too.
Mom moved restlessly. It was clear that the old woman's words did not please her.
- Thank you for talking to us. We should go now. - Mom put her arm around my shoulder, as if to protect me from something she didn't understand.
The old woman smiled again, but this time something strange flashed in her eyes.
- Don't be afraid, Maya. If you hear whispers, just listen. Sometimes answers are found in the least expected places.
She said nothing more, and we moved on, leaving her on the stump. All the way there, I felt as if something was still watching us - maybe her, or maybe something in this forest that had been hiding in the shadows so far.
- What a crazy old woman," I muttered as soon as we moved away from the strange old woman.
Mom stopped and looked at me with displeasure.
- Maya, it is not allowed to talk like that.
- But, Mom, did you hear what she was saying? "The forest has its eyes", "whispers".... It sounds like a text from some bad horror movie! - I croaked, trying to imitate her voice.
Mom sighed and shook her head.
- Maya, old people have lived through more than we can imagine. They may have their quirks, but there is always a grain of truth in their words.
- The truth? About something in the forest watching us? - I asked, clearly skeptical.
Mom looked at me with seriousness.
- You never know what stories a place like this hides. Szklarska Poreba is not only beautiful scenery. This forest, these mountains - they have been here for centuries. People have always believed that such places have their secrets.
- I think it's more like legends and fairy tales for tourists," I replied, shrugging my shoulders.
- Maybe fairy tales, but sometimes these fairy tales arise from real events. - Mom smiled slightly, but in her eyes I saw something like concern. - You don't have to believe what she said, but respect her. What seems strange to you may be a life truth to her.
I snorted under my breath, but said nothing more. In my head, however, I kept hearing the old woman's words: "Sometimes what you see also sees you." They were like an echo that refused to disappear, even though I tried to ignore them.
We walked on in silence, each submerged in our own thoughts. The path winded among the trees, and the cool September air mingled with the smell of damp earth and decayed leaves. Somewhere in the distance I could hear the laughter of children and the soft sounds of music.
- What is it? - I asked, pausing for a moment.
- Happy town," Mom replied, pointing to a small clearing where colorful carousels and tents contrasted with the surrounding forest.
We approached, and to my eyes appeared a small but charming scene: a Ferris wheel, a tiny carousel in the shape of teacups and a shooting gallery with balloons and several other attractions. One of the stands sold cotton candy, the smell of which almost immediately tempted me.
- Why don't we play a little? - Mom asked, smiling lightheartedly.
- Really? - I looked at her skeptically. - Amusement parks are rather for children, don't you think?
- After all, you are a child. Well, come on. - Mom pulled me gently by the hand towards the shooting range. - Show me how accurately you shoot.
I reluctantly moved to follow her. The elderly gentleman manning the booth smiled at us and handed me a windbreaker.
- Can you hit them all? - He asked, pointing to a row of balloons.
Raising my eyebrows, I grabbed the gun and aimed. The first shot was quite good - the balloon burst with a loud crack. The second and third went just as smoothly, and Mom clapped her hands, cheering me on from the sidelines.
- Here you go, here's the prize," the gentleman said, handing me a small teddy bear.
- Thanks. - I smiled slightly, feeling a bit like a little child, but in a good way.
- Now it's my turn! - Mom grabbed the wind-up gun, and her determination to hit at least one balloon made me laugh to tears.
After a while, we spun on the cups, which whirled like crazy, and then went for cotton candy, which landed on my nose and hair before I could eat it.
- What else, a Ferris wheel? - Mom asked, pointing to the tall structure.
I looked at her with hesitation, but her enthusiasm was contagious. It may not have been a planned walk, but at times I felt as if our good old days were back, before everything got.... complicated.
After finishing the ride on the Ferris wheel, Mom looked around until her gaze stopped on a small cabin with colored lights and a sign reading "Cabinet of Mirrors."
- Let's go there! - she suggested enthusiastically, pointing to the booth.
- Really? Mirrors? - I muttered, raising my eyebrows.
- Oh, stop, it will be fun! - Mom grabbed my hand and almost forcefully pulled me toward the entrance.
It was quite dark inside, and the walls were covered with dozens of various mirrors - some elongated the figure, others widened it, others showed twisted reflections that looked absurd.
- Look at you! - Mom laughed out loud, standing in front of a mirror that turned her head into a small, egg-shaped ball and her body into an impossibly wide one.
I burst out laughing, seeing her reflection. I stood in front of another mirror, in which I looked like a stick - with narrow shoulders and legs that seemed to reach all the way to the ceiling.
- I always wanted to be taller," I chuckled with a smile, looking around at more mirrors.
- Oh, here I am completely normal! - Mom stood in front of one of the simple mirrors, but suddenly her reflection began to move differently than she did.
I froze, seeing the same thing. The reflection of her face tilted her head slightly, while Mom continued to stand still.
- Did you see that? - I asked, feeling something cold squeeze my stomach.
- What? - Mom looked at me, wrinkling her eyebrows.
- Your reflection... it... - I broke off as I suddenly felt a strange tingling on the back of my neck.
I walked a few steps further, trying to ignore the feeling. In the subsequent mirrors, my reflection looked normal, but somewhere in my mind I couldn't get rid of the image - as if something in the mirror had a consciousness of its own.
- Maja, I think you're watching too many horror movies," chuckled Mom with mild amusement, but I sensed a note of uncertainty in her voice.
I didn't answer. Something about the cabin seemed.... different. As if the mirrors were not just plain glass. As if something was watching us from the other side.
Mom moved ahead, laughing as the maze of mirrors became more and more complicated. The reflections in each mirror tangled paths, creating the illusion that I was surrounded by dozens of "me's."
- Come on, this is great fun! - called out mom, moving away and disappearing around the corner.
I moved after her, but something began to bother me. I noticed something strange in the mirror images. Each "I" was a little different. One reflection had a different facial expression - instead of my neutral gaze, the reflection looked at me with concern. In another, my hair was disheveled, although in reality I still had it tied in a ponytail.
I stopped and looked into one of the mirrors. My image seemed ... strangely distant, as if looking at me from deep within. A shudder went through me, but my mother was already a few meters in front of me.
- Mom, wait! - I called out, but my voice echoed as if it was lost somewhere.
- Here I am. Great this maze, Maya! - she replied cheerfully, although her voice seemed to be getting farther away.
I turned after her, but now something was wrong. The reflections in the mirrors began to move independently of my movements. In one of them I saw myself with my hand raised to my face, although I stood still. I wiped my eyes, but the image didn't change at all.
- Something is wrong here... - I whispered to myself.
At that moment, one of the reflections in the side mirror smiled broadly at me, though my lips remained clenched. I took a step backward, colliding with another mirror, and in its pane I saw something that sent shivers down my spine: my face, but my eyes were blank, black as the abyss.
My heart was pounding like crazy.
- Mom! - I shouted, now mega panicked.
Mom emerged from around the corner, smiling.
- What happened? - She asked concerned, but her image in the mirror did not match her facial expression at all.
- These mirrors... something is wrong with them! - I pointed to one of them, but the reflections already looked normal.
Mom came closer and looked into the mirror I had just looked into.
- Maya, it's just an illusion. Mirrors sometimes distort the image, but there is nothing to be afraid of.
I wasn't sure if I should believe her. I looked at myself again and saw something that made my blood freeze anew - one of the reflections was still looking at me ominously, as if it wanted to warn me.... or say something.
As my mother stood at the mirror, something behind her caught my attention. In the reflection, just over her shoulder, a shadow began to emerge. At first it was delicate, almost imperceptible, but with each passing second it took shape. For a moment I thought it was some kind of illusion or another effect of the mirror maze. But the shadow moved independently of us, and its contours became clearer.
I froze. I saw the shadow extend a long, slender limb toward my mother. It looked like it wanted to touch her or.... kidnap.
- Mom, behind you! - I shouted, but my voice sounded like a squeak full of panic.
Mom turned abruptly, but there was nothing there. In the mirror, however, I saw the shadow getting closer and closer. I couldn't stand it. I screamed so shrilly that the echo in the maze of mirrors reflected my scream repeatedly, creating a cacophony of sounds.
Mom quickly turned back to me, it was clear that she was scared. She walked over, grabbed my shoulders and pulled me close.
- Maya, take it easy! It's just mirrors, dear. You're not in danger of anything.
But I saw something else. The shadow disappeared, as if it had melted into the air, but I could still feel its presence. Mom hugged me tightly, rocking me slightly from side to side.
- It's nothing, it's nothing. You're safe," she repeated, and I tried to calm down, although my heart was pounding like crazy.
- Mom... I saw something.... something strange. It wasn't a mirror," I whispered, hugging her.
- It's just your imagination. These mirrors can play tricks. Let's go from here, shall we? - She suggested, stroking my back.
I did not protest. I wanted to leave the place as soon as possible. Mom held my hand and led me to the exit, though I kept glancing at the mirrors. I had the feeling that something was watching us.
As we stepped out into the fresh air, the warm rays of the September sun enveloped us. Mom crouched down in front of me and looked into my eyes.
- Are you okay, honey?
I nodded my head, although inside I felt that something was very wrong. Something that would not let me rest.
Mom looked at me with concern, still holding my shoulders. Her voice was gentle but firm.
- Enough of these impressions for today. We are going home.
I didn't protest. I even wanted to get away from there, as far as possible from this strange place and from the shadows that seemed to be following us. Mom grabbed my hand firmly and we moved toward the exit of the amusement park.
- But what was it? - I finally asked, breaking the silence. - It couldn't have been an illusion....
Mom sighed and looked at me out of the corner of her eye, as if wondering how to explain it to me.
- It's probably nothing like that. Mirrors sometimes work on the imagination. Or maybe we just experienced too much today.
- But I saw it for real," I whispered, squeezing her hand.
- I know you think so," she replied, trying to reassure me. - But don't let fear take over you. Sometimes the things we see are more a reflection of our thoughts than reality.
I did not respond. Her words didn't convince me, but I felt that I didn't want to pursue this topic now. We walked in silence, passing colorful booths and carousels. The sounds of the amusement park now seemed strangely muffled to me, as if they were coming from very far away.
When we got to the block, Mom looked at me once again.
- Let's go in, make something warm to drink and rest, shall we?
- Good," I replied quietly.
When the apartment door closed behind us, I felt a little safer. But that shadow.... I still had it in front of my eyes. Something inside me told me that this was not the end. Something began to change, and I couldn't shake the feeling that it was connected to me.
Mom placed a mug of tea in front of me. It was steaming with the pleasant scent of lime and honey, but I couldn't focus. My thoughts kept revolving around what I had seen in the study of mirrors. We sat together at the table, where the sandwiches that Mom had hurriedly prepared were laid out.
She glanced at me, as if trying to pick me out, before speaking.
- Maja... - she began carefully, stirring her tea. - Can I ask you something?
I looked at her, sensing that this conversation would not be easy.
- Yes?
Mom put down her spoon and folded her hands on the table top. There was something in her eyes that I had not seen in her before - a mixture of concern and.... perhaps a slight anxiety.
- Did what you saw in that maze of mirrors.... happened to you before? - she asked quietly.
I froze. I was not expecting this question. For a moment I thought about how to answer, but before I had time to speak, my mother continued:
- Your dad mentioned something. About that day in the car. About how you started screaming.
I felt my heart speed up. I knew it would be about this. I would have preferred my mother to forget about that story, but now that the subject came back, I felt the same anxiety sweep over me again as it did then.
- It was ... only temporary," I said uncertainly, trying to calm myself down. - I thought I saw something, but.... then it disappeared.
Mom looked at me closely, as if trying to assess whether I was telling the truth.
- Are you sure? - she asked. - Because you know, honey, if anything bothers you, you can tell me. You don't have to hide anything.
I hesitated. Could I tell my mother about what I saw in the mirror? About the shadow that was reaching out toward her? I wasn't sure if she would believe me, and if she did, what could she do?
- It's just mirrors, Mom," I finally said, trying to sound confident. - Maybe I was actually thinking of something.
Mom sighed and nodded, but I could see that my words did not reassure her.
- That's fine if you say so. But remember, you can always tell me if something is bothering you.
- I know," I replied, although deep down I felt that this conversation would not end so easily.
Mom reached for a sandwich and began to eat, but I lost my appetite. I stared into my tea, feeling something hanging in the air - something I don't understand, but which seems to be getting closer.
After a moment of silence, Mom took a sip of tea and looked at me with a slight smile. She looked thoughtful, as if she was arranging in her head the question that was about to be asked. Finally, she spoke up, as if out of breath, but I could see in her eyes that she cared about the answer.
- And how is Lina? Are you still friends? - She asked, stirring her tea.
I raised my head from above my plate and looked at her surprised.
- Lina? Well... yes, and why do you ask?
Mom didn't answer for a while. She put the spoon down on the saucer and leaned her elbows on the table, looking at me intently.
- You know... I was reminded that when you were younger, you used to talk about Lin a little differently. Like she was... well, you know.... imaginary.
I felt myself getting hot. Something squeezed me inside, and at the same time I felt a growing irritation.
- Mom, Lina is not imaginary. I've told you this a thousand times," I said sharply, although I myself didn't know where so much anger came from in me.
Mom raised her hands in a defensive gesture, trying to ease the tension.
- I know, I know, I'm sorry. It's just... You know, you used to say that Lina sometimes says strange things, or that she knows things that no one could know. I wondered if that had changed.
I rolled my eyes and leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest.
- I don't know what you are thinking. Lina is normal. She just sometimes has ... unusual ideas, that's all.
Mom watched me for a moment, as if trying to read something more from my face. Then she sighed and shook her head with a slight smile.
- It's okay, it's okay. I didn't mean to upset you. I just... I want you to know that you can always tell me about anything. You know, even about the strange things that happened today.
I froze for a moment, feeling her words resonate within me. Had Mom sensed something? Did she really notice that something was wrong? But instead of answering, I just nodded and stuck my gaze into the mug of tea in front of me.
I didn't want to analyze it now.
I got up from the table and went to my room, closing the door behind me. My head was cloudy, and the conversation with my mother only threw me off balance even more. I sat down at my desk, opened my sketchbook and started drawing. This always helped me to calm down, to move my thoughts somewhere else.
This time I didn't plan anything specific - I let my hand run the pencil freely over the page. The lines were beginning to weave together, forming some sort of shape, though I didn't know what would come of it myself.
The silence in the room was soothing, but suddenly I heard my mother's quiet voice coming from the kitchen. I stopped my pencil in mid-motion, listening.
- Marek, I'll consider it though," Mom said. Her voice was quiet, but full of tension. - This psychologist... Maybe it's not such a stupid idea.
I furrowed my eyebrows, trying to understand what he was talking about.
- I know, I know I didn't want to do it before.... - continued mom, as if responding to an invisible caller. - But what I saw today.... Marek, she is terrified. And it probably wasn't the first time.
I leaned with my back against the chair, trying to suppress my emotions. They were talking about me. Mom thought something was wrong with me.
- I don't know what's going on, but we have to do something. Maybe a psychologist can help her cope with.... whatever it is.
I closed the sketchbook, although my hands were trembling. I felt my heart start to beat faster. I felt like coming out and asking her directly what she was planning, but something stopped me.
Instead, I sat in my room, listening to her quiet voice, which was getting more and more into my head with each passing moment.
I rested my head on my hands, trying to control the chaos of thoughts. "Psychologist" - the word weighed like a stone in my head. Do they really think that I am somehow different? That something is wrong with me? Am I a crazy person?
After a while, the conversation in the kitchen quieted down. All I heard were the footsteps of my mother, who was bustling around the apartment. I clenched my eyelids, trying to ward off the feeling that something was changing irreversibly. It occurred to me that maybe I should talk to her, explain everything, but.... how? How would I describe what I was seeing? What I was feeling? After all, even for me it was sometimes too vague, too difficult.
Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed my sketchbook sheet vibrating on the desk. No wind was blowing, the window was closed. The paper moved a few centimeters, as if someone had gently pushed it. I froze. For a moment I sat in absolute silence, staring at the motionless drawing.
Then I heard a slight creaking of the floor. My heart beat harder. I turned toward the door, but it was closed. Everything in the room looked as it should, and yet I felt that familiar sting of unease. As if something or someone was close by, watching me.
- Stop telling yourself that," I whispered, trying to calm down.
I opened my sketchbook to check the drawing I had just finished. Only then did I notice something that made me hold my breath. The pencil must have guided my hand, even when I didn't notice it, because strange, swirling lines appeared on the paper next to the sketched figure in the darkness - they resembled hands reaching out toward me.
I closed the sketchbook with a clatter and moved it to the other end of the desk. I didn't want to look at it anymore.
At that moment, Mom looked into the room.
- Maya, are you sure everything is okay? - She asked, looking at me carefully.
I nodded quickly, trying to control my trembling voice.
- Yes, mom. It's just... I'm tired.
Mom sighed, but did not press.
- Lie down already, dear. Tomorrow you get up early for school.
I nodded, and she closed the door. When I was left alone, the room suddenly became cooler. I took a deep breath and lay down on the bed, covering myself tightly with the quilt.
I don't know how long it took before I fell asleep, but that night I dreamed something strange. A maze of mirrors, reflections that were not mine, and hands reaching out toward me. But the worst part was that among all these images I saw something else - the shadow of a figure standing in the corner of my room, motionless but somehow ominously close.
I woke up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat, with a premonition that it was all just beginning.