Emma’s hands shook as she sat in the diner, sipping her coffee in silence, trying to forget the horrifying face she’d seen in her rearview mirror. But no matter how hard she tried, the memory of those hollow eyes and twisted smile clung to her like a shadow. She felt that icy chill settle over her again, a feeling of being watched.

 

To distract herself, she glanced around the diner. The place was nearly empty, just her and the waitress in the dim light. Her gaze drifted down to the scratched, worn tabletop in front of her. At first, she saw nothing unusual, just the usual scuffs and stains. But as her eyes adjusted, she saw faint markings, etched deeply into the wood beneath her fingertips.

 

The message, hidden within layers of old carvings and stains, read:

Emma’s breath hitched. She instinctively felt the pull to look over her shoulder, her skin crawling with a terrible anticipation. But her fear rooted her in place, her gaze glued to those three words.

 

The waitress, noticing her pale face, walked over. “You okay, hon?” she asked, but Emma could barely nod. She just stared at the words carved into the table, questions bubbling up in her mind.

 

“Who… who carved this here?” Emma managed to ask, her voice barely a whisper.

 

LOOK IN THE MIRROR ONE MORE TIME.