Shadows swirled violently. The taxi shook, metal groaning as if alive. The guide turned to Amara:
"You have to step forward. The mirror only works if you face it directly. There's no going back."
Amara's heart thundered. She stepped forward, hands shaking, mirror raised. The faceless passenger shrieked, twisting and writhing.
Suddenly, she saw it—herself inside the shadow, eyes hollow, mouth screaming silently. The cab fed on her fear, on her own self-doubt.
Tears streamed down her face. "I… I won't give you control!"
The mirror flared. Light erupted, shadows twisting, screaming, then shattering.
Silence.
The cab collapsed, burning into nothingness. The faceless passenger dissolved, leaving only the echoes of its whispers.
The guide caught her as she stumbled. "It's done… for now."
Cliffhanger: Amara survives—but something in her has changed. The terror has left its mark.