The Midnight Mirror

The Midnight Notification The Hook I’ve been living alone for three years. My house has a smart-security system that sends a notification to my phone whenever it detects a "recognized face" at the door. The Bridge At 3:14 AM last night, my phone buzzed. I reached for it, squinting at the screen. The notification read: "User 'Self' is at the front door." I froze. I was lying in my bed, holding the phone. I looked at the live camera feed. The Action The porch light was on. Standing there was a person wearing my exact pajamas, holding the same coffee mug I broke last week. They didn't ring the bell. They just stood there, staring directly into the camera lens with a smile that was just a little too wide. Then, my phone buzzed again. A text message from an unknown number. It was just four words. The Payoff (The Cliffhanger) "You're in my spot." Then the bedroom door—the one right behind me—creaked open.