When Virgo first noticed his constant fatigue, he brushed it off as stress from his job. After all, being a financial analyst at a bustling firm in the heart of the city was bound to wear anyone down. But as weeks turned into months and then years, his exhaustion became an unshakeable companion. No matter how long he slept, he never woke up feeling rested. Doctors prescribed medications, but they were futile. Desperate for answers, Virgo decided to film himself one night, hoping to uncover the mystery behind his relentless weariness.
On a chilly autumn evening, he set up an old camcorder in the corner of his bedroom, its red recording light casting an eerie glow across the room. He climbed into bed, feeling a mix of hope and apprehension. The blankets were warm, and soon he drifted into a deep sleep, unaware of the bizarre truth waiting to be uncovered.
The next morning, Virgo awoke feeling as drained as ever. With a sigh, he reached for the camcorder and rewound the tape. He pressed play and watched as his sleeping form lay still under the covers. Hours passed without incident until, around midnight, something peculiar happened.
He saw himself sit up in bed, eyes wide open, a sinister smirk curling his lips. Virgo’s heart pounded as he watched the figure on the screen look directly at the camera, wave, and disappear out the door. The footage continued for hours, but his bedroom remained empty. Then, just before dawn, his doppelganger re-entered the room, climbed back into bed, and resumed the sleeping position, as if nothing had happened.
“What the hell?” Virgo muttered, replaying the scene. He couldn’t believe what he had seen. Determined to uncover the truth, he decided to stay awake the next night and see if he could catch his nocturnal self in action.
As the clock ticked towards midnight, Virgo felt his eyelids grow heavy, but he forced himself to stay awake. When the clock struck twelve, he felt an overwhelming urge to sleep, but resisted. Minutes passed like hours until he heard the creak of his bed. He turned, expecting to see his nocturnal twin, but found himself alone. Bewildered, he checked the camcorder’s live feed. To his horror, he saw himself on the screen, standing beside his bed, staring down at him with that same unsettling smirk.
“Looking for me?” his doppelganger asked, the voice echoing in Virgo’s mind despite the silence in the room.
Virgo jumped up, but his twin was gone, leaving him alone with his racing thoughts. What was happening to him? Was he losing his mind?
The next day, he confided in his best friend, Leo, hoping for some rational explanation.
“Maybe you’re just sleepwalking, Virgo,” Leo suggested. “I’ve heard of people doing all sorts of crazy things in their sleep.”
“But the smirk, the way it looked at the camera—it wasn’t just sleepwalking,” Virgo insisted. “It felt… evil.”
Leo laughed nervously. “Well, maybe you’re possessed. Should I call a priest?”
“Very funny,” Virgo replied, rolling his eyes. “I’m serious, Leo. This is freaking me out.”
“Alright, alright,” Leo said, his tone turning serious. “Why don’t you try staying somewhere else for a night? See if it happens there too.”
Taking Leo’s advice, Virgo booked a room at a nearby hotel. He set up his camcorder as usual and tried to get some rest. But even in the unfamiliar surroundings, the same unsettling event occurred. He watched the footage the next morning, heart sinking as he saw his sinister twin repeat the same routine: waking up, smirking at the camera, and disappearing into the night.
Desperate for answers, Virgo delved into research about sleep disorders and supernatural phenomena. One name kept popping up: Scorpio, a renowned expert in both psychology and the occult. With nothing to lose, Virgo scheduled an appointment.
Scorpio was a petite woman with piercing blue eyes that seemed to see right through him. After listening to his story, she nodded thoughtfully.
“It sounds like you might be experiencing a rare form of dissociative identity disorder,” she began, “but there’s also a possibility of something… darker.”
“Darker? Like what?” Virgo asked, leaning forward in his seat.
“There’s a theory in the occult about shadow selves—dark versions of ourselves that exist in another realm. Sometimes, under certain conditions, they can cross over.”
Virgo shivered. “So, what do I do?”
Scorpio handed him a small, ornate mirror. “Place this beside your bed. It’s said to trap malevolent entities. If it’s truly a shadow self, this might help.”
That night, Virgo followed her instructions, placing the mirror beside his bed. As midnight approached, he felt a familiar heaviness. Despite his efforts to stay awake, he drifted off.
The next morning, he woke up feeling… different. He glanced at the mirror, expecting it to be shattered or moved, but it was exactly where he had left it. With a mix of hope and fear, he checked the camcorder footage.
To his surprise, nothing happened. His nocturnal twin didn’t appear, and he remained in bed the entire night. For the first time in years, Virgo felt a glimmer of hope. He called Scorpio to share the good news.
“It seems the mirror worked,” Scorpio said. “But remember, this might be a temporary fix. You’ll need to remain vigilant.”
Days turned into weeks, and Virgo’s life slowly returned to normal. He felt more rested and began to enjoy life again. However, one night, as he was getting ready for bed, he noticed a crack in the mirror. His heart raced as he touched it, feeling a chill run down his spine.
“Not again,” he whispered, setting up the camcorder one more time.
That night, he struggled to stay awake, but exhaustion won. When he reviewed the footage the next morning, his heart sank. His doppelganger was back, but this time, it didn’t leave the room. Instead, it stood beside the bed, watching him sleep for hours, its smirk growing wider.
Virgo felt a surge of panic. He called Leo, his voice trembling. “It’s back. The mirror’s cracked and it’s watching me.”
Leo arrived within minutes, his face pale with worry. “Maybe we should just smash the mirror and see if that helps.”
“Are you crazy?” Virgo snapped. “What if it makes things worse?”
“Well, we can’t just do nothing!” Leo shouted. “This thing is messing with your life!”
As they argued, the room grew colder, and a dark shadow crept across the floor. Both men turned to see Virgo’s doppelganger standing in the doorway, its eyes gleaming with malice.
“You think a mirror can hold me?” it hissed, its voice echoing in their minds.
Leo grabbed a chair and hurled it at the mirror, shattering it into countless pieces. The doppelganger let out a blood-curdling scream and lunged at them, but as the mirror shattered, it dissipated into thin air, leaving behind an oppressive silence.
Panting, Virgo and Leo stared at the broken mirror, unsure if they had truly vanquished the entity. Virgo’s exhaustion returned, but this time it was different. He felt a strange sense of closure, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
In the weeks that followed, Virgo’s sleep improved, and he no longer felt the oppressive fatigue. The sinister smirk haunted his dreams for a while, but eventually, even that faded.
One day, Virgo found an old book on his doorstep. It was an ancient text on shadow selves, with a note tucked inside: “Stay vigilant. They’re always watching. –E.H.”
With a shiver, Virgo closed the book and placed it on his shelf. He knew the battle wasn’t over, but at least now he had allies and knowledge on his side. As he crawled into bed that night, he glanced at the empty corner where the mirror once stood and vowed to never let his guard down again.
Life returned to a semblance of normalcy, but Virgo remained cautious. The ordeal had changed him, making him appreciate every peaceful night of rest. He often joked with Leo about their “shadowy adventures,” but deep down, he knew the encounter had left a permanent mark on his soul.
“Well, if it ever comes back, at least we know how to break mirrors,” Leo would say with a laugh.
“And how to argue like madmen,” Virgo would reply, grinning. “Thanks, Leo. I couldn’t have faced it alone.”
“Anytime, buddy. Just don’t start smirking at me in your sleep, okay?” Leo said with a playful grin, trying to lighten the mood. Virgo chuckled, feeling a rare sense of lightness. He didn’t know what the future held, but for now, he was content. And as he drifted off to sleep that night, he did so with a sense of hope, knowing that whatever shadows lurked in the darkness, he was ready to face them.