The Cursed Mirror of Snow White's Envy

The air was thick with the scent of decay, a scent that clung to the walls like a shroud. The dim light flickered, casting eerie shadows across the room. In the center of the room stood a large, ornate mirror, its surface a mirror to the souls of those who dared to gaze upon it.

Lila had always been envious of Snow White's beauty, a beauty that seemed to outshine everything around her. She had spent years trying to emulate Snow White, from her style to her mannerisms, but nothing seemed to work. It was as if Snow White's beauty was a curse, a beacon that drew all eyes to her, leaving Lila in the shadows.

One day, as she wandered through an antique store, her eyes were drawn to a peculiar mirror. It was unlike any mirror she had ever seen, its frame intricately carved with symbols that seemed to pulse with a dark energy. The storekeeper, an old man with a knowing smile, whispered that the mirror was said to hold the power of Snow White's beauty, but at a terrible price.

Ignoring the warning, Lila purchased the mirror and brought it home. The moment she set it down in her room, she felt a strange pull, as if the mirror was calling to her. She approached it cautiously, her heart pounding in her chest.

As she gazed into the mirror, she saw not herself, but Snow White, her reflection bathed in a radiant light. "You have the beauty I have always desired," Lila whispered, her voice trembling with excitement. The mirror responded with a chilling echo, "But you must pay the price."

Lila's life began to change almost immediately. Her skin cleared, her hair shone, and her eyes sparkled with an unnatural glow. She was the envy of everyone she met, but she felt a gnawing emptiness inside. The more she looked into the mirror, the more she saw not Snow White, but a reflection of her own inner darkness.

One night, as she lay in bed, the mirror began to glow brighter than ever before. Lila's eyes were drawn to it, and she found herself unable to look away. The mirror spoke again, "You have been a good hostess, Lila. Now, it is time for the next sacrifice."

Lila's eyes widened in horror as she realized the mirror was not just a reflection of Snow White's beauty, but a conduit for her envy and wrath. She had become the new Snow White, and her curse was to be the cause of others' pain and suffering.

The next morning, as Lila walked through her neighborhood, she saw a young woman who reminded her of Snow White's innocence. The mirror's voice was clear in her mind, "She is the next one." Lila's heart raced as she followed the young woman into an alleyway.

The young woman turned, her eyes wide with fear. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Lila's hand reached into her pocket, but instead of a weapon, she felt the cool surface of the mirror. She raised it, and as she did, the young woman's eyes widened in terror. The mirror's surface shimmered, and a dark figure stepped out of the shadows, its face twisted in rage.

The young woman screamed as the figure lunged at her, but Lila was frozen in place, the mirror's hold on her overwhelming. The mirror's voice echoed in her mind, "You are the one who must be the sacrifice."

The figure grabbed the young woman, and as the young woman's lifeless body fell to the ground, Lila felt a chill run down her spine. The mirror's hold on her seemed to loosen, and she realized that the sacrifice was not over. She was the sacrifice.

As she turned to flee, the mirror's voice was louder than ever before, "You are Snow White, and you must face the consequences of your envy." Lila stumbled backward, the weight of the mirror pressing down on her. She fell to the ground, the mirror clutched in her hand.

The mirror's surface rippled, and Lila saw her own reflection, but this time, it was twisted and monstrous. She looked down at her hands, and they were covered in blood. The mirror's voice was clear, "You have become the monster you envied."

In the final moments before she succumbed to the curse, Lila looked up at the mirror, and for the first time, she saw not Snow White, but the reflection of her own twisted soul. The mirror shattered, and with it, the curse was broken.

Lila lay on the ground, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She had survived the curse, but at what cost? She had become the monster she once envied, and the world would never see the innocent girl she once was again.

As the sun began to rise, casting a pale glow through the alleyway, Lila realized that the curse of the mirror was not just a reflection of Snow White's beauty, but a reflection of her own inner darkness. And now, she was forced to face the consequences of her envy, a cost she had never imagined.