Once upon a time in the enchanting town of Everwood, where every morning felt like a burst of sunshine, lived a cheerful girl named Maria.

Her smile was as bright as the sun itself, bringing warmth to the hearts of everyone around her.

In a cozy house with a red door and dancing flowers, Maria's day began like any other in this magical place.

Little did she know that this ordinary morning would transform into an extraordinary adventure.

Skipping to school with the exuberance of a playful breeze, Maria greeted the world with a cheerful "Good morning!"

The birds chirped in harmony, and the flowers nodded in agreement, creating a symphony of happiness that echoed through the vibrant town.

Maria loved her school, where each day brought new discoveries and playful moments with her friends during recess.

As she entered her classroom, anticipation bubbling within her, Maria's excitement took an unexpected turn.

Julie, her best friend, was conspicuously absent from her usual seat.

Maria patiently waited, the ticking of the clock echoing in her ears, hoping that Julie would arrive fashionably late.

Outside, the clouds played an intricate game of hide-and-seek with the sun, casting whimsical shadows across the room.

Yet, as minutes passed, impatience began to bubble inside Maria.

Unable to contain herself any longer, she decided to inquire about Julie's whereabouts. "Hey, have you seen Julie?" she asked her classmates, curiosity sparkling in her eyes.

To her surprise, they exchanged puzzled glances, as if Julie was a secret they were unwilling to share.

Her friend, with a perplexed expression, replied, "Is there anyone named Julie in our class?" Growing more impatient, Maria insisted, "No, really, where is Julie?".

Her friends responded with blank stares, their faces devoid of recognition, as if the very mention of Julie was foreign to them.

Confused and a bit frustrated, Maria thought they might be playing a joke on her.

"Stop joking! I'm serious," she said firmly, but the blank stares persisted.

The mystery deepened, leaving Maria on the brink of an uncharted territory where reality and imagination intertwined.

Just as the bell rang, signaling the commencement of the first class, Maria approached the teacher with a mixture of concern and confusion. "Sir?" she called out.

"Yes, Maria, what happened?" he replied, his attention now on her.

"Sir, Julie didn't come today," Maria explained.

The teacher looked at her with a furrowed brow. "Julie? Who is she, a new student?" Maria shook her head, "No, sir, Julie, who sits in the first bench."

The teacher scanned the room and, with a perplexed expression, remarked, "I guess nobody sits there. Are you all right?" Maria, though puzzled, nodded, "Yeah, I'm okay."

Little did Maria know that this ordinary day was on the verge of becoming an extraordinary adventure.

The only thing going through Maria's mind is,

I WILL DEFINITELY FIND JULIE!

I WILL DEFINITELY FIND JULIE!

I WILL DEFINITELY FIND JULIE!

" Suddenly, she remembers what happened yesterday when she met her for the last time.

The vivid memory plays like a movie in her mind – the laughter, the shared secrets, and the warmth of their friendship.

Determination fuels her as she sets out on a quest to uncover the mystery of Julie's disappearance.

(BELL RINGS)

The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day.

The bustling scene of students going home transformed into a quiet hallway.

Maria, with determination burning in her eyes, approached her friends. "Isn't Julie sitting on the first bench?"

she asked. Her friends exchanged perplexed glances.

"The first bench is where the strange things start," they murmured cryptically

"No one sits there. It's from the first day; nobody sits there, and Julie's name is nowhere in our class," they replied, deepening the mystery surrounding Julie's disappearance.

Determined to find her missing friend, Maria's heart raced as she dashed through the town.

The sun beat down on her as she ran, the anticipation of meeting her friend intensifying with every step.

Yet, upon reaching the familiar neighborhood, Maria's excitement turned to bewilderment.

Julie's house was nowhere in sight.

The once familiar streets now seemed like a maze, leaving Maria both confused and disheartened

In the quiet moments of the evening, Maria couldn't help but ponder over Julie's mysterious disappearance. Was Julie thinking about her aunt's house during their chat yesterday? The memory lingered in Maria's mind as she tried to piece together the puzzle. They had been laughing and chatting until Julie suddenly stopped in front of a peculiar house. Tension filled Julie's expression, prompting Maria to inquire about the peculiar residence.

"This is my aunt's house," Julie had explained, her tone uneasy.

"My mom asked me to invite my aunt, so I have to go in." Maria, eager to be a good friend, offered to wait outside. However, Julie insisted, "No, you don't have to. It'll take time." And with that, Julie disappeared into the mysterious dwelling, leaving Maria to head home.

Fuelled by concern, Maria decided to investigate Julie's aunt's house herself.

Upon arrival, she was not just shocked, but utterly astounded.

The house stood in ruins, charred and silent.

The entire town had transformed into ashes.

Without a second thought, Maria stepped into the burnt remnants of the house.

The interior revealed a scene more shocking than she could have imagined.

As Maria stepped inside Julie's aunt's house, she thought she would see only broken things from the fire outside. But to her surprise, the inside looked perfect, like nothing had happened! It was like magic!

The walls were covered in strange pictures that sparkled in the dim light.

The air felt still and quiet, except for the creaky sounds of the old floor.

Maria couldn't believe her eyes. She felt amazed and a little scared, but mostly amazed!

Maria wanted to know more, so she went exploring.

Each room had something different to show her.

There were big, old furniture covered in dusty sheets, like they were hiding secrets.

The air felt strange, like it was full of stories from long ago.

Even though Maria felt a little scared, her curiosity was stronger.

She wanted to find out what happened to Julie.

So she kept going, ready to uncover the mysteries hidden in Julie's magical house.

With every step, Maria felt like she was on a big adventure, ready to solve the biggest puzzle of all.

Maria couldn't believe her eyes when she stepped inside Julie's aunt's house.

Even though the outside was all burnt, the inside looked like someone had cleaned and fixed everything.

There were candles, fruits on the table, and flowers in a vase.

It was like magic had made everything perfect again.

Maria wanted to find Julie, so she started searching the whole house for clues.

She searched every corner of the house, looking for anything that might help her understand the mystery.

In an empty room, Maria discovered a peculiar mirror. It was different from any mirror she had seen before.

Curiosity took over, and she went closer to take a look.

Suddenly, she saw something terrifying.

In the reflection, besides her own face, was a lady desperately calling out to her.

"I have something for you," the lady said, her voice echoing, she looked worried and called out to Maria.

Feeling a mix of fear and curiosity, Maria stepped closer to the mirror.

However, as she entered the mirror, the lady's expression changed from desperation to aggression.

Confused, Maria found herself facing an angry lady inside the mirror.

"What are you doing in my house?" the lady demanded.

 Maria was confused, and before she could understand, the mirror had vanished.

The lady stared into her eyes and angrily asked, "Goddamn, I am asking you something!" Clara said.

Trying to gather her courage, Maria stammered, "I am Maria, Julie's friend. I am here to find her."

The lady, revealing a wicked smile, introduced herself as Aunt Clara.

But instead of helping, Clara declared, "Well, you will never find her."

Confused and scared, Maria asked why.

Clara's answer was chilling.

"Julie saw me when I killed my husband," she confessed coldly. "So I had to get rid of her. I burned them both, and now I'm free."

Maria was horrified by Clara's selfishness and cruelty.

Clara, with a menacing look, grabbed a knife and advanced towards Maria, saying, "Now you also know the truth.

What should I do to you?" Maria, filled with both fear and bravery, knew she had to find a way out of this eerie mirror world and save herself from Aunt Clara's wicked plans.

The Mirror of Secrets held more mysteries than Maria could have imagined, and her journey to find Julie had taken an unexpected and dangerous turn.

As Maria stood face to face with Aunt Clara, fear gripped her heart. Clara's eyes glinted with malice as she brandished a knife, advancing menacingly towards Maria.

Confused and terrified, Maria didn't know what to do. She couldn't understand why Clara was acting this way or what she had done wrong.

Closer and closer Clara came, her knife raised high, ready to strike. Maria felt like she was trapped in a nightmare she couldn't wake up from. But just as Clara was about to reach her, Maria suddenly woke up, drenched in sweat.

Breathing heavily, Maria sat up in bed, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Was it all just a dream?