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Ava has covered her mirrors with sheets. Unfortunately, the rest of the world didn’t get the memo. Windows, chrome, waxed cars—apparently every reflective surface is now a potential portal to absolutely fucking not.

In Chapter 9 of The WillowBend Glitch, avoiding her reflection becomes a survival strategy, and pretending she’s fine becomes a full-time job. Between bullying, the aftermath of Tyler’s assault, and the fear of being replaced by something wearing her face, Ava is running out of ways to hold herself together.

Then a voice interrupts the silence of an empty restroom:

“Do you want me to hurt him?”

Because apparently the thing watching her has opinions. And a deeply concerning approach to conflict resolution.

As Ava reaches her breaking point, a message from her mother and an unexpected moment of tenderness from Madison offer something she desperately needs: support. But an overheard conversation between two teachers suggests her nightmare has a history—and adults who know more than they’re saying.

Inside this chapter:

• Covered mirrors and a growing fear of reflections.
• The exhausting performance of pretending everything is fine.
• An unseen presence with a disturbing offer.
• Friendship and reassurance when Ava needs them most.
• A whispered conversation that changes what she knows about WillowBend.

Content advisory: Strong language, bullying, references to assault, emotional distress, implied violence, and supernatural horror.

The scariest word in the hallway isn’t “mirror.” It’s “again.”