The Inkblots: Hermann Rorschach, His Iconic Test, And The Power Of Seeing

A month before the SATs, I, Jenny Reid, could see my score. Literally. It was just floating right above my head. But there was a catch. Every time I cracked open a prep book, my score would drop by ten points. But if I skipped a day of school? It jumped right back up by ten. So, I played the system. For a whole month, I barely lifted a finger. And on the day of the test, the number glowing over my head was a solid 1560. When the scores finally dropped online… I'd scored a 500. And the 1560? That was my little sister Patricia's score. My parents lost it. As punishment, they got me a grueling night-shift job at a local electronics factory. That first night, a bunch of guys I'd never seen before cornered me in the parking lot and beat me half to death. Fading in and out of consciousness, I heard my sister's voice right by my ear. "You just had to one-up me, didn't you? Thought you were so smart… but you never figured out I was the one controlling that number over your head." The truth hit me like a physical blow. The score had been her trick all along. I opened my eyes—and I was back. One month before the SATs. The number above my head read exactly 1300. "Hey," my sister said, all fake sweetness. "Want to study together tonight? We can go over the practice tests." I looked at the stack of papers in my own hands. Without a word, I pulled out my lighter and set them on fire right there in the driveway. "Exams are coming," I said, watching the flames. "I'm not studying." My score ticked up to 1310. My sister's face was this perfect mask of disappointment, but the second I turned away, I caught the sly smile she couldn't quite hide. She had no idea… the real performance, the one I'd been rehearsing just for her, was finally about to begin.

There are a lot more truths in the books we read, than we’d like to admit. What if a book delves into the lives of the very town you live in? Reveals to you some personal stories of people you know? Or thought you knew. Bookstore owner Kevin Ellison faces this truth when a mysterious book shows up in Through a Mirror, Darkly by Kevin Lucia. Through a Mirror, Darkly is a Supernatural Thriller collection masked as a novel. With elements of mystery, suspense, and otherworldly horror, Through a Mirror, Darkly successfully delves into the worlds of Lovecraft, Grant, and the mysterious Carcosa. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing Arcane Delights. Clifton Heights' premier rare and used bookstore. In it, new owner Kevin Ellison has inherited far more than a family legacy, for inside are tales that will amaze, astound, thrill...and terrify: An ancient evil thirsty for lost souls. A very different kind of taxi service with destinations not on any known map. Three coins that grant the bearer's fondest wish, and a father whose crippling grief gives birth to something dark and hungry.

The college entrance exam began, and I waited nervously for the papers to be handed out. Just as I was about to take the test paper from the invigilator, a floating line of text suddenly drifted across my vision. [Don't take it. The paper is coated with deadly poison. You'll die the moment you touch it.] Before my mind could even process what was happening, pure survival instinct made my hand jerk back. The paper slipped from my grasp and fell to the ground. I stiffly met with the invigilator's lifeless, mechanical eyes. He stared at me without blinking, then slowly bent down, picked up the test paper, flipped it over, and placed it back on my desk. "Good luck on your exam." His cold voice snapped me out of the fear brought on by that strange message. Just as I was starting to think that it was nothing more than nerves playing tricks on my eyes, the exam hall speakers started playing instructions. "The listening test will now begin. Please mark your answers on the corresponding answer sheet. The papers will be collected in 15 minutes. Anyone who fails to submit on time will be eliminated!" A wave of terror instantly overwhelmed me.

When he and his father eventually decide to begin a new life after his mom and sister's death, Praxis Cohen, a suicidal teenager with an expressionless visage on his face, finds himself in a huge, formidable laboratory where teenagers like him are being injected a drug of which the effect is still unknown. Fortunate enough, his body can withstand the drug that leads him to be declared by Dr. Conscire as the first patient to have successfully passed the First Stage of the experiment in this generation. As he proceeds to the Second Stage, Dr. Conscire, the president of the organization, decides to release him off the laboratory to find out that the effect of the drug enables him to read minds and do psychokinesis that sets his mind into chaos. In his debacle as an experimented guinea pig of the nameless organization, realizing that he is not alone in this experiment, Praxis meets new marvelous people to discover the origin of the experiment, the reason why they turned into supernormal beings, the connection of this experiment to the unborn world war in the future, the twists and turns of their past stories, and to discern the next stages of the experiment. With the collaborative effort of their team, they strive to choose the best course of action to put an end to this fight.

"A Game of Mirrors. A World of Nightmares." When a group of high school friends hears about “The Reflection Game,” a supposed urban legend said to reveal one’s true destiny, they can’t resist the temptation to try it. The rules seem innocent enough: light a candle, stand in front of a mirror, and chant a mysterious incantation. What starts as a fun dare quickly turns into a nightmare when the mirror fractures, pulling them into a dark and twisted version of their reality. In this sinister mirror world, nothing is as it seems. Their reflections are no longer harmless—they’ve come to life, embodying their worst fears, regrets, and buried secrets. The friends soon realize the reflections are not just malevolent; they are determined to replace them in the real world. As they navigate this dangerous realm, the lines between reality and illusion blur, testing their sanity and relationships. Trapped in an escalating fight for survival, the group must unravel the mirror’s dark origins and uncover the truth about its curse. But every step forward reveals another horrifying revelation, and escaping may require them to sacrifice more than they’re willing to give. Will they outsmart their reflections, or will they lose themselves in the shadows forever? The Reflection Game is a gripping supernatural thriller that delves into the fragility of trust, the weight of secrets, and the consequences of crossing boundaries best left untouched. Filled with spine-chilling twists, heart-pounding suspense, and a touch of psychological horror, this tale will keep readers on the edge of their seats, questioning what’s real and what lurks beyond the mirror. In this distorted reality, every crack in the mirror reveals dark truths about their deepest fears and buried secrets. As the friends struggle to survive, they must confront it.

I have always had an almost pathological sense of paranoia. Ever since I was a child, I was convinced that the people around me were out to get me. Back in elementary school, when everyone was lining up for their student ID photos, I flatly refused to have mine taken. I insisted that the district office was going to use my picture for identity theft. The situation escalated so badly that the principal had to personally sit me down and spend half an hour trying to convince me otherwise. Then, there was the fingerprint registration system in middle school. The school required every student to submit their fingerprints to access the campus buildings. I was so terrified that someone would steal my biometric data that I literally rubbed the skin off all ten fingertips to make them unreadable. Even when my fingers were bleeding, I kept shouting that they were trying to steal my identity. I would rather climb over the school fence every day than cooperate. Every relative I had called me crazy. My parents were so fed up that they seriously considered having me admitted to a psychiatric hospital. I did not care. I guarded my privacy with obsessive determination, gritting my teeth and holding my ground all the way up to the eve of the final exams. Then came the day before the exam. That afternoon, our homeroom teacher, Tracy Collins, walked into the classroom carrying a metal lockbox. A warm, motherly smile spread across her face as she set it down on the desk. "Everyone," she said, "to make sure nobody forgets their documents tomorrow, I'd like you to hand over your IDs and exam admission slips for safekeeping tonight." She patted the lockbox reassuringly. "Tomorrow morning, I'll personally return them to each of you outside the testing center. This way, there's absolutely nothing that can go wrong." The class was deeply moved by her thoughtfulness. Some students even looked close to tears as they eagerly pulled out their documents and lined up to hand them over. Everyone except me. My hand clamped down over my pocket so tightly that my knuckles turned white. Cold sweat poured down my back. A sharp alarm bell was ringing in my head. Trying not to attract attention, I fished out a spare flip phone from my bag, ducked beneath my desk, and dialed emergency services. As soon as the call connected, I lowered my voice and spoke into the receiver. "Hello. I'd like to report a crime. My name is Charles. "I believe a teacher at St. Alden High is working with an identity-fraud ring and is planning a large-scale operation tonight involving examination fraud and identity theft."