The ocean breeze carried the salty air as Chrissy and Nick made their way down the beach to meet Maddie. The morning sun cast a golden glow over the waves, but Chrissy couldn't shake the eerie feeling from the night before.
"So let me get this straight," Maddie said once they filled her in. "You saw a shadowy figure watching you last night?"31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAzbs8cREq
Chrissy nodded. "It was just standing there... and then, when Nick tried to check it out, it was gone."31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFk2YwgGFW
Nick crossed his arms. "Not just gone—like it never existed. No footprints. Nothing."31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO4odoZLh8R
Maddie shivered despite the warmth of the sun. "Okay, that's creepy. But who would be following you? And why?"31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡixsTNFJcH7
Chrissy hesitated. "I don't know... but I think we need to go back to the lighthouse."31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmt7DIb7qsJ
Nick frowned. "Chrissy—"31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqyJuxLxXfc
"I have to," she insisted. "There might be something else we missed."31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYdiu11Ppso
Nick sighed. "Fine. But we're all going."31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9h3NknAyp
Maddie groaned. "Because that's not how horror movies start..."31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ620mxpapJa
Still, they made their way to the lighthouse, the abandoned structure looming against the sky. The closer Chrissy got, the stronger the pull became—like the lighthouse was calling her back.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpqlbb4xgA
Inside, dust swirled in the light streaming through broken windows. Their footsteps echoed as they carefully made their way up the spiral staircase.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4YVL8KLGu
Then—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOthgAPTEgD
A noise. Rapid footsteps above them.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1yMWzjt2j
Nick's head snapped up. "Did you hear that?"31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIf4Lh1kroE
Maddie's eyes widened. "There's someone here."31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyEO9haqjm
Before they could react, a shadowy figure darted up the stairs.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTilKlWWpm
Chrissy's heart pounded. "Who—?"31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRR7lCtM5gq
A clatter echoed down the steps as something slipped from the figure's grasp and hit the wooden floor.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡevzai26lhC
Chrissy rushed forward. The object gleamed in the dim light.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWanhkwctw
A necklace.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Tjp6ACKHG
Her fingers trembled as she picked it up.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6NqP8kOER
Nick and Maddie leaned in, and a hush fell over the group as they realized what they were looking at.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRd0WRKBOT
A locket.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1IJiFuNJx
And inside—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZSahTQ43p
A baby picture.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nBelFKrzs
Chrissy stared at the tiny, faded photo.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKjxGfYyuIM
It was her.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDZ4FPFJLO
⸻31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJFL8E9llT
The silence stretched before Nick finally spoke.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4vXcKjE62o
"Chrissy... how is this possible?"31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTewomV0G6u
Chrissy shook her head, unable to answer.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLo6iKwNzPi
Maddie looked up toward the stairs, but the figure was gone. Whoever they were, they'd wanted Chrissy to find this.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ13VSqkYqr
Nick clenched his jaw. "We need to get out of here. Now."31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoucb5zV7wS
⸻31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrnHSKlyfo
That night, as Nick walked Chrissy home, the weight of the day pressed down on them. The lighthouse. The shadowy figure. The necklace with her baby picture.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGoCHHJF81
None of it made sense.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡalcGzOXp3P
They reached her front porch, and just as Chrissy pulled out her key—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ48ZcYUX1Gq
Nick froze.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZqHsHupza
A shadow moved at the edge of the trees.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Feeq44SMn
He spun toward it. "Hey!"31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJkaIIZ6yEZ
But the figure vanished into the night.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf8UPJPSXgH
And at their feet—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdshEQNBUbr
A journal.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpp9R96yRzn
Nick bent down cautiously. "This wasn't here before."31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNMmB9w4nd
Chrissy swallowed, fingers brushing the worn leather cover. It felt old. Important.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWHeGsx1MC
Then, something fluttered to the ground.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMECyuQoXSA
A sticky note.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3pSlA8xgqC
Nick caught it before the wind could carry it away. His expression darkened as he read the hastily scribbled words:31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwhpBiolMnD
"Be careful. Stop looking."31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOoJSYx4Zkp
Chrissy felt her stomach drop.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqYwWw7qeS
Maddie leaned in. "Okay... that's creepy."31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1UXhMnSU7
Nick flipped open the journal, skimming the first page.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAvQUtj6sR
"I never should have gone with them that night. I knew it was wrong. But fear—fear makes you do things you regret."31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYkEVz0cm4
"She ran. And I chased her. We all did."31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSpeC4uuabC
"The necklace broke in the struggle. It landed at my feet."31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYkV4CxAT1
"I never let go of it."31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGN33S2cNJ
Chrissy's hands trembled. "Nick..."31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj4N0856XN4
He met her gaze.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Cz8u3knpH
"This... feels familiar."31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEOl7lzihg
Short chapter but 6 will be longer. Enjoy! 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWdI7Kqqbc
#wattpad #magic #mermaids
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