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?"71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡER86tfw9wT
Chrissy nodded. "It was just standing there... and then, when Nick tried to check it out, it was gone."71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6EyW2ogJ0
Nick crossed his arms. "Not just gone—like it never existed. No footprints. Nothing."71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVrCshmkUj
Maddie shivered despite the warmth of the sun. "Okay, that's creepy. But who would be following you? And why?"71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZeYz7wDje
Chrissy hesitated. "I don't know... but I think we need to go back to the lighthouse."71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSNIXGDzkZU
Nick frowned. "Chrissy—"71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqX3DQWM1NI
"I have to," she insisted. "There might be something else we missed."71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkiFsEUxng5
Nick sighed. "Fine. But we're all going."71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡijkH1sCd15
Maddie groaned. "Because that's not how horror movies start..."71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ySkbMi7DZ
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.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQ4xYP7pHI
Inside, dust swirled in the light streaming through broken windows. Their footsteps echoed as they carefully made their way up the spiral staircase.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz7fJZpuNzR
Then—71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9T5LCdRga0
A noise. Rapid footsteps above them.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZeTZMeqPA
Nick's head snapped up. "Did you hear that?"71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gXgKkdp8U
Maddie's eyes widened. "There's someone here."71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlOIFT15uF
Before they could react, a shadowy figure darted up the stairs.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SR9ajjeMX
Chrissy's heart pounded. "Who—?"71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVsl1VYTHx
A clatter echoed down the steps as something slipped from the figure's grasp and hit the wooden floor.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqY6TYHcxt
Chrissy rushed forward. The object gleamed in the dim light.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXpyia1ThZ
A necklace.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡENjvXtN2VX
Her fingers trembled as she picked it up.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFrMzRBkRDP
Nick and Maddie leaned in, and a hush fell over the group as they realized what they were looking at.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6QHNZZ5CR
A locket.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4EPn6cxl3
And inside—71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawQGt5cw4C
A baby picture.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLF22O4Vemz
Chrissy stared at the tiny, faded photo.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVxRocBhtGs
It was her.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKP7j2fgsQh
⸻71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57CXipCeNU
The silence stretched before Nick finally spoke.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB5bBWlKaOn
"Chrissy... how is this possible?"71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJL2mXoDpC
Chrissy shook her head, unable to answer.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjvaTilbQR
Maddie looked up toward the stairs, but the figure was gone. Whoever they were, they'd wanted Chrissy to find this.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRAo7JUYXj
Nick clenched his jaw. "We need to get out of here. Now."71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7BmRH6c4d
⸻71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsRNM5EghP
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.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz70WfqQSzX
None of it made sense.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUHQ6ThQHZ
They reached her front porch, and just as Chrissy pulled out her key—71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLTJ5fLCIjD
Nick froze.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRdwnzNXV0
A shadow moved at the edge of the trees.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05sdoIv9KL
He spun toward it. "Hey!"71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyurwn0mTU4
But the figure vanished into the night.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jqaPDmhtK
And at their feet—71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpk9SVvuHfJ
A journal.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmHDKAUmBn
Nick bent down cautiously. "This wasn't here before."71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXyeT2zYCRn
Chrissy swallowed, fingers brushing the worn leather cover. It felt old. Important.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhY7OnagukA
Then, something fluttered to the ground.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz7KtCl9l7h
A sticky note.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mPGSGSBqH
Nick caught it before the wind could carry it away. His expression darkened as he read the hastily scribbled words:71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡspG7dNmVyR
"Be careful. Stop looking."71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41nS7ptTel
Chrissy felt her stomach drop.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkXBZwhISn7
Maddie leaned in. "Okay... that's creepy."71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkl2OWL9wHD
Nick flipped open the journal, skimming the first page.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf87U7laoOy
"I never should have gone with them that night. I knew it was wrong. But fear—fear makes you do things you regret."71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIoQLShw0Jb
"She ran. And I chased her. We all did."71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeHHsCrKrz4
"The necklace broke in the struggle. It landed at my feet."71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVdJmZjfbZ
"I never let go of it."71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTkJvTgTc6Z
Chrissy's hands trembled. "Nick..."71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXvo5uSs2n
He met her gaze.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnWwr0jOsv
"This... feels familiar."71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsS3qRd13ls
Short chapter but 6 will be longer. Enjoy! 71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtooEyzjHL
#wattpad #magic #mermaids
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