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?"79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnD1FVN5J70
Chrissy nodded. "It was just standing there... and then, when Nick tried to check it out, it was gone."79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7nt6aKvWJC
Nick crossed his arms. "Not just gone—like it never existed. No footprints. Nothing."79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrqI9s4fjGi
Maddie shivered despite the warmth of the sun. "Okay, that's creepy. But who would be following you? And why?"79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4720NLuUod
Chrissy hesitated. "I don't know... but I think we need to go back to the lighthouse."79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJdYlBw22o
Nick frowned. "Chrissy—"79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEWJNFawy5E
"I have to," she insisted. "There might be something else we missed."79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3BSnyIx1H5
Nick sighed. "Fine. But we're all going."79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymPXxM1z3h
Maddie groaned. "Because that's not how horror movies start..."79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bjIsyO3vm
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.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavPfJOx8wv
Inside, dust swirled in the light streaming through broken windows. Their footsteps echoed as they carefully made their way up the spiral staircase.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamPqnnCz84
Then—79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51N0C1sjEr
A noise. Rapid footsteps above them.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJgTBfIqv7
Nick's head snapped up. "Did you hear that?"79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04e37Gl6OT
Maddie's eyes widened. "There's someone here."79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPjAmNKccp
Before they could react, a shadowy figure darted up the stairs.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPjDOprpyf
Chrissy's heart pounded. "Who—?"79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oHLBfgSPW
A clatter echoed down the steps as something slipped from the figure's grasp and hit the wooden floor.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltOpFbMrJ2
Chrissy rushed forward. The object gleamed in the dim light.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡksxjK68hCX
A necklace.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7GBnRNopx
Her fingers trembled as she picked it up.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYerqHutkwe
Nick and Maddie leaned in, and a hush fell over the group as they realized what they were looking at.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpfs9F8GIH
A locket.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhjvHCNSFR
And inside—79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0X5ycMo5Q0
A baby picture.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQUgFKzqqkT
Chrissy stared at the tiny, faded photo.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBxB8jmhk7F
It was her.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5SCoIe9pz
⸻79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Yhnq5i6Jo
The silence stretched before Nick finally spoke.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxZQ1hl68f
"Chrissy... how is this possible?"79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0CvtUmptH
Chrissy shook her head, unable to answer.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKs2klNa6BB
Maddie looked up toward the stairs, but the figure was gone. Whoever they were, they'd wanted Chrissy to find this.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpW35Pk6Nn
Nick clenched his jaw. "We need to get out of here. Now."79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6RxpPOaqEW
⸻79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRbLQG1u0rX
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.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKzVfOGlIRh
None of it made sense.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpknuBEctW
They reached her front porch, and just as Chrissy pulled out her key—79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCuxiEBNX3
Nick froze.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJlC8zmYj5
A shadow moved at the edge of the trees.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZUpZAWcZn
He spun toward it. "Hey!"79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp56QKRrxYJ
But the figure vanished into the night.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡql2D1ZM71J
And at their feet—79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqnmswfu5Ie
A journal.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOl767SDakr
Nick bent down cautiously. "This wasn't here before."79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjm5eBlxhp4
Chrissy swallowed, fingers brushing the worn leather cover. It felt old. Important.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVzrtnUXqHg
Then, something fluttered to the ground.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4we3EczDQ5
A sticky note.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgen9isYqz
Nick caught it before the wind could carry it away. His expression darkened as he read the hastily scribbled words:79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqay8gDYcl
"Be careful. Stop looking."79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ono9CUaF9
Chrissy felt her stomach drop.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpincbsxm9b
Maddie leaned in. "Okay... that's creepy."79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIAixugFOv3
Nick flipped open the journal, skimming the first page.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhItRQBzVjU
"I never should have gone with them that night. I knew it was wrong. But fear—fear makes you do things you regret."79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMpMawsaHZ
"She ran. And I chased her. We all did."79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtunC1Vxs4b
"The necklace broke in the struggle. It landed at my feet."79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjx20CUBub
"I never let go of it."79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLcmi1ePeK
Chrissy's hands trembled. "Nick..."79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIba35w7mkm
He met her gaze.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2rcL26DIUt
"This... feels familiar."79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSAexjaHW4
Short chapter but 6 will be longer. Enjoy! 79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxaGZhNTqJu
#wattpad #magic #mermaids
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