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?"199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEX6GgfmeF6
Chrissy nodded. "It was just standing there... and then, when Nick tried to check it out, it was gone."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQOLnav3CG
Nick crossed his arms. "Not just gone—like it never existed. No footprints. Nothing."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdwSHrbCP6P
Maddie shivered despite the warmth of the sun. "Okay, that's creepy. But who would be following you? And why?"199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4XDZC6pSG
Chrissy hesitated. "I don't know... but I think we need to go back to the lighthouse."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUHomelI4sL
Nick frowned. "Chrissy—"199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrlpFxzHJN
"I have to," she insisted. "There might be something else we missed."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4CT9DItTB
Nick sighed. "Fine. But we're all going."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6FEnbFaxvK
Maddie groaned. "Because that's not how horror movies start..."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbCBstaQpf
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.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZ80MdJK15
Inside, dust swirled in the light streaming through broken windows. Their footsteps echoed as they carefully made their way up the spiral staircase.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7XMcVHZ0lM
Then—199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqXkzqI7XS
A noise. Rapid footsteps above them.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4Ski4ydHw
Nick's head snapped up. "Did you hear that?"199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLq72l0zPr
Maddie's eyes widened. "There's someone here."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa5Zdo8qvh3
Before they could react, a shadowy figure darted up the stairs.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXNrnCpFosZ
Chrissy's heart pounded. "Who—?"199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUlGb0mLd02
A clatter echoed down the steps as something slipped from the figure's grasp and hit the wooden floor.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrzKL3Js4Ov
Chrissy rushed forward. The object gleamed in the dim light.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvspvXv16z
A necklace.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY4o85MNaZV
Her fingers trembled as she picked it up.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkZBdGL96S
Nick and Maddie leaned in, and a hush fell over the group as they realized what they were looking at.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66P1hBo2BT
A locket.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1m0RFN0IFH
And inside—199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOrr0HAItg
A baby picture.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzxg8m6L98
Chrissy stared at the tiny, faded photo.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAsEcENbyX
It was her.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3BbxXfjpms
⸻199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjMYztnmyO
The silence stretched before Nick finally spoke.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobxNe9Dlsr
"Chrissy... how is this possible?"199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHeReubycbS
Chrissy shook her head, unable to answer.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nXgJjUAvi
Maddie looked up toward the stairs, but the figure was gone. Whoever they were, they'd wanted Chrissy to find this.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mSyXEK7p6
Nick clenched his jaw. "We need to get out of here. Now."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP50gM9dPtp
⸻199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOu9e9SKJJ0
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.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4gfK2tvfbI
None of it made sense.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwqTPFkhO0
They reached her front porch, and just as Chrissy pulled out her key—199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJAu86Rbcuc
Nick froze.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAe5kyD6pM
A shadow moved at the edge of the trees.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBIywpmCkE
He spun toward it. "Hey!"199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYadGR8YWI2
But the figure vanished into the night.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTYRrCHUuh
And at their feet—199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJkQcVaimpD
A journal.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1JHRA66Cm
Nick bent down cautiously. "This wasn't here before."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8l2YoMisSI
Chrissy swallowed, fingers brushing the worn leather cover. It felt old. Important.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡglJVNQMNpj
Then, something fluttered to the ground.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJCx8wYHrO
A sticky note.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMR6aB5lcP5
Nick caught it before the wind could carry it away. His expression darkened as he read the hastily scribbled words:199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ObSRMnM00
"Be careful. Stop looking."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5l0RJkL3vK
Chrissy felt her stomach drop.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57oWKdnWcy
Maddie leaned in. "Okay... that's creepy."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG7QHjVUdlF
Nick flipped open the journal, skimming the first page.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUFTA4mK17
"I never should have gone with them that night. I knew it was wrong. But fear—fear makes you do things you regret."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20pOjcBbmC
"She ran. And I chased her. We all did."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuukHAWoQ2
"The necklace broke in the struggle. It landed at my feet."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQEzzYzwkMh
"I never let go of it."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtP0vUnM5C
Chrissy's hands trembled. "Nick..."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5G7j47EWA
He met her gaze.199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXSwnGpoCZ
"This... feels familiar."199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu8EUcx1wZ8
Short chapter but 6 will be longer. Enjoy! 199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDFeyqSHiI
#wattpad #magic #mermaids
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