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?"25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvkgipkTFN
Chrissy nodded. "It was just standing there... and then, when Nick tried to check it out, it was gone."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnCKo3oEBg
Nick crossed his arms. "Not just gone—like it never existed. No footprints. Nothing."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIaCIYj94G3
Maddie shivered despite the warmth of the sun. "Okay, that's creepy. But who would be following you? And why?"25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUITVAoEcu
Chrissy hesitated. "I don't know... but I think we need to go back to the lighthouse."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2DsYDwB0xH
Nick frowned. "Chrissy—"25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqjl1AT48o2
"I have to," she insisted. "There might be something else we missed."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydLpZVhtjz
Nick sighed. "Fine. But we're all going."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPjFjtYFPm
Maddie groaned. "Because that's not how horror movies start..."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyw3R8JkU3y
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzLzuZrCzNy
Inside, dust swirled in the light streaming through broken windows. Their footsteps echoed as they carefully made their way up the spiral staircase.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Z7j1oZKsR
Then—25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtae0rjpa3p
A noise. Rapid footsteps above them.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2c3gGQzdL9
Nick's head snapped up. "Did you hear that?"25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTNNx8HsQY
Maddie's eyes widened. "There's someone here."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTEkHaCxuoz
Before they could react, a shadowy figure darted up the stairs.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4kL4A7yGXI
Chrissy's heart pounded. "Who—?"25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4xnigfJOk
A clatter echoed down the steps as something slipped from the figure's grasp and hit the wooden floor.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hvTE1NCUE
Chrissy rushed forward. The object gleamed in the dim light.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWh8rfvYzYV
A necklace.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDnw1YbZdW
Her fingers trembled as she picked it up.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1aqfnuyAq3
Nick and Maddie leaned in, and a hush fell over the group as they realized what they were looking at.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7boSH2q9Gw
A locket.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgQ5Mzci1l
And inside—25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2XFedtCb5
A baby picture.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3Smj8A6Ww
Chrissy stared at the tiny, faded photo.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzyCnlg2Z8B
It was her.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDoUsxJdgO
⸻25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOsUpWnsqE2
The silence stretched before Nick finally spoke.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnD9IRNxwQ
"Chrissy... how is this possible?"25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4j01OYDMv
Chrissy shook her head, unable to answer.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8BbUgKt9Cr
Maddie looked up toward the stairs, but the figure was gone. Whoever they were, they'd wanted Chrissy to find this.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1JUVtY8n3W
Nick clenched his jaw. "We need to get out of here. Now."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmqVlCUUg03
⸻25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1fkH33Tw6z
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYmoH01ZRY3
None of it made sense.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkxlLx46sn
They reached her front porch, and just as Chrissy pulled out her key—25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRgeSPjJ5Ss
Nick froze.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLsnophRne
A shadow moved at the edge of the trees.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtIbUj9dMZ
He spun toward it. "Hey!"25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwI33IoDd8
But the figure vanished into the night.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dnbskctR3
And at their feet—25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZyjHdY9PPT
A journal.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSNgMFxo54n
Nick bent down cautiously. "This wasn't here before."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ8YijqxxFa
Chrissy swallowed, fingers brushing the worn leather cover. It felt old. Important.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJYFfoW6pDX
Then, something fluttered to the ground.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2nQQug6xn
A sticky note.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjStPv6k9Zf
Nick caught it before the wind could carry it away. His expression darkened as he read the hastily scribbled words:25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMw7zQwuJxs
"Be careful. Stop looking."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKSy9edtbNm
Chrissy felt her stomach drop.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0LMVJGbopi
Maddie leaned in. "Okay... that's creepy."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkP9dhGR6zG
Nick flipped open the journal, skimming the first page.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqm3MPTt2Rs
"I never should have gone with them that night. I knew it was wrong. But fear—fear makes you do things you regret."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHq0AfunxxU
"She ran. And I chased her. We all did."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvYkntlDKg3
"The necklace broke in the struggle. It landed at my feet."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CwKJ2Qft6
"I never let go of it."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwSILwGIxc
Chrissy's hands trembled. "Nick..."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBCfO54ktQ
He met her gaze.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3fo2HfErUI
"This... feels familiar."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbeyxxy8QI8
Short chapter but 6 will be longer. Enjoy! 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGre78ATKlV
#wattpad #magic #mermaids
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