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?"30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuNyloNtL4
Chrissy nodded. "It was just standing there... and then, when Nick tried to check it out, it was gone."30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ72Fuk7IoUq
Nick crossed his arms. "Not just gone—like it never existed. No footprints. Nothing."30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYE2jT4imec
Maddie shivered despite the warmth of the sun. "Okay, that's creepy. But who would be following you? And why?"30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5vBRVybOq7
Chrissy hesitated. "I don't know... but I think we need to go back to the lighthouse."30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVszRsc9zX
Nick frowned. "Chrissy—"30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpQQzdf04C
"I have to," she insisted. "There might be something else we missed."30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTv5XLTMN5
Nick sighed. "Fine. But we're all going."30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVYD246fP2
Maddie groaned. "Because that's not how horror movies start..."30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡArYnWIixyf
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.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxVHBc4dsd
Inside, dust swirled in the light streaming through broken windows. Their footsteps echoed as they carefully made their way up the spiral staircase.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiRgaKVA1Ch
Then—30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfwiByAIh3
A noise. Rapid footsteps above them.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4w2La7BGg
Nick's head snapped up. "Did you hear that?"30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBb7fclvEVZ
Maddie's eyes widened. "There's someone here."30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwb0aSSa51c
Before they could react, a shadowy figure darted up the stairs.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGlK8NofZX
Chrissy's heart pounded. "Who—?"30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHTFMvpdJ5l
A clatter echoed down the steps as something slipped from the figure's grasp and hit the wooden floor.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkW0l17F1Su
Chrissy rushed forward. The object gleamed in the dim light.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCCnRRdoJuA
A necklace.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWLpqNfAvW5
Her fingers trembled as she picked it up.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9XYZqeDLZu
Nick and Maddie leaned in, and a hush fell over the group as they realized what they were looking at.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVjzUeguDT
A locket.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXRWq2GdF8E
And inside—30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU6S0DUngXg
A baby picture.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FYUEXRL9A
Chrissy stared at the tiny, faded photo.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQO3VaWRh3a
It was her.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuxnYfJim1N
⸻30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMwG19j3s7k
The silence stretched before Nick finally spoke.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHU4S20ttbR
"Chrissy... how is this possible?"30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUnAgCv7CKc
Chrissy shook her head, unable to answer.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPAcHkBusLG
Maddie looked up toward the stairs, but the figure was gone. Whoever they were, they'd wanted Chrissy to find this.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBHUXmHvZP9
Nick clenched his jaw. "We need to get out of here. Now."30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKGSDOMgWrt
⸻30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFn4IZGcj54
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.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDyiXxM1RL
None of it made sense.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIs42GOCZGO
They reached her front porch, and just as Chrissy pulled out her key—30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLfxMucFHf
Nick froze.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡem1PHTAGAG
A shadow moved at the edge of the trees.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHoTqEJz0t
He spun toward it. "Hey!"30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTxGzcAn0R
But the figure vanished into the night.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYhIn5O251
And at their feet—30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiLsKd1RwSi
A journal.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRuBKTZkUuq
Nick bent down cautiously. "This wasn't here before."30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡptJaftjQzq
Chrissy swallowed, fingers brushing the worn leather cover. It felt old. Important.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtBhK7bKo8
Then, something fluttered to the ground.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUGkjSyVFb
A sticky note.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1YG8oyPRYF
Nick caught it before the wind could carry it away. His expression darkened as he read the hastily scribbled words:30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrdhwVqITW
"Be careful. Stop looking."30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLUeEz5wwp
Chrissy felt her stomach drop.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUMXKKj3th
Maddie leaned in. "Okay... that's creepy."30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYe2iyoeH5S
Nick flipped open the journal, skimming the first page.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Gn0fPberK
"I never should have gone with them that night. I knew it was wrong. But fear—fear makes you do things you regret."30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNW9avomKl9
"She ran. And I chased her. We all did."30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1g9AAi4xQu
"The necklace broke in the struggle. It landed at my feet."30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeHTFp1Eduq
"I never let go of it."30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNNkJJX9Cm7
Chrissy's hands trembled. "Nick..."30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6WajphWB0
He met her gaze.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5UuKHqGP4t
"This... feels familiar."30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡevY5NzIPld
Short chapter but 6 will be longer. Enjoy! 30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡof24DfgLXU
#wattpad #magic #mermaids
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