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?"184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMuawa5lkX
Chrissy nodded. "It was just standing there... and then, when Nick tried to check it out, it was gone."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡof8gmgBaIK
Nick crossed his arms. "Not just gone—like it never existed. No footprints. Nothing."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Ug4dftqWy
Maddie shivered despite the warmth of the sun. "Okay, that's creepy. But who would be following you? And why?"184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyexzQ3ntX
Chrissy hesitated. "I don't know... but I think we need to go back to the lighthouse."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWI8nGb9f4O
Nick frowned. "Chrissy—"184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ2zYFH3SHE
"I have to," she insisted. "There might be something else we missed."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCfAJZQ3PvT
Nick sighed. "Fine. But we're all going."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7U7MKmsP1W
Maddie groaned. "Because that's not how horror movies start..."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ74OHmPZT5K
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.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTyPJZcGh1
Inside, dust swirled in the light streaming through broken windows. Their footsteps echoed as they carefully made their way up the spiral staircase.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0CHT5ofZ1
Then—184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyAx0svOcjq
A noise. Rapid footsteps above them.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ61EP4GJNwk
Nick's head snapped up. "Did you hear that?"184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEd6qqvHcAD
Maddie's eyes widened. "There's someone here."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhP3rxKk9C
Before they could react, a shadowy figure darted up the stairs.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZx3nA8JUR
Chrissy's heart pounded. "Who—?"184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJL3wIshFqd
A clatter echoed down the steps as something slipped from the figure's grasp and hit the wooden floor.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtlrmbJWlCt
Chrissy rushed forward. The object gleamed in the dim light.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY2qcyHVGBv
A necklace.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY2uk1EQS7w
Her fingers trembled as she picked it up.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMbt41rr3LW
Nick and Maddie leaned in, and a hush fell over the group as they realized what they were looking at.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGstBvOYVL
A locket.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNtjXktdh5
And inside—184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZF2urRNsJ
A baby picture.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ZEsNlZliS
Chrissy stared at the tiny, faded photo.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡztXflBSIs9
It was her.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdXZTs26qi
⸻184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvlw2GPfAZp
The silence stretched before Nick finally spoke.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHDOtqJyoW
"Chrissy... how is this possible?"184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLli4gojz9
Chrissy shook her head, unable to answer.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfviif8erV
Maddie looked up toward the stairs, but the figure was gone. Whoever they were, they'd wanted Chrissy to find this.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhDyftjG1b
Nick clenched his jaw. "We need to get out of here. Now."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJx8bUjLgY
⸻184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7bXqlMOK6
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.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZfntskpIR
None of it made sense.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1y7EHM4pcx
They reached her front porch, and just as Chrissy pulled out her key—184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVFlEmVJuD
Nick froze.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQljFJdXtvD
A shadow moved at the edge of the trees.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzSY8Bx7yp
He spun toward it. "Hey!"184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedwB22Tjzq
But the figure vanished into the night.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9JeYavsAE
And at their feet—184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI2lF9UxOJP
A journal.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4oFYNJw2k2
Nick bent down cautiously. "This wasn't here before."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwbtZCaArXX
Chrissy swallowed, fingers brushing the worn leather cover. It felt old. Important.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL5zIKLRWzG
Then, something fluttered to the ground.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqjJb1nbtE
A sticky note.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZzL8HqND5
Nick caught it before the wind could carry it away. His expression darkened as he read the hastily scribbled words:184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1mRbvPxd8
"Be careful. Stop looking."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60yxnFT4AQ
Chrissy felt her stomach drop.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9uyRFg8ZB
Maddie leaned in. "Okay... that's creepy."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDmtRNUxZg
Nick flipped open the journal, skimming the first page.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekUqiqK8rP
"I never should have gone with them that night. I knew it was wrong. But fear—fear makes you do things you regret."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozi6u1QeJF
"She ran. And I chased her. We all did."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4z9VhvkGZ
"The necklace broke in the struggle. It landed at my feet."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmn250rK7D4
"I never let go of it."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnf0NZzRXxg
Chrissy's hands trembled. "Nick..."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpqve7L6uQ
He met her gaze.184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdi6Mw120M
"This... feels familiar."184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqCF2nfUFM
Short chapter but 6 will be longer. Enjoy! 184Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7es45cQyji
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