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?"192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsTvbmXF1w
Chrissy nodded. "It was just standing there... and then, when Nick tried to check it out, it was gone."192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2BwL8qcqFe
Nick crossed his arms. "Not just gone—like it never existed. No footprints. Nothing."192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xUpfQaeZw
Maddie shivered despite the warmth of the sun. "Okay, that's creepy. But who would be following you? And why?"192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡykIkPWvBin
Chrissy hesitated. "I don't know... but I think we need to go back to the lighthouse."192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81csS7j7gb
Nick frowned. "Chrissy—"192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5kQX3RGDZ4
"I have to," she insisted. "There might be something else we missed."192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoY4TAe6PMF
Nick sighed. "Fine. But we're all going."192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcKXgTJGq4W
Maddie groaned. "Because that's not how horror movies start..."192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ulifwmywk
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.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjH8iyZDFp
Inside, dust swirled in the light streaming through broken windows. Their footsteps echoed as they carefully made their way up the spiral staircase.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRa2xV5VK86
Then—192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqcu1ck8jK
A noise. Rapid footsteps above them.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncDxyqLAhk
Nick's head snapped up. "Did you hear that?"192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrgEDSNRWdX
Maddie's eyes widened. "There's someone here."192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrC936M5Fkn
Before they could react, a shadowy figure darted up the stairs.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHmEOuEoiN
Chrissy's heart pounded. "Who—?"192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2uUPnmL6a
A clatter echoed down the steps as something slipped from the figure's grasp and hit the wooden floor.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPr9aKshlrF
Chrissy rushed forward. The object gleamed in the dim light.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrKRTq3BO0
A necklace.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqXWq6wacW
Her fingers trembled as she picked it up.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4rnIClU8SY
Nick and Maddie leaned in, and a hush fell over the group as they realized what they were looking at.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0FldH0EHLR
A locket.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzsUlnYh0U
And inside—192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVB8QkBo920
A baby picture.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3uIoCi2t0y
Chrissy stared at the tiny, faded photo.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLzQhfQ5Ac
It was her.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUJhgIDmYF
⸻192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVdjxATo8e
The silence stretched before Nick finally spoke.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ27ZzuJC4IL
"Chrissy... how is this possible?"192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6Vc1EV8rV
Chrissy shook her head, unable to answer.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu2vQ0mVZBc
Maddie looked up toward the stairs, but the figure was gone. Whoever they were, they'd wanted Chrissy to find this.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHj48MIc22
Nick clenched his jaw. "We need to get out of here. Now."192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8GNUbEgwKQ
⸻192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3Tl9KsGWa
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.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnd6XO1GQP
None of it made sense.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3L8sa50gg
They reached her front porch, and just as Chrissy pulled out her key—192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7mBXFhnxl
Nick froze.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8buvgvOLXO
A shadow moved at the edge of the trees.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZzklnfuLtW
He spun toward it. "Hey!"192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5roK9ooDB
But the figure vanished into the night.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1JapwtNbgy
And at their feet—192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn8DmNHTib3
A journal.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqCDgqcOkKg
Nick bent down cautiously. "This wasn't here before."192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEGG0rhc3d
Chrissy swallowed, fingers brushing the worn leather cover. It felt old. Important.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG5q47miHL2
Then, something fluttered to the ground.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VQxHxvVje
A sticky note.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB0ivD4lvRe
Nick caught it before the wind could carry it away. His expression darkened as he read the hastily scribbled words:192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡciKZPOsFtw
"Be careful. Stop looking."192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlKs732m3x
Chrissy felt her stomach drop.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jjfrj8cgN
Maddie leaned in. "Okay... that's creepy."192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcOGI6JZCde
Nick flipped open the journal, skimming the first page.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMiUpQ0DHCN
"I never should have gone with them that night. I knew it was wrong. But fear—fear makes you do things you regret."192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ58oZ6Zn9qe
"She ran. And I chased her. We all did."192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOgksE5Cteo
"The necklace broke in the struggle. It landed at my feet."192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3qKYQdymU
"I never let go of it."192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYSNe5Gdqjf
Chrissy's hands trembled. "Nick..."192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RQIfkEXK2
He met her gaze.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ507NVKya23
"This... feels familiar."192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNLnFBRUak
Short chapter but 6 will be longer. Enjoy! 192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYITreaM8CK
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