Chapter 3
Chrissy nearly tripped as she shoved her feet into her flip-flops, grabbing her still-brewing coffee before it had finished dripping into the pot. She didn't have time to wait—Nick and Maddie were already at the beach, and she didn't want to keep them waiting.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtN5C7XLGXx
By the time she reached the shore, the early morning mist was beginning to lift, revealing the endless stretch of ocean beyond. Maddie sat cross-legged on a beach towel, flipping through the pages of the old mermaid mythology book they'd found at the Book Nook. Nick stood nearby, tossing a rock into the waves.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3joNn2aSg
"Finally," Maddie teased as Chrissy dropped onto the sand. "We were about to send a search party."248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZ9R1FmOUl
Chrissy rolled her eyes, catching her breath. "Overslept." She reached for the book. "Anything interesting?"248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzO1E05NQnJ
Maddie's eyes gleamed. "More than interesting. Listen to this." She cleared her throat and read aloud:248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTS0ZU8xk5B
"There are whispers of a woman who emerged from the sea, enchanting all who crossed her path. Some say she was a lost soul seeking refuge. Others claim she was something more—something not meant to stay on land."248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpMgUT7e5Z
Chrissy shivered despite the warm breeze. "Sounds like the lighthouse story."248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaldPIBKWXT
Nick nodded. "The townspeople thought she was a mermaid. That's why they wanted the lighthouse keeper to give her up."248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLjkc8Ju86S
Maddie snapped the book shut. "And that means we need to go to the lighthouse."248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWi8dMnCABP
Chrissy hesitated, staring out toward the rocky cliffs where the lighthouse stood abandoned. It had always given her an eerie feeling, like it was watching, waiting. But something inside her stirred—a pull, a strange sense of belonging.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ40cFAewUOm
"We have to," she said, surprising even herself. "If there are answers, they're there."248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhFMy76kv7
Nick sighed. "I was afraid you'd say that."248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsSiUi61MD
The Lighthouse Exploration248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPb8ULSVCy
The hike up the cliffs was steep, the path overgrown from years of neglect. When they reached the lighthouse, its looming frame cast long shadows across the ground. The paint was peeling, the windows clouded with dust, and the heavy wooden door groaned in protest when Chrissy pushed it open.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9qijIFwdwd
Inside, the air was thick with the scent of salt and decay. Dust motes floated in the shafts of light filtering through the broken windows. The space was small—an old wooden table, a rusted stove, a bed pushed up against the far wall. Everything was left as if waiting for someone to return.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4vf2Nk7j2
"This place is straight-up haunted," Maddie whispered, running a hand along the peeling wallpaper.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5SWs347lRy
Chrissy's fingers trailed over the edge of the table when something caught her eye—a leather-bound book, nearly buried beneath dust. She reached for it and blew away the grime.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWu7ybyLBmM
"A Bible?" she murmured.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj4zRq6FFgt
Nick, who had been rummaging through a nearby cabinet, glanced over. "Weird place to leave it."248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fgg6RQ7Oe
Curious, Chrissy opened the cover. The pages were yellowed, the spine cracked from years of use. And then—something slipped from between the pages. A faded photograph fluttered to the floor.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpD0NlciLK
Nick bent down and picked it up. His expression shifted from confusion to shock as he turned the picture toward Chrissy.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkrD1eBaG9
"Uh... is this you?"248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoEIdU3fMjU
Chrissy frowned, reaching for it. But the moment she saw the image, her breath hitched.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2kerCsvzmQ
The woman in the photograph wasn't her. And yet... she could have been.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xgLdy7VqS
The resemblance was uncanny—the same wavy dark hair, the same sharp eyes. The woman's expression was soft, almost wistful. Around her neck hung a delicate necklace.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0SJEuL7rnS
Chrissy turned the photo over. Scribbled on the back, barely legible, were the letters: S & J.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ChepnAVKh
Maddie peered over her shoulder. "Who's 'S & J'?"248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Vlo1NhakJ
Chrissy didn't answer. Her heart pounded as she stared at the image, the lighthouse's eerie silence pressing in around them.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2BcXu9Mccu
She wasn't sure what she'd been hoping to find here. But this... this was something more.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbUQm8ZWRA
Something personal.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPl8EN2WQBS
Something unsettling.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCuG7oOfvl
And she had no idea what it meant. 248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqO5gKed85h
That night, back in her bedroom, Chrissy lay on her bed, the photograph held tight in her hands. She traced the woman's face with her thumb, searching for something—some clue, some explanation.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNH0RVkRMj5
Why did she look like her?248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1vIhByXDU
Why did she feel like the lighthouse was calling her?248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWkHG0xlJB
A shiver crawled down her spine. She glanced toward her window, the curtains rustling with the evening breeze. For a split second, the feeling from earlier crept back.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfDJwT6OyMS
Like someone was watching.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKswBudRmQy
She sat up quickly, heart pounding, and forced herself to look outside. Nothing. Just the trees swaying in the wind.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGDQbfY07IW
Still, she couldn't shake the unease.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjbxzXtWiE
Tomorrow, she'd tell Nick.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMsl7Bn1JJ
Maybe then, they'd figure out what this all meant.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUy8AeFSmFa
Chrissy tugged her hoodie tighter around herself as she walked barefoot down the narrow path leading to the beach. The morning air still clung to a crispness that hadn't yet burned off with the rising sun, and the damp sand felt cool beneath her feet. The ocean stretched out in front of her, endless and restless, but her mind wasn't on the waves today.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtW51PV2M8Z
She hadn't slept well. The photograph was still tucked safely in her bag, but its image was burned into her thoughts. The woman's face. The necklace. The resemblance. And the eerie sensation that had crept up her spine last night—the feeling of being watched.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhCk1uiQfT
Nick was already there when she arrived, standing near the water's edge, absently tossing small rocks into the surf.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlr7s7iJCXk
"Hey," she called, pulling her bag higher on her shoulder.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5CeYrp45p
Nick turned, giving her a once-over like he was checking for something. Weird.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqhUDChlWav
"Hey," he said. "You good?"248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT29v73QGxX
She hesitated. Should I even say anything? It was probably nothing. Just her mind playing tricks on her. But then again...248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJWzYEYTAq
"I don't know," she admitted. "Last night, I had this weird feeling. Like I was being watched."248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUZkC7KksV
That got his attention. He straightened, his easygoing expression shifting to something more serious. "Watched?"248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhnRiDB28GJ
Chrissy nodded. "I don't know how to explain it. It wasn't like I saw anyone, but it felt like someone was there. Just... watching me."248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyLTttDdqE
Nick's jaw tightened slightly, and his gaze flicked past her, scanning the area as if expecting to catch someone lurking in the dunes.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6KU2gMpKVF
"You see anything?" he asked, his voice quieter now.
"No. Just felt it."248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXd7tBQrzdl
Nick didn't answer right away. He looked out at the beach, then up toward the boardwalk, his brows drawn together. Finally, he muttered, "Probably nothing, but... you sure you were alone?"248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9cdRmSDmTn
Chrissy shrugged. "I mean, I think so."248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMffnhceJh
Nick exhaled sharply through his nose, then rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, if you ever get that feeling again, don't ignore it, okay?" His tone was casual, but the way his eyes kept darting around the beach told a different story.
Chrissy frowned. "You think someone was watching me?"248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHagHm975Jh
"I think it's better to be careful," he said, then glanced back toward the boardwalk one last time. "Come on. Maddie's probably waiting for us."248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDPqk1fTZ2r
As they started walking, Chrissy noticed how Nick's posture had shifted—more alert, more aware. He kept checking over his shoulder, subtly at first, then more obviously when he thought she wasn't looking.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLBjavqQmq3
Maybe she had imagined it.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9yTV8URNn
But if that was true... why did Nick look like he wasn't so sure?248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡomSktbQezM
and then Add to home screen.