Haunted Waters

FIFTEEN

Nothing moved for a moment of sheer anticipation.

But then, her presence slithered across the air like a serpent nearing its prey. Lynn felt her throat clench in dread as her body remained still, unable to fight the shivers rolling up her spine when the monster shattered the silence with a shrill hiss.

The wall in front of her swayed slowly, and she was reminded of the hypnotizing waves that formed on the surface of the lake before another victim was claimed by its deathly dance. Out of her peripheral vision, she caught a glimpse of her own shadow moulding into something inhuman. It grew longer, sliding across the cold pavement and blending with the rocky wall until disappearing inside.

Her breath hitched. Something damp and gelid was caressing her skin, breathing on the back of her neck heavily. Her pounding heart tried to fight back, not ready to face the presence behind her yet refusing to let fear take up too much room within.

Suddenly, a shadow reappeared before her unblinking eyes. But it wasn't hers; it belonged to someone taller, skinnier — someone crouching over her shoulder.

Lynn spun around, only to freeze. Nothing but cackling spiders returned her wide stare.

Something grey like ash gripped her shoulder, making her jump and recoil quickly. Turning around, her shocked gaze clashed with a pair of coal-black eyes. A face was drawn on the stone, smirking maliciously at her growing fear with a lipless mouth. And then, a discordant voice spoke to her struggling mind.

"You came close, but this is as far as you get. You don't want a trip down memory lane?" The face stretched towards her, tilting as its black eyes surveyed her horror-struck expression. Shrill chuckles echoed in the air as it suddenly twisted, moulding into the familiar face of Caleb. "I say we take it, little sister."

Before the idea of running crossed her mind, a bloodied hand broke out of the wall and clasped around her neck. A silent cry was all she managed to emit before she was dragged into the stone, melting into the shadow of a demon.

—

White light attempted to blind her, and she closed her eyes as space and time were thrown together into an exhausted war that left her gasping. When her surroundings stopped shining with murderous intent, Lynn opened her eyes.

She wasn't in a cave anymore; the walls were of a pale-brown shade, the room vacant yet full of smoke. The smell of cigarettes was strong, making her nose scrunch up at its dreaded familiarity. She saw herself — a younger version; one just as scared — biting her nails, waiting in a dark hallway behind an open door.

Trepidation was quick to take over in her eyes, as Lynn immediately recognized the scene about to unfold. She opened her mouth to shout at her younger self that her plan wasn't going to work, but her lips were gone, replaced by a layer of unbreakable skin. Impotence started forming in her heart as realization washed over her — she was just a watcher, a witness in a tragedy she had already lived.

Her mother sat by the window with a casual expression that Lynn would've bought had her eyes not been glowing with anxiety. And then, she heard it.

Looming, loud and full of fury. His voice still managed to make her skin crawl, to freeze her body on the spot.

Her father strolled into the living room, bottle of rum in hand. "What is this?!"

Her mother flinched but kept her composure. "What do you mean? It's the rum you bought yesterday, darling." The fear in her voice was so evident, no matter her attempts to sound calm.

"Do you think I'm a fucking idiot?" he bellowed, stomping towards her and making her bolt up. "Were you really trying to drug me, bitch?! Why, so you could run away? You wouldn't last a second without me!"