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Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: Shadows in the Deep

The storm arrived unannounced, a ferocious gale that whipped through Lavender Shores with little warning. By the time Marco woke, the sky had turned a bruised gray, and the sound of rain lashed against the windows of his room at the inn.

Julian was waiting for him downstairs, leaning against the counter with a mug of coffee in hand. His expression was serious, but he flashed a quick smile when Marco entered.

"Morning," Julian said, his voice low.

"Barely," Marco replied, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Did you sleep at all?"

Julian shook his head. "Not much. The storm kept me up."

Marco poured himself a cup of coffee and joined him. "What's the damage?"

Julian gestured toward the window. "Haven't been out yet, but the tides are unusually high. Might want to check the shoreline when it's safe."

Marco nodded, already planning his next steps. The storm was inconvenient, but it might also provide clues. High tides often washed up debris that could offer insights into what was happening in the water.

As they stood in companionable silence, Hannah entered the room, her apron damp from an earlier trip outside.

"Looks like the storm's brought more than just rain," she said, her tone light but her expression wary.

Julian frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Something washed up near the cliffs," she said. "It's... strange. A few locals are already down there trying to figure out what it is."

Marco and Julian exchanged a glance. Without a word, they grabbed their jackets and headed out.

---

The wind was fierce as they made their way to the cliffs, rain pelting their faces. The path was slick with mud, and Marco had to focus on keeping his footing. When they reached the shoreline, a small crowd had gathered around a cluster of rocks, their murmured voices carried away by the wind.

"What is it?" Marco asked as they pushed their way through the group.

The sight that greeted him sent a chill down his spine.

A mass of tangled, blackened seaweed lay sprawled across the rocks, glistening with an oily sheen. But it wasn't the seaweed itself that made Marco's stomach churn—it was the unnatural glow emanating from within it, a faint, pulsing blue light that seemed to shift and shimmer like a living thing.

"What the hell is that?" Julian muttered, stepping closer.

Marco crouched beside the mass, careful not to touch it. "I don't know. But it looks similar to what I saw underwater yesterday."

He reached into his bag for a sampling jar, his hands steady despite the unease gnawing at him. Using a pair of tongs, he carefully collected a small piece of the glowing substance, sealing it in the jar before placing it back in his bag.

As he stood, one of the locals—a wiry fisherman with a weathered face—stepped forward. "This isn't the first time we've seen something like this," he said.

Marco's attention snapped to him. "What do you mean?"

The man hesitated, glancing around as if afraid to speak. "A few years back, after another big storm, something similar washed up. We didn't know what it was, and honestly, most of us didn't want to know. We just cleaned it up and pretended it didn't happen."

Marco exchanged a look with Julian. "Do you remember where it happened?"

The fisherman nodded. "Near the old cove, south of here. It's mostly abandoned now."

"Thanks," Marco said.

The man gave a curt nod and walked away, the rest of the crowd dispersing as the rain began to ease.

Julian turned to Marco. "What do you think?"

"I think we need to check out that cove," Marco said.

---

The storm had weakened by the time they reached the cove, the rain reduced to a fine mist. The place was desolate, the shoreline littered with jagged rocks and debris.

Marco scanned the area, his heart sinking as he spotted more patches of the strange glowing substance scattered across the sand.

"This is worse than I thought," he murmured.

Julian knelt beside one of the patches, his expression grim. "If this stuff is spreading, it could explain the coral bleaching. Maybe even more than that."

Marco nodded, his mind racing. "I need to get this analyzed as soon as possible. Whatever it is, it's not natural. And if it's toxic..."

Julian's jaw tightened. "Then we've got a bigger problem than dead coral."

They worked quickly, collecting samples and documenting their findings. The eerie glow of the substance made the entire scene feel surreal, like something out of a nightmare.

As they were finishing up, Julian paused, his gaze fixed on the water. "Do you see that?"

Marco followed his line of sight and felt his stomach drop.

A faint light shimmered beneath the surface, moving slowly but deliberately. It was the same pulsing blue as the substance they'd been collecting, but it was larger—much larger.

"It's the shadow," Marco said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Julian stepped closer to the edge of the water, his expression a mix of curiosity and caution. "What do you think it is?"

"I don't know," Marco admitted. "But I think it's watching us."

The words hung in the air, and for a moment, neither of them moved. Then, as suddenly as it appeared, the light vanished, leaving only the rippling surface of the water.

Julian turned to Marco, his expression serious. "Whatever this is, it's not just a scientific anomaly. There's something alive down there."

Marco nodded, his heart pounding. "And it's getting closer."