The beach party was lively, filled with laughter, music, and the smell of salty sea air mingling with the sweetness of roasted marshmallows. Aurelia's white dress, adorned with subtle mermaid-themed accessories—scales embroidered at the hem and tiny seashell clips in her hair—caught more attention than she'd expected.
"Nice dress," Liam said with a crooked smile as he walked past, his compliment causing Aurelia's heart to skip a beat. For a brief moment, she forgot all about her mission, her cheeks warming under his gaze.
But then she saw her—Arielle. Her radiant red hair shimmered like fire under the glow of the setting sun, and her green eyes seemed to glow as she wandered along the shoreline, away from the group.
Aurelia snapped back to her purpose. This was her moment.
Quietly slipping away from the others, Aurelia followed Arielle at a distance. She watched as the girl walked gracefully along the beach, her bare feet barely leaving prints in the wet sand. But what caught Aurelia's attention the most was how Arielle seemed to avoid the water entirely.
Whenever a wave reached out toward the shore, Arielle danced back, keeping herself perfectly dry. She didn't splash in the tide pools like the others had earlier, nor did she let the water touch her skin.
*Suspicious,* Aurelia thought, narrowing her eyes. Her instincts were screaming now. She crouched behind a cluster of rocks, watching closely as Arielle continued her strange, deliberate path along the beach.
Aurelia felt a thrill of determination 'If she won't go into the water willingly, I'll have to find another way.'
She wasn't going to push her into the water, come on she's no murderer
She followed Arielle quietly, keeping her distance but close enough to see where she was heading. Her pulse quickened when she noticed Arielle climbing up a rocky alley—a part of the beach that was strictly off-limits due to its dangerous terrain. What was she doing there?
If anyone saw Arielle—or worse, both of them—they'd be in big trouble. Aurelia hesitated, debating whether to turn back or follow her. But her curiosity burned too brightly to ignore. She needed to know Arielle's secret, no matter the risk.
Steeling herself, Aurelia began climbing the rocks, careful not to lose her footing. The sharp edges bit into her palms, and the roaring waves below reminded her of how dangerous this was. The waters here were wild, crashing violently against the cliffs with a force that could easily drag someone under.
Her mother had once warned her about this place. "It may look like a pond from above " she had said," but it's a deep, treacherous pool. If you fall, there's no guarantee you'll come back."
When Aurelia finally reached the top, she looked around, her heart racing. Arielle was gone. It was as if she'd vanished into thin air.
" Arielle!" Aurelia called out, her voice barely carrying over the sound of the crashing waves. What if she'd fallen? What if she was drowning? Aurelia hesitated, wondering if she should go back for help or trust that Arielle knew what she was doing.
"Arielle!" she called again, stepping closer to the water.
That's when she saw it—something moving beneath the surface. It was fast, almost too fast for her to catch, but she didn't miss the glimmer of something green and sleek cutting through the waves.
Aurelia's breath hitched. "What was that?"
Her curiosity overpowered her fear. She leaned closer to the edge, peering into the dark water below. At first, there was nothing but the shifting surface, reflecting the moonlight. But then, out of nowhere, a green-skinned hand with sharp nails shot out of the water, grabbing her head with a grip like iron.
Aurelia barely had time to scream before she was yanked into the freezing depths. Her cry was muffled by the water, swallowed by the sea before it could reach anyone at the party.
The last thing she saw before the darkness closed in around her was the eerie glow of green eyes staring back at her through the water.