Page 7 of Drenched

Opening the bag slung over her shoulder, she pulled out three jars. The algae inside glowed faintly, the light pulsing like a heartbeat. She placed them on the counter with deliberate care.

“These are what the Abyss has allowed us to take,” she told us, the warning clear in her voice. “Use them wisely. They will not last long.”

Kim stepped closer, fingers brushing the glass. “Thank you,” she murmured, her gaze fixed on the jars.

Tanya looked at her, then at the rest of us, pausing on Jonathan just a little longer. “The Abyss isn’t just water. It’s alive. It’s ancient. It doesn’t forget. It doesn’t forgive. Treat this as a gift, or you’ll regret it.”

Her focus lingered on Jonathan one last time before she turned and walked out.

The door closed with a soft thud, leaving silence behind. No one moved until Jaime finally spoke.

“She’s serious,” he said quietly. “She really believes this Abyss thing is alive.”

Jonathan scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Belief doesn't matter. What matters is whether these samples are good enough to get results.”

Kim frowned. “It does matter. They've survived for centuries by following these rules. Maybe we should listen.”

I didn't respond, my attention was entirely fixed on the jars. The algae's glow was mesmerizing, but there was something unsettling about it too. Reaching out, I brushed my fingers against the glass. A sharp, lingering chill spread through my hand, and I quickly pulled back, flexing my fingers.

“Let's get started,” I said, slipping on my gloves. “Jamie, run the centrifuge. Kim, take a sample and get it under the microscope.”

The lab shifted into motion, the quiet breaking as machines hummed and pens scraped against paper. Kim and Jaime moved quickly, their focus locked on the algae. Its glow faded as we studied it, dimming like a candle burning low.

Kim’s voice broke through the noise, tight with frustration. “It’s degrading too fast. The regenerative properties barely register.”

Jaime leaned over her shoulder, his jaw set. “These samples won’t last. We need fresh ones.”

I stared at the data streaming across my screen, the numbers mocking me. He wasn’t wrong. But what choice did we have? I pulled off my glasses and rubbed the bridge of my nose, the ache building behind my eyes.

“We work with what we’ve got,” I said, more to myself than anyone else.

Fresh samples. I knew we needed them. But I also knew where they were. Out there. In the dark waters where my parents had vanished twenty five years ago. Now it was my turn to face the same darkness ,and I wasn’t sure I’d come back.

Chapter Three

The night had swallowed the island by the time I left the lab. My head throbbed. My shoulders ached from hours hunched over data. Stepping outside the inn, the cold air bit into me.

I just wanted to clear my head. Maybe breathe for a minute. Then I saw her.

A young girl stood near a gnarled bush in the faint garden light. She couldn’t have been more than eleven or twelve. Her long hair hung limp, hiding most of her small frame.

What stopped me was how still she was. Not shivering. Not moving. Just waiting. Or maybe watching.

Slowing my pace, I felt my pulse quicken without any clear reason. Though her back was turned to me, I somehow knew she was aware of my presence. “Hey,” I called out, keeping my voice soft. “Are you okay?”

The girl's head tilted, not in response to me, but as if she were listening for some other sound. When she finally turned to face me, the light caught her eyes - wide and unblinking, locking onto me with an unsettling intensity.

“Do you live here?” I asked, my breath clouding the air while hers remained still and silent. Before she could answer, orbefore I could dwell too much on her lack of response, the sound of footsteps made me spin around.

Sebastian was approaching, looking tired but not particularly concerned. “There you are,” he said, addressing the girl. Glancing at me, he gave a quick, lopsided smile. “Sorry if she's bothering you. Pearl, this is my sister, Amanda.”

I wanted to laugh at the idea of this girl “bothering“ me, but Amanda's unblinking stare made the chuckle catch in my throat. Turning back to her, I tried to shake the strange weight that had settled in my chest. “Hi, Amanda. Nice to meet you.”

She didn't speak, just kept staring, her eyes now darker, as if the weak light had been swallowed whole. Forcing a smile, I attempted to fill the uncomfortable silence. “You're adorable, you know that?”

Amanda’s head tilted, her mouth pulling into a slight frown, like I’d said something wrong. No, not wrong, dangerous. Her gaze flicked to Sebastian, who looked just as lost as I felt.

“She’s not big on compliments,” Sebastian said, forcing a smile. He shrugged like this was normal. “Kids, right?”

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