Page 20 of Drenched

Kim spoke up, hesitant. “I grabbed one.”

Jonathan froze mid-step. His eyes darted between us, calculating. “Then we have what we need.” His voice steadied, a note of triumph creeping in. “We can leave. We’re done here.”

A faint spark of hope flared in my chest, fragile and fleeting. The thought of leaving, of stepping off this cursed island and never looking back, made me want to believe him. For the first time, it felt possible.

But the spark snuffed out as the door slammed open.

Tanya stood in the doorway, her coat soaked through, water dripping onto the floorboards. Her silver hair clung to her face,her eyes sharp as they swept over us. She stepped inside, the wood creaking under her boots.

“You’re not going anywhere,” she said flatly. Her gaze lingered on me, dropping to my neck. Her lips pressed into a hard line. “I warned you. I told you to stay out of the water.”

“We have the samples,” Jonathan blurted, his voice rising like volume alone could overpower her. “We’re leaving. You can’t stop us.”

Tanya let out a low, bitter laugh, more exhaustion than humor. “You think it’s that simple?” She shook her head. “You don’t understand what you’ve done. You trespassed into His territory. Now only He decides the verdict.”

Her eyes darkened. “The storm is just the beginning.”

Jonathan’s fists clenched, his body rigid. “This is ridiculous, “

“Ridiculous?” Tanya snapped, cutting him off. Her voice sharpened like a blade. “It’s more than ridiculous. It’s dangerous. Do you even see what’s happening?” She motioned toward the window, where the sky churned a sickly gray. “That rain out there, it’s only the beginning. There’s a storm coming, and it’s not like anything you’ve seen before.”

Kim frowned, her arms still clutched tightly around herself. “A storm? It’s just rain.”

Tanya’s expression darkened. “It hasn’t stormed here in decades, not since the last time someone disturbed the water. You think this is just rain? It’s a warning.”

Jonathan scoffed, shaking his head. “This is insane.”

“Is it?” Tanya’s frustration bled through. “You don’t hear the waves getting louder? The way the wind’s shifting? The Abyss doesn’t just let people go. He doesn’t forgive.”

Her words hit like a punch to the gut. The marks on my neck burned, and my stomach churned. I wanted to argue, to fight back, but fear held me silent.

Kim’s voice cracked. “What does he want?”

Tanya’s expression softened. “That’s not for me to say. You’ll know when it’s time.”

The silence that followed was suffocating. No one moved. No one spoke. Even Jonathan didn’t argue. Tanya turned and walked back outside, her boots leaving wet prints on the floorboards. Through the open door, I saw them.

The villagers.

They stood in the fog, motionless. Their faces were blank. The fishermen were at the front, yellow overalls stained and wet, ropes draped over their shoulders like they were waiting for orders. Spears hung loosely in their hands, tips dark with rust. The fog curled around their boots, clinging to them like it had been summoned.

Tanya stopped on the porch, her boots sinking into the damp wood. She looked back at us, her face devoid of any emotion. “Stay here. Don’t make it worse.” Her voice dropped, like she didn’t want us to hear the next part. “The Abyss always gets what he wants.”

Jonathan’s voice cracked as he stepped forward. “We’re leaving. And there’s nothing you or your fishing crew can do about it.”

Her gaze didn’t waver. “You’re not going anywhere.”

Jonathan scoffed. “Watch me.”

He brushed past her, his shoulder bumping hers hard. Tanya didn’t react. She didn’t need to. From the mist came the sound of footsteps, slow, heavy, deliberate.

The villagers stepped into view, one by one. Sebastian stood at the front now, shoulders tense, hands shoved into the pockets of his wet flannel. Water dripped from their boots, leaving dark patches on the wood.

Jonathan froze for half a second. Hesitation flickered in his eyes before he laughed, sharp and brittle. “This is your big plan? A couple of guys with spears and some ropes?”

No one answered.

Sebastian stepped forward, movements deliberate. He stopped in front of Jonathan, close enough to make him flinch. “You don’t leave until he lets you.”

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