I ran as fast as I could away from the police who were chasing me, they were relentless today much faster and more committed than usual I knew I had no hope of getting back to my boat so I made a quick turn and headed down to the older outer part of town running as fast as I could down the cobblestones avoiding the market where I could I spotted a bridge so I jumped down hiding under the dark bridge beside the murky black water I hid for a moment gasping from my running I heard most of them run off out of town over the bridge but one I saw he stopped leaning over the bridge to try and look under, I hid myself more running further under the bridge and looked that if I ran down the river he wouldn't be able to catch me and I would be able to go back on myself to get home to my boat so I carefully stepped into the rushing water as quietly as I could trying to step on rocks I could see as to not slip I managed to get a little far almost convinced I had lost them for a while I saw a strange stick poking out from the deeper water, I knew I wouldn't ba able to stop myself from falling if I didn't have a grip on anything it looked strong so I took it holding it tightly as I moved but as I did something changed...

it gripped back.

like a skeletal hand grabbing my arm, I screamed in shock falling back into the water but it was still holding me and dragged me down below the water.

"Ohh thank goodness your awake..." a voice said as I began to wake up, I looked around as I sat up and found myself in a little gothic looking room I saw a woman facing away from me, all I could see was a long black dress and very very long hair, "I was getting worried about you" she smiled not even looking at me

"Uhhhh... where am I?" I asked her "who are you? How did I get here?" I asked

"My names Y/n" she smiled

"Uhh okay y/n I'm-" I began

"I know who you are lampwick" she interupted

"You do?" I asked

"Of course I do" she giggled

"where am I?" I asked

"The underworld" she answered

"The underworld! I'm dead!" I yelled

"Ohh no no... well sort of" she says "I brought you here"

"Okay.. why?" I asked very confused and a little alarmed she moved turning to face me, she was a course her skeleton showing in several places her black dress torn and dirty, she was in a wedding dress

"You took my hand," she smiled

"I know who you are... your the black bride? there's been ghost stories about you for as long as I remember" I told her "You drowned yourself in the west river when your husband ran off?"

"Not exactly" she says

"Then what?" I asked her

"My husband murdered me, he drowned me in the river, So I waited for someone to come and take my hand" she smiled "Its alright... I'll send you home I know it was a mistake"

"Y/n... I'll stay if you want me too" I told her

"You will?" she asked in shock

"Trust me I was like a week from getting arrested, murdered or starving to death... Id rather be here where I don't have to worry and with someone as lonely as me"