Chapter 3

*trigger warning also i apologize that they may not be as long as others you may have seen but I'm keeping them to my original writing format as of my Wattpad account for the time being*

Mentions of childhood trauma and seeing things in shadows

Lillina

Did live men petrify she wondered as the now cold body lay next to her. It is as she carefully rolls over and checks for a pulse that she realises that he is not stone but completely made of ice. She wondered how it had happened she had been completely warm next to her much older brother. The young child felt nothing strange had happed at first, I mean why would she when she had been sheltered by her loving brother. They had travelled at lot and she did not have any parents, but she liked the change and she had her brother so why would she need anything else.

Soon the small girl screams at the realization that it could have been no others fault but her own. Her hands themselves felt like ice and the handprint that lay on her brother's frozen neck was matched to her left hand right to the strange kink she had always had in her pinkie finger. How had this happened, she loved her brother so why did she hurt him like this. Her brother had taught her how to feel for pulse and when she tried to feel for his she felt nothing. Tears leaked from her eyes how could it be that the only person that had ever cared for her was gone.

The small child rocked back and forth her vision not all there and blurry. she had ended up on the roof somehow though she knew not of how she had gotten there. Her screams against the wind apologized with hope whatever was out there would forgive her. Her screamed became louder in the night drowning the faint sounds of crashing waves beneath her. She is only young just six years old the morning before they had been celebrating her birthday. Lillina did not understand what had happened just that her brother was gone, and it was her fault.

Her loud screams seemed to rock the cabin and soon the roof had collapsed beneath her throwing her fragile body to the floor. And as the child fell her landing was cushioned by cold water. Lillina did not know how to swim but this water seemed to carry her. Though the waves crashed violently around her they never downed her. The child she was cold and scared but the waves they did their best to protect her. To lead her to safety. To hug her small body and caress her long hair.

Addie

"you've got to be kidding me," Ethan just chuckled while his newest ex pulled her hair and swore under her breath. Ethan was an ass Addie knew that, but she was desperate for money and he was the richest boy in town. Addie hated to admit that when he had asked her out it was not because of the money that caused her to say yes but the fact that he was the only person to ever pay attention to her. The fact that he provided for her was the only reason that she stayed when he asked for an open relationship.

Now that they were broken up Addie would have to find a more stable job and an apartment before she became homeless and that hurt her more than the fact that she had just lost her boyfriend. The relationship was toxic, but it had benefits and Addie was young and did not know what else to do. On top of a new turn of events, Addie was starting to think she was going crazy seeing the shadow of her boyfriend shift and move behind him. Cackling and sneering. Along with the sickening feeling, she felt whenever she was around him now. She could smell the danger coming from him.

Ethan got into his car with a huff as Addie once again curled into herself around him. He knew he had never loved the girl, but she had been fun to play around with. Leaving her on the curb was a dick move and it seemed to satisfy his cold heart to see the pitiful little thing cry. Gold digger he spat. Addie on the other hand was not crying because he was gone but because it was beginning to get dark and the shadows were creeping closer. They licked gently at her skin.

Addie screamed as they crawled up her arms. They started to whisper. Their voices rising as they suffocated her. Took the air from her lungs. Ghosts do not exist, but darkness does. Shadows do. Six days ago, when she walked into one of Ethan's many escapades is when it started. The shadows had crawled silently from under the bed. They slapped her skin. Punished her until she left the room with a scream a deafening scream. Addie hated herself for staying, for walking in that room. And she hated herself now for taking a deep breath and allowing the shadows to take her into their darkness.

The darkness was thick and cold. It swayed as it caressed her skin ever so gently. And the darkness it took her in as she sunk. Whispers softly. The sweetest lullaby that Addie had ever heard. But the waves of darkness they would never let her drown. The waves that carry the vulnerable so safety. The darkness, the swaying waves they will only lead her as she is one of six strangers forced to meet by fate.