The ocean was unusually calm that night.
The waves rolled gently toward the shore, glowing beneath the silver light of the full moon. Above them, thousands of stars covered the dark sky, while a cool breeze carried the smell of salt and wet sand across the beach.
Marcus sat close to the fire, staring silently into the flames.
He had come to the beach hoping to escape the noise of the city. He wanted one night without phones, traffic, meetings, or people asking questions.
He didn't expect company.
A soft laugh came from behind him.
Marcus turned.
Two young women were walking toward the fire.
Both had long blonde hair that moved with the breeze, and they carried a small bag between them. They looked completely out of place on the quiet beach, yet somehow the scene seemed to belong to them.
“Is this seat taken?” one of them asked.
Marcus smiled.
“No. You can sit.”
They lowered themselves onto the sand opposite him.
“I’m Lily,” the first woman said.
“Emma,” the other added with a small smile.
“Marcus.”
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Only the sound of the waves and the crackling fire filled the silence.
Then Lily looked toward the ocean.
“It’s beautiful.”
Marcus nodded. “Yeah. Nights like this make you forget the world exists.”
Emma smiled. “Maybe that's exactly what we came here for.”
Marcus looked at her.
There was something strange about the way she said it.
As if she wasn't simply talking about the beach.
The three of them continued talking as the fire slowly burned lower. They shared stories about their lives, laughed about things that didn't matter, and watched the moon disappear behind passing clouds.
Then the wind suddenly changed.
Marcus stopped smiling.
A cold sensation travelled down his spine.
Across the ocean, far beyond the waves, a faint light appeared.
Lily noticed it too.
“What is that?”
Marcus stood.
The light grew brighter.
Emma grabbed his arm.
“Marcus…”
He stared at the horizon.
Something was moving beneath the water.
Then the ocean went completely silent.
No waves.
No wind.
Nothing.
The fire suddenly went out.
And in the darkness, a woman's voice whispered from somewhere behind them.
“You shouldn't have come here.”