Chapter Seven

We walked back to the inn in silence. My fingers wouldn’t stop touching my neck, tracing the marks he’d left. They tingled, a constant reminder of how close he’d been. Jaime limped beside me, jaw tight, pretending he wasn’t struggling. Kim kept glancing around nervously, her hands twisting together, but she didn’t say anything. Even Jonathan, who always had something to say, stayed quiet.

Blood dripped steadily onto the floor as I rolled up Jaime’s pant leg. The gash was deep, jagged, and ugly, the kind of wound that would leave a scar. Jaime’s knuckles were white as he gripped the edge of the chair, his face pale.

“Pearl,” he started, his voice uneven, “what we saw down there… that thing… it had me. I couldn’t, “

“Don’t.” I cut him off, forcing myself to focus on the first-aid kit. “Let’s just fix this and move on.”

Jaime nodded stiffly but didn’t say anything else. The words hung between us, heavy and unsaid.

Kim perched on the edge of the table, arms wrapped tightly around herself. Her shoulders hunched like she was trying to disappear. “Its eyes,” she murmured, barely audible. “Like staring into nothing.”

“Shut it!” Jonathan barked, pacing by the window. His boots dragged over the worn floorboards, each step erratic.

“Then what the hell did this?” Jaime snapped, his voice cracking as he motioned to his leg. “And what about the marks on Pearl’s neck? If it wasn’t real, Jonathan, then explain that.”

Jonathan’s mouth opened, then shut. For once, he didn’t have an answer.

Trevor sat hunched in the corner, a cigarette burning low between his fingers. His hand trembled as he exhaled smoke. “We can’t stay here,” he muttered, his tone sharp. “Not after what we’ve seen.”

Jonathan spun around, his eyes darting wildly. “He’s right. We’ve got to go. We’re not safe here.”

Jaime flinched as I tightened the bandage around his leg. “I’ve got the samples,” he said through gritted teeth. “Two of them.”

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.”

Jonathan laughed louder, panic threading through it. “Your boogeyman sea god doesn’t scare me. Move, or I’ll, “

Sebastian’s fist slammed into Jonathan’s jaw. The crack was too loud. Jonathan stumbled, cursing, clutching his face. Two fishermen grabbed him, their hands rough and unyielding.

“Get off me!” he shouted, twisting and kicking. It was useless. They dragged him back inside like he weighed nothing.

“Stop!” Kim cried, her voice breaking. “You’re hurting him!”

I grabbed her arm before she got closer. “Don’t,” I said, my voice low and shaking. “You’ll make it worse.”

The villagers didn’t say anything. They just moved, deliberate and methodical. One knocked over the table, glass and metal clattering to the floor. A microscope shattered, pieces scattering everywhere.

Sebastian tipped a shelf, spilling samples onto the floor. The algae glowed faintly where it pooled, staining the wood with ghostly light.

“This isn’t about your samples,” Sebastian said quietly. “This is about him. You don’t take from the Abyss. He takes from you.”

And just like that, it was over. The villagers left, their boots thudding softly. Sebastian disappeared into the mist.

Our makeshift lab lay in ruins. Shards of glass. Glowing puddles. Broken equipment. Jonathan slumped against the wall, blood streaking his face. He was breathing hard, eyes unfocused.

I stared at the mess.

“What now?” I asked, my voice thin. “We can’t call for help. There’s no signal.”

No one answered. Kim leaned against the window, trembling. Jaime sat in the chair, head tipped back. Trevor lit another cigarette, hands unsteady.

“We’re stuck,” Kim said flatly.

And she wasn’t wrong. We weren’t going anywhere. Not until the Abyss decided.