THE SHADOW BRIDE
The moon is hidden behind the thick clouds, leaving everything in a dull, oppressive darkness.
I can feel it—the pull, that invisible thread that ties me to this place, this water. There’s something here, something ancient, something I don’t understand but can’t escape. I leave the car running, its engine a steady hum behind me, and step out onto the soft, damp earth. My boots sink into the mud with each step, but I don’t care. I’m walking towards the water, towards the source of all this, and I can’t turn back.