The Voice Beneath the Waves

Ellie sat at the kitchen table, her hands wrapped tightly around a mug of coffee gone cold. The house was quiet, but the silence felt heavy, like the walls were pressing inward. Joey was upstairs, bundled in his blankets, his stuffed dinosaur clutched tightly against his chest. He hadn't spoken much since Ellie had dragged him away from the lake.

He didn't have to. The blank, faraway look in his eyes said enough.

Ellie stared out the window, watching the fog swirl across the yard. It was thicker than ever now, so dense it was impossible to see the edge of the trees. She knew the lake wasn't far, just beyond the forest, waiting.

Her mind raced with questions. What was happening to Joey? Why was the lake calling to him? And why did it feel like it was calling to her, too?

She had no answers—only more questions. Every time she thought about leaving, something stopped her. It wasn't just the logistics of running away with no money and no place to go. It was the feeling that the lake wouldn't let them leave.

Not yet.

Joey's Secret

The sound of footsteps broke Ellie's thoughts. She looked up to see Joey standing at the bottom of the stairs, his stuffed dinosaur dangling from one hand. His hair was messy, his pajamas rumpled, and he had that same blank look in his eyes.

"Joey," Ellie said softly, setting her mug down. "Are you okay?"

He didn't answer.

Ellie stood and walked over to him, kneeling so they were at eye level. "Sweetheart, talk to me. What's going on?"

Joey's gaze drifted to the window. "It's still talking to me," he whispered.

Ellie's breath caught. "The lake?"

Joey nodded.

"What is it saying?"

Joey hesitated, his fingers tightening around the dinosaur. "It says you can't stop it. It says… it says it's going to take me, no matter what."

Ellie's stomach twisted. "No," she said firmly, gripping his shoulders. "That's not true. I won't let it take you. Do you hear me, Joey? I won't let anything happen to you."

Joey looked at her, his eyes wide and glassy. "You can't stop it, Mom. No one can."

Ellie pulled him into a hug, holding him tightly. She could feel him trembling, his small arms clutching her as though she were the only thing keeping him tethered to the ground.

But deep down, Ellie knew he was right.

The Stranger Returns

That afternoon, there was a knock at the door. Ellie froze, her heart skipping. She glanced at the clock on the wall—2:37 PM. No one had come to the house since Garrett's unsettling visit a few days ago.

She approached the door cautiously, peering through the peephole.

It was Garrett.

Ellie hesitated, her hand hovering over the lock. She didn't want to talk to him again, but something about the look on his face stopped her. He wasn't smirking this time. His jaw was tight, his eyes darting nervously toward the fog.

Ellie opened the door just enough to see him clearly. "What do you want?"

Garrett glanced over his shoulder before answering. "You need to leave."

Ellie's grip on the door tightened. "Why? What's going on?"

Garrett leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "The lake's awake. You and your kid stirred it up, and now it's not going to stop until it gets what it wants."

Ellie's stomach churned. "What does it want?"

Garrett's eyes met hers, and for the first time, she saw fear in them. "It wants him. The boy."

Ellie's blood ran cold. "Why?"

Garrett shook his head. "I don't know. It's always been like this. The lake picks someone, and once it does, that's it. You can fight it, but it won't matter. It always gets what it wants."

Ellie's hands trembled, but she forced herself to stay calm. "How do I stop it?"

Garrett hesitated. "There's a path," he said finally. "It leads to the altar—the one under the water. That's where it all started. If you want to stop it, that's where you have to go."

Ellie stared at him, her pulse pounding in her ears. "What altar? What are you talking about?"

Garrett glanced over his shoulder again, his voice dropping even lower. "The altar's older than the town. Older than anything. The people who built it… they weren't like us. They made a deal with whatever's in the lake. And now we're all stuck with the consequences."

Ellie shook her head. "This is insane."

"Yeah," Garrett said, his voice grim. "But it's the truth. If you want to save your son, you have to go to the altar. You have to face it."

Ellie opened her mouth to respond, but Garrett stepped back, his eyes darting toward the fog. "I've said too much already. If you're smart, you'll leave this place and never look back. But if you're going to stay… good luck."

Before Ellie could stop him, Garrett turned and disappeared into the mist.

The Voice Grows Louder

That night, Ellie dreamed of the lake again.

She was standing on the shore, her feet sinking into the wet sand. The water was black and still, the surface reflecting the pale glow of the moon.

The whisper returned, soft and melodic, wrapping around her like a lullaby.

"Come closer."

Ellie took a step forward, the icy water lapping at her ankles. She couldn't stop herself. Something was pulling her, drawing her closer to the lake.

"Come to the water."

The voice was louder now, clearer. It wasn't just one voice—it was many, overlapping and weaving together like a choir.

Ellie stepped deeper into the water, the cold biting at her skin. The surface rippled, and she thought she saw something moving beneath it.

"Come to the altar."

The water surged around her, pulling her under. Ellie tried to scream, but the lake filled her mouth, her lungs, her mind.

She woke with a gasp, her body drenched in sweat.

And then she heard it.

The whisper wasn't just in her dream anymore. It was in the house.

Ellie sat up, her heart pounding. The sound was faint, but unmistakable. It was coming from Joey's room.

She ran down the hall, throwing open his door.

Joey was standing by the window, the fog outside pressing against the glass. He turned to her, his eyes wide and unblinking.

"It's time," he said softly.

Ellie's breath caught. "What?"

Joey pointed toward the forest. "The altar. We have to go."