Beyond the Deep Water

Fear

The sun shines brightly in the middle of the blue sky. Heavenly.

The countryside is always sunny, blue, and radiant, thanks to the sun that touches everything with life. Landscapes are full of pasture, which looks like a yellow ocean of buttercups when they bloom to its full wonder. This is what Camille enjoys the most about springtime. The season of rebirth and restart.

This is the perfect time to feel the gleaming sun on her skin, burning it enough to give her a little color, which also helps ease her pain. Even with her eyes closed, Camille can see the brightness behind her eyelids. She can feel the fresh air making its way through her nose as she inhales, letting it purify her body and maybe erase the memories of the night before.

Camille concentrates on the low wind as it invites the grass to a comforting dance beneath her body while the gushing lullaby soothes her silent shame. Rousing up the smell of mud and nature around the lake while the birds sing as they take off across the sky. A majestic sound of life that Camille loves. She loves the sun, the light, and everything that helps her escape the darkness.

Blue Water Lake is a large creek, which name comes from the beautiful aqua color of its water. A valuable treasure of Primavera Town, which is also named after the exquisite season of spring. To most people, this is a town created by God himself, a place enclaved cradle in a carpet of green landscapes that still preserve a medieval style. People love to explore the warren of curving cobbled streets splay out across town until reaching its greatest asset, the lake.

A cloud covers the sunshine, which awakens one of Camille's biggest fear, every strand of hair in her body stands up still as the shadows spread across the lake, and the memories take form. A black mass stretches like a stain underwater just as a disembodied whisper snaps her eyes open. Camille tries to get up, but it's too late. The shadows are already dashing towards her, taunting her. They've come to drag her into a dimension of despair where she can't escape. An unknown world that desires for her soul, where all she hears is a desperate voice crying out her name.

"Camille..." it murmurs in her ear. She freezes in shock as her heart slams against her chest. The sudden feeling that someone is looking behind the darkness. She knows a monster waits for her: something scary, something out of this world.

Camille fights to free herself, but this entity is already doing its job, paralyzing her body, forcing her to watch it close in as a mocking giggle echoes within the wind. Camille can see herself glued to her bed while the mysterious figure comes forward from the corner of her room. It watches as she struggles to convince herself that it's only her imagination. But, deep down, there's something real, something abominable that guards her door when the sun hides and the night falls. A monster bursts through the door, a demon that traps her voice by breaking her from the inside out.

The darkness is too powerful and suffocating that screaming seems helpless. The only way to fight it is by blocking her soul, become a robot without emotions to the torture. Camille has become someone that walks in the world without showing any interest in interacting with others. She has learned that by isolating herself from everyone, the chances to be questioned are less.

But, deep down, there's the need for someone to save her from the cursed life she lives. This sentiment grows stronger every day as she becomes older. Camille wants to breathe freedom, see the light of every day without worrying that the night will fall and the monster will show up at her door again.

Her soul screams in silence for a hand to take her away, but her voice is trapped by fear. What Camille doesn't see is that someone already noticed her pain. Someone is earnestly looking for a hint that she wants to break that door keeping her away. Even if it's just a silent whisper of sorrow, someone is willing to risk it all to rescue her.

The shadows gather around her, letting her feel the coldness of being lost alone. Tensely grabbing onto the grass, Camille breathes in deeply. In the middle of her anguish, she prays to God. Begs him for help as the wind blows cold; it carries the familiar whispers of solitude and distress, that creepy voice calls her name again.

A lump gathers in her throat, forcing her to breathe harder through her nose, but it stings her windpipe. She grips on the grass as a tear rolls down her cheek, Camille bites her lips, but here he comes.

"Help me." Camille presses her eyes together while her heart pounds against her chest. She braces herself to see the monster approaching her.