Eleanor Finley Park, secret daughter of the practically famous business man located in Melbourne, who's life resides on the gorgeous beach island just off the coast. When Eleanor starts receiving horrifying gifts from a stalker, she returns to her f...
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"Oh Hey, Theo.." I say as I answer the incoming phone call.
"Hey El, just calling to check in."
I was surprised, to say the least. I had met up with my brother once or twice every year, but phone calls were rare. Especially 'just to check in'.
"Yeah, all good here.." My response wavered my confusion through the call.
"Well, I'm actually here with Nate." I could hear him laugh about something Nate says lowly in the background. Out of all four of my brothers, Nate had always been my least favourite.
Before I moved to the island, we all lived together in our father's house. For as long as I can remember I have been terrified of my three other brothers. Fred was the oldest, followed by Nate, Oliver, and Theo.
Any time I got upset about how they treated me, I would just get told "that's what big brothers do", I don't think anyone ever understood the awful things he did to me.
"Mm yeah, I can hear him."
I don't know what Theo expected me to say, I've refused to speak to Nate for years.
"Yo Eleanor, Guess who?!"
His voice blasted through my phone. I could feel tears brimming in my eyes. Nate never understood, I felt like perhaps I was too emotional over this stuff, maybe he wasn't as bad as I remember?
"Theo told me about those stalker notes you were getting!" He laughs as he says something else to Theo, I couldn't hear it so I assume he had covered the phone.
"Yeah, that's right."
"I mean surely it's just some kid who thinks you are pretty right?"
Yeah, never mind he hasn't changed.
"No Nate, it's serious, it's not like that-"
"Jeez, alright El. You on your period?" He laughs. I sighed.
"Look if it really is that serious, just move bro."
"I can't just move. Everything I've worked for is here. My shop-"
"Oh please, I could buy out that shop of yours for a couple hundred dollars. All that salt water gets to your head. Or maybe it was just your grandma." He bursts out laughing again, but this time I can hear multiple people laughing along.
He carries on, "Yo Theo, do you remember that spiritual bullshit she went on about?"
I sat there on the phone for a minute or two, listening to their jokes about me and my side of the family before hanging up.
After their mother passed away, our dad dated mine for a short time. They always looked down on my side of the family so much.
Deciding to take my mind off their cruel words, I messaged Eric and met him in a nearby cove. We both enjoyed free diving around here, first coming when we met in high school.
As we made our way slowly into deeper water, I explained what had happened on the phone call. Feeling deeply upset about it all.
"Well, I know one way to cheer you up!"
He spreads a big smile across his face, as he adjusts his mask, ready to dive.
I adjusted mine as well, so it fit comfortably as I rested at the surface for a minute, before taking a deep breath and diving downwards.
Despite my unconditional love for being a surfer, free diving was definitely the best way to de-stress.
My first love had always been the ocean as if I'd always known that the ocean was what I was destined for.
I lived for this, as I swam further down towards the coral reef, I could feel my body relax, loving being surrounded by blue. I watched as Eric picked something up from the sand across from me.
As he swam over to me, I looked into his hand which he had held out to me, showing me what was inside. A perfect little orange shell sat there in his dark hand. As he pushed his hand further towards me, I smiled at him thanking him. He knew that I had picked up a hobby making jewellery from shells, and was giving me this shell.
I had a small mesh bag that I tied to the bottom of my swimsuit, in which I placed the orange shell inside. When at the surface, just peering down to all below me, I noticed a large bit of fishing line covering part of the coral.
It was unfortunately a common find on reefs. I enjoyed feeling the water flowing past me as I swam down. Eventually reaching the line and began to untangle it from the reef.
It reminded me of the times my grandma took me beach combing. We mainly went to clear any rubbish that had been left behind, but on a good day, we would look for shells and sea glass.
She would tell me to listen carefully. "All around you are spirits. They live in the earth, the water, the sky and if you listen they will guide you."
All the tales she would tell me, mainly about nature spirits, which I had always wholeheartedly believed in. We celebrated the beginning of each season with a party. She loved hosting, so with any excuse we held a party.
After I while of swimming around the main reef, we came up to the surface and planned to move further out of the cove. We didn't usually explore this area, so it was a good suggestion from him.
As we got closer, I rested at the surface, peering up at the houses that were in the distance. There were four houses located next to each other on the top of the cliff, each with a massive plot of land along with the houses. Even though the houses were all sat in a line, it would take you a couple of minutes to walk to each one from the other.
"Hey, look all of those houses have been sold," I said to Eric, it was rare for anyone to move out on the island, so incredibly rare for 4 houses so close together to be sold.
"Oh shit yeah, that's so strange. I'll have to ask my dad about it."
Since Eric's dad was the main fisherman for the island, he spoke to a lot of the other islanders, which was also very useful for us.
Eventually, as we made our way out, and towards where we had both individually parked, I had expected us to get changed and then grab something to eat, like we usually did, but Eric left to help his dad.
I can't lie, I was disappointed we weren't continuing to hang out together but I understood. When I got back, I used the semi-outdoor showers that were associated with my surf school. They were incredibly convenient as they linked directly to my wetsuit and board storage.
Now dressed and dry, I walked into my shop smiling at the part-time high schooler I hired, who was helping a customer at the front desk. Walking into the back, and up the stairs. I pulled out my keys to open my door, but what I saw made me stop dead in my tracks.
A folded piece of paper, pinned to the door to my apartment.
