Beyond the Sea

Chapter 1: The Beginning (S1E3)

Fucking Wisconsin. I went all the way to Wisconsin to disappear. To get myself off of the grid. But this invisible existence was compromised the second people started dying.

It's not like I didn't know what was killing them. A malevolent spirit was not quite done on this Earth. I had found the body not too shortly after my first dive in. It was a young little boy, whose bones had been picked over by the ecosystem. It broke my heart, it did. Mind you, it wasn't the first time I had seen human remains, but the bones were so small and underdeveloped that it made me wonder what kind of life he missed out on. The second I came within arm's reach of the remains, I had been greeted by the spirit. It startled me; however, it was clear that it wasn't here to hurt me. But the look in his eyes was full of sorrow. We stared at each other for a while as I tried to put pieces together. A lake this small in a place this obscure...he didn't just end up here. Someone put him here. Against his will. I suppose my eyes lit up when I figured it out, as the spirit nodded and looked at his bones wistfully, wishing he could have had another chance.

He disappeared after that.

He clearly had his own agenda, and I had mine. So it was a peaceful standstill. Until that is, I found the other bodies. They were eerily fresh and upon examination, I learned that they had drowned. And I had a horrible gut feeling of who did it.

But how was I supposed to do anything? I couldn't just surface and tell the police. It was a spirit. It was supernatural. And of course they'd ask how I found the bones and the bodies. I couldn't exactly tell them I was a siren living at the bottom of the lake. So until I could figure out a plan B, I was stuck in a lake with a murderous little boy with a hunger for revenge.

Eventually, however, my plan B was clear. After all, it was staring right at me. Literally. I had just been swimming the length of the lake, trying to find something to eat. Suddenly, a living breathing little boy was pulled down under, right in front of me. It was then the spirit showed me his face for the second time. He was forcing him down. Instantly and instinctively, I began trying to retrieve the boy from his grasp. It was essentially an equal match of strength, until I sensed a man wadding into the lake, slowly, but surely. As if he knew what was to happen to him. It didn't take long for him to get over to the man and take him under, as he dragged the no longer breathing man into the depths, I swore I saw a little smile of contentedness on the boy's face. Two consequent splashes snapped me out of my trance. They seemed to be searching for something. Or rather, someone. Two pairs of eyes were searching and I'd be spotted soon enough. I thrusted the boy as far as I could towards them, knowing he'd be taken care of. But just before I turned and swam away, I was met with one of the pairs of eyes, his hair floating all around his face. I'm not sure if he saw my eyes in the murky depths, but once he saw the boy, his focus shifted on him. I used that chance to swim away, trying to figure out where the hell I would go now.

It didn't long for the police to arrive. By then, I had pulled myself out of the lake and hid in the brush, watching the scene unfold. Though I was indeed the one who saved the boy, I couldn't take credit. The two men were talking to the police, explaining what happened, excluding my sighting. At least, I hoped. But the police seemed satisfied with what they heard and left the vicinity. I sighed a breath of relief and stood up, wiping off the dirt and dead leaves off of my pants. I turned to leave, determined to leave this all behind and pretend it never happened. Just like the spirit, I would show up in nightmares and dreams for a while, but I wouldn't be spoken of. If I was, I would be long gone with no traces left behind.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, startling me. I was spun around and was punched square in the jaw. I flew back, landing on my back, feeling the pain of the fall all over my body. Groaning, I sat down but was immediately met with two guns. One aimed at my heart, and one pressed against my forehead, the cold barrel giving me shivers.