Veiled Hearts

CHAPTER ONE

The water was where I told my secrets and planned my future. I believed I could give it all to nature without judgment or consequence but I was wrong. The water had secrets of it's own. The shadows had other plans for my future.

I didn't know it would be the last time I found solace at the water's edge. My legs dangled off the dock, while I sketched in notepad, fully immersed in my art. I'd spent years like this at the lake by my house.

It started with a flash of movement at the edge of my vision. Then a rustle in the trees. At first I ignored it, which was much easier to do now that I was older and less scared to be out here on my own. Then it happened again. A dark figure rose from the water just feet from me and flew over my head. I froze and held my breath, thinking of what to do next. Then, the whispers began, a soft chant of my name, 'Emmmmaaaa.' Hushed, melodic, as if echoing from a distance and yet resonating in my ears. I shoved my pencil and notebook in my bag, scrambled to my feet and ran as fast as I could without losing my footing on the damp dock. It was strangely misty and smelled of burning wood, though no one made fires out here, not this time of year. As soon as my house came into view, I looked back towards the woods and saw a fleeting silhouette of a man.

Once I was safely inside with the doors locked I began to feel silly and questioned what I'd seen. I had a tendency to get too zoned out while sketching and my latest project had me captivated. It was nothing, I repeated to myself.

My parents were away once again so I began to make my usual dinner for one: microwaved baked potato topped with whatever we had that looked appealing. Pretending that I was ok after the unusual event in the woods wasn't working.I had to tell someone and that someone would have to be Ezra, the only one I knew with absolute certainty wouldn't think I was crazy. Ezra was my closest confidant, polar opposite, and had a trove of paranormal knowledge. She picked up my call right away. "something weird happened and I need you to tell me it was nothing." I blurted out without even saying hi.

"If it's about a guy, yes he was flirting. If you're ever wondering if a guy is flirting the answer is always yes" She said without hesitation

"No, listen. This is serious. Or very unserious, I'm hoping." I proceeded to tell her everything.

"Well, it could be a lot of things, or it could be nothing. A ghost, possibly."

"I mean, I guess. But it wasn't like...ghost-shaped. It was like it could be any size or shape it wanted. It didn't have a mouth or even a face but it said my name." My body shuttered as I described the thing to Ezra.

Ok, we're on the heels of spooky season and it's not uncommon for things like this to happen. The veil is thinning." She said, trying to reassure me.

I was used to her talking like this. As though ghosts were commonplace and everyone knew it. "I've lived here for 19 years and I've never seen a ghost. What else could it be."

"There's this legend, but it's just that. A legend. Nothing myself or anyone else I know of has encountered."

She was whispering now, causing me to glance out the windows. Of course our house was more windows than walls. Lovely for admiring the scenery but not ideal for a family of three where the parents are gone so often. It did nothing but cause my imagination to run away with itself.

I impatiently pushed her for more info while pacing around the kitchen and waiting for my baked potato to cool.

"Ok, but I'm not saying that this is what it is. Like I said, a legend. It's called The Umbra."

"Umbra?" I repeated, racking my brain for any memory of the word.

Ezra continued to tell me of a nature spirit that appears around water. Supposedly, in the 1800s when Haven Hollow came to be, there was all kinds of chaos because of The Umbra. Some people thought it was lucky, others thought it was evil. Eventually the mayor or someone like that  forced some witches to banish the spirit and Haven Hallow has been back the perfect town of picnics and pleasantries ever since."