The Black Letter

Chapter 3: The Eyes Beneath the Water

Another blinding flash of lightning split the sky, and as the icy white light flickered, the rain poured down harder, threatening to swamp the boat completely. Water seeped in, soaking everyone's shoes and pants, and it felt like the boat could go under any second.

The wooden boat rocked violently on the waves, each tilt bringing it dangerously close to capsizing. Somehow, each time, they narrowly avoided disaster. John couldn't understand why, in an age of advanced technology, anyone would use such an old, rickety boat to ferry people. Yet here they were, six passengers, silently sitting on this boat, not even a word of complaint. John found it darkly amusing. They must have all ended up on this boat in the same mysterious way. He looked toward the front of the boat, where a man was battling the storm, steering the boat with a weathered bamboo pole. John had to admit, the man's calmness in the face of the storm was impressive.

They all knew the Pink Lotus Grand Hotel sent this boatman to pick them up, but no one dared to ask him any questions. It was strange, and John only now realized that even he hadn't asked. Maybe it was the cold or the relentless rain, or maybe they were all too nervous. Whatever the reason, no one wanted to break the silence and John...

John was different.

He didn't like being kept in the dark. He liked knowing exactly what was going on. Clearing his throat, he raised his head and shouted over the wind, "Hey! Where are you taking us? Is it to that Pink Lotus Grand Hotel?" His voice rang out across the water, blending with the crashing waves, but everyone on the boat heard him.

Five heads turned in unison. John knew they didn't dare to ask, but they all desperately wanted to see the answer. They waited, along with John, for the boatman's reply.

The boatman continued pushing the bamboo pole, completely ignoring John as if he hadn't heard him at all.

Disappointment washed over the others, and they lowered their heads. But John kept his gaze fixed on the boatman.

The man was cloaked in an old-fashioned rain cape, with a wide-brimmed hat that hid his face completely. No one could see his expression; they could only guess from his actions. John figured the man either liked to keep quiet or was deaf.

But John wasn't ready to give up. He shouted again, "You should tell us where we're going! We can't just wander around aimlessly! And this boat—it's falling apart. It looks like it could flip any minute. I think—"

"We're almost there." The boatman's voice was cold, deep, and unsettling.

"What?" John squinted into the distance, trying to see where the boatman was pointing, but all he saw was endless darkness. Almost where? John wondered, feeling uneasy.

The rain stopped just as the boat made a sharp turn, and a sliver of sunlight broke through the clouds. The light was tinged with red, and its beams pierced through the heavy clouds, warming the boat and the people on it.

Dawn was breaking.

John blinked, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness.

"There's something up ahead," came the low, raspy voice of Tom Watts, who was sitting next to John. John glanced at him—his nose had finally stopped bleeding, but he was still holding it, indicating it would take some time to heal completely.

A shadowy shape began to emerge in the distance, barely visible. John guessed it was land.

Sure enough, as the boat drew closer, the land became clear to everyone.

"Are we there?" Tom Watts' hand had unknowingly grabbed John's coat, pulling it tightly. His voice was shaking.

John didn't respond, letting Tom hold onto his coat. If it helped him feel calmer, so be it. John's eyes were locked on the approaching land. Was this their destination?

The boat hit the shore with a jarring thud, causing it to shudder. The boatman found a thick rope somewhere on the boat, tossed it to the shore, and then jumped out himself. He waded through the shallow water and tied the rope securely to a wooden post.

"You can get off now," he said, his voice heavy and thunderous, making everyone uneasy.

John was the first to stand. His clothes were drenched, and water dripped onto the already sodden deck. He took a deep breath and jumped off the boat into the water.

The water was freezing, biting through his sturdy leather shoes, and the hardness of the stones beneath his feet was unmistakable. John hesitated, searching for solid ground before moving forward. He didn't want to twist his ankle before reaching dry land.

A small fish swam between his legs, its golden scales catching John's eye. He looked down, instinctively following the fish's movements.

It seemed to be greeting him, gently nibbling at the hem of his pants, over and over. Maybe they were already friends. John smiled and reached into the cold water, trying to catch the fish. But the little fish was clever; every time his hand got close, it darted away. When he stopped, the fish swam back, circling his hand as if teasing him.

John chuckled, finding the fish's antics endearing, almost like a playful child. He continued to play with the water, creating ripples. Just as he was enjoying himself, the fish suddenly darted away, vanishing in an instant. John felt a pang of disappointment and started to search through the rocks with his hands. Maybe the fish wanted to play hide and seek and had hidden.

John stirred the rocks, sending silt and bits of water plants scattering. A stream of bubbles rose from the depths, momentarily obscuring John's view. He reached out and gently popped one of the bubbles, which burst instantly. The water surface settled, and the silt began to sink.

An eye!

There was an eye in the water!

John was sure he had seen an eye, wide open, staring back at him. He jerked his hand away, hesitated for a moment, and then continued digging.

A face emerged!

A pale, delicate face surfaced before John, shockingly white as if drained of color. Her features were clear, her mouth wide open as if she had tried to scream. The eyes, bulging and bloodshot, filled most of their sockets, and there was a faint trace of crimson at the corner of her mouth—she was dead.

John clamped a hand over his mouth to stifle a scream. He bent down, staring at the face in horror, realizing this was an unexpected discovery.

There was a woman's face beneath the water. John kept disturbing the water, trying to get a clearer look at her.

He noticed that the face was pressed against a layer of glass, buried deep in the stones and mud.

It was a crystal coffin!

John knew that if he continued digging, he would uncover the whole body. Even as he thought this, he began to dig again.

Suddenly, John felt a warmth at the back of his head, a hot wave surging through his brain. He started to feel dizzy. He tried to lift his head, but the weight on the back of his skull was too much. His body collapsed into the water, his face pressing against hers. Even through the glass, John could feel her fear. His mind began to blur, and he drifted into unconsciousness.

He knew someone had struck him from behind.