6 hours

The Silent Hours Of Mystery In Pool

My father, a billionaire, recently acquired an outskirts farmhouse. During our family visit, we loaded up our green Chevrolet Express with essentials. En route, Dad highlighted the spacious farmhouse and its large pool. Our family of ten, including parents' grandmother, siblings my widow aunt and cousins, looked forward to enjoying water activities together. On our way to the farmhouse, my father animatedly painted a picture of our destination. The farmhouse was 100 kilometers away from our house, and it took us nearly two hours to get there. When we arrived, we noticed a beautiful garden that covered most of the area. It resembled something out of a fairy tale, like a paradise. Quickly, my siblings and cousins dashed into the garden, ignoring the elders' advice. My mother called all the children inside to appreciate the view of the farmhouse.

Upon entering, my eyes widened at the mesmerizing sight. My father informed us that the farmhouse was century old, and he had renovated it to make it look brand new. He had also added some antiques to enhance it beauty. He explained that he had decided to rent out the farmhouse, and we were the first family to visit after the renovation. After exploring the entire house, we headed to the back and discovered the largest swimming pool I had ever seen. It was so spacious that our entire family could fit in it at once.

Excited children urged the family into the 4-feet deep pool. Laughter echoed as my father joyfully dove in, playfully pushing my aunt and mother. Using the stairs, my grandmother joined, and our family gathered in the middle, enjoying the refreshing sunlight. However, as soon as we reached the center, we all sensed something was amiss with our legs. To our surprise, we found ourselves unable to move them. As the youngest, I began to panic and my mother trying to comfort me, informed my father that she, too, couldn't move. One by one, everyone voiced the same concern.


After a minute of confusion, we realized that our legs were inexplicably chained. The kids started crying, and our mothers tried to reassure us, though fear was evident on their faces. My father, considering the possibility of foul play by an enemy or the notion that our family was under attach or held hostage, began contemplating the situation. Now in a state of helplessness, all the elders had left their phones inside the house, leaving my father unable to seek help. Despite his efforts, there was no response when he attempted to contact someone. We all struggled to break free from the chains, but they were too strong. Attempts to loosen them proved futile.

My father attempted to bend down, only to discover that it felt as if his entire body was chained, preventing any movement. My mother and aunt faced the same challenge when they tried. It seemed like some magical force was at play within the pool. Being in the center, we couldn't lean on the pool's edge. Suddenly, the sunlight disappeared replaced by dark black clouds above our heads. Perplexed, we couldn't fathom what was happening. Out of nowhere, a bright light emanated from the pool, dazzling us to the point that we covered our faces with our palms. After a minute, the light vanished, and our eyes took a moment to adjust. "Take your time," spoke a voice in an exceptionally beautiful tone. Everything remained blurry, and I rubbed my eyes with my hands and splashed water on my face to see who the mysterious voice belonged to.

A stunning woman, dressed like an angel from my mom's storied, appeared. Dressed in an ethereal ensemble with wings spanning from top to bottom, she exuded another worldly presence. I excitedly called her "Angel!". The elders were frozen in awe at her sudden appearance. She smiled at me, approached, and gently touched my face, tucking my hair behind my ears. Her eyes shone like the sun, and her face was so exquisite that I was mesmerized by her beauty. She then turned towards my mother and began to speak.

"Hello, everyone. Thank you for liberating me from the black magic that bound me a hundred years ago. I'm free now. Back then a malevolent magician bound me with black magic, and the condition for my freedom was that some similar to me must enter this pool. Among the ten of you, one has already replaced me, and the rest are merely caught in the pool for six hours. In simpler terms, one member will remain here in the pool forever, inheriting the curse, while the other nine will be free. But I must warn you, black magic is terribly malevolent. These six hours will be a curse for all of you. It will require a great deal of patience and courage to face the challenges that will come your way." With that, she introduced herself and instilled fear into all of our souls.

While processing the unexpected revelation, I found myself pondering the concept of black magic, a term I'd heard from a classmate at school but never delved into. My grandmother, being deeply spiritual, began reciting something in a loud and spiritual tone, perhaps hoping that the angel would flee upon hearing her verses. Surprisingly, the angel turned towards my grandmother, smiled, and calmly stated. "Those verses ward off evils, I am not an evil being, and the black magic was cast by a dark magician. If he were here, those verses might have had some effect on him."

My mother held her palms together, seeking forgiveness from the angel. She cried, pleading for us to remain together as a family. The angel turned and explained her helplessness for the past hundred years, expressing that if she had the power, she would have helped herself first. She added, "I can only guide you on how to survive these 6 hours. The first challenge, facing me, was relatively easy to manage. However, the next 5 challenges will be tough. Close your eyes whenever you hear a voice and when you encounter something unpleasant, shut your ears. If you see and hear something simultaneously, remain calm, don't panic, and avoid extreme reactions. Panic or extreme reactions can lead to physical harm, potentially causing physical disabilities, but there is no death in this curse. I've survived for one hundred years. The one who stays here forever will also endure the 6-hour challenges."



My curious father, questioned, "What do you mean one of us will stay here forever? Who among us is the chosen one?"

"I don't know who among you is similar to me, but I hope all ten of your return without leaving anyone behind. Now it's time for me to go. Goodbye!" She said and vanished like smoke dissipating in the air.

We all began to cry, and my mother, overcome with emotions, started to scream at my father for not researching the history of the farmhouse before buying it. There was nothing we could do but regret our decision to come to this farmhouse and enter the pool. Time passed, and an hour had already gone by. After some time. I felt something unusual happening near my legs. The crystal-clear water revealed turtles and snails, both blue in color, circling around my legs. As I tried to move, they approached as if they wanted to bite. Everyone experienced the same, and my father pleaded with us not to panic and to stay in the same place. We complied, but my cousin sister, who had a phobia of snails, couldn't contain her fear. She panicked, and the snails and turtles bit her legs. Despite her screams, we were all helpless. Her mother tried to calm her by distraction her, but she was already injured badly. The turtles and snails lingered for 10 minutes and then vanished. We believed that the remaining challenged would come for 10 minutes and then disappear. My father instructed each of us to follow the angel's advice to survive.

As the third hour began, a strange sound enveloped us, reminiscent of wind, air, or a cyclone. It gradually intensified, prompting my father to instruct us to close our eyes which we all did. The mysterious sound lingered for more than 15 minutes. Finally, it subsided, and a collective sigh of relief filled the air as we opened our eyes. As the fourth hour commenced, a colossal black seahorse with menacing eyes appeared it approached each of us, sniffing before moving on to the next person. My father quickly advised us to close our ears, and we complied. Fortunately, this challenge lasted no more than 10 minutes, but we were left feeling exhausted and dizzy, with no idea of what the final challenge held.

Suddenly, the pool transformed into a vast sea, and before us were five gigantic sharks of whale- like proportions. Chained from three sides - one on the middle of their jaws, another on their wings, and the last on their tails - these massive creatures seemed confined. My father urged us to remain clam and motionless, as we were already taken aback by the astonishing view. Eventually, sharks vanished, and the pool reverted to its original state. Promptly, I felt an unseen force pulling me into the pool, and I began to drown. My family, appearing speechless and emotionless, watched helplessly. It was as if they knew that I was the chosen one to bear the curse. I was forcefully yanked into the pool, and the nightmare ended abruptly when my mom woke me up. Trembling with fear, I opened by eyes to the dim light of my room. My mom, sensing my distress, asked what was wrong. Stammering, I recounted the harrowing details of the dream.

To my surprise, instead of consoling me, my mom burst into laughter. She dismissed my fears, attributing the vivid nightmare to mere coincidence, given our planned visit to the farmhouse later that day. I was left speechless, the fear intensifying, and I vehemently refused to join the family on the trip. Despite my apprehensions, my mom, perhaps thinking it was just a product of an overactive imagination, didn't insist on my participation. While the rest of the family excitedly headed to the farmhouse, I found myself staying back, my company being a babysitter. The vivid and disturbing images from the dream still lingered in my mind, refusing to fade away.

Years passed, and my father left a will for all of us, leaving the farmhouse under my name. I was happily married to my college sweetheart, and we had three lovely kids. As my kids grew and learned about my father's will, their excitement to visit the farmhouse bubbled up. Despite their enthusiasm, I carried a lingering fear from a vivid dream I had experienced. The dream's echoes played on my mind like a haunting melody. Nevertheless, due to my family's persistent insistence, I reluctantly agreed to join them on the farmhouse visit. When we finally approached the familiar grounds, a rush of nostalgia enveloped me, bringing back memories of my childhood dream that had long troubled me. The farmhouse, standing before me just as it did in my dream, sent shivers down my spine. Its familiarity clashed with the unsettling feeling that had haunted my sleep. Stepping inside, we discovered the swimming pool- the same one that featured prominently in my haunting dreams. Its water sparkled invitingly, but my apprehension held me back.

My husband, unaware of the depths of my fear, encouraged me to join the aquatic fun. Despite my protests, my husband gently pulled me into the pool. The moment my legs touched the pool base, a surge of nostalgia mixed with an undeniable sense of foreboding washed over me, the sense of déjà vu' intensified, and the fear I had tried to suppress became a reality once again.
I was cuffed with chains; the nightmare came true...