Chapter 5

The rich, dangerous drawls from the whispers turn more coherent as the seconds tick by. The voices are fused together creating a false narrative of who’s persuading me, almost as a way to confuse me. Like in the woods.

“Miss, are you alright?” The man asks again. His worry is now expressed on his face as he studies mine that is dazed, absentmindedly staring at the breathtaking water. I want to answer him but I can’t think straight enough to form a sentence, let alone talk ― which I seem to forget how to do. All I can do is hum while I’m mindlessly enchanted by the unknown whispers.

“Burn the embers, burn them down… Don’t feel remorse… They killed us so we can’t let guilt bring us down... Burn the embers, burn them down… We’re the anodyne nymphs of the sea… let the one that did it be burned down…” I mutter breathlessly as the air around me feels thicker than before, causing me to breathe more difficultly. Each breath that I labor sends panic in my mind.