Dark Water

Laura was alone when she heard a knock at the door.

"Hello, anyone home?" a high-pitched female voice called from outside.

Laura would have pretended not to have heard the woman, but the large living room window next to the street clearly revealed her to the short woman just outside, who upon catching catching Laura's eye gave a friendly smile and wave.

Laura begrudgingly walked towards the door, her guilt dragging her towards it. She opened the door, bringing in a draft of cold air, and weakly greeted the woman with a half-hearted smile, "H-hi."

The small woman gave a beaming smile. She was wearing a worn black dress and had wild platinum blond hair and dark circles under her eyes. She was carrying a large colourful bag with beaded glass spirals that twinkled in the afternoon sun. "Good afternoon Miss," the short woman answered cheerily, "Thank you so much for taking some time to meet with me. I have a life-changing opportunity for you. What's your name, Miss?"

"...Uh. Laura," Laura answered, quickly glancing back towards the house, her mind racing for an excuse to leave.

The woman reached into her colourful bag and procured a thin, long black box. She opened it to reveal a red cushioned interior lined with a series of pearl charm bracelets, each one with a single beautiful seashell-like charm.

"Do you ever feel unconfident or anxious Laura. Do you find your responsibilities weigh on you? You're a student, no?" the short woman said gesturing towards the university that was located a few blocks away.

Laura gave a short nod as she fidgeted from side to side.

"I like to help people, Laura. I'm sure you're curious what it is I do," The woman picked up one of the small charms and held it up towards Laura. The woman stared deeply into Laura's eyes, making her lean back slightly.

"I bring people helpful charms," she said sweetly as she held up a bracelet. "These charms bring happiness to their wearers. However, I don't bring them to just anyone. I was looking for you Laura. I go where the charms take me."

This sent a shiver down Laura's spine. She knew the woman was just saying things to sell her probably cheaply made bracelets, but the woman had said it with such conviction that a small part of her felt it had to be true. A part of her even wanted it to be true, but the logical side of her told her believing something like that would be foolish.

"Do you want to try one on?" The woman asked.

Laura was about to protest when the woman began unclasping one of the bracelets.

"Here, let me help you," the woman said. Laura tentatively held out her arm and let the woman put on the bracelet.

The bracelet was cool to the touch, and heavier than Laura expected. Laura was no expert on pearls, but these felt genuine. They felt nothing like the plastic pearl necklaces she and her friends had worn as children. The small seashell-like, spirally charm that hung upon the bracelet was pale and with an iridescent sheen. Overall, it looked like it would be a rather expensive item.

"Pretty, no? It can be yours for only ten dollars," the small woman said with a smile.

Laura blinked and gave a raised eyebrow, to which the woman gave a bright chuckle.

"It's true," the small woman said.

Laura looked back inside the house and back towards the woman. Her purse was nearby and she knew she had the money. She hated the idea of spending money on a door-to-door salesperson's goods though, even if the cost was much less than she expected.

"I...I'm not sure I should," Laura said, "I'm a broke student. I'm not sure I should be spending money on frivolous goods."

"Oh, but this isn't frivolous at all. It's more than just a fashion item, though it is quite fashionable. These charms can change your life forever," the small woman said, "And for such a small cost."

In the end, Laura decided the effort it would take to dissuade the woman was worth the five dollars. "It is pretty," Laura itted, "O-Okay. Wait right here," Laura said as she went to find her purse. She frantically sifted through her purse and procured the ten dollars, glancing back at the woman who waited patiently in the doorway.

Laura brought back the money and handed it to the woman in exchange for the bracelet.

"Thank you very much, Miss Laura. However, I have one more thing to mention," the woman said, "To ensure your happiness you must wear the bracelet tonight while you sleep."

"Oh, uh okay," Laura said as she fumbled with her new bracelet, "Thanks, I'll make sure to."

"Very good, Miss Laura. Pleasure doing business with you, and sweet dreams," the small woman said cheerily as she gathered up her large, colourful, swirly bag and wobbled down the street.

---

Laura never mentioned the bracelet to her roommates when they returned that evening. She was too embarrassed. She had hid the bracelet in her desk drawer instead of wearing it.

That night though, after Laura finished some of her textbook reading, she put on the pearly charm bracelet. It glimmered dreamily in the light of her bedside lamp. It was really quite pretty. It looked fancier than anything else she owned, too fancy in fact. She would worry about standing out if she wore it.

Laura's mind was whirling, not just with thoughts of the bracelet, but also of her school. She had so many things to finish this week, and a test coming up. The guilt of buying the bracelet and giving into the saleswoman against her better judgement was also weighing on her. She knew it was a small expense, but it was the principle of it. That ten dollars could also have gone towards lunch or groceries. She wished she was more strong-willed.

She looked at the bracelet one last time before turning off her bedside lamp. She felt silly wearing it to bed, but a small part of her always wanted to believe in a little magic. She fell asleep clutching at the small seashell-like charm.

---

When Laura opened here eyes again she found herself surrounded by thick mists and standing in nearly knee-deep water. The water was very blue and murky. It made her quite uneasy. It was impossible to tell its depth, or if anything lurked within it. She looked up, and across from her was a gigantic pearly shell partially submerged in dark blue water.

The shell across from her was larger than the student townhouse she rented, and it was the only place visible that had any surface above water. Wanting to get out of the murky water she hurriedly made her way towards it. However, just as she stepped onto the smooth shell floor she saw a pale humanoid hand clawing up from the far back of the shell. Laura froze.

Slowly, a pale humanoid figure pulled themselves out from the back of the shell and slithered towards her. They appeared to be a man with long, lustrous, black hair that had a blue-oily sheen, bone-pale skin, and a long, pale, eel-like tail. The skin upon his shoulders and just above his brow shimmered with small iridescent scales, similar to the larger white scales of his tail. His hands had small, sharp nails, and he had piercing bright blue eyes. He looked a bit like a merman.

The creature propped himself up upon the floor of the shell and wiped his long dark hair out of his bright eyes. He gave a small smile and spoke.

"Greetings Lady Laura. Be not afraid," he said in a soft, breathy voice.

Though his voice was gentle, Laura still felt uneasy. His face was very beautiful, but when he spoke it revealed a dark mouth filled with sharp teeth.

"Thank you for meeting with me," he said, "Please, take a seat."

After he spoke, Laura heard something begin to rise from the water behind her. She turned around and a dark obsidian platform with a long gilded table atop of it had appeared from the water, along with a golden chair adorned with pearls.

The next thing she knew she was sitting in the chair and the creature was lounging across from her.

"Now, that you're comfortable, let's begin," He said with a smile. When he spoke he spoke softly with short mouth movements, and when he smiled he always kept his mouth shut, concealing his sharp teeth. "I understand you have some troubles you would like some assistance with," he said.

"M-maybe," Laura replied as she glanced around her surroundings.

Suddenly, the creature was beside her. He held an arm across her shoulders as if to comfort her. He was large, and surprisingly soft. "Many find their first meeting to be a bit frightful," he said, "My people are a bit unusual."

Laura blinked.

His arms were down on the table across from her. He brought his hands up and let his chin rest upon them, making himself look slightly smaller. She could see his long gleaming tail swishing gently in the water behind him.

Laura tried to what the short woman who gave her the bracelet had told her. "She said you can make me happy? Laura asked.

The creature nodded. "Yes. I can make you happier, more confident, and rid you of needless worries."

"What's the catch," Laura asked.

"Catch?" the creature asked, tilting his head to the side.

"You won't twist my wishes like they do in all the stories, will you?" Laura asked.

"Oh," the creature uttered, "No, no. Lady Laura, I don't grant wishes at all. My agreement is a simple one. My kind you see, we consume the negative emotions of humans. We don't grant wishes. We make the dark cloud that often weighs down your thoughts a little lighter."

"Oh...Why?" Laura asked.

"Why do your kind eat candy or cakes?" he asked. "It is simply something we like," he said with a light shrug.

"Is that really all…?" Laura asked, "Are there any to this agreement?"

"All that is needed is your cooperation and consent," he said, smiling gently, his eyes blinking slowly like a cat, "You agree to wear the bracelet, and whenever you're feeling sad or anxious I will ease your burdens."

"Is the agreement final…? Can I back out?" Laura asked.

"Simply take off the bracelet," he replied, giving a soft smile, but his left hand tapped its claws impatiently.

Laura stopped and thought for a moment. His bright eyes watched her unblinkingly. "What do I call you?" Laura asked.

"Whatever you wish," the creature replied smoothly.

Laura looked at the creatures long dark hair. "How about Shadow?"

"You may call me Shadow," he said as he began to rise. "Do we have a deal, Lady Laura?" Shadow asked as he outstretched a long and pale clawed hand.

Laura tentatively took Shadow's hand, avoiding his sharp nails. Shadow gave a light shake and a sharp, hungry grin.

---

Laura awoke with a start. She tapped her phone that was chiming to the side. It was morning, time to get ready for class.

Normally, Laura would be filled with anxiety. She would frantically get ready for the day, paranoid that she might be late for class despite giving herself a large time buffer to get ready. However, Laura felt good that morning. She felt energized and not her usual sluggish morning self.

She touched the pearly charm bracelet still chained around her left wrist. That dream last night, it felt very vivid. It seemed so absurd though, it couldn't have been real. Yet, she did feel better.

The day went by like a breeze. She noticed she found it easier to concentrate in class. She later realized it was because she wasn't worried what other people were thinking about her.

---

That night, she returned to the dark blue sea, and Shadow was sitting by the table, his tail wrapped underneath him like a snake. "Goodnight, my Lady," he said in greeting.

Shadow was eating from a gilded bowl upon the table. It was filled with inky, writhing masses.

"What is that?" Laura asked, shivering.

Shadow licked his lips of the black slime that seemed to coat his meal. "Your dark thoughts," he answered.

"It looks terrible," Laura said, looking away.

"It is what is required to rid you of your dark thoughts," he answered as he plopped another wriggling black morsel into his mouth. He seemed to have no issue with it.

Laura awoke with a faint feeling of discomfort, but it quickly faded, the image of Shadow and his meal quickly fading from her memory.

---

The next few days went by easier than any of the last few weeks at school had ever been despite the large workload. She ed her test with flying colours, and even managed to engage with her classmates during their group meetings.

On the weekend, her roommates invited her out to a small party to drink and play board games. Normally, Laura would feel much too anxious to accept, but that night she managed to push herself and go. She ended up actually having quite a fun time, and she got along really well with one of the boys there. He was also the quiet sort, and they ended up rambling together about their interests.

Laura left the party feeling energized and very happy. It was completely not like she expected it to be at all. She lay in her bed, thinking about the night. She thought to herself that it was silly she didn't go to more parties and friendly hangouts.

The only negative thing she had to deal with in any capacity during those past few days was her nightly visits with Shadow. He made her feel a bit uncomfortable, and there was no way to avoid him. Every night, he was there.

---

Laura continued wearing the bracelet over the next three weeks. She felt better than she ever had in her life, and everything was going perfectly. However, though her anxieties had dulled, she still had one worry that seemed to always be at the back of her mind, a small feeling that she was doing something wrong.

One morning, Laura tried taking off the bracelet. At first, she didn't feel very different, but then, within a few minutes she found her mind tumbling with worries and dark thoughts. She ed talking with her classmates the day before, how she had cut them off by accident. Did they think she was rude? Maybe they hated her. The boy from the party she met, the two of them had been texting, but did he really like her? Maybe he was just humoring her.

She tried to get ready for class, but she soon found herself trembling and gasping for air. Why was she so weak? She crumpled down near the kitchen counter and tried to steady herself, her heart beating wildly. Her head turned to look upstairs to her bedroom where the bracelet was.

Laura put on the bracelet. Gradually, her heartbeat began to steady. She took a sigh of relief. Everything was fine. She would be fine. Her fingers played with the small sea-shell like charm. She would just wear it for a little bit. She didn't need to wear it all the time. She just needed it right now.

---

Laura graduated with flying colours. The co-op she took over the summer had ensured her a job. They had all been so impressed with her that the new company would have asked her to skip the last bit of her semester if the co-op itself hadn't counted for her last credits.

People naturally felt comfortable around Laura. She was bubbly, confident, and decisive. She was always energetic and a hard worker.

By the next year, she and the boy she had met at the small party were engaged.

Occasionally, people would ask Laura about her unique, pearly charm bracelet. She would simply tell them it was her good luck charm.

---

Over the next six years, Laura did very well for herself. She climbed the corporate ladder and even became Managing Director of a fairly large and successful company. She was a great people person, smart, and quick-thinking.

However, almost as soon as she had begun her journey in upper-management, things started to fall apart. Her husband noticed the changes first. Laura had generally been the frugal sort. However, over the past year she had begun spending like crazy. It seemed like everyday something new arrived in the mail. She could afford it, but even before when they had the money to she had been very conservative with her money.

Things got worse. Laura wasn't sleeping much. She didn't feel like she needed it. There was just always so much to do, so much she could be doing. Her husband found it the most disruptive. He would ask her to come to bed, but she would just ignore him. She was ignoring him a lot.

However, despite all the extra work she was putting in, her boss was becoming very unhappy with her performance. She made a few risky business decisions that she swore were a sure thing, and there were complaints below her that she was no longer properly consulting her experts on her decisions, and that she regularly interrupted people during meetings.

However, Laura was feeling better than ever. She had a few setbacks, of course, but she would overcome them. Her boss was being a bit unreasonable. Everyone made a few mistakes here and there. And anyways, it obviously wasn't her fault.

She had created such a good reputation for herself that people overlooked a lot of her recent poor decisions and odd behavior, but it soon became clear that this wasn't the same Laura.

She was fired a week after her divorce. Her friends came to console her, but found themselves horrified to discover that they seemed to feel worse about the situation than Laura did.

That night, Laura floated lazily through the dark blue waters of sleep. Shadow's shape could be seen in the distance where he sampled from his gilded table overflowing with dark writhing dishes. The fins along his back and tail had elongated and stuck out sharply along his spine. His imposing shape was almost as large now as the shell he once emerged from. He towered over Laura like a titan.

She wasn't sure when he had started growing. It had been so subtle, but soon she had noticed small things here and there, like his hand being large enough to surround her torso, or his tail becoming longer than the table he ate from. In time, his sharp nails had become as long as her own fingers.

She gazed up at him, iring his beauty, his long dark hair, his piercing bright blue eyes, and his pale shimmering scales. Inky, black liquid dripped from his enormous mouth. He wiped his lips and smiled at Laura as she ed, his sharp teeth still stained with dark, slimy liquids.

She woke up feeling strange. There was something about Shadow she felt she should be thinking about, but she couldn't figure out what it was. There was feeling deep within her, but she couldn't name it. It was so faint, like a voice calling from far away.

---

Laura had trouble finding a new job. Part of the trouble was she found it hard to care. However, she was bored. She needed to find something, and life without her husband was less interesting than she liked.

She soon solved one of her problems and found some new men to keep her company. They were fun, but there was something missing. There was something missing in her.

Laura read through some of her old books. She hadn't read them in so long, but they didn't seem to give her the same joy they once did. In fact, it was hard for her to read them at all, it was like she was reading the words, but not understanding them. It was like when she talked to people nowadays. She threw her books to the side and went to bed. Her head hurt. She couldn't think straight. She tossed and turned, unable to keep still, trying to get ahold of her thoughts, until she finally fell into a restless sleep.

---

That night, Laura dreamed.

Laura's dreams were very chaotic. There were many of them, and they were all nightmares.

She awoke in a cold sweat. It was still night, and her room was dark. Anyone else would feel relieved to be free of the nightmares, but all she felt was an overwhelming sense of dread.

She frantically felt for her bracelet. She was still wearing it on her left wrist. She touched each pearl, her hands trembling harder with each movement, tears streaming down her face. They were all still there, but the seashell-like charm that had hung there for as long as she could was gone.

Shakily, Laura stepped off her bed.

Her feet were met with nearly knee-deep water.

---

#HorrificNightmares

Thank you for reading~

Short story was made for Rose's challenge. I don't often write horror so it was a bit of a challenge, but it was also fun.