Location: Stirling, Scotland
Date: 31st October 2009
The ancient church stood atop a gentle hill, its towering silhouette casting long shadows under the cloudy evening sky. Inside, the air buzzed with excitement—nuns and junior priests hurried about, carrying boxes, candles, and decorations. The hall was lively, filled with the laughter of children playing.
Creak.
The heavy wooden door groaned open, and an elderly man in white robes stepped inside. A warm smile stretched across his wrinkled face as he greeted the children before striding toward an old nun standing near the altar.
"Mrs. Dorothy, where are Raphael and Leon?" His voice carried a hint of concern.
The old nun adjusted her thick glasses, squinting at the screen as she carefully dialed a number.
Ring… Ring…
A motorcycle zipped past the watchtower on a lonely coastal road. Rain lashed against the asphalt, the wind howled, and waves roared against the jagged cliffs below. The storm showed no mercy.
"Ralph, check your phone!" Leon shouted over the wind, gripping the box wrapped in gift paper as he sat behind his friend.
Raphael, the boy steering the bike, reached into his pocket with one hand, shielding the screen from the rain.
Crackle… "Raphael, can you hear me? … Crackle…" Mrs. Dorothy's voice barely cut through the static.
"We'll be there in ten minutes!" Raphael yelled back, hoping his voice carried through the interference. Leon tapped Raphael on the shoulder.
"Speed up!"
VROOOOM.
The bike surged forward like a bullet.
Then—
BANG!
The headlights caught a sudden movement. A flock of sheep, eyes glowing eerily in the night, stood frozen in the middle of the road.
"Shit!"
Leon yanked at Raphael's shoulder, but there was no time.
Slip!
The tires skidded. The bike twisted sideways, its momentum dragging them toward the cliff's edge. The next thing they saw was not the road—but the churning black sea beneath them.
SPLASH!
The ocean swallowed them whole. Freezing water stole their breath as they sank into the abyss.
"Leon! Grab my hand!"
Raphael's fingers barely brushed against Leon's. The storm raged above, thunder rumbling like the growl of a beast.
"Ralph! Where are you?" Leon thrashed in the water, his voice drowned by the waves.
Grab.
A hand seized his wrist.
"Leon, open your eyes!" Raphael shouted, coughing up seawater.
"Ralph, thank goodness. We need to—"
CRASH!
A massive wave struck, hurling them against the jagged crags. A sickening crunch echoed in the depths. Pain exploded in their skulls. The sea turned red.
Leon's vision blurred. "Ralph… Ral—"
Darkness.
Raphael gasped, his consciousness slipping. "Leon… I'm sor—"
His words faded into the abyss.
Then—
A light.
Emerald green, glowing beneath the waves.
A presence descended, neither human nor beast, watching them with amusement. Then, it smiled.
Snap.