As evening descended upon San Elmo, the air grew thick with an eerie stillness, interrupted only by the occasional rustle of leaves outside the old house. Alona sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the wall, her mind a tempest of unease. Justin had fallen into a deep slumber beside her, his gentle breaths a stark contrast to the turmoil in her heart.
The events of the past few days weighed heavily on her. Memories of their struggles with infertility and the painful visit to his childhood home swirled around her. The whispers from last night haunted her, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong—something far beyond her own worries.
As the clock ticked closer to midnight, Alona’s exhaustion turned into restless anxiety. She pulled the sheets tighter around her, trying to find comfort, but sleep remained elusive. Just as she began to drift off, she heard it again—a distant wail that chilled her to the bone.
A baby’s cry echoed through the night, rising and falling like a haunting melody. It seemed to come from somewhere near the riverbank, a place shrouded in darkness and mystery. Her heart raced as she pushed back the covers, her instincts urging her to investigate. The cry was a siren call, beckoning her into the night.
She glanced at Justin, still asleep, his face peaceful in the dim light. “I can’t wake him,” she thought, guilt washing over her. “He needs to rest.” Silently, she slipped out of bed, her feet cold against the wooden floor, and crept toward the window.
Alona carefully opened the window, the creaking of the old wood echoing in the silence. The moon hung low in the sky, casting a silver glow over the landscape. She squinted into the darkness, her breath hitching as she strained to hear the cry again. But the night was still now, save for the rustle of the wind through the trees.
“Maybe I imagined it,” she whispered to herself, but just as she was about to close the window, the cry returned—clearer, more insistent. It was as if the sound had threaded its way through the branches of the trees.
Without thinking, Alona slipped on her slippers and quietly made her way to the door. The chill of the night air greeted her as she stepped outside, the ground damp beneath her feet. She hesitated for a moment, glancing back at the house, a flicker of fear igniting in her chest.
“Just a quick check,” she murmured, steeling her resolve. “It’s probably nothing.”
With each step, the darkness enveloped her, wrapping around her like a shroud. The trees loomed above her, their branches clawing at the sky, and the path ahead was a mere silhouette against the moonlight. She followed the sound of the baby’s cries, her heart racing with a mix of dread and an unexplainable pull toward the source.
As she neared the riverbank, the cries grew louder, echoing off the water’s surface, almost melodious in their sorrow. “It must be abandoned,” she thought, her heart aching at the thought of a lost child. “Maybe this is a blessing.”
Alona quickened her pace, adrenaline coursing through her veins. When she finally reached the river, she paused, scanning the area for any sign of a child. But as she looked around, the cries faded away, replaced by an unsettling silence that seemed to suffocate her.
“Hello?” she called, her voice trembling. “Is anyone there? Where are you?”
The water lapped softly at the bank, and the moonlight glimmered on the surface, revealing nothing but darkness beneath. Alona felt her heart sink as the reality of the situation settled in. There was no baby, no source of the cries—just the stillness of the night.
Feeling a strange mix of despair and confusion, she turned to leave, but as she took her first step back toward the house, the cries returned, more desperate than ever. Panic seized her as she realized they were coming from behind her. “What is happening?” she thought, fear clawing at her insides.
“Please,” she whispered into the night, “I just want to help. Where are you?”
With her heart pounding, she turned back to the river. The water shimmered ominously, and the shadows seemed to dance along the bank, taunting her with their mystery. In that moment, a chill swept through her, and she felt the air grow heavy with something unnameable. It was as if the very fabric of reality had shifted, and she was standing on the precipice of something darker.
Then, suddenly, the cries stopped. An oppressive silence settled over the landscape, and Alona felt a wave of dread wash over her. She turned to leave, but before she could move, she felt something brush against her leg—a fleeting sensation like a hand, cold and clammy.
Alona gasped, her breath hitching in her throat. She stumbled back, her heart racing as she turned to look behind her. There was nothing there, just the moonlit river and the darkened trees. But the feeling lingered, wrapping around her like a vice.
She hurried back toward the house, her mind spinning. The cries had vanished, leaving behind an unsettling emptiness that gnawed at her. As she reached the front door, she paused, her hand hovering over the knob. She could still feel the echoes of the night’s terror coursing through her, mingling with her own despair.
Once inside, she shut the door behind her, leaning against it for support. The air felt thick, and she could almost hear her heartbeat in the silence. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, but the night’s events weighed heavily on her mind.
Justin stirred in bed, his voice groggy. “Alona? Where have you been?”
“I… I just stepped outside for a moment,” she stammered, trying to compose herself. “I thought I heard something.”
He propped himself up on one elbow, concern etched on his face. “What do you mean? What did you hear?”
“A baby,” she replied, her voice trembling. “It was crying near the river. I thought... I thought it was an abandoned child.”
Justin’s expression shifted to alarm as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. “You went to the river alone? Alona, that’s dangerous!”
“I know, I know,” she said, trying to calm him down. “But when I got there, it just stopped. There was nothing but the water. I don’t understand what happened.”
Justin’s gaze softened, but he still looked worried. “You shouldn’t have gone out there by yourself. This place has been empty for years. Who knows what could be lurking around?”
“I didn’t think it would be a big deal,” Alona replied, the weight of her earlier resolve crumbling. “I just wanted to check...”
She turned to walk back to the bed. Justin’s eyes widened. “Alona, wait.” He knelt down beside her, lifting her pant leg slightly to reveal her lower leg. Alona’s heart raced as she realized he was looking at the scratches—thin lines of crimson marking her skin.
“Where did you get those?” he asked, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Did something happen at the river?”
She looked down, horrified. The scratches were fresh, angry red marks that seemed to throb with an energy of their own. “I... I don’t know. I must have brushed against something in the dark.”
Justin’s expression grew serious, and Alona felt a tremor of fear course through her. “It’s not just scratches, Alona. It looks like someone—or something—grabbed you.”
“I promise, I didn’t see anyone. I was alone,” she insisted, her voice wavering. “But I felt... something. It brushed against my leg, like a hand.”
Justin’s eyes narrowed, concern deepening. “We need to get out of here. I don’t want to stay in this house any longer.”
“No,” she said, desperation creeping into her voice. “We can’t just leave. I need to understand what happened. I need to know if there’s really something here.”
Justin shook his head, the lines of worry etching deeper into his face. “What if it’s dangerous? We don’t know what’s going on. I can’t lose you.”
Alona felt a rush of determination mixed with dread. “But what if the cries were real? What if there is a child who needs us?”
“Or what if it’s something more sinister?” he shot back, frustration boiling over. “You went out there in the middle of the night without telling me. What if it was a trap? We can’t risk it, Alona.”
“Justin,” she pleaded, her heart racing. “You don’t understand. It felt like... like a connection. I can’t just ignore it.”
He stared at her for a long moment, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. Finally, he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Alright. But if we’re going to find out what’s happening, we do it together. No more going out alone.”
Alona nodded, relief flooding her. “Thank you. I just need to know what’s going on.”