Whispers Of The Midnight Tide

Whispers started once more. Soft, distant, twisting through the air like a forgotten tune. Selene stirred in bed, her body tensed, already anticipating the soothing pull. She knew the summons before she even opened her eyes. It was from the sea—she knew that without raising the lids. She had been summoned by it since the day she was born. She had pushed it away earlier. Fought against it. But the harder she fought, the tighter it became. Tonight, it was unbearable. Moonlight streamed through the open window, illuminating the room in silver. Her golden-blonde hair shone in the light, cascading over her shoulders in waves. The wind stirred the silk of her white nightgown, the fabric clinging to her skin as she sat up in bed. She stepped onto the chilly wooden floor, the sensation barely registering. The house was still—her father had gone to bed hours before, and the servants were asleep. She moved silently down the hallways like a phantom, the hem of her skirt trailing behind. The moment she went out, the wind rushed past her, blowing into her hair and sending shivers down her spine. But not with cold. The ocean stretched out before her, black and endless, the moonlight glimmering on the troubled waves. The whispers grew louder, threading through the darkness of the night wind like music that she might hear alone. And then she saw him. A body was buried halfway in the soggy sand near the water. Selene's breath caught. The water lapped at his legs, hesitating, as if not wanting to release him. His black hair was slicked back on his forehead, his face white in the moonlight. His clothes were torn, the fabric clinging to his body, dripping with sea water. Was he dead? She hesitated, her fear twisting in the bottom of her stomach. But then she saw it—the faint rise and fall of his chest. alive. But barely. Selene knelt beside him, the silk of her dress dripping with wet sand. Her hair, golden as the sun, fell to her shoulders as she leaned forward, her trembling fingers. "Heyy" Her whisper was almost imperceptible. No answer. She touched his shoulder softly. His skin felt freezing cold against her palm. A survivor from a shipwreck? The storms had raged these last few nights. It wouldn't be the first time a mariner had washed up, but there was something about this fellow that was. unnatural. Unusual. And then his eyes opened, slightly. A burst of cold air swept past her, leaving a serrated shiver upon her spine. The waves surged against the beach more violently, as if stunned by the moment. His eyes met hers—dark and boundless and full of secrets too deeply buried to discover. He coughed saltwater, spasmodically choking, his entire body convulsing at the strain. Selene instinctively placed a hand on his chest, holding him up. "You're safe," she panted. "Are you okay?" His muscles spasmed at her touch, his eyes raking hers for a moment, his face changing between desperation and terror. Then he spoke. "You shouldn't have found me." The words made chills run through her body. Selene swallowed. "What do you mean? The man groaned, rolling slightly, still out of breath. His fingers gripped feebly in the sand as though attempting to cling. "The sea. it will not let go." His voice was coarse, as though not having been spoken in years. what does it even mean?. Selene scowled. "You were drowning. The tide swept you in.". His eyes flashed beyond her, to the boundless black waters. "No," he whispered. "It did not carry me. It attempted to return me." There was something in his voice—the utter conviction, the hushed terror—that turned Selene's stomach. She looked where he looked. The sea was lying still now, in a creepy quietness, as if waiting. Waiting. She stood before him once more, her blonde hair scraping against her cheek as the wind swirled around them. "You require help. My apartment is nearby. .. I can escort you there and—" No, he broke in, his hand closing over her wrist in a loose grasp. His cold fingers tingled, but sent a shiver of electricity coursing through her skin. "I...i cannot stay here.". Selene screwed up her eyes. "You can barely get around. Where are you off to? He breathed heavily, as though he had just realized she was right. His fingers unclenched and his body fell against the sand. He was tired. She did not take more than a moment to decide. She clutched his arm and pulled it around her shoulder, steadying herself as she settled him upright. He gasped but made no attempt to struggle. He was taller than she had expected, with a lean but powerful physique in spite of his frailty. "You'll freeze to death if you stay here," she said to him, this time more urgently. "Come with me.". His lips parted to protest, but there were no words. He was too ill to resist her. So he permitted her to take him. --- The return home was a slow one, with the man leaning heavily on her. He was breathing heavily, and she could sense in him the weariness that pressed down on him with each step. When they finally reached the back door, Selene sat him down on a bench beside the door. The moonlight illuminated her gold hair, casting a gentle halo around her face as she knelt down beside him. "Stay here," she instructed him. "I'll go get some help." "No," he grated once more, shaking his head weakly. "No one can find out I'm here.". Selene furrowed her brow. "Why? But he had already closed his eyes, his body sinking into unconsciousness. She bit her lip, torn. If she called the servants, they would wake up her father, and there would be questions. Too many questions. Sighing, she made up her mind. She would hide him. At least for the time being, until she was sure who he was—and why the sea worked so hard to hide him. --- The lighthouse stood in stillness, its beam slicing the darkness. The waves lapped gently against the cliff, but beneath the water, the tides churned oddly. A whisper rippled through the deep, soft but insistent. Come back… The tide retreated a bit, then advanced once more, stretching, reaching out. But it had taken that one away. And the sea does not like to lose what is hers. ---