Summer Lies

Chapter 2 – Shadows and Secrets

The next day, the sky was covered in heavy clouds. The heat still lingered in the air, but now it felt suffocating, like a thick blanket on their shoulders.

They stood again on the beach, right where they had found the medallion the day before. No one said a word. The sea stretched out before them—still, but threatening.

“This is your fault,” Emily suddenly said.

Sarah slowly turned toward her. “Excuse me, what?”

“You laughed. You said we should dive. I told you it felt wrong.” Emily’s voice trembled. “Katy is gone. And you’re the one who pushed us.”

Sarah scoffed and crossed her arms. “You’re blaming me? Like you’ve ever taken responsibility for anything.”

Emily stepped closer. “I warned you! You laughed—just like you always do when you’re too scared to admit the truth.”

The two girls stared at each other, anger and fear in their eyes.

“Stop it!” Ethan shouted. “This doesn’t help. She’s gone. We need to find her—not fight each other.”

The tension lingered. Finally, Sarah looked away and walked toward the water without another word.

They put on their gear again and dove in, one by one. The water was darker than the day before—as if something had changed. They swam near the rocks, where the current was stronger.

Emily and Ethan stayed close together. Suddenly, Emily spotted something tangled in the seaweed: a piece of pink fabric. She swam closer and pulled it free—it was a torn bikini top, stained with blood.

She screamed underwater, and bubbles raced to the surface.

Ethan grabbed her and pulled her up.

“We found something!” he shouted when they emerged. “We have to go to the police. Now.”

They sat in a small, cool police station while an older officer inspected the fabric in a plastic bag.

“This changes things,” he said seriously. “We’re starting a search operation. But that area is dangerous—you’re not to go back out there.”

They all nodded, but none of them said what they were really thinking: They weren’t going to let this go.

Later that evening, Emily and Ethan sat on the summer house terrace. A slow, heavy rain had started to fall.

“It feels like a nightmare,” Emily said quietly. “Like we already know what happened... we’re just too scared to admit it.”

Ethan wrapped his arm around her. She leaned into him, and he kissed her gently. At first hesitant, then deeper. They kissed for a long time, close. Not out of desire, but out of desperation—to feel anything other than fear.

She rested her forehead against his. “Just... make me forget, for a little while.”

He nodded and took her hand. They walked quietly into the house and closed the door behind them.

Sarah sat alone in the kitchen and saw it all happen. Her fists clenched.

“Even now,” she mumbled. “You steal everything, Emily.”

She stood up suddenly and disappeared into the dark.

Isac lay awake in the living room. Rain tapped against the roof. Suddenly, a faint voice echoed outside—like a whisper on the wind.

“…help me…”

He sat up, staring toward the dark window. The voice came again—clearer this time. It sounded like Katy.

He pulled on a hoodie and stepped outside. The rain made everything slippery, but he followed the voice down toward the beach.

There, at the edge of the waves, stood a female figure. Her hair clung to her face. She was pale, her eyes… empty.

“Katy?” Isac whispered.

The figure slowly turned toward him, and he gasped. It wasn’t Katy. It looked like her, but the face was… wrong. Twisted.

She reached out her hand. “Come with me.”

Isac stumbled backward, but his legs felt heavy. Like something was pulling him.

“Isac!” a voice called behind him—Sarah came running.

When he looked back, the woman was gone.

“There was… I swear…” he stammered.

Sarah grabbed his arm. “Come. Before you end up like Katy.”

They ran back to the house, the rain lashing their faces.

Inside the house, Emily woke with a start. She looked over at Ethan, sleeping beside her.

She got up and walked to the window. The sea lay dark and silent.

But in the distance… something shimmered under the surface.

Something… waiting.

Emily was about to go outside to investigate the strange sound she’d heard, but she was stopped by Sarah.

“Why did you kiss Ethan?” Sarah snapped.

Emily raised an eyebrow. “That’s none of your business. You’re not even together anymore.”

Sarah’s gaze turned cold, and she rolled her eyes before turning and getting back into bed without responding. Emily hesitated for a moment but decided to stay inside.

The Next Morning

They jumped out of bed and hurried to the police station, hoping for news about Katy. But the disappointment was clear in their faces when the officer, looking tired, said:

“Sorry. Nothing new.”

Sarah was about to turn away when she spotted a familiar figure—her mom.

“What are you doing here?” Sarah asked, surprised. Her mom didn’t answer. She just hugged her tightly.

“I’ve been so worried! We’re going home—now.”

Sarah rolled her eyes. She knew it was all for show. Her mom was only acting sweet because the others were watching.

“Fine. I’ll go home. But we’ll talk later,” she said coldly.

At Sarah’s House

The car ride was silent. As soon as the door shut behind them, her mom’s voice exploded.

“What the hell were you thinking?! I don’t want you hanging out with those people anymore! They’re dragging you down!”

Sarah felt tears rising but refused to let them fall.

“They’re my only friends!” she shouted back. “My best friend is missing, and all you care about is your reputation!”

“I’m just trying to protect you!” her mom yelled.

“By screaming at me?!”

Sarah stormed into her room and slammed the door. She sat on her bed, hands trembling. She didn’t know who to trust anymore.

Normally, she would have called Katy now. Katy would know exactly what to say to make her feel less alone. But Katy was gone.

Just the thought made her chest tighten. For the first time, the silence didn’t feel peaceful—it felt empty.

Sarah stayed in bed most of the day. She could hear her mom talking on the phone in the living room—her voice low but firm. She heard Katy’s name several times and something about “not being her responsibility.” Sarah pulled the blanket over her head. She wished she could vanish like Katy. Just be gone—away from it all.

Meanwhile, back at the summer house, Emily, Ethan, and the others sat in the small living room. The mood was heavy. No one said anything for a long time.

“We can’t just sit and wait for the police to find her,” Emily finally said. “We have to do something.”

“Like what?” Léo asked. “Search ourselves? We don’t even know where to begin.”

Emily got up and walked over to the small chest they had found on the beach. She held it in her hands, staring at it like it held a secret she hadn’t yet figured out.

“This means something. Katy was obsessed with it… maybe it led her into something dangerous.”

“You think she got kidn*pped because of that thing?” Ethan asked skeptically.

Emily met his eyes. “I don’t know. But I’m going to find out.”

Suddenly, a loud knock sounded on the door. Everyone jumped. Emily slowly walked over and opened it.

A police officer stood outside—with a serious look in his eyes.

“We found something,” he said.