Echoes of the Deep

Chapter 1 Episode 1 The new neighbors. The moving truck rumbled slowly down the quiet coastal street. Its engine growled loudly against the otherwise peaceful afternoon as it approached the largest property in the neighborhood, a massive mansion that had sat abandoned for nearly twenty years. For months, construction crews worked tirelessly on the estate. Workers came and went every day. New gates had been installed. The gardens had been restored. The faded white walls had been repainted. Nobody knew who bought that property. Rumors spread through town constantly. Some claimed a celebrity had purchased it. Others insisted it belonged to some wealthy business family from overseas. One old fisherman had sworn he had seen armed security inspecting the property at night. No one knew the truth. Until today... Across the street, the curtains shifted. A pair of brown eyes peeked through the blinds. Dmitri Morozov watched with intense curiosity. The seventy-foot moving truck turned into the circular driveway. Several expensive black SUVs followed behind them. Dmitri's eyebrows rose. "Well, would you look at that." He pulled the blinds apart slightly. "Honey!" No answer. "Honey!" Still nothing. A moment later, Elena appeared from the kitchen carrying a dishtowel. "What?" Dmitri pointed dramatically toward the mansion. "I think our mystery neighbors have finally arrived." Immediately, Elena's interest was piqued. She hurried over. "Oh my gosh!" The two stood shoulder to shoulder like spies. "That's a lot of vehicles." "No kidding." "Who do you think they are?" "No idea." Elena peeked harder through the blinds. "You know all that construction work they've been doing for months?" "Yeah?" "It must've been for them," Elena said. Dmitri nodded. "Looks like it." The front door of one SUV opened. A woman stepped out. Long blonde hair. Designer sunglasses. Expsensive heels. The kind of outfit that screamed money. Elena immediately judged her. "She looks rich." Dmitri laughed. "Elena..." "What? She does!" The woman removed her sunglasses briefly and looked around with visible annoyance. Then another vehicle door opened. A tall man stepped out. Unlike the woman, he looked relaxed. Happy, even. He stretched his arms toward the sky and smiled. Elena frowned. "They don't match." "What?" "The husband and wife." "What do you mean?" Dmitri looked over at Elena. "She looks like she'd complain if her coffee wasn't exactly sixty degrees." Dmitri chuckled. "And him?" "He looks like he'd pet stray cats." Before Dmitri could respond, footsteps approached. Nikolai walked through the hallway carrying his backpack. He had just returned from school. The sixteen-year-old immediately noticed both of his parents standing suspiciously by the window. He stopped, stared. Then sighed. "No." Neither parents moved. "Nuh-uh." Still nothing. "Please tell me you're not spying on the new neighbors." Dmitri looked offended. "We're observing." "You're peeking through the blinds!" Nikolai protested. "We're welcoming them," Elena added. Dmitri chuckled. "From inside the house... It's less awkward." Nikolai rubbed his face. "Oh my god." Elena waved him over excitedly. "Come look!" "No." "Nikolai..." His mother Elena said slowly. "No." "There are teenagers." Nikolai's feet stopped instantly. "Teenagers?" Elena grinned, "Yep." Dmitri smirked, "Got him." Nikolai groaned. Against his better judgment, he walked over. He carefully peeked through the blinds. Outside, movers were unloading furniture. Several workers carried large boxes through the mansion's front entrance. Near the driveway stood two teenagers. A boy and a girl. Twins. At least they looked like twins. The resemblance was impossible to miss. Both had striking light blonde hair. The same sharp features. The same ocean-blue eyes. Even from across the street, Nikolai could tell they were his age. The girl looked exhausted, the boy looked bored. "Oh wow," Elena said. "They're adorable." "Mom..." "What?" Elena chuckled. Nikolai sighed. "Don't call strangers adorable..." Dmitri pointed. "See? They're your age." Nikolai immediately stepped away from the window. "Nope." "What?" His parents both said. "No." "You should introduce yourself to them." Dmitri smiled. "Dad!" Dmitri continued, "Go make friends. It would be good for you." Nikolai stared. "You want me to walk over there while they're moving in and say hello?" "Exactly!" "That is unbelievably embarrassing..." Nikolai rubbed his temples as he sighed. "I agree." Elena said. Nikolai blinked, "Oh, thank god." Elena smiled, "You should wait five minutes first." "MOM!" Dmitri burst out laughing. Outside, completely unaware of the family spying on them, Vincent Vellano stretched his arms. His stomach growled. Loudly. Beside him, his twin sister Vivenne groaned. "I'm starving..." Vincent nodded immediately, "Same." They had spent nearly ten hours traveling. Neither had slept much. Neither wanted to be standing in a driveway watching strangers carry boxes. "Can't we just leave?" Vivenne asked. "Mom..." she continued. "No." "We haven't even asked yet..." Vincent sighed. Their mother groaned. "I already know what you're asking." Vivenne sighed dramatically, "Then you know the answer should be yes." Their mother, Viviana Vellano, removed her sunglasses. The bright coastal sunlight reflected in her eyes. She glanced toward the ocean. Immediately her nose wrinkled. "It smells like fish." The twins exchanged looks. "We live near the ocean now..." "I know." "You realize oceans have fish..." Vivenne crossed her arms. "I know." "Then why-" Before Vivenne could finish her sentence her mother cut her off. "It still smells." Vivenne snorted. Viviana ignored her. The twin's mother had always been dramatic. Always. Meanwhile Vincent watched another mover disappear inside carrying a large box. "We're hungry..." He finally said. "So...?" "Please...?" Vivenne begged. "No." "Pretty, pretty-" Vincent had tried before getting cut off. "No." Vincent groaned. "We hate you." "Get in line." Their mother sighed getting stressed out. Victor, their father, laughed as he stepped closer. Unlike his wife, he seemed thrilled. The ocean breeze ruffled his hair. His eyes drifted toward the sea visible beyond the neighborhood. For a moment he simply stood there smiling. "This place is beautiful." Viviana looked at him like he was insane. "It's humid." Victor ignored her. "I love it already." The twins shared another look. Their parents truly existed in different worlds. "Mom," Vincent tried again, "food." Viviana sighed dramatically, "You two are relentless." She opened her purse. A moment later she pulled out a sleek black card. Vincent's eyes lit up. Victory! She handed it over, "There." "Thank you!" Vincent held the card up to his sister. "Don't spend twenty thousand dollars." "No promises." Vincent chuckled. "I'm serious." Meanwhile, a mover accidentally tilted a box. Viviana immediately spun around. "HEY!" The poor mover froze. "My things are in there!" "Sorry ma'am!" "Carry it carefully!" "Yes, ma'am." Victor rubbed his forehead. "There she goes." Vivenne smirked. "That guy almost died." Vincent nodded, "Rest in peace." The twins laughed. For the first time all day, they seemed genuinely relaxed. Then Victor's attention shifted. Someone was approaching from across the street. A tall man, friendly smile, casual clothes with the universal look of a neighbor coming to introduce himself. Victor smiled. "Looks like we're being welcomed. Viviana immediately put her sunglasses back on, "Oh no!" "Be nice..." Victor sighed. "I am nice." "You threatened a mover thirty seconds ago..." Victor mentioned. "He deserved it..." The approaching man stopped near the driveway entrance. He raised a hand, "Hey there!" The entire Vellano family turned. Across the street, Nikolai watched from behind the blinds. His parents were already halfway there. "Oh no..." Dmitri waved enthusiastically, "Come on!" Nikolai stood frozen. Absolutely horrified. "Please don't..." Neither parent listened. The Vellano's looked toward the approaching neighbors. The Morozovs crossed the street together and stepped onto the Vellano mansion's long driveway. The estate looked even larger up close. Movers carried expensive furniture through the front doors while black SUVs remained parked near the entrance. The mansion towered above everyone, freshly restored after twenty years of abandonment. Dmitri smiled as he approached Victor.