I never believed in the supernatural. It was all just stories, tall tales to scare children. But that was before…before everything changed. Before the divorce. Before the pond.
It all started on a dreary day in late October. The sky was gray, matching the mood that hung heavy in the air. My marriage had fallen apart, leaving me feeling hollow and lost. The pain of betrayal lingered like a festering wound, refusing to heal. I needed an escape, a place to forget, even if just for a little while.
That’s when I stumbled upon it – a forgotten pond nestled deep within the woods behind my small, rundown cabin. The water shimmered with an otherworldly glow, drawing me closer like a moth to a flame. I couldn’t resist its pull.
As I stood at the edge of the pond, peering into its depths, I felt a strange warmth wash over me. It was as if the water held some unknown power, something ancient and mystical. Without thinking, I stepped forward, plunging my hand into the murky depths.
The moment my fingers touched the water’s surface, a jolt of electricity shot through my body. It was both terrifying and exhilarating, a sensation that defied explanation. I pulled my hand back, unsure of what I had just experienced.
But the pond had awoken something within me, something I hadn’t felt in years. An insatiable hunger for life, for adventure. It was as if the divorce had stripped away the mundane and left behind a raw, untamed version of myself.
Days turned into weeks, and I found myself returning to the pond time and time again. Each visit brought with it a new discovery – a hidden cave behind a waterfall, an eerie abandoned house at the water’s edge. The pond was a gateway to another world, one where reality and nightmares blurred together.
I began to lose track of time, consumed by my obsession with the pond. I neglected my job, my friends, everything that had once mattered to me. The divorce became a distant memory, replaced by the allure of the unknown.
But as the weeks turned into months, I started to notice something unsettling. The pond seemed to have a mind of its own, a dark undercurrent that pulled at my sanity. Shadows danced beneath the water’s surface, grotesque figures that whispered secrets I couldn’t comprehend.
At night, I would lie awake in bed, haunted by nightmares of drowning. The sound of water sloshing against the shore echoed in my ears, a constant reminder of the pond’s insidious presence. Sleep became a luxury I couldn’t afford, as the line between dreams and reality blurred.
One fateful night, as I sat alone by the pond’s edge, contemplating the choices I had made, I saw her. A woman emerged from the water, her ghostly figure illuminated by the moonlight. Her eyes gleamed with an otherworldly intensity as she beckoned me closer.
I was drawn to her like a moth to a flame, unable to resist her siren song. Her voice echoed in my mind, promising salvation, redemption. In a moment of madness, I stepped into the pond, willing to follow her into the unknown.
But as soon as my foot touched the water’s surface, a searing pain shot through my body. It was as if the pond itself was alive, lashing out at those who dared to defy its ancient power. I screamed in agony as the water engulfed me, swallowing me whole.
In that moment, I understood the true horror of the pond. It was not a gateway to another world, but a prison for lost souls. Its depths held the remnants of all who had been consumed by its darkness – broken spirits trapped for eternity.
The woman’s laughter echoed in my ears as I sank deeper into the pond’s murky depths. I clawed at the water, desperate for air, for escape. But it was futile. The pond had claimed me, body and soul.
And so, here I remain, a prisoner of the pond’s madness. My days are spent in a perpetual state of torment, haunted by the ghosts of my past. The divorce, once the source of my pain, now seems trivial compared to the horrors I face within the pond’s depths.
I can only hope that one day, someone will stumble upon this cabin and uncover the truth of the pond. Perhaps they can break its curse, releasing me from this torturous existence. Until then, I am doomed to wander the watery depths, forever trapped in a world of madness and despair.
Author: Opney. Illustrator: Stab. Publisher: Cyber.
