The next morning, nobody mentioned the woman on the beach.
Mostly because nobody had seen her except Prishka.
And Prishka wasn't sure what she had seen.
Breakfast was quieter than usual.
Not silent.
Just... different.
Aryan was still talking.
Unfortunately.
"Imagine being haunted on vacation."
Dipanshu looked up.
"Imagine being the ghost and getting stuck with us."
"Fair."
The table laughed.
Everyone except Prishka.
She kept watching Shristi.
Again.
And Wick noticed.
After breakfast, the group decided to explore the old marketplace near the harbor.
The streets were crowded.
Bright.
Full of tourists.
Exactly the kind of place where nothing bad should happen.
Which was why nobody noticed Shristi disappear.
At first.
One minute she was beside Varsha.
The next—
She wasn't.
"Where's Shris?"
---
Everyone stopped.
A quick search began.
Nothing serious.
Not yet.
---
Five minutes.
Ten.
Fifteen.
---
Then Wick found her.
Standing near the end of the harbor.
Alone.
---
Staring at the ocean.
Again.
The exact same expression from the lighthouse.
Empty.
Distant.
---
"Shristi."
---
No response.
---
His jaw tightened.
---
"Angel."
She blinked.
Slowly.
Turned.
"Oh."
As if she was surprised to see him.
"What are you doing here?"
The question bothered him.
Because it sounded like she genuinely didn't know.
---
"I should be asking you that."
She frowned.
Looked around.
For a moment—
Actual confusion crossed her face.
"I was with Varsha."
---
"You were."
The walk back was quiet.
Too quiet.
—
Everyone returns to the hotel.
Aryan starts another argument.
Dipanshu starts another card game.
Life continues.
---
But Wick keeps replaying what happened.
"She asked me what I was doing there."
Prishka looks up.
"What?"
"At the harbor.
He leans against the balcony railing.
---
"For a second she looked confused but she doesn't seem to be conscious sometimes."
Prishka doesn't laugh.
Doesn't dismiss it.
Because she knows exactly what he's talking about.
"You've noticed it too."
Not a question.
A statement.
Prishka looked toward the sea.
"Yeah."
---
Silence.
Then:
"She's changing."
Wick's expression darkened.
"How bad? And is it like her old dreams?"
Prishka hesitated.
"I don't know, As you already know she gets nightmare many times but since you came she's very calm."
And that answer scared her more than anything.
Because normally—
She always knew her sister.
---
For the first time—
Both of them stop treating the incidents separately.
And suddenly they become much worse.
---
Because now there's a pattern.
---
Later that evening—
Instead of Prishka going alone—
Wick goes with her.
---
The group thinks they're going to buy souvenirs.
Nobody questions it.
Mostly because Aryan was busy losing another card game.
"Where are you two going?"Aryan asked.
"Secret mission."Prishka replied immediately.
Aryan sat up.
"Actually?"
"No."
"Oh."
A pause.
"Then where are you going?"
Prishka grabbed her jacket.
"To investigate the supernatural horrors following Us."
Aryan blinked.
"...Seriously?"
"No."
"Why does everyone do this to me?"
And better they took exit before he attacks with loads of questions.
The marketplace is quieter at night.
The lanterns glow softly.
The sea breeze carries distant music.
Eventually they find the tarot woman.
The old woman was still there.
---
As if she'd been waiting.
She recognizes them immediately.
---
Especially when she sees the photograph.
---
"You came back."
---
Prishka sat down.
"What followed us?"
---
The woman didn't answer immediately.
---
Her expression changes.
---
"You're too late."
Wick's jaw tightens instantly.
"What does that mean?"
The old woman points directly at the necklace.
"That should never have left the sea."
Prishka frowned.
"Then tell us what it is."
The old woman didn't answer immediately.
Instead, her eyes shifted from the photograph...
To Prishka.
And stayed there.
---
Long enough for both Wick and Prishka to notice.
The woman tilted her head slightly.
Almost curious.
Almost confused.
---
"How old are you?"
---
Prishka blinked.
"What?"
---
"Answer me."
--
"Twenty."
---
The woman continued staring.
---
Then she reached across the table and grabbed Prishka's wrist.
Wick moved immediately.
His chair scraped against the floor.
The woman ignored him completely.
Her eyes narrowed.
For a second—
Something strange flashed across her expression.
Shock.
Then concern.
Then fear.
---
She released Prishka instantly.
"What?" Prishka asked.
---
The woman leaned back slowly.
"You've seen things before."
---
Prishka froze.
---
The air felt suddenly heavier.
---
"What things?"
---
The woman's gaze never left her.
"Things other people couldn't."
---
Neither Wick nor Prishka spoke.
---
Because she wasn't entirely wrong.
There had been moments.
Dreams.
Feelings.
Instincts.
Some figures.
Things Prishka had always brushed aside.
---
Coincidences.
---
The woman continued quietly.
"Most people spend their entire lives with closed eyes."
---
Her voice dropped.
"Yours are opening."
---
A chill crawled down Prishka's spine.
"What does that mean?"
---
The old woman looked toward the ocean visible beyond the market.
"It means if something is following your friend..."
---
Her gaze returned to Prishka.
"It already knows you can see it."
---
Silence.
---
Even the sounds of the marketplace seemed distant now.
---
Then the woman looked at Wick.
---
"And that's why you're both here."
---
Wick frowned.
"What does that mean?"
---
The woman gave a faint smile.
A sad one.
---
"One notices what others miss."
She looked at Prishka.
---
"And one refuses to look away."
She looked at Wick.
"Bad things rarely survive when darkness and light work together."
Prishka and Wick exchange a look.
Neither of them likes that answer.
"Tell us properly."
---
The woman studies both of them.
---
Then her gaze settles on Wick.
Longer than necessary.
Almost like she's recognizing something.
"You're the one it fears."
---
Wick frowns.
"What?"
---
The woman ignores the question.
---
Instead she says:
"Throw the necklace away."
---
Prishka asks:
---
"And if it comes back?"
---
The woman goes silent.
---
Which is answer enough.
For the first time—
Fear appeared in her eyes.
---
"Throw it away."
---
"And pray it lets her."
---
Prishka felt something cold settle in her stomach.
Back at the hotel—
The necklace rested on Shristi's bedside table.
---
Exactly where she'd left it.
---
At least...
That's what she thought.
---
Because when she woke up sometime after midnight—
The necklace wasn't on the table.
It was around her neck.
---
The clasp locked.
---
And her bedroom door stood open.
---
To be continued...