I was on Magna's stable that night. Brushing her before I finish the day always helped me calm down. A fragment of peace and company I seemed to lose in recent days. I was losing sleep and soon I learned to just sleep late to make it easier. Rosie sleepwalks, like when she was a child. The disease came back, probably caused by her grief and stress. She would knock on her wardrobe, the walls, my bedroom door. I was never angry about it even though it made me immensely tired—I was just sad to see her like that.

Often, I got lost at Magna's eyes, staring at her with nothing in my mind. Just like that night. I let myself be empty on times like these. Forgetting the depleting money my parents left and the rain of problems I had to fix as the new head of the family. Trying to collect the pieces of a broken mirror as my sister collects her shattered self. I looked around the now lonely stable, all horses sold off to pay the employee's last month. Magna is the only one left. And I'll keep her until her death. Or mine.

“Dear...”

A whisper. I jumped. Magna stirred in my touch, and I quickly looked around. But no one was present, only the loud howl of the wind. I put away Magna's brush and decided to call it the night. I washed my hands with water in the bucket and looked at Magna to greet her goodnight. The moment I touched the door, Magna neighed. Stomping her front legs loudly.

"Shhh, calm down... hey, what's wrong?" I asked. Magna kept her gaze at me. I always had a bond with her, sometimes I felt like she could understand me. But not like that. She was strange that night. I checked on her for the last time and left the stable, ignoring her stomps and neigh. I looked up to the sky, finding the moon hidden under thick black clouds. A dark sky. One step into the night and I heard it once more. The voice that seemed far away but at the same time, it felt like it's inside my head.

"Dear... Come to me."

I frantically look around, heartbeat climbing faster and faster.

"W—who are you? Show yourself!" I yelled. But the wind quickly took my voice away like it's just a feather.

Laughter. It blew with the wind. Sinister and inhuman. I felt shiver ran up my spine at the same time my whole body lose control.

“Come to me.”

The voice kept on whispering to me.

“Come to me”

And before I knew it, I was walking towards the end of the cliff. Feet stopping just before the fall. Roaring waves hitting the cliffside like an angry force, way down under. The sea looked fierce and so faraway down. The stones down under would kill me if I were to fall on it. My heart was scared to no end, my hands were trembling on my side. I felt like a puppet, moved and controlled. I was so scared and I wanted to run and I was certain I could move my legs. But I didn't. Something made me feel like I need to follow that voice. I need to reach it. I need to--

“Come to me.”

No. I don’t want to die.

“Come to me.”

Please... have mercy—

“Come to me.”

And I jumped off the cliff.

It was painful before it was cold. I hit the water surface and its impact made my whole body lose control for a few seconds. I was just falling. Deeper and deeper into the far sea. Roaring like how they tell stories of sea kings. When I snapped out of myself, my body back to its survival instinct to leave the water, I swam upwards. Needing air. Moonlight the only source of light above. When did moonlight show itself? I tried to reach it with all my power. But I couldn’t feel it getting closer at all. I gritted my teeth, begging my body to make the last push.

But then a cold touch, colder than the night seawater touched my ankles. I looked down in shock. And screamed under the water. It was climbing up my body, white hair floating around like a spider web. My legs couldn't move, my hands stopped reaching out too. I was losing hope. Losing power. That moment I looked back at it, a hand already caught the side of my neck. Another on my chest. I was mortified to find a face. Looking straight at me.

Eyes... Glowing white eyes the soul out of me. Rosy lips contrast against pale snowy skin.

What are you? I asked inside my heart.

He smiled. The rosy lips bloomed a sweet smile and I felt dizzy. He leaned close and kissed my lips. The touch of his lips made it all blurry. Like I got sleepy and out of my logics.

"Dear, I'll give you everything. Everything."

I didn't realize closing my eyes. I didn’t realize so many things.

"Let me in and I'll give you everything. You only had to say yes."

My body felt hot all of a sudden. I was burning inside out. I pushed him away but all I see around me was white strands of hair. Closing in, capturing me. Pushing them away gave no help, my hands couldn't feel the end of it. I begged for help. To anyone. Anything out there. I needed to breathe. My chest was burning, I choked.

I thought it was the end. I thought I'll die by the devil's hand. Until a familiar hand reached out inside, a human hand. Grabbing my hand, sharing me a piece of warmth. I'd recognize that ring on her finger anytime. I'd recognize that voice of hers anytime. The first Melody that I hear when I got to breathe the world's air. Mother.

"Matt..."

She called out. Mother?

"Matt, save me!!"

I grabbed on her hand, tried to pull her in with all my might.

"Matt! Let him in! Let him in, son!!"

I didn't understand.

"Matt! Let him in, he'll give you everything! Save me!"

Was there any other choice? There was none to see... Until she screamed.

"Matt, let him in!! Now!!!"

I opened my eyes abruptly, in shock. in air to my painful chest. In front of me was the hillside, roaring ocean down under. I fell back to the ground behind me, quickly kicking away from the steep fall. I was dry, with no traces of a fall. My breath heaved, it felt like a dream. Was it? I touched my face, feeling the places where the creature...

Where he touched me. I stared at the ocean for a good minute before leading my wobbly legs back to the house. My body felt heavy. I felt sick. I knew things were wrong. Something was amiss. But I couldn't wrap my head around it.

I entered my house and I was about to close the door when my eyes caught sight of the ocean again. And I just felt... An immense longing. Water. I felt so thirsty. I locked the door and quickly walked to the kitchen. Poured myself a glass of water and drank it like a tired horse. I poured another. And another. I felt hot, so hot. I went to the bathroom and poured water on my hand.

The trickling sound of water felt loud. Abnormally loud, it's like it's in my head. I splashed it on my face, but when I closed my eyes the image of that thing... His eyes and smile flashed right through me. I quickly opened my eyes. It's so hot. So hot, it's hotter than summer. But it's hot inside my body. Under my skin.

I stripped my clothes, filled the bath with water. I stared at the water getting higher and higher. I sat on the bathroom floor, watching the clear water rise. The sound of its trickle turned loud. So loud, it's in my head.

I dip my hand in the water.

And strands of hair... white hair, like a spider web curled around my finger. Floating... Adding up by the minute. I couldn't move, I kept watching the water tub slowly getting filled with white, floating hair. And then a song... A beautiful voice, humming. Along with the sound of water in my head. I stopped feeling hot. I felt alright. For the first time after their death... I felt alright.

He raised from the water, from the pool of white hairs. His eyes opened slowly, the moment it met mine I felt my heart stopped.  And he smiled. I didn't realize I've been holding my breath, but I let go when he touched my cheek gently.

"Dear... My poor, griefing dearest..." He whispered.

I closed my eyes. Letting the cold touch ease my burning soul.

"I'll ease the pain... And give you everything..."

He cupped my face with both of his hands. I felt him closer. Lips closer.

"Let me in..." He whispered against my lips.

Was there any other way? Because my blinded self couldn't see it. I couldn't see a thing except for my grief. My parent's tomb. And my sister's cries.

"Yes.." I whispered.

And he sealed it with a kiss. My world was upside down ever since.

*Alice's Note*

Omg this got some views T-T I didn't expect this at all, due to the unique casts combination and all haha

But well, hello  *sparkly eyes emoji* I hope this story entertains you *sparkly eyes emoji 99x*