As she floated, a shooting star streaked across the sky. Emily's eyes snapped open, and she made a silent wish. She wished for courage, for the ability to take risks and pursue her dreams. The wish felt like a whispered promise, and she smiled, feeling a sense of hope.
A creature or entity that only appears when the pool lights are the only thing piercing the darkness. 4. Why Does It Keep Surfacing? emily 18 alone in the pool at nightrar
That was the thing no one told you about turning eighteen: how loud the silence becomes. In high school, every minute was scheduled. Classes, practice, study groups, shifts at the café, texts from friends, calls from her mom, the endless buzzing of group chats. She had craved quiet the way a runner craves water. But this—this was different. This was the quiet of after . After the applications were sent. After the last homecoming game. After the acceptance letters started arriving (and the rejections, too). After her best friend left for college a semester early. After her boyfriend broke up with her because "we’re going different places," which was just a polite way of saying he didn't want to try. As she floated, a shooting star streaked across the sky
The sun had long since dipped below the horizon, casting a warm orange glow over the small suburban town. The streets were quiet, save for the occasional barking dog or chirping cricket. In one of those houses, 18-year-old Emily lay floating on her back in the pool, the only sound being the gentle lapping of the water against the sides. The wish felt like a whispered promise, and