The Haunted Lake: The Arrival [Fiction]

The vibrant and bold signboard mounted firmly into the ground by the roadside was a welcoming sight for Paul and Cherry Ransom. They'd been driving for two hours. Cherry drove past the signboard, up the hilly road, past tall, lush green trees before arriving at the black wrought iron gate.

Cherry brought their car to a slow stop in front of the gate while admiring the miniature images of mermaids carved on the iron bars. "So cute," she murmured, fingering her grandmother's onyx pendant held by a delicate gold chain around her neck.

Paul gazed at the mermaids on the iron bars and shook his head with a chuckle. "Of course, it is." Cherry gave him a smirk.

His wife loved any item with mermaid images on them. His eyes darted to the onyx pendant, its inky sleek surface glistening. It was an heirloom of her family, handed down from female to female over many years. She often caressed it absentmindedly like a charm to keep her grounded when she was flustered or anxious.

She remembered reading in the tourist brochure that the Resort boasts a lovely artificial lake. The couple looked forward to celebrating their third anniversary by lazing around nature.

A CCTV camera mounted by the gate side must have picked up the couple's face because there were whining and clattering sounds as the main gate opened automatically. "Okay, here we go," Cherry murmured to her husband who was typing a text on his phone as she drove slowly through the gates into the Resort's wide premises.

Cherry drove up the gravel driveway, circled a large fountain in the center, and parked in front of the building. Two men in uniform approached their vehicle to help with their bags.

The Resort was a huge three-story mansion, light-brown in colour, surrounded by neatly trimmed green plants and flowers. The air felt clean and crisp.

As the couple held hands and approached the entrance sliding door, Cherry paused and looked up. Paul gazed up too. They stared fixedly at a fierce-looking statue of a gargoyle with spreading wings, majestically seated on its haunches on top of the Resort building.

"What do you think?" Paul asked since he was the one who found the place and made the booking.

Cherry's face had gone pale. "Uh, I'm not sure. That gargoyle gives me the heebie jeebies."

"C'mon. It's just art. Tourists love statues."

Cherry shook her head. "I don't like statues. Not this one, anyway."

He stared at her and she gave him a side-eye look. His wife was intuitive and had saved his life on more than one occasion based on this strength. He'd never underestimate her words.

"Darling, let's stay positive. I'm sure we'll have a marvellous time."

She shrugged and they walked into the reception area, holding hands. Paul didn't notice how the gargoyle's stone eyes flashed red for a moment and turned back to stone.

A resort with fearsome gargoyles whose eyes flash red! That's spooky. Do this young couple know what they're in for? Stay tuned for continuing parts of this mystery/thriller.

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