The white figure's cold fingers clenched around her tender neck, tightening until the air was squeezed from her lungs, leaving her breathless.
Argh...!
The young lady opened her mouth, gasping, but no sound came out.
Help me...
The feeling of powerlessness engulfed her once more as the man's hands tightened their grip—not even the scratching of her long nails could pull him off.
Her airways were blocked, and with each passing second, her consciousness began to fade.
The world around her grew dim and distant.
All she could see was a blinding whiteness as her eyes rolled back
Crack!
She jolted awake to a sudden flash, her heart racing.
A lightning bolt tore through the dark sky—it came seemingly out of nowhere. Outside the window, there was no storm in sight—only the tranquility of the night, making her feel as though she was becoming delusional.
Her trembling hands embraced her shivering body, trying to hold herself together.
"Not again..." she whispered, the fear creeping back into her bones.
***
The sea was choppy but not enough to ruin their plans to visit the painter's mansion. Turbulent waves hit against the wooden docks, cradling the ships moored close by with a hefty rope in a gentle sway.
Inase was very well-rested since his own heavy snoring didn't bother him in the slightest.
Though, the same couldn't be said about Hosen, who, on the other hand, wrapped his long, white coat around his freezing body, further highlighting the dark circles under his eyes.
"Did the tests show anything?"
Seeing him so disheveled, Inase remembered the flasks Hosen used up all the table space for.
"No." The other answered with blunt truth. "I found nothing. No contamination whatsoever. Lack of any signs of anything mystical."
After pulling an all-nighter dedicated to his research and testing the water samples, he still couldn't deduce the cause of the depletion of fish.
Nothing indicated that eldritch influence contaminated the area, nor did he find any oil deposit in the samples that were taken. It didn't add up; the waters seemed clear from any infections.
It was just salty water in the end.
"So we wasted time and desk space for that experiment."
Hosen glared at Inase's roommate-like complaint. Oddly enough, the case became more mysterious with each of their findings, so rather than being confused by the results, they should focus on what awaited them ahead—further into the sea.
"Here, lads." Old man Jenkens threw them a sturdy rope once tied to the mooring line, still wet from the early fog. "Take my boat."
Inase caught it without a problem, though his head tilted at the sudden goodwill of the man.
"It's not because of the nets anymore, is it?"
He already repaid that debt, so he shouldn't have any more on his metaphorical tab.
"Betty asked me to."
"Ah, that's how it is."
It would explain a lot. Not only did Mr.Jenkens know the two, but also the granny whom they talked to yesterday, and that granny asked him a favor.
"Thanks, old man."
Inase held the rope in place so that their ship wouldn't sail away while Hosen took his lovely time to get on, keeping balance on the boat's rocking bottom with a minor struggle. His tired brain didn't think the same, unlike when he was fully rested.
"Just remember to be careful. Maneuvring around the skerry is quite a challenge, even for an experienced sailor, and you two are amateurs." He warned them.
"It's okay. If it comes to the worst, we'll just swim across the rocks near the mansion."
Inase uttered in a snarky tone, throwing the rope into their little ferry.
"Don't you ruin my lass, young man. She must return to me in perfect condition."
A joke followed when they both knew the elder was going to kill them if there was even a scratch on it.
"We won't make any promises." Inase's curt response cut through the air, his body was anticipating the departure. "See ya, then."
And he pushed his leg off the land, letting the boat move through the water in a graceful motion.
Hosen was already sitting on a wooden plank when Inase picked up the speed and jumped onto the boat in one smooth pounce.
One ragged sway later that nearly tipped them upside down, they sailed into the sea together, pushing forth with sturdy oars.
Their focus kept them busy from talking so their silence was only broken by a cold whistle of breeze brushing against their eyelids and the soft lapping of the hull.
The occasional distant call of seabirds resembled the ocean's lullaby and the scent of brine hanging in the air like the breath of the ocean itself.
Thirty minutes at most was the time they'd arrive at the mansion by rowing, was what they learned from the dockworkers; it shouldn't take much longer unless a storm obstructed their way.
And soon enough, they spotted what they were looking for.
Ahead, the skerry was barely a shadow against the pale sky.
It stood unmoving, its quiet strength almost defiant against the constant pull of the tides.
The foam broke in sudden bursts of big waves catching on the edges and crashing with immense force against the dark, sheer cliffs—those became bigger while they sailed closer to their destination.
This sight reminded them that the strength of the sea is something not to be reckoned with.
A cluster of rocks, dark and slippery, and speckled with patches of seaweed, revealed a lonely manor on top—a spectacular highlight of such a desolate landscape.
Once they saw it, the wind shifted, and with it, the boat angled toward the rocks with delicate precision.
The currents here were treacherous, curling and swirling in the shadows between the spiky rocks emerging to the surface. One wrong move, and the only thing that kept them afloat would be full of holes.
Even now, they were careful not to get too close when they heard the boat's keel scrape lightly against a shallowly submerged rock.
Upon finding a gap between the cliffs to safely moor to the shore, Inase threw the rope like a lasso that hooped itself on a spike (on his first try).
"Hah, would you look at that." He cooed, proud of his lucky throw.
"Finally… I wouldn't want to stay one minute longer in that floating coffin."
Both didn't waste time to jump off to steady land.
"Oh? What is it? Gotten seasick?"
The blonde noticed the uncomfortable look on Hosen's face—it was slowly turning blue.
"No, none of that."
However, the suspect firmly rejected that hypothesis, which made him look even more suspicious.
"I just don't like the natural rocking motion of the sea, especially in a boat that could easily go down with a single crack."
"Do you even know how to swim?"
Inase continued teasing.
"..."
But Hosen didn't respond to something so ridiculous. He neither confirmed nor denied his partner's accusations.
They found themselves walking a bumpy road to the mansion.
The painter clearly didn't want any tourists around, nor did she come to the town often, considering there were no boats around and the path to the house wasn't very trodden.
Though, looking ahead, a pretty yard, very cared for, revealed its grandeur to the two newly arrived guests.
A gravel square circled an area of regularly trimmed bushes and gently tended flowers, mostly wild vines and red roses. A little bit of greenery amongst the rocky scenery was never a bad choice.
Both were lucky, for their only clue was currently walking outside without a worry in the world, watering her flowers to grow strong and beautiful.
It saved them the trouble of knocking on the heavy entrance door and praying so that she could hear it.
"Good mornin', missy."
Walking up to her side, Inase said with a cheeky twist to his usual smirk, eyeing her subtly from head to toe and remembering every detail of her appearance.
She looked pretty young, with a bob-cut and brown hair. Dressed in clothes fancier than the usual ones from this era, but nothing too luxurious.
All of what she had was, most likely, included in a testament, along with the house.
Things remained here through generations; that's how it worked out here.
Noticing them, the lady turned in confusion.
Usually, it was Nanny Betty who peeked into her window while she was painting, or someone else who brought her food, but today, it was different.
Two strangers, men she didn't know, paid a visit to her land.
Should she be scared? Or should she pull out a shovel to defend herself?
Manners taught her that a guest is a gift from God, so she couldn't just turn them around with nothing, especially after they put so much effort into coming here.
She examined them carefully.
One looked like a crook with a nice smile, but the blonde hair and ice-cold eyes made him very handsome. And the other…
"!"
Her eyes snapped at him, widening enough to pop out, and then, her heart stopped.
"D-Don't come near me!!!"
Suddenly, the lady jumped away in a frenzy as if she were possessed, turning into a madwoman who knew nothing else but fear.
It left the strangers stunned, and confused.
What had just happened?
Never in their lifetime have they expected a sudden outburst on a small island that was intended for people to relax.
"Uhm…?"
Inase reached out, slowly and carefully, to calm her down, though it only caused her to snowball into more exaggerated reactions.
"No! Stay away!" She pointed at Hosen, who stood there motionless. "Get away from me!"
"Did you do something to her?"
The blonde man whispered to the other, but Hosen just shrugged indifferently.
"Not that I know of…" He had no idea what he could have potentially done for her to behave so frantically; he didn't budge from his spot so as not to offset her further.
"Did you come here earlier and do something to her at ni-"
"Not once in my lifetime."
Hosen cut him off when he knew the questioning was going to ridiculous places.
Their whispered exchange continued, all while the girl took a step back without a sound, only to trip over her legs and fall butt-first.
From then on, a bit comically, she backtracked, crawling in desperation across the ground just to be as far away as she could from him. She didn't mind her clothes getting dirty if it meant she could safely run away.
A man enveloped by whiteness.
He looked just like the one from her nightmares, though the one standing in front of her right now had a face.
Just imagining his hands wrapping around her slim neck to choke the last breath out or break it with ease was enough for chills on her back to prickle with an uncomfortable sensation.
She was mere inches from reaching the door, about to slip inside and lock it behind her.
"Wait, wait, wait."
However, Inase wouldn't let her. His instinctive reaction was fast enough to grab her wrist in the nick of time and stop her from slithering into the house.
"We can't have that, my lovely lady."
"Eeek—! Let go! Let! Me! GO!!!" She twisted and struggled to break free, but Inase's iron grip held firm, never relenting. "I'll give you everything, just spare my life!!! Don't come any closer! NO!!!"
Sigh…
"Should we just leave her here? This whole ordeal seems like a pain in the ass…"
Inase wanted to leave the delusional woman to her own devices, but of course, Hosen wouldn't allow it, crossing his arms in response.
"No, no, no, no! I'm too young to die yet!"
Die? Who ever said anything about dying?
Hosen massaged his temple, already sensing the beginnings of a migraine from her ear-piercing screams, the relentless string of profanities (omitted for the sake of the readers' innocence) following.
"We can't. Something must have happened for her to freak out like that. And she's our only clue. Can't leave without getting any information."
"Clues…? Information…?" She stopped frantically moving around, listening for once.
Was it just a coincidence that the man looked so similar to her nightmare?
"You're not here to kill me?"
"And who put that stupid idea into your head?"
Inase's eyebrow frowned with a hint of cynicism.
"You really speak nonsense." After which he scoffed, noticing how terrified she was that they were going to hurt her. "Relax."
There was something weird about her delusion, as though she was sure they came here to take her life. The moment she looked at Hosen, she had lost it, after all.
Maybe it was something more than a delusional freak-out, maybe something more… mystical.
So, the blonde man had no intention to harm her.
"Then… what about him?" She pointed at Hosen.
"?" He tilted his head, facing her suspicious stare. "Not really."
To clear it up once and for all, he came close, kneeled beside her, and reached out his hand…
Because of his sudden motion, the young woman flinched, closing her eyes when flashbacks filled her mind, scared that she'd be hurt by him. But, one second after another, nothing happened.
Confused, she opened her eyelids for a cautious peek.
In front of her, a piece of clean paper dangled between his fingers, showing it was a certificate. It fluttered softly, rustling gently against the wind.
"I'm a medic." He explained, "Rather than killing people, my job is to save them." A white lie, but it worked. Even if his papers were falsified, it didn't change the fact that their work was meant to save humanity. So, half of it was true.
"And him?" The lady pointed at Inase.
"He?" Hosen stood up after helping her up with a gentle pull. "Hm… He's my nurse."
He replied before a sharp pain struck him as Inase's leg collided with his back. Someone wasn't happy to be called a nurse—not wanting to work overtime for this jerk, metaphorically speaking.
"We're working with a detective to solve this case, so we'd like you to cooperate with us," Inase added after his short tantrum faded. "And I assure you, this guy has no intentions of killing you."
A quiet chortle followed.
Just imagining Hosen going on a murder spree was hilarious and terrifying at the same time. Though, it wasn't hardly plausible. That said, knowing his scientific nature, he could perform some experiments on his victims first.
"We came here to investigate the missing locals." He added.
"...so… you're not here to hurt me?"
The painter asked one last time, just to be sure, to which both shook their heads in sync.
"Not in the slightest."
And then, remembering a little favor that he was supposed to deliver, Inase rummaged through his pockets to find what he was looking for.
"Ah, there it is."
He reached out with a pouch of seeds in hand, picked out by a granny just for her.
"Here. The old lady asked us to give it to you." He laid it out on her open palm.
Seeing it had calmed her down. The embroidery on the hand-knitted bag was a signature only one person could make.
"This is..."
Nanny Betty always cared for her wellbeing, so seeing that the old lady trusted the two to come here meant she could put her trust in them too.
"Oh…"
Finally, her voice calmed down.
Thank you, Nanny.
She held it close to her chest with a gentle smile.
"I see… If that's the case…" Standing up, "I apologize for the sudden burst out," she did a quick curtsy for her horrible assumption.
"Happens."
Inase shrugged, letting bygones be bygones. Now that she had calmed down, he had no further reason to hold her tight by the wrist, so he let it go.
"I'm Roberta Anne Wood-Lound." She introduced herself formally. "I have two surnames because of my parents."
Not because she was married—her father was of Spanish descent, and that was why he wanted to keep both his and his wife's surnames for a child, per their tradition.
"And you?"
"Will."
"And Bill."
"?" Surprise and confusion wrinkled her pretty countenance. "Those aren't your real names, are they?"
"Hah, you could tell. They're undercover aliases."
It was Inase who confirmed it, keeping the nonchalant attitude up.
"I guess my intuition's that good."
She surely knew not to cross the border, and their real names seemed to be one, so she kept the conversation tactful, without prying too much, "Please, make yourselves at home," and gestured for them to enter inside.
"I don't see any means of transport around. How did you even get to town by yourself? I doubt you swam all the way to the port due to your… mind you, non-athletic figure."
Indeed, she didn't seem to be too into sports, but rather a gentle and delicate lady in her stature.
Before they'd disappear into the depths of the manor, Inase slipped in the last question. Both noticed that theirs was the only boat on the shore, raising the question of how she had managed to get to the town and return.
The answer was simple: she didn't.
Or else, she'd turn out to be a prisoner of her own land.
"Hm… Normally, I went there by boat, but one day it disappeared. It's a bit troublesome, but I can't do much about it." Miss Lound gave a simple answer. "Now the only way I can have contact with the residents is through them visiting me."
"When exactly did you notice that your boat was gone?" Hosen added on the side with a hushed voice.
"I have no idea… A while back, for sure. Hm… At least a few weeks?" She tried her best to remember, though, in vain. "But I don't keep track of the time when I'm working."
Time just flew by when one focused their entire world on creating beauty.
"Now, come, come. It's quite chilly outside."
The artist, in clothes dirtied with mud which created a sharp contrast to the magnificence of the mansion, opened the door and the two obediently followed making lighthearted jokes while at it.
"You sure know how to give the lady a heart attack, eh?"
Inase nudged Hosen with an elbow.
"Shut it."
Hearing their angry whispers behind her back, Roberta chuckled at their little banter, quite amused.