Heart of Crystal

By Juliane Seidel

It could be the perfect summer holiday. Lynn, Marie and Lia have resolved to lie lazily in the sun on the shores of Lake Stechlin every day and do nothing. If only Lynn didn't have nightmares. Night after night, ghostly figures warn of the horror in the depths of the lake and ask the girl for help. When a horse-like monster appears on the shore, Lynn's friends disappear without a trace. Their nightmares seem to come true ...

As if that wasn't enough, the mysterious Daja also upsets Lynn's emotional life, while the search for a blue heart made of crystal brings her closer to mortal danger, but also to an ancient secret.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Juliane Seidel
• Release date: Mar 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9781667453705

Book preview

Heart of Crystal

Juliane Seidel

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Translated by Lia Garcia 

Heart of Crystal

Written By Juliane Seidel

Copyright © 2023 Juliane Seidel

All rights reserved

Distributed by Babelcube, Inc.

www.babelcube.com

Translated by Lia Garcia

Cover Design © 2023 Marie Grasshoff

Babelcube Books and Babelcube are trademarks of Babelcube Inc.

Content

Chapter 1 - The Warning

Chapter 2 – Desperate Call for Help

Chapter 3 – The Attack of the Shadow

Chapter 4 – Sleepwalking

Chapter 5 – Cries for help

Chapter 6 – The Woman in the Water

Chapter 7 – The Kelpie

Chapter 8 – Exploring

Chapter 9 – Algae plague

Chapter 10 – Daja

Chapter 11 – Emily

Chapter 12 – Dream Confessions

Chapter 13 – The Heart of Flere

Chapter 14 – Two Fingers

Chapter 15 – Escape to Freedom

Chapter 16 – Secrets are Revealed

Chapter 17 – The Second Legend

Chapter 18 – The Heart Awakens

Chapter 19 – A Desperate Plan

Chapter 20 – Fight to the Death

Chapter 21 – Revenge of the Ghost Children

Chapter 22 – Three Saving Words

Epilogue

Acknowledgements

Author’s Note

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Dedicated to all who love otters and fight for their protection and freedom.

Chapter 1 - The Warning

Blood. Red and sticky, it oozed from two stumps of his fingers and dripped to the ground. It disappeared into the dense fog that made it impossible for Lynn to see her own feet. The swathes rose up to her thighs, bathing the surreal surroundings in a ghostly atmosphere. Except for the pale outlines of a few trees, she saw nothing. She shivered. A shiver crept up her spine as the boy reached out his bloody hands to her face in search of help. For the first moment she was paralysed, unable to take her eyes off the boy's green eyes widened in terror. Unbridled pain was reflected in them.

Don't go down to the lake, the boy murmured, his face pale. Tears streamed down his pale cheeks. It's dangerous there!

A strange mixture of fear and fascination welled up in Lynn, coupled with the knowledge of lying in her bed sleeping. The thought took some of the terror out of the scene. She fixed her eyes on the disfigured hand, watching with almost scientific interest as the blood flowed from the wound.

Why? she asked quietly. Her own words helped her come to her senses. She stepped away from him. From one second to the next, it horrified Lynn how curiously she had been eyeing the boy's mutilation, dream or no dream. She didn't want to stare at this poor boy as if he were a rare animal in a zoo.

She turned away, ready to run away as fast as she could, but no sooner had her back been turned than he was in front of her again. His frightened gaze went through her. Traces of tears showed on his grey skin. His lips quivered. He held the bloody stumps out to her. Look what she did to me, Lynn! She'll kill you if she finds you! She's been looking for you for so long ... so endlessly ...

Who? she croaked. The boy's fear spread to her, took away her breath. She swallowed dryly and closed her eyes to calm herself. If she concentrated hard enough, maybe the boy and that unreal foggy infinity would disappear. After all, this was her dream ...

When an icy hand came to rest on her cheek, she backed away, but failed to shake the boy off. He stroked her cheek down to her chin, leaving a wet trail down her face. The metallic smell of blood wafted up her nose. Nausea rose in her, settled furiously on her tongue. Lynn wanted to push the boy off her, but he had disappeared. Only the cold mist remained. She ran a hand over her cheek and looked at the sticky blood that remained on her fingers.

Avoid the lake!

With a cry, Lynn roared out of the dream. Her heart was racing. The sleeping shirt clung to her body like a second skin. With a quick movement of her hand, she brushed back the long red strands of hair that hung dishevelled in her face. Hectically, she looked around her small room. She could make out neither eerie wisps of mist nor a mutilated ghost child. Relieved, she closed her eyes and sucked in the cool morning air that flowed through the open window. Gradually her thoughts cleared and her heartbeat calmed. What a nightmare! For weeks this child had been haunting her, not letting her rest. For the first time, the boy had touched her, left blood on her cheek. She could smell it even now. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she thought of it.

It's just a dream, she whispered into the silence of her room, but couldn't drive the boy's words of warning from her thoughts.

Avoid the lake!

Why on earth would she do that? She had never experienced anything bad when she went swimming or diving in the Stechlinsee. Especially now that the summer holidays were just around the corner, she had better things to do than take warnings from dreams seriously. Her friends and she had firm plans - Marie, Lia and she were going to lie in the sun in the remote bays of the lake, chat, swim and have an evening party or two with the boys from her class. There was no room for ghosts and strange dreams.

Lynn enjoyed the warm rays of sunshine flooding into her room, chasing away the last threads of nightmare. It promised to be a hot day, made for a trip to the lake. Marie and Lia wanted to celebrate the end of the school year on the shore of the lake today after the report card ceremony. Lynn had been looking forward to this day for weeks, after all, the boys were going to be there, especially Kai, who had been on her mind for weeks. With his charming smile he made her heart race and made butterflies dance in her stomach. She hadn't felt this light and elated in months. All she had to do was think of those brown eyes and all her worries were forgotten. During the summer holidays, she was finally going to win him over.

A soft beeping drew her gaze to the basket that stood beside her bed. Su blinked sleepily from under the old, patched blanket. Her black beady eyes were slightly narrowed and with a smack she shook her head. Lynn held out her hand to the little otter.

Did I wake you? She stroked the short, soft fur of the lady otter. A low growl answered her and Su lolloped. She enjoyed the caresses, yawned profusely and scratched her belly.

Lynn smiled and tickled the animal under the chin. Peace flooded through her, dispelling the last shreds of dreams. It wasn't the first time Su's closeness had helped her shake off a nightmare. Lynn felt protected and understood by the animal.

For a few minutes Su held still, then she got bored and playfully bit Lynn's fingers. Finally she hopped out of the basket, headed for the closed door and scratched at it demandingly. She wanted a bath and would not give up until Lynn got up and let her into the bathroom. The alarm clock only read six in the morning, but sleep was now out of the question.

Lynn rose, took her bathrobe from the chair and left the room. If she was already awake, she might as well take a shower.

The hallway looked strange and eerie in the morning light. The rays of sunlight that fell through a narrow window at the end of the corridor barely lit up the dark hallway. Warped silhouettes flitted across the walls, and as the wind passed through the leaves of the tree in front of the house, grotesque figures seemed to dance across the floor. Lynn shivered as she scurried to the bathroom. The old wooden floor creaked with every step, no matter how gingerly she put one foot in front of the other.

Su's soft pattering accompanied her and the strange atmosphere triggered by the shadows gave way to everyday normality. The otter pushed open the door with its flat snout and headed for the old tub that stood on little feet.

As she did every morning, Lynn dumped water into the tub and placed her companion inside. Su squealed with delight, turned on her back and drifted under the stream of water, playfully snapping at it.

Lynn stepped in front of the mirror and looked at herself thoughtfully. Her curly hair stood out in all directions. Dark circles dug into her cheeks under her green eyes, unintentionally giving her the appearance of a zombie. She was pale in other respects too, the freckles on her narrow snub nose looking colourless. She sighed. Did her nightmares show? Lynn decided to postpone the question. She certainly looked more awake and less dead after a warm shower.

A good hour later, Lynn felt more comfortable. Her hair was in a neat braid over her right shoulder and she had used make-up to hide the circles under her eyes. To celebrate the last day of school, she wore a light summer dress and the white sandals that Lia had talked her into wearing on her last shopping trip to Berlin. Unlike Lia, who loved to stock up on new clothes or follow current trends, Lynn didn't like extended shopping trips so much, but every now and then she discovered things she liked. And if it was new books she lugged home.

Well Su, what do you think? Can you still tell I'm having bad dreams? She watched the animal in the mirror. Su swam on her back and dived briefly when she realised she was being watched. Lynn turned her eyes back to her reflection and was deeply frightened. With a yelp, she jerked away, backing up to the bathtub. Instinctively, she held onto the cold enamel to keep from slipping away.

Dark blood ran down her cheek. She could clearly make out two parallel tracks. They looked as if they had been left by severed fingers. Her heart leapt in horror and continued to pound twice as fast.

Lynn? Is everything all right? Her mother knocked on the door.

Lynn wiped her cheek with the back of her hand, but the blood was gone. Yes ... she answered in a hoarse voice and quickly added, There was just a spider here, but it's gone now.

That's all right then.

Again she looked at her ashen face. It was time she did something about these dreams - whatever she could do about them.

***

It was early afternoon when Lynn got home. Exhausted, she leaned against the wooden front door and closed her eyes. The last day of school had turned into an absolute nightmare. Yet it had started so beautifully - the weather was gorgeous, the mood of her classmates relaxed, even her teacher was in a joking mood. Everything was perfect until the ghost boy with the mutilated hand had appeared behind Mr Schwarz while she was collecting her report card. After that, she had the feeling of being followed as she left the school with Marie and Lia. Even now she had goose bumps. This latent threat combined with the nightmares robbed her of her last nerve. She had even cancelled the party on the banks of the Stechlin because the impression of being watched grew stronger the closer she got to the lake. Instead of having fun in the north bay and getting closer to Kai, she would spend the afternoon at home - in safety, she hoped.

Damn it! she cursed. There she went - her chance to meet Kai. But as tense and unsure as she was, she would have scared him off rather than get closer to him. Hopefully things would go better during the holidays. She couldn't hole herself up for the next six weeks just because of these nightmares.

She shook off the unpleasant thought and prised open the heavy front door. Cool, stale air greeted her. The sultry heat had fortunately not conquered the hallway, but the musty smell was only partly better.

Su came towards her happily, begging for food. She reared up on her hind legs and propped her front paws against Lynn's lower legs. As she did so, she emitted a heart-rending, high-pitched whimper that reminded Lynn a little of a crying child.

Did they just forget about you? she asked, patting the otter on the head. Su beeped and accompanied her to the kitchen. She fished one of the last fish wrapped in newspaper out of the fridge. There were no more food chicks either. It was time she made her way to the Glöckner fishery, which was right on the lake. Since word had spread that she owned an otter, eight-year-old Tim brought over part of the catch almost every day and enthusiastically took over the feeding. Only in the last weeks before the summer holidays had his visits become less frequent. He probably preferred to be at the lake playing with his friends.

Come on. Lynn coaxed Su behind her, who willingly followed her into the large garden. Ever since Su had messed up the kitchen at the first feeding by spreading the fish and food chicks all over the floor, the otter had had to eat outside. Only in winter were exceptions made.

For a while she watched Su eat and listened to the buzzing of insects, then she looked at the villa where she had been living for two years. It stood empty long before her parents had acquired the manor house and the adjacent buildings. At first, it had been almost impossible to live in the half-dilapidated building, but her father worked every free minute to renovate the turn-of-the-century property to its former glory. Since the financial resources of the family were limited, the repair dragged on, so that even now some parts of the house as well as the outbuildings were dilapidated and uninhabitable. For this reason, Lynn and her parents only used the lowest two floors.

The building exhaled the smell of age, dust and moisture, coupled with wild adventures and dark secrets. Last year, she had made daily forays looking for old treasures and secret doors – unfortunately without success. She rummaged through cellars, attics and adjacent buildings, but found neither hidden treasures nor experienced exciting adventures like the heroes of her favorite books. Meanwhile, she laughed at her childish dreams. No matter how enchanted the villa looked, when the foliage of the surrounding oaks and chestnuts covered the large, formerly white veranda and the ivy on the wooden columns climbed up the old masonry – the mansion was surrounded by no mysterious secret.

Lynn liked her home, even though she lived in a small, sleepy village far away from her friends and had to take the bus to school for almost an hour every morning.

Su beeped softly.  Apparently, she wasn't tired yet. Sorry, there's nothing left at the moment. You ate everything we had left. She held out the blank paper to the otter so that he could see for himself. When Su turned her head away, Lynn crumpled up the newspaper and threw it into the garbage bag provided. She thought for a while, then she decided to push her strange fears away. She wouldn't let Su starve because she was afraid of the lake or took the warnings of a dream seriously. Let's get you new fish. I have to stop by the Hunchback anyway and say thank you.

***

About ten minutes later, Lynn set off. Su accompanied them and always ran a bit ahead. The midday heat finally subsided. A fresh wind cooled the air and the pleasant smell of the water rose into her nose. It lured them down to the shore. Hesitantly, she looked around. She had the impression of being watched. Her skin on the back of her neck tingled and the fine hairs stood up. It was not the first time that this oppressive feeling haunted her. In the last few weeks, she had had it often. Sometimes  she even thought she saw a shadow – near the school, in a small alley or on the way down to the lake. Each time she felt piercing looks on her skin.

She let her gaze wander, but as always, she didn't spot anyone. Maybe this person was hiding between the trees or watching them from one of the other houses. In the street where they lived, there were some buildings that stood empty. It was easy to gain access and keep an eye on the surroundings from the windows. The impression of not being alone disappeared – the tingling sensation in the neck was missing. Was she just over the top? After all, Su didn't react conspicuously at all. Her little companion was a guarantor for discovering dangers – like any animal, she had a seventh sense for it. Instead, the otter calmly trotted along the road and turned onto a small path. She followed the path down to the lake, which they both used to walk. Lynn hesitated for a moment, then ignored the ghost boy's warnings. It was time to stop letting their fears dominate them.

Less than five minutes later, they reached the lake. The sun glistened on the waves and a breeze rustled through the treetops. Beech trees lined the shore, partly standing in the water. Their branches almost kissed the lake, so far the plants had turned to the Stechlinsee. Small fish scurried between the roots or hid in the nearby reeds that rose from the water high into the blue summer sky. Birds circled over Lynn, hunting for mosquitoes and flies frolicking above the surface of the water.

Lynn took a deep breath and a pleasant calm gripped her. There was nothing here that could be dangerous for her. While Su shot past her, Lynn took off her sandals. As the water washed around her feet, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the pleasant atmosphere that the lake exuded. Somewhere behind her some people cycled along the path, directly in front of her Su romped  through the floods. Again and again the otter girl disappeared between the waves, dived into deeper waters and chased after fish. Sometimes she even caught one and ate it with relish on a root. This time she had no luck, even though she was hungry.

Lynn turned away and walked in the water towards the fishery, which was only a kilometer away. After only a few meters, she heard exuberant laughter and the sounds of a wild water fight. Involuntarily she accelerated her pace.

She circled a tree and peered between the branches to some young people who were frolicking in the water. Lynn spotted Lia immediately. She steadfastly resisted two boys who wanted to push her underwater. One of them was Daniel, her new boyfriend, a tall, strong guy with sun-tanned skin and blond hair. The other was Kai, whose black curls bubbled water and ran down his laughing face. A tingle was noticeable in her as she looked at Kai – the slender, wiry build, the relatively pale skin and the long legs. On his hip, just above the waistband of his swimming trunks, she discovered a birthmark that she had previously known nothing about. She would love to come closer to take a closer look. Lia's laughter kept her back, perhaps her own insecurity.

Envy and anger at himself flared up in Lynn. She was annoyed that she hadn't gone along. Instead of hiding in the shade of the trees, she could be in Lia's place. And all because of those damn nightmares and visions.

With a dogged face, she looked around for Marie. Her friend was sitting between a group of trees on the shore. Next to her sat a few other boys and girls talking. Apparently, Marie did not participate in the conversations, but instead watched Lia and the two boys.

For a while, Lynn followed her friend's gaze and looked at the laughing Kai again. How good he looked. Glittering drops of water adorned the slim body, the red swimming trunks sat loosely on his hips. Lynn's heartbeat doubled. Perhaps she should join them. With the exception of her best friend, no one would be surprised that she showed up late at the holiday start party. Marie had already been skeptical earlier when she had turned them down on the way home. Her worried look had made it clear to Lynn that Marie sensed that something was wrong. Luckily, she hadn't asked, probably because of Lia's curiosity and her penchant for gossip. She would have guessed all sorts of things.

Even before she had decided, a strange shadow appeared in the water behind the bathers. At first it seemed like a giant fish, but she immediately dismissed the thought. The silhouette was too wide and did not appear streamlined at all. In addition, such large animals did not live in the Stechlin, otherwise they would have been reported long ago. A shudder ran down her spine and the hairs on her arms stood up. She closed her eyes to collect herself, and when she risked another look, the blackness seemed even more threatening. Lynn was startled. Didn't the others see this thing moving towards them?

Avoid the lake!

The boy's words boomed in her head. She stormed off, immediately got stuck on a root and almost fell. Her heart seemed to skip a beat, while the panic tingling adrenaline pumped through her body. With difficulty, she caught herself and climbed onto the shore path to get to her friends faster. She had to warn them about this thing!

Suddenly, Su emerged  from the water and jumped loudly at her feet. She grumbled and even bit into the hem of her dress. Never before had Lynn seen her little companion so aggressive. Had she noticed this shadow as well? Did the otter want to protect her from the thing from the Stechlin? Lynn shook off the thought. There was no time to lose. Without further ado, she took Su in her arms and hurried on.

Get out of the water! she shouted to the group in the water as she stormed past Marie and the others and waded a bit into the water. Distraught glances were directed at her, then everyone burst into resounding laughter. They seemed to think it was a joke! Lynn suppressed the feeling of having ridiculed herself and searched the lake with her eyes for the shadow.

Nothing was to be seen.

The misshapen fish was gone, if it had ever existed. Suddenly, she wasn't sure she had seen anything threatening at all. The laughter of the others made her blush with shame. She wanted to sink into the ground, especially when Kai leaned over to Lia and grinned something in her ear. She felt strangely exposed. Kai certainly thought she was totally stupid. She wouldn't be surprised if he thought she was a freak now. The thought hurt and gave her a bitter taste on her tongue. She was such an idiot!

Su escaped her arms and disappeared into the water as if nothing had happened.

What's going on? Marie came to her and put a hand on her shoulder. Her brown eyes were widened, pallor covered her cheeks. Had she seen something? Or was she just scared? Lynn wasn't sure how to frame her friend's worried looks.

Lynn stared down at the narrow strip of sand on the shore. She began to explain, then bit her lower lip. No matter what she would say now, it would sound wrong and the others would finally label her a crazy freak.

Was there something in the lake? asked Marie in a low voice so that only Lynn could hear her.

No. Lynn shook her head. She had to come up with an excuse – the others were still staring at her.

Are you okay? First the ghost boy thing at school and now this, Marie whispered, searching the lake with her eyes. She rubbed her upper arms.

Nonsense! I've never felt better. Lynn forced herself to smile and gave Lia and the others a cheeky look. I just wanted to scare you a little bit. You should have seen your faces. As if the blow had hit you!

Chapter 2 – Desperate Call for Help

Are you feeling better today? asked Marie as Lynn stepped up to her friends on the porch. The same concern that had appeared on Marie's face yesterday shimmered in her eyes now. While her classmates had laughed at Lynn's prank and quickly forgot their brief bout of panic during their party, Marie had remained unusually quiet for the rest of the afternoon. She didn't seem to buy Lynn that she just wanted to hug the group. They knew each other too well for Lynn to lie to them. They had only met two years ago, shortly after they had moved to Neuglobsow . Marie had stood in the rain at the bus stop and waited for a bus that was cancelled because of the storm. Lynn hadn't hesitated – she had invited Marie to her home and for the next few hours they had only talked about books and movies. It was as if she had found a soul mate who thought like her. And who couldn't fool her.

I wish you a good morning too, Lynn replied cheerfully, ignoring Marie's skeptical look. For starters, she would behave normally, even though she knew her friend would still question her. You don't have to worry – I'm much better.

With a big smile she put on her sandals. She was in a great mood after being completely spared nightmares last night. No bleeding child followed her through a white fog; no strange shadow lay in wait for them in the lake. She felt reborn. The sun was shining and Lynn was looking forward to a carefree day.

I'm leaving now! she shouted loudly.

Have fun, came her mother's muffled answer one floor above her. Be back for dinner.

Lynn grabbed her bag and pulled the door into the lock behind her.

Where did you leave Su ? asked Marie.

It disappeared after feeding towards the lake. I think she wants to spend the day alone. Lynn lifted her armpits – she was used to the otter sometimes going his own way. When Su disappeared for the first time, she had searched for her in panic and tears in her eyes. She had been afraid that Su would  have run away and she would never see her companion again. In the end, the animal was back a few hours later and behaved perfectly normally. Since then, Su has disappeared  from time to time, but always came back to her. She was like a cat roaming her territory during the day.

If it continues to be warm and sunny, we'll be really brown in a week, Lia changed the subject as they walked down the narrow path lined with low trees to the lake.

I certainly don't. Only my freckles are multiplying. Lynn looked at the spots on her arms, which became clearer with each passing day. She hated them.

There are guys who like freckles. Lia grinned and pushed her in the side. Maybe Kai likes girls with freckles!

You don't believe that yourself!

How do you know? Marie stretched and let her colorful bag circle through the air. The worried expression had finally disappeared from her face. Lynn breathed a sigh of relief. Now nothing stood in the way of a beautiful day at the lake.

Speaking of Kai, Lia interrupted before Lynn could say anything. Yesterday I felt like he couldn't take his eyes off you, Lynn. Maybe it was just your bad joke, but somehow... She shrugged her shoulders meaningfully. What do you think, Marie?  Do you think Lynn has a chance with him?

I don't know, Marie whispered. There was a strange undertone in her voice that Lynn couldn't understand. You should definitely try.

If it were that easy, I would have taken the first step a long time ago, Lynn pondered silently, ignoring her friends' discussion. The day before, she had let herself be driven almost crazy by the shadow and the dream. Now she found the mere thought of it ridiculous. An evening at the Stechlin without incident and a night without nightmares were apparently enough to be able to think clearly again.

They reached the shore within a few minutes. It was almost windless and the water looked like a huge mirror. The small spur of the north bay, which they chose, was a little off the main path and was still deserted at this time.

Lynn put down her bag and let her gaze wander over the lake. The Stechlin still fascinated her as much as she did a few years ago when she moved to Neuglobsow with her parents  . At that time, winter was just around the corner, but the warming rays of the autumn sun drove away the first signs of the cold season. Colorful leaves floated on the water and the wafts of mist that swept through the air like ghost hands gave the Stechlin a mysterious atmosphere. Even now, in the heat of summer, the lake seemed almost magical.

Did Lia and Marie sometimes have similar thoughts? The two spread colorful blankets in the shade of the trees and peeled themselves out of their clothes. They were still giggling talking about Kai and the other boys. Lynn sighed. Obviously, only she perceived the beauty of the Stechlin – the crystal clear water, the trees on the shore in which the wind caught and the light reflected on the waves. Birds wandered over the lake. The lake looked like an image edited with Photoshop. How good that Instagrammers hadn't discovered this place yet – it would be perfect for selfies and would attract hundreds of imitators.

With a smile, she joined her friends. She quickly got rid of her summer dress and stretched out next to Marie with a sigh.

The sun burned hot down on them. With her eyes closed, Lynn enjoyed the warmth and tranquility disturbed only by the cry of a bird or the gentle lapping of the water. Lia was leafing through a fashion magazine, Marie was busy with her smartphone. That was probably the only point where they differed. Lynn rarely paid attention to her phone. All she needed was an old device with which she could make phone calls and send messages, even if it resembled a bird of paradise at school. Everyone had the latest device and the topics often revolved around games and apps.

Almost an hour passed before Lynn got bored. I'm going swimming. Are you coming with me?

Marie shook her head without looking at her. Lia didn't even give a reaction. The report of a starlet captivated her completely.

Then I'll go alone. She grabbed her diving goggles and snorkel and ran down to the shore. She ignored the uneasy feeling that briefly flared up in her when she took the first step into the water. Full of anticipation, she slowly waded on. She recognized the sandy ground beneath her feet and small fish tickling her legs. When she left a carpet of reeds behind her, the ground dropped steeply. Lynn swam a bit further and went into hiding to escape the midday heat. For a moment she thought that the Stechlinsee was welcoming her, and she was only too happy to give in to the quiet call.

Only briefly she came back to the surface, put on the diving goggles and clamped the snorkel between her lips. Then she let herself slide under water again.

It felt like she was entering another world. Sunlight fell through the underwater forest down to the algae, which covered the ground like a soft carpet and swayed in the changing currents. Not far from it, an old beech tree rose out of nowhere, but no longer reached the surface of the water. The branches of the tree provided a perfect hiding place for pike. Fish of different sizes scurried past her and hid between the plants. Thanks to the sun and the clear water, the scales of pike, trout and eels shimmered in every imaginable color.

For a brief moment Lynn appeared to catch her breath, then she let herself be carried away again into this strange world. She swam past strangely winding plants with large leaves reminiscent of ivy, leaving an entire colony of hornwort behind. Farther away, she saw algae that reminded her of blowing hair and grew towards the surface.

Suddenly, a shadow moved over them. At first she thought clouds had gathered, but something drifted above her that she initially thought was a tree trunk. Curious, she swam closer to examine the driftwood. But instead of rotting bark, she saw long black hair and a gray, torn dress wrapped around a lifeless body.

Full of panic, she backed away. She wanted to scream, but swallowed cold water when she opened her mouth. With a wave of her hand, she tore the snorkel away and pressed her lips together. Lynn lost her orientation and just swam away, as long as he got away from this lifeless body. When she reached the bottom of the lake, she knew she had dived. Mentally, she repelled herself.

Seconds later, it broke through the surface of the water. She greedily