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“Do you think it's real?”
“What's real?”
“That island.”
“Pfft, come on, didn't you see that video disproving it? Really… An abandoned artificial island?”
“Hey! I'm allowed to believe.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
You perked your head up at the conversation you heard in passing. It had been all over a more conspiratorial side of the internet. Someone with a drone they were flying while out at sea swore they found an island that was not on any map. Other people searched for it on satellite images or with their own drones, yet nothing was there. It was a believed edit to scare people, but…
It did make your mind wander.
Maybe too much. A trip out to sea had hardly been your intended adventure for your long weekend, but this fascination had you looking around for anything of interest.
This had proved a fruitless endeavour. It was nothing but blue for endless miles. The sea also grew rougher than closer to the evening it became. You readied yourself to head back to land, but something caught your eye.
A lighthouse shining brightly in the distance. It was difficult for you to recall what might have been there. Still, you felt an urge to wait out the worsening weather somewhere closest. You sailed to the lighthouse and got off at a seemingly abandoned port. No one was around.
The place already looked like nothing you had ever seen. Rust ate away at metal all over, while cracks in stone and rotting wood were not uncommon sights. You had assumed everyone was inside due to the weather, but as you stepped up in a small town, no one was seen. Lights were on despite that.
A sinking feeling in your stomach told you that this place was dangerous, but a loud cry of thunder warned you of the risk of fleeing. You wandered to a building and tried the door.
It opened.
Stepping inside, you considered your options. With conditions worsening, it would be impossible to leave until the weather cleared. The inside of the building was quite the same as the outside. At one time, this place had been a marine restaurant, but now it was decrepit and made you wish to be ahead on vaccinations. Moth-eaten tablecloths still sat on tables, while decorations laid about in varying states of tarnish and decay.
Taking a seat in a chair, you wondered what this island was.
Had this been some failed resort? There was no signal on your phone. Shifting your posture, you laid your head against the table. You felt exhausted from the heavy rain soaking your clothes so thoroughly. The endless pattering of rain against the windows was the only sound in the quiet room. Your eyes closed slowly, letting you drift off. Maybe when you woke up, the storm would have passed, you thought.
The pattering of rain echoed in your ears.
Your eyes opened slowly.
Something was across the table from you, a shadow. Glancing around, you saw that the restaurant looked far nicer. More shadows sat at the other tables, and a few buzzed around. Everything felt blurry. The shadow sitting with you reached a hand forward. It grasped your own, cold, and clammy.
“Finally,” it sounded like so many people were speaking at you. Your head hurt. “You returned. I've been waiting.” The shadow grasped your hand tighter. Panic welled inside you. Pulling your hand back, you rushed to your feet—
And woke up to falling out of the chair.
Blinking and looking around, you realised that nothing had changed.
A nightmare?
You dusted yourself off and headed out of the restaurant. The rain still poured. You headed back to the piers. Getting out of here seemed best. Except, when you made it back, your boat was nowhere to be found. Tension ate at your mind.
Retracing your steps and confirmed you had gone the right way. Your boat was gone. Panic began to consume you. How? Why? You turned your head to look back at the apparent resort. No one was around. This was dangerous.
Carefully going back up to the resort, your attention landed on something in the distance. A castle…?
Maybe there were people in it. The appearance from the outside seemed more maintained than the resort. Forcing yourself to stand straight, you began to walk towards the cliff face the castle sat upon.
And, when you arrived. Someone was standing outside. Jubilance came from you. Running up to them, you begged for help. They stood there in a heavy raincoat. Tilting their head, they nodded. You were motioned to follow them as they led you inside the castle.
The inside was as nice as the outside.
But, it was empty besides you and the person in the raincoat.
Everything echoed and travelled. They brought you to a room and pointed to a mannequin wearing far too fancy clothing. You tensed, but the soaking clothing you wore was truly getting to you. A sigh left you as you went behind a screen to change into the offered clothes. It felt far too proper, but it was better than feeling like you had extra weight on you.
Stepping into their line of sight, they gasped. You were then motioned to follow them again. They took you up and up and up until you reached a room within a tower. Someone else stood there, staring out a window.
Their head turned to gaze at you and your apparent benefactor.
“… At long last,” a male voice came, “You are dismissed, Rachel.” At that, the other gave a bow and stepped out. He turned from his spot and approached you. “My betrothed,” the words barely had time to be processed before he caught your hand, “Finally! You kept me waiting.” Opaque sunglasses prevented you from seeing his eyes, but dark horns spouted from his head. “What is your last wish?” he asked. You blinked.
Then, you opted for something obvious. To go back home. His lips fell into a pout. “You are home,” he gripped your hands tighter, “No more of these insufferable jokes of yours – I want to finish the pact.” You shifted. Nothing made sense… But, well… you asked for your boat. He fell silent. Then, he pulled a golden ring from his horn and…
Your boat landed firmly in the water outside the window. And sank.
Your stomach dropped. The man let out a laugh. Then he went silent.
A hand rested on the small of your back.
“And with that… I fulfilled my end of the pact,” he spoke so assuredly, “Are you ready to fulfil your part?” You tried to shove him away and fled from the room, but you tripped over your shoes and crashed onto the rug.
The monster ticked his tongue. “Right… You wished away your memories of here only and asked for my island to be a mirage,” he came around to kneel in front of you, “Hmph. It doesn't matter. The pact is still viable.”
He grasped your hand, and you watched as a dark, inky scrawl began to spread across your skin. It was in a language you did not recognise. “… I'll remind you,” he interlocked his fingers with your own, “In exchange for three wishes, you agreed to become my betrothed. Now that I finished my end… It's your turn.”
He removed his sunglasses to reveal eerie, a golden colour that glowed where his sclera should have been.
“Our wedding will be soon,” he sighed and cupped your cheek, “I'll never let you slip from my grasp again.”
It was then you remembered a legend – one about a being who would grant whatever your heart desired. For a price.
It seemed he had come to collect.