"The angry water spirit," I murmur.
Joshua makes a confirming sound and nods.
"You look long enough at those rocks; you'll see her trying to rise up out of the water. They say she's tormented by the princess and her love, able to see them but kept from them."
"What about boats?" I ask.
He looks at me with slightly narrowed eyes.
"Did you see a boat out there?"
"Yes," I nod. "At least, that's what it looked like. But nobody seems to know why it was out there."
Joshua shakes his head.
"You be careful, Miss Griffin. Boats don't go out there. They can't. Seeing a boat out there means you are seeing the crew of the princess's lost love, returning for vengeance against the island that killed them. None have seen that image and found a happy path off this island."
The doctor instructs Joshua to leave the room so I can undress, but before he leaves, the driver looks into my eyes.
"Be careful," he says. "Don't keep looking for the spirits, or they'll find you. The ocean spirits have claimed enough already."
Chapter Twenty-Eight
An hour later, I'm finally back in my room, propped up in my bed with Bellamy sitting beside me. I tell her the story Joshua told me.
“It sounds like a fairy tale,” she says.
“That’s what I said. But almost every culture has them,” I say. “And a lot of them sound really similar because they're based on the same themes. But he really seems to believe it. Like it's part of his understanding of the world around him. He says he knows the islands like nobody else does, that he comes from nearby. These must be stories that he's heard as he grew up.”
“What do you think they mean?” she asks.
“I don't know. Obviously, I don't think it was a ghost of a distraught princess who killed herself that tried to get me down into that waterfall. But when I was standing on a cliff and looking at those rocks, the way the water moved was scary.”
“What do you mean?” she asks.
“The waves crashed into them, and the water jumped up. That's the only way I can really describe it. It wasn't like it moves when it hits the other rocks. I can understand why people would be frightened by it,” I explain. “What he said about the boats is what's really getting to me. I know I saw the boat out there. Twice now. But he says boats can't go out there.”
"And you asked the manager about them?"
“Yes. And was told essentially the same thing. Boats don't go out there.”
“What do you think that means?”
“I know what I saw. And tomorrow, I'm going to figure out why I did.”
The next morning my body aches, but it doesn't keep me in bed. Getting up carefully, I cringe at the sore places and force myself into a shower. It doesn't do much to make the pain go away, but at least it loosens up my muscles so I can get dressed and head for the lobby. Catherine is walking across it just as I enter, and she immediately changes course to come to me, her expression worried.
“I heard what happened last night,” she says. “Are you doing alright? Is there anything I can do for you?"
"I'll be fine. More embarrassed than anything," I tell her, trying to look sheepish.
"Don't be embarrassed. That area can be treacherous. I just can't imagine why you would be out there so late."
Her kindergarten-teacher voice makes me feel like I'm being scolded for going down the slide headfirst on my stomach.
"It was an accident," I offer. "My friends were out for the night, and I decided to take a hike to the cliffs. It was so peaceful the last time I was up there, and I just wanted some time to think. It's been a hard year for me. But then the storm started, and I got turned around."
"I'm very glad the team found you. That is not an area we generally encourage guests to go to. We don't block it off because the owner wants the island to be as accessible and natural as possible, but we leave it off the guide maps."
I tilt my head to the side with a curious expression.
“Really?” I ask. “That's strange because Alonso suggested I get instructions for how to find it.”
“He did?” she asks, sounding surprised. The sweetness in her seems to falter just for a second before she picks it back up. “He must have gotten the impression you are an experienced hiker and could handle the terrain.”
“Well, I certainly wish I'd found it on purpose,” I tell her. “Happening on it that way isn't going to be my favorite vacation memory.”
I'm trying to break the tension a bit, and it works. She smiles at me.
“I would certainly think not,” she says. “And again, I'm so sorry you went through that. If there's anything I can do to help you.”
“Actually, there is.”
“Of course, what is it?” she asks.
“It's somewhat of a private nature,” I tell her.
She nods.
“Absolutely. Come with me.”
We cross the lobby, and she brings me down a long hallway to her office. Closing the door behind her, she motions for me to sit down.
“When I first went up to the cliffs, I thought I saw a boat far out in the water,” I start.
She closes her eyes briefly and nods like she already knows what I'm going to say.
“Yes,” she tells me. “Alonso mentioned that. Like he told you, we don't have any activities that go out that far in the water. That area is restricted access, and boats are not permitted near the rocks. It's an environmental issue.”
“I understand that’s the policy, but I saw the boat again yesterday. There is a security camera that covers an unused portion of the shoreline. Is it that area?" I ask.
Catherine looks surprised I know about the security camera but doesn't mention
