THE GIRL WHO WANTED TO KNOW EVERYTHING
Ever since she was still a child, Fiona is obsessed with mysteries. Unlike the other kids who play outside together with their friends. Fiona is locked up by their library reading books in the study table.
One day, as Fiona reads her book a sudden knock on the door interrupted her. Her mother showed up bringing snacks to the study table where Fiona is.
"Fiona, I know that you like reading—But isn't it nice to go out sometimes? The weather is good today." Evelina said. (Fiona's mother)
"Thank you mother, but I'd rather stay here reading this amazing books father bought for me. Each books tells an amazing stories that it's hard to stop reading." Fiona replied.
"I understand that you love gaining more knowledge, but I'm worried that you might end up without any friends. You could find yourself alone in this world. I just really care about you and want to guide you toward a better life," Evelina said.
"Mother, you don't have to worry about me. I can handle myself. And besides I still have so much time in this world, and like they said no man's an island. So I'll be fine mother." Fiona.
"I agree with our daughter, and isn't it nice that at such a young age she's obsessed with knowledge unlike the other childrens out there? You should be proud of our daughter instead."
A sudden voice spoke and they saw Edmund Fiona's father. He walk towards to Fiona and patted her head.
"Our smart little daughter is so matured, I'm so proud of you honey." Edmund smiled while patting his daughter's head.
"But Fiona is going to be 18 soon! Isn't her age supposed to look love outside instead of locking herself here?" Evelina shouted opposing her husbands words.
"Enough Evelina! This is Fiona's choice. We don't have the rights to stop her!" Edmund shouted.
Evelina and Edmund started arguing. Fiona immediately grabbed a random book and stormed out of the room. She then went to her hiding spot near the cliff where there was a tree, and she could see the vast ocean.
She then sat there and starts reading the book she picked in a hurry. Fiona flipped the book open without even looking at the title. The wind caught its pages, rustling them like whispering voices. The paper felt colder than usual, it's almost feels like it's ALIVE.
She expected a story maybe an old novel or a history text. But instead, she saw only a one sentence.
"To those who seek peace, beware of what follows the wind."
Fiona then frowned trying to understand what it means.
"What…?" she whispered.
As she turned the page, the air around her changed. The waves crashed harder against the rocks below, and the leaves of the old tree began to hum a low, strange vibration that seemed to imitate the rhythm of her heartbeat.
Then she saw something strange. Her own name Fiona Marden written in the middle of the next page, followed by a sentence that hadn't been there before.
"Beneath the tree, she takes her place,
Her heart grows heavy in the ocean's embrace.
The sea's low song, a mournful plea,
Weighs on her soul, wild and free."
She suddenly paused. Realizing the words were describing her exactly.
She looked around, expecting that someone is hiding nearby but there was no one. Only the wind, the sea, the rustling leaves, and the book in her hands.
Fiona starts to panic and tried to close the book, but the book refused. The ink began to spread, crawling over the paper like threads of light.
Then, on the next blank page, more words appeared slowly, letter by letter.
"She shouldn't have left them arguing. She shouldn't have come here alone."
Her hands began to shake and her heart starts to beat faster. She stood up, the wind began to grow stronger, making the tree branches sway like they were waving, and the leaves started to scatter. The ground also starts to tremble slightly beneath her feet.
"Okay, this isn't funny," she whispered.
The waves also started to splash hard against the rocks beneath the cliff.
And then, a strange voice starts to call her name.
"Fiona…"
Fiona froze, It wasn't her Father nor her mother's voice, it was someone or maybe something else. She looks around but there was no one, she's the only person there.
THE WHISPERS BEYOND THE WIND
Fiona's heart pounded. The voice that whispered her name was soft yet almost familiar. But it carried something special beneath it, like the sea had learned to speak.
She looked around, grasping the book to her chest. "Who's there?" she said while started to get afraid
Yet there's no answer. Only the rustling leaves and the loud crash of waves echoed there.
Her gaze fell back to the open page. More words were starts appearing one by one, glowing faintly in the fading light.
"She looks toward the ocean, unaware that it looks back."
She felt a cold shiver run down her spine. She wanted to run — to go back home, to forget this place, this book — but something deep inside whispered, "Stay."
It was the same voice she'd heard.
She knelt beside the roots of the old tree, staring at the ink as it began to form a drawing — a sketch of the cliff she was standing on.
At the edge of the sketch stood a girl… and behind her, in the shadow of the waves, was a figure.
Fiona blinked.
The figure in the drawing raised its hand.
And somewhere below, beneath the crashing sea, something moved.
The book trembled in her grip. The ink began to flow faster, spreading up her fingers like thin rivers of light. She tried to drop it — but her hands wouldn't obey.
"What are you?" she gasped.
A voice answered from the book — this time clearly, softly:
"The very thing you seek, I seek the same."
Fiona's eyes widened. "I'm not searching for anything!"
"Then why do your footsteps echo in this forgotten void?" the voice asked.
Her breath caught. She had no answer. Not for the book, not even for herself.
Before she could speak, the ink spread across her arms, wrapping her in a cold shimmer. The ocean below began to glow — the same silver light reflecting in the water.
"Don't fight it," the voice murmured.
"You opened me. Now, let me show you what you've forgotten."
The wind roared. The book shone brighter.
And in a blink — Fiona was gone.
The only sound left was the restless sea and the whisper of turning pages under the old tree.