Chapter 1
It was summer, everything was chill, the sun rays were reflecting over us and we were all okay.
We were at the seaside, laughing non-stop and not really having any worries. Marina was making jokes out of everything, Ali kept the vibe going, Cristi was quieter but still there with me, Bianca and Gini were arguing and laughing at the same time.
It was chaos, but the good kind. The sun was setting, we were all watching it, quiet, happier than ever—until Marina turned her head and saw a silhouette behind us.
At first, she ignored it.
But after some time, the silhouette was still there.
Just standing and staring straight at her.
Marina started getting curious.
She was trying to figure out who it could be, because it felt familiar...
that posture, the way they were standing.
But she didn't say anything.
Just kept staring.
After a while, that "someone" disappeared.
Marina still wondered who it could've been... but she let it go.
It got evening, and the cold started getting stronger.
Bianca and Gini were the first ones to give in and go back to the room.
Marina stayed a bit longer on the beach with Ali.
Cristi and Kevin as well.
Marina was slowly walking on the sand with Ali, but she wasn't fully present in the conversation.
That image was still stuck in her mind... the silhouette.
She kept telling herself it was probably nothing, or just some random person on the beach.
But she couldn't forget the way they were standing. How they were looking.
After a while, Ali noticed she was quieter.
— "Are you okay?" he asked, not pushing too much.
Marina nodded quickly.
— "Yeah... just tired."
And she kept walking, but her thoughts were elsewhere.
At one point she stopped for a moment, looking at the sea.
The beach was almost empty now. Just waves and wind.
And for a second, she thought she saw that silhouette again, further away.
She blinked.
It was gone.
Marina stood there a bit longer, looking at the sea, but the thought wouldn't leave her.
She kept trying to tell herself it wasn't important. That it was probably just someone on the beach, nothing special.
But that was exactly what annoyed her—the fact that the image kept coming back.
Finally, she sighed and stood up.
She looked around for someone.
Bianca and Gini weren't there anymore. They had already left.
Ali was further back, talking to someone from a distance.
Marina hesitated for a second... then walked toward you.
— "Hey... can I ask you something?" she said softer than usual.
You looked at her.
— "Yeah?"
She took a deep breath.
— "Earlier... when we were on the beach... did you see someone there? Like... standing behind us?"
Kevin says:
— "Honestly, I wasn't really paying attention... I was with Cristi. Why?"
Marina replies:
— "I don't know... I feel like I saw someone, but I'm not sure..."
I look at her confused, blink for a second, but don't say anything. I ignore it.
Ali was behind her and it was obvious something was bothering Marina.
He walks up to her.
— "Hey... what's wrong, sweetheart? You seem kinda... agitated."
Marina tries to act normal.
— "Ali... I'm fine, I'm just... tired, you know?"
Ali looks at Marina, relieved but still a bit suspicious, and decides to insist.
— "Are you sure?"
Marina looks at him briefly.
— "I said I'm fine."
Her tone was sharper than she meant, but she was clearly stressed... still thinking about that silhouette.
Kevin and Cristi look at each other, trying to understand what's going on.
After a few seconds, they both stand up.
Cristi says:
— "Don't you wanna go somewhere? Maybe you'll feel better."
Kevin nods:
— "Approved and supported."
They look at Marina, subtly signaling her to go along so Ali would stop insisting.
Marina understands and responds:
— "That wouldn't be bad..."
She looks briefly at Kevin, understanding the hint.
Ali sighs.
— "Fine. Let's go."
His tone was calm, but still clearly suspicious.
Kevin calls Bianca and Gini.
Bianca answers the phone.
— "Come on guys, somewhere, a club or something... we're on the beach."
— "We'll come in 10 minutes, I'll wake Gini up, he fell asleep."
Cristi laughs and says:
— "Alright, bitchhh, see you on the beach."
Kevin laughs at Cristi's joke, then signals Marina to laugh too, to lighten the atmosphere and maybe make Ali forget what happened earlier.
Marina laughs too... but not really.
I mean, she laughs just for the moment.
We start moving off the beach.
Everyone quickly gathers their stuff, still laughing at Cristi's joke, but the atmosphere is already a bit more chaotic, more disorganized.
Marina walks at the back, slower.
Ali is next to her, but he doesn't say anything anymore. Just walks.
Kevin and Cristi are in front, talking, Bianca and Gini are coming from behind, still sleepy and loud.
I'm somewhere in between, but I can see Marina isn't really with us.
She's looking down at the sand, but clearly not seeing it.
Still has that same expression from earlier.
At one point, Ali tries again to break the silence:
— "Are you sure you're okay?"
Marina nods quickly, not looking at him.
— "Yeah... just a bit tired."
But it's obvious that's not it.
We keep walking toward the road near the beach, where you can already hear cars and distant music.
Marina slows down even more.
She falls behind completely.
And for a second, she looks back at the beach.
Like she's searching for something.
Or someone.
But there's nothing there anymore.
Marina stays behind and shouts after us:
— "I'll come in an hour! I don't feel too well... I'm going back, you guys go ahead."
Ali immediately stops and turns to her.
— "I'm coming with you."
Marina shakes her head quickly.
— "No, no... please go. I'm fine. I'll come after you... I'll text you if anything."
Ali insists, stepping closer.
— "Marina, you don't look okay."
— "I'm fine," she says more firmly, this time avoiding his eyes.
A short pause falls between them.
That small, unspoken tension is there.
Ali sighs.
— "Fine... but text me."
Marina nods.
— "I will."
And she stays there for a second, watching them leave.
⸻
Marina stood there for a moment after Ali left.
She didn't go toward the hotel.
She went the opposite direction.
Back to the beach.
To that place.
She walked faster now, almost without realizing, thinking that maybe... if she got there again, she would see something.
Anything.
A trace. A movement. A person. Anything that could confirm she wasn't imagining it.
When she reached the sand, the beach was almost empty.
Just waves and wind.
She stopped exactly in the same spot as before.
And looked.
Silence.
Marina slowly scanned the whole area.
Nothing.
She waited a few more seconds.
Then a few more.
But there was nothing there.
And for the first time, she didn't know if she should feel relieved... or more scared.
