Blackwater Islands dark waters

behind her, a shadow rose.

haggard wraith. forgotten un-thing. crumpled skin, frame of bone and knotted hair. brinescent ate it, seagrowth clung to it, concealed it from nose and eye.

when it stepped, it lumbered.

as it came nearer, it shed kelp and shadow and became smaller.

and it came to a stop four lengths behind the apparition - black as oil and swollen with putrid procreation.

quiet. unspoken.

in its mind it held a conversation, in which the figment answered it.