The Ghost in the Water...Winners & More!

The Ghost in the Water

The night began the same as always...with Elaine taking her night time swim and gazing at the moon. She could feel the pull of the full moon deep in her gut...the change was almost upon her. Her hand shook as she wrapped it around the medallion the old Gypsy woman had given her, clutching the tarnished metal tightly to her chest.

The medallion warmed and began to glow, adding its light to that of the goddess moon as her body began to tremble in anticipation. She hoped tonight the medallion and the moon would bring her beloved, Dante, back to her.

This night Elaine hoped to stop the aching in her heart as she remembered the last night she was with Dante. It was such a memorable night that it now brought tears to her eyes...

It was the only night they were actually together as one and with sweet nostalgia she thought of the way they fit perfectly together, like they were made for each other, ordained by fate and joined by hand fast in front of all their kith and kin.

Then, the curse had taken him from her. Shattered their one night into a thousand shards, leaving only the memories.

Memories of how they had danced amidst the circle of their people close to a luring bonfire in celebration for their union. The cadences of the music and rhythm of her body grinding against his later on in the forest still undulated through her blood, the only thing capable of mitigating the horror of the dark riders arrival.

Now, floating in the cool waters in the dead of night, she was alone, only being able to hope for her love to come back to her. Drawing forth a deep breath, she closed her eyes and recalled the words the gypsy woman had instructed her to recite...

Goddess Moon hear my plea
Return my soul mate here to me

I bear to you my heart’s desire
To put end to this unearthly fire
That burns so deep within my heart
And doth still burn from whence
That night we were forced to part

In return I shall bequeath to thee
Beneath the ancient willow tree
A gift as precious as your light
On the thirteenth moon from this night

Taking a deep breath, she spoke the words to the night. Hoping and wishing she'd get the chance to once again spend time with her one true love, in human form.

She felt a shift in the air around her before she heard it...the sound of her name carried on the wind. He shimmered ethereal yet real just out of reach. Waves lapped gently around his perfect body.

What would happen if she reached out to try and touch him or spoke to him? Did she have the courage to find out?

She just stood and felt the warmth that was affecting all the water around her. Was his body heat causing this sudden change in the water or was it just the thought she was looking at the man of her dreams. She was so scared to reach out, only to find it was all in her imagination.

Oh what should she do? Just stand and enjoy the view of his strong handsome body or reach out and touch him?

Elaine turned towards him, raising her arm from the water and reached for him, hand trembling.

"Dante?"

Elaine saw Dante, the Dante she knew but what was with the other two intruders that were with him? She resisted the urge to go to him, unsure of the situation now. Yet her heart and body ached with the need to touch him again.

"Dante? Is it really you? Speak to me...say something!" she plead, needing to know if this was real or a trick conjured by her own desperate desire for her beloved.

"My beloved Elaine, I am back. Before we continue on where we left off I want you to greet my two new friends who have helped me come back to you. You do remember our last time together or have you forgotten it?"

Elaine indeed was desperate with desire and bid the two strangers a welcome and then swam like a fish to her beloved.

Elaine emerged from the water before him with a flourish, the moonlight glistening within the tiny beads of water upon her skin.

"Of course I remember, my love ... it was the most beautiful night of my life and the most heartbreaking," she confessed as she let her arms slip around his neck.

It was all she could do to tear her gaze from his, but she couldn't ignore the two strangers with him. "Thank you for helping bring my love back to me," she said before she turned her attention back to Dante.

Gazing up into his eyes, she smiled, barely able to conceal her delight at seeing him again. "If you wouldn't mind, I think I would like you to remind me of the beautiful parts of that night," she asked almost breathlessly wondering if this beautiful dream would end before his lips touched hers.

To be continued...

Originally, I planned to write the first line and the last line...to wrap it up after the contest BUT...I've enjoyed this so much that I've decided to continue this story on as a part 2 contest in December. So, be sure to come back then and add more lines to the story then for another chance to win! Can't wait to see what happens with Elaine and Dante! Thanks to everyone who participated. I love this story!

Here are the winners from Part One of The Ghost in the Water:

Grand Prize "Most Boo-tiful": YOUR NAME in one of my upcoming books or 1/2 off a Custom Made Book Trailer (see http://www.kerrinelson.com/9.html for samples of my custom creations)!

WINNER: Sherry Jude

1st Runner Up "Phantom-abulous": A fabulous book of ghost stories or a Free E-book of your choice!

WINNER: Melissa Arroyo

2nd Runner Up "Haunt-orrific": A fabulous pumpkin scented candle!

WINNER: DDurance

Winners, please e-mail me with your prize choice and/or snail mail information as needed. Thanks to everyone who participated and I hope to see you back in December to continue the story!

Other News:

If you have not checked to see if you are an October winner yet. Click here to read the Winners, Winners Everywhere post!

If you are a winner...click here to read the Special Delivery Girl post as to the status of shipping your prizes out.

Check back tomorrow for more winners & Thursday for my 1 and only contest of November!