Chapter 2: What She Saw When She Looked at Mia
**— PART 2 —**
Every head at the pool turned.
The woman leaped off the chair like something had bitten her — because something had.
Inside the blue box was a large rubber spider, coiled on a bed of tissue paper.
Realistic enough to fool anyone for a split second.
But that wasn't the worst part.
The resort manager stepped forward from behind a nearby umbrella stand.
He hadn't been walking past.
He'd been waiting.
"Ma'am, I need to speak with you about the reserved seating complaint we received."
Her boyfriend stood up slowly.
"What complaint?"
"Several guests reported the incident.
We have it on camera." The manager glanced toward me and Mia, then back at her.
"The chairs this family was using were properly reserved under our guest protocol.
Removing another guest's belongings is a violation of our resort policy."
The woman's face went from pale to red.
"You're embarrassing me over lounge chairs?"
"I'm asking you to relocate.
Immediately."
She turned toward me then — really looked at me for the first time.
Then at Mia, who was holding her smoothie with both hands, watching quietly.
Something crossed the woman's face that I couldn't quite read.
Her boyfriend touched her arm.
"Just drop it," he said quietly.
But she didn't move.
And the way she was staring at Mia made my stomach tighten.
She looked like she recognized something.
Or someone.
---
What did she see when she looked at Mia?
May you like
What she said next stopped everyone cold.
Click the link below to read the full story — the ending will stay with you.
