(re-edited and reposted)
Based on a series of clips by MMP Studios
Meet Claire, an ambitious 24 year old woman whose budding business career is just starting to take off. Her fiancée is a handsome 27 year old ad executive; their wedding only three weeks away. But despite her hectic schedule Claire keeps coming back to these springs. It is almost as though something is drawing her back time and time again… although she would never admit that to herself! All she knows is that there’s something about this place she can’t identify that keeps bringing her back.
She knows about the tragic drowning of a young woman several months ago whose killer has yet to be caught. There are those who believe that somehow that drowned woman is in all actuality the ghostly Maiden of the Springs. But Claire doesn’t believe in such nonsense. She’s visited the springs many times before, but has yet to see any evidence that convinces her it is nothing more than a fanciful tale.
She has no idea this particular visit will introduce her to someone she believes does not exist…
*****
Claire sits on a bench and looks out into the springs, alone with her thoughts…
Damn! What am I DOING here? I don’t have time for this! The wedding’s only three weeks away and I have a million things to do! I don’t have time to go for a swim! What the hell am I DOING here?? I should be checking up on those bridesmaid dresses! I still have to check with the florist… and I need to confirm the date for the reception hall and… The caterer! Ohmygawd – I hope we ordered enough food for everybody!
Claire looks out at the springs and sighs…
Actually I could use a refreshing swim! It’s a hot day and I’ve been running myself ragged these past few weeks. A quick dip won’t hurt me… and I’ll only be in the water a few minutes. Maybe I will!
Claire stands up and peals her clothes off her body, revealing a stunning bikini. Placing her clothes down on the bench, she turns and looks out at the springs again, shaking her head at the rumors and gossip she’s heard over the past few months…
Maiden of the Springs – BAH! There’s no such thing as a maiden of the springs! That’s got to be some sort of urban legend! Stupid people drown out here all the time! It just makes for a good story; that’s all. I’ve been here hundreds of times, and I haven’t seen shit! I’ve even been out in that deep section over there! There’s nothing here but a great swimming hole on a really hot day like today.
“What the hell?” she suddenly blurts out in surprise.
Claire is standing up looking out into the springs when she sees a head slowly emerge from the water. It looks like a young woman, her shoulders covered with something white. She seems to be looking right at her!
“Hey… HEY! YOU OUT THERE! HEY!”
Claire waves at her but the head slowly submerges and disappears back into the water. A moment later the surface of the water looks still… as though there has been absolutely no activity in the water whatsoever.
“HEY!”
Claire carefully but quickly makes her way down to the water’s edge. Someone was out there; she saw them! And they might be in trouble! She heads down to the water’s edge, worried she’s not seen them reemerge…
Gawd – there’s someone out there…and they haven’t come back up yet! Ohmygawd – what if someone’s drowning out there??!!
Claire wades out into the water with a “Hang on – I’m coming!” When it gets deep enough she dives in and begins swimming out with long, smooth strokes. In no time at all she reaches the spot where she thought she saw the young woman.
Treading water, she looks all around. But there’s no evidence of anyone else in the water but her. She’s concerned… and confused…
I don’t see her anywhere! I KNOW I saw her – she was out here just a second ago! Where the hell did she go??
Claire inhales sharply and jack-knifes down into the water. As she goes deeper she pauses and looks all around, releasing bubbles out of her nose as she turns herself around and around. She’s frantic to find her, unwilling that anyone should perish when she can lend a helping hand…
Now where the hell did she go? I KNOW I saw a woman out here – I KNOW IT! She just popped up and then went back down! Now damnit – where did she go? It’s so clear down here… but I can’t see her anywhere!!
Claire finally surfaces and gasps for breath, still anxiously looking all around. Then she takes another deep breath before diving back down to look all around again. Seeing no one below, she surfaces once more, treading water as she continues looking all around.
All of the sudden there’s a burst of bubbles a few yards in front of her. That’s when a young woman’s head emerges up out of the water, calmly looking right at her! Relief floods her entire being…
There she is… wait a minute! She looks like… like the picture in the paper of that woman who drowned out here all those months ago! But that’s impossible!!
…and then the young woman looking right at her slowly submerges with a burble.
“HEY!” Claire calls out to her. Then she swims over to the spot where she inhales sharply and then dives under. But to her utter amazement the woman simply isn’t there! She’s disappeared again! Claire looks all around in amazement, totally stunned that a person can simply disappear in water so incredibly clear…
WHERE’D SHE GO? WHERE’D SHE GO?? SHE WAS RIGHT HERE JUST A SECOND AGO!! I KNOW I SAW HER!
Claire rises to the surface and gasps for breath, looking all around as she treads water. Then she takes a deep breath and sculls herself downward with her hands to look around again, only to let out a bubbly cry of shock when she sees a young woman in a white wedding dress right there in front of her…
HOLY HELL; YOU SCARED THE CRAP OUT OF ME!!!
It is a young woman with a curious expression on her face. Claire’s heart thumps loudly in her chest as her eyes open wide in utter amazement. Then she leans closer as though physically taking a closer look while bubbles trickle out of her nose…
Ohmygawd! It looks like… it’s that woman in the paper, the woman who drowned out here! But she’s supposed to be dead, isn’t she? This can’t be her, can it? It’s got to be someone else made up to look like her, someone playing a horrible prank on me! This explains all those sightings out here!!
The two stare at each other: Claire in total shock; the young woman almost emotionless. Claire has to do something; she simply can’t believe what she is looking at! Instinctively she closes her eyes and covers them with her hands, shaking her head in disbelief as though she can make the image of the young woman go away…
She’s not real – she’s not real – she’s not real – she’s not real. It’s just my imagination. It’s just the wedding is all – I’ve been under a lot of stress! She’s not real! It’s someone playing a trick on me!
Claire pulls her hands away and opens her eyes, and the young woman is gone! That’s when Claire looks around in surprise. Now where the hell did she go??
She’s gone! Was it real? …or was it just my imagination? She must have some scuba gear hiding somewhere so she can get another breath and – AAUUGGHH!!
Claire senses a presence behind her… which is confirmed the moment she turns around and lets out a bubbly cry of surprise. Somehow without her noticing, the strange young woman in the wedding dress has managed to get directly behind her!
OHMYGAWD! HOW THE HELL DID SHE GET BEHIND ME WITHOUT ME SEEING HER??
The strain of the unusual encounter causes Claire to instinctively close her eyes again, covering them with her hands as she keeps telling herself…
SHE’S NOT REAL – SHE’S NOT REAL…
…and then the young woman reaches out and pulls her hands away from her eyes, causing her to cry out another burst of bubbles…
OHMYGAWD! I CAN FEEL HER! SHE’S REAL! SHE’S NOT A GHOST! SHE’S SOME WOMAN IN A WEDDING DRESS! GAWD – SHE LOOKS JUST LIKE THAT WOMAN WHO DROWNED OUT HERE!
The young woman reaches out and grabs her arms, holding her at arm’s length as though inspecting her closely. The touch is electric, but at that moment Claire is strangely unafraid. She stares back curiously, trying to understand who she has come in contact with as her lungs start to burn from lack of air…
Who is she? She CAN’T be that ‘Maiden of the Springs’ woman – she’s REAL! She has flesh and blood and everything! I wonder who she is?
The two women look at each other underwater. As much as Claire thinks the young woman is real, she simply cannot bring herself to try touching her in return. The young woman has no such hesitations, calmly holding onto Claire’s arms while looking her over.
…and then Claire loses a burst of air as it finally dawns on her just how long she’s been underwater holding her breath…
Gawd – how long have I been under like this? I need another breath of air!
Claire tries to disengage herself. But for some reason the young woman refuses to let go. Claire tries to pull away without upsetting her or making her angry…
Gawd, girl! How long can you hold your breath? I can’t hold mine any longer, ok? Now let me go! I’ll be right back down, ok? I promise!
But as Claire tries to pull away, the young woman seems to strengthen her grip. Claire becomes anxious, and she tries jerking out of her grasp…
Hey, you gotta let me go! I can’t hold my breath as long as you can, ok? I’m not a fish; you gotta let me go, all right?
For the very first time, a chill runs up her spine as Claire tries to pull away. She actually manages to jerk her arms free, but as she turns to make a dash for the surface she’s grabbed by an ankle and pulled back down, only to have the young woman wrap her arms around her waist. That’s when she suddenly realizes how deep she is in the springs…
Damnit – why won’t you let me go? Don’t you know I’m outta breath here?? Gawd – I can’t hold it much longer! What the hell is WRONG with you??!!
Claire tries to get away, pulling with her arms with greater urgency. But she’s held tightly in the clutches of the young woman. Amazingly, the female in the wedding dress is exhibiting no symptoms she may need to go up for a breath anytime soon!
GAWD – WHAT ARE YOU DOING? LET ME GO – LET ME GO! DON’T DROWN ME?! I DON’T WANNA DROWN DOWN HERE??!! I CAN’T DROWN; I’M GETTING MARRIED SOON!!
Claire wiggles within her grasp, but it is no use. The young woman turns her around so they are facing each other again. Then the female grabs onto her arms and holds on tight, absolutely refusing to let go as Claire tries to kick herself away. For the first time, real fear now grips her heart…
NOOO! LET ME GO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? DON’T DROWN ME – PLEASE DON’T DROWN ME?! YOU GOTTA LET ME GO! I’M GONNA GET MARRIED AND EVERYTHING! I HAVE A LIFE! PLEASE DON’T DROWN ME?!
Claire is in total shock at such a disturbing encounter. The whole time the strange woman in the wedding dress has shown virtually no emotion throughout their meeting. But that certainly can’t be said of her anymore!
Now she feels panic swelling within her as her lungs start to heave. Bubbles spew out of her mouth in spurts, and she knows she can’t afford to lose anymore. Instinctively she covers her mouth with her hands, her cheeks bulging as she shakes her head back and forth…
LET ME GO – LET ME GO! I HAVE A LIFE AND EVERYTHING! OHMYGAWD – DON’T DROWN ME?! PLEASE DON’T DROWN ME?! I DON’T WANNA DIE!
The young woman calmly pulls Claire’s hands away from her mouth and holds onto them, still showing absolutely no emotion whatsoever. Claire is absolutely horrified. It is at that precise moment she finally begins to suspect the awful reality of her strange situation…
What are you DOING?? Don’t take my hands away??? OHMYGAWD – IT’S YOU! YOU REALLY ARE THE MAIDEN! OHMYGAWD – YOU’RE GONNA DROWN ME! NOOOOOO! LET ME GO – LET ME GO! I DON’T WANNA DROWN! I WANT MY LIFE – I WANT MY LIFE! DON’T TAKE IT AWAY FROM ME! I WANNA BE MARRIED AND HAVE KIDS AND EVERYTHING! NOOOOOO!
Claire’s cheeks continue to bulge as she loses bursts of air past her pursed lips. But her struggles with the Maiden are useless; she can’t get her arms free! Her legs kick hard, but she remains at depth.
Her lungs heave in agony; she needs another breath right now! Her head shakes back and forth in growing horror at the realization of her impending demise. Bubbles slip out past her clenched lips as severe spasms settle in her stomach and chest…
NOOOOO! DON’T TAKE MY LIFE AWAY FROM ME! I WANNA BE MARRIED! I WANNA HAVE KIDS! I’M TOO YOUNG TO DIE! PLEASE DON’T DROWN ME???!!!
Claire coughs painfully, and at that moment her lungs simply give out as a huge burst of air explodes out of her mouth. She gurgles as her lungs heave, and she begins convulsing painfully. The Maiden simply maintains her hold on her… emotionless… clinical… observing the drowning process as Claire screams in her mind…
NOOOOOOOO! I’M TOO YOUNG TO DIE! I DON’T WANNA DROWN – I DON’T WANNA DROWN! I WANNA GET MARRIED – I WANNA GET MARRIED! I WANT A LIFE! NOOOOOO! OHMYGAWD…
Claire jerks and spasms as her body attempts to expel the water invading her lungs, the cold, deadly liquid of the springs violating seemingly every opening of her body. Her eyes are open wide in absolute terror as she thrashes about. She kicks feebly as her hands flex and wave haphazardly.
Air streams freely out of her gaping mouth as her body spasms and convulses painfully. She coughs hard… shudders for a couple of seconds… and then simply relaxes as though it’s become much too hard to fight anymore. A trickle of tiny bubbles slip out past her parted lips, having chosen the wiser course of action by evacuating her flooding lungs.
The Maiden pulls her a little closer where she clinically inspects her lifeless body. She gently touches her face and her cheeks, lightly brushing a hand through her hair. For a moment she holds onto her with her hands on the drowned girl’s waist. Then for the very first time the Maiden’s face clouds with fury as she angrily pushes the drowned woman away from her. She swims off and fades away into the distance, her wedding dress flowing as Claire’s lifeless body sinks to the bottom of the springs…
…adding yet another curious chapter to the legend of the Maiden of the Springs…
© 2008; 2010; 2015 (written Jul 11; ed. Oct 12; ed.Oct 29 by riwa)