The Marionette - Chapter 1
Introduction: Shannon has built a peaceful life, far removed from the shadows of her haunted childhood. But when a violent storm tears through her town, it surfaces an ancient threat she thought she had escaped. As unsettling memories resurface, Shannon discovers that the sinister force isn’t content to remain in her past—it wants her family. To protect the ones she loves, she must unearth long-buried secrets and face the puppeteer pulling the strings of her darkest fears. The Marionette is a chilling tale of survival, sacrifice, and the inescapable ties of the past.
It was a late afternoon on an unusually warm October day when Shannon found herself on the back patio staring off into the endless horizon of Lake Huron. It was a sight she had yet to tire of; the expanse of blue water had been the view she always longed for but never financially feasible until she reached forty years of age.
These lakes were notorious for their dangerous currents and sudden storms that bloomed out of nowhere, just like the one she observed looming in the far distance. It was a massive cluster of thick, rolling clouds that silently flashed their warning to those in its path.
Shannon loved watching storms. The refreshing wave of cold air brought gooseflesh to the skin hidden beneath a thin layer of cotton pajamas. It was arousing to her senses, as if awakening a part of her that is kept dormant most of the time.
Her hair tussles in the light breeze that kisses her face. The cluster of clouds darkened, turning the water into a sea of inky black. They didn’t just move closer but seemed to grow larger, expanding further in all directions.
The door behind her slides open followed by a cheerful “Hey babe.”
“Come check this out,” she told her husband. Trent too was mesmerized by storms, a bond they shared together at every opportunity.
“Look at that,” he said, admiring the sight.
“Weather didn’t say anything about a storm,” said Shannon.
She felt Trent embrace her from behind. “Welcome to Michigan,” he said with a chuckle.
“So relaxing,” she said. “Feel that? Like all the stress just melts away.”
“Yeah. But it’s my turn to cook tonight,” said Trent.
Shannon giggled. “So what?”
“Well. I’m married to the pickiest woman on Earth.”
“Oh please. Your daughter is pickier than I am,” Shannon said.
“You see my dilemma.”
She bit her lip and suggestively swayed herself against him. “I mean we could skip dinner… if you want.”
He smiled. “Is this an insult to my cooking or am I just that good…elsewhere?”
Flashes ignite within the black, swirling clouds followed by loud claps of thunder.
“You feel that?” Shannon asked. “Cause I sure do.”
“I think we might have something big going on here,” he said. “Look at those clouds.”
Despite his concern, she continued slowly flirting her hips against him.
“Babe, you see that?” He asked with an outstretched finger.
The bruised sky boiled and turned in on itself. A noticeable swirl had become more prominent as a sharp funnel jutted downward in a deliberate effort to further its descent toward the murky, chaotic water below.
“Shit,” Trent broke his embrace. “Need to get Sylvia.”
Shannon was in awe. She had never seen anything like it. The thin funnel hung from the black sky like a rope until it reached into the depths of the lake. It was a hypnotic sight. Shannon stood, slowly backing away, her mouth fell open slightly.
“Babe. “ Trent reappeared once again. “Babe, come on. We need to get inside.”
At this point the sirens were screaming. It sounded like an air raid. The waterspout was at least a mile or two away, yet it was only getting wider— no longer a rope but more like a pillar that held up the angry heavens above it.
“Sylvia, into the bathroom,” said Trent as he ushered Shannon by the hand. “Come on, babe.”
Through the brick and drywall, plumbing and insulation, the doomsday sound of the tornado siren dampened only slightly.
“Remember when we first bought this house and we bragged about how big this bathroom was?” Shannon tried to make light of the situation.
“I don’t think it was meant to fit three people all at once,” Trent said.
The white tile bathed in the flickering, cool light of the vanity’s bulbs as they scrambled to get situated. “Just get in the tub, Sylvia,” Trent said, helping his daughter get into place as Shannon took a seat by the door.
“Did you see it?” Sylvia asked. “It’s over the water.”
“Yeah. Hopefully it stays out there,” Shannon said.
“There is like no room in this tub,” Sylvia said as she shuffled in an attempt to get comfortable.
“Stop growing so damn fast and you wouldn’t have this problem,” Trent said.
“You’re not funny, Dad,” Sylvia said as she retrieved her phone from her back pocket.
“Oh there we go. Make sure you get a good selfie this time,” Trent jabbed. “Don’t wanna disappoint your friends now.”
Sylvia looks at him and sticks her tongue out.
“You two are precious,” Shannon laughed.
The sirens faded. Silence blanketed the world around them.
“Is it over?” Sylvia asked.
“I…I don’t know.” Shannon held her head near the door. The lights flickered.
The wind howled with increasing intensity. The floor beneath them quaked.
“The house shook,” Sylvia said. “—and my ears are popping.”
“I think it’s getting closer.” Trent was yelling over the storm.
Shannon looked her husband in the eyes. “Babe.”
The room shot to black in an instant.
Shannon’s pulse throbbed throughout her body. She gripped her chest and pushed through her terror.
“We’re gonna be alright,” Trent said as he grabbed Shannon ’s calf in a death grip.
Sylvia squealed with fright.
“It’s okay baby girl. It’ll pass,” Shannon said. “Just hold on.”
Just as the chaos peaked, it fell to dead silence. Shannon heard only the beat of her heart as the air trapped inside her ears muffled any sound outside of her body.
Shannon was first to emerge into the living room. She expected to find destruction; a tree through the wall, debris blown throughout the house. To her surprise, she found nothing of the sort. Everything was in order. Not even a broken window.
“Looks fine up here.” Trent’s voice carried from upstairs. “Never mind, Sylvia’s room is a wreck.”
“What?” Sylvia shrieked from the living room before rushing up the steps to see what her dad was talking about.
“You should clean your room more often. Jesus, what a mess.”
The girl stopped in her tracks and let loose an intentionally loud sigh. “Oh my god. Okay. Whatever.” She threw her arms up and backtracked down the stairs. She then sat on the couch only to scroll through her phone.
Shannon gasped as she looked through the kitchen window. “Trent, come check this out.”
The backyard was littered with tree limbs and other debris, including broken pieces of fencing and a lawn ornament in the form of a decorative lighthouse laid on its side.
“Oh man. Looks like it came right over us”, Trent said.
“One of our neighbors is gonna be looking for some of that crap.”
Trent embraced her from behind. “I’m just glad we’re all okay,” he said. “We can get it all picked up tomorrow, put it out front for anyone looking for it.”
As Trent continued his hasty survey of the property, Shannon returned to the back porch, stepping barefoot onto the damp wood that had been littered in orange and brown leaves. It was a serene and beautiful landscape of relaxed water and sunlight. The smell of ozone engulfed her senses.