Lilly sat on the edge of the pond, her bare feet dangling in the cool water as she stared at the flower from which she got her name. Next to her sat Michael, to her he was an angel. When her parents were being assholes he was her refuge. It didn't matter that they couldn't like him or that he was older than her sweet seventeen years. She swooned as he spread a black satin cloth over the ground, picking some amazon Lillys he placed them at the centre. With a smile he sprinkled them with safety pins and reached for her hand.

"I love you Lilly." He said forcefully. "I want us to be together forever."

"I love you too." Lilly said, too young to realize that she had no idea of what forever really meant.

"I want us to do a ceremonial joining." He offered.

"Like a secret wedding?" She asked, her stomach full of butterflies and her heart pounding.

"Kinda." He smiled and produced a razor blade from between his fingers. "More like blood brothers."

Suddenly Lilly felt apprehensive. There had been a lot going on lately but she wasn't ready to throw her life away. Looking in his eyes, they were intense as he held her hand tight. With a careful hand he drew the blade across his own wrist cutting the skin just enough to draw blood.

"Are you ready?" He asked, turning their hands over, exposing her wrist while blood dripped from his own cut on to the flowers.

She nodded not taking her eyes from his, both fear and excitement filled her as she felt the razor cut through her skin.

A sudden jerk on her feet pulled her beneath the dark water of the pond. Someone in the water fought her every struggle as she tried desperately to surface. Her feet touched the bottom sinking into the mud as she bent her knees and tried to push up. Something heavy held her down pushing her deeper into the mud. Her lungs burned as she exhaled the last of her air and her blood ran freely in the water.

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Michael watched her slip beneath the water, waiting patiently as her precious air bubbles disturbed the surface. Within a minute the pond was still again and he bandaged his wrist while he had time. The creature's head slowly emerged, bald on top with a ring of dark mane around the back and sides. Its eyes were too large for its face, bulging slightly as it grin. Its mouth, similarly was frog like, baring small rounded teeth set in brown gums. Its skin changed colour like an octopus as it shifted to better blend into the background.

"You do well, my friend." The insidious creature hissed. "It shall be known."

"I want to know." Michael replied, shuddering at the thought of being called this creature's friend. "Now I have done what you asked, so tell me where I can find him."

"Are you sure it is what you want. Nga does not see people freely." The humanoid monster warned. "You would risk being trapped in the underworld?"

"Lord Vodník, I sought you out did I not?" Michael continued unswayed. "I gave up your sacrifice and in return you promised me an audience with the god of the underworld."

"You did seek me and you came through. I will feast on her rotting flesh soon enough." Lord Vodník smiled. "I will take you to Nga as promised, just don't complain to me if it's not what you expected."

Before Michael could reply he was swallowing pond water, as Vodník stored his screaming body next to the girl called Lilly.