Peace shivered awake, her body trembling against the cold, damp ground. She blinked, disoriented, the faint scent of mildew filling her nostrils.
An underground passageway.
It resembled the space beneath a bridge, but the oppressive darkness made it impossible to tell for sure.
Morning. It had been morning the last time she checked, hadn't it?
Fumbling, she pulled her phone from her pocket. The screen's dim glow read 5:00 AM.
Her breath hitched as the distant sound of dripping water echoed through the passage, sending a jolt of fear through her.
How the fuck did she get here?
Her pulse quickened, and she spun around, searching for something, anything, that could make sense of this. That's when she saw it.
A figure.
Her stomach dropped.
It was James.
He was hanging upside down, bound tightly in ropes, his mouth duct-taped. A faint beam of moonlight illuminated his body, swaying gently above a large, transparent tank.
"Oh my God," she whispered, her voice trembling.
Her knees buckled as she pressed her hands to her face. This isn't real. It's just a nightmare.
She shut her eyes, whispering the words like a mantra: It's just a nightmare. It's just a nightmare.
But James thrashed against the ropes, and when the tape was ripped from his mouth, his desperate scream shattered her delusion.
"Peace! Oh my God, you have to help me!"
The panic in his voice made her breath catch, her chest tightening. She stumbled back, clutching her throat as her lungs constricted.
No. Not now.
She fell to her knees, frantically digging through her purse. The contents spilled onto the damp ground, and her shaking hands scrambled for her inhaler.
Grasping it, she took two puffs, the familiar hiss calming her airways but doing nothing to steady her trembling.
Her gaze snapped back to James.
The ropes creaked ominously.
"No, no, no!" she whimpered, her voice breaking.
She forced herself to her feet, gripping the pointed heel of her shoe like a weapon. "Where the fuck are you?" she screamed into the darkness, her voice echoing. "You coward!"
There was no response, just the steady drip of water and James's strangled gasps.
Peace stepped forward, her heart hammering in her chest. The figure in black that stood beside James didn't move. It was eerie, unnatural. Gathering what little courage she had, she shoved the hood back.
A mannequin.
She stumbled back with a gasp, her hands trembling violently.
A loud snap echoed in the chamber. The ropes gave way, and James plunged into the tank.
"No!"
The splash reverberated through the passage as he sank beneath the surface. Bubbles rose frantically, then slowed.
Peace froze. Her mind screamed at her to move, to do something, but she couldn't. Her legs refused to obey.
Snap out of it! He's going to drown!
She slapped herself hard across the face, the sting jolting her back to reality. With a burst of determination, she grabbed the mannequin, using it to haul herself up to the edge of the tank.
The moonlight glinted off the water, casting ghostly ripples against the glass.
James was still struggling, his movements slowing, his strength fading.
"Take my hand, James!" she yelled, her voice cracking as she hung onto the edge with one hand.
But he couldn't. The ropes bound him too tightly.
Tears blurred her vision. She couldn't let him die. Not like this. Not because of her.
Peace took a deep breath, the icy air slicing through her lungs, and plunged into the water.
It was freezing, and the weight of her clothes dragged her down. She fought through it, kicking her legs furiously as she reached James.
Her hands fumbled with the ropes, her muscles screaming in protest as she pulled him upward with all her strength.
With a final desperate surge, she managed to push him over the edge of the tank. His limp body hit the ground with a sickening thud.
Gasping, she tried to climb out, but her limbs were heavy, her strength fading fast.
That's when she saw it.
Dark eyes, black as the void, stared down at her from the shadows.
Her breath caught. The figure stepped forward, the faint moonlight casting its shadow over her.
And then, she felt it.
Her lungs filled with water, the icy rush stealing her breath.
The world blurred, the light fading from her vision, as the darkness swallowed her whole.