Chapter 14:
Isatontheedge where the shallow pool deepened into the tunnel that would be my only means to escape. I’d been right. The trees were packed too tightly to be natural, and would be impossible to navigate.
I triple checked my equipment and lied to myself about whether or not I was procrastinating.
Yep. Everything is secure.
Just like it had been the two times before that.
I stared at the clear, blue water that turned murky a few feet down, making it impossible to see. Not that the tears pricking my eyes helped, at all.
The water shook and for one second I thought I’d be caught red-handed trying to escape. Only to realize it was me causing the motion.
You can do this. You’ve survived worse.
I took deep breaths through my nose, trying to combat the sudden feeling there wasn’t enough air. I had to get my shit together.
If I was going to pull this off, I couldn’t afford to panic or to take my eyes off the goal for a second.
“You’ll be my good girl now, right?”A male voice hissed in my mind. Memories of a solid hand on the back of my neck, as water filled my nose, made a sob escape before I could stop it. I covered my mouth with my hand before any of the ugly sounds could embarrass me again.
Giving up wasn’t an option, but I couldn’t do this with my heart banging against my chest.
I remembered how calm I’d been when the monster held my head under the water. I needed that fucked up part of me again. How had he made me so docile in the face of my greatest fear?
His energy. It was warmth and safety, even though I knew rationally he was neither of those things. But that purr of his did something to my ability to think.
I closed my eyes, listening to the soft motions of the water. The thick scent of sulfur was present even in this beautiful place. It was too easy to imagine his deep purr.
My heart slowed and my breathing calmed to a rate that wasn’t normal, but I intended to use that weird connection to my advantage.
I grabbed the belt of rocks I fashioned together, wrapping it around my hand, and slid down into the depth. The light vanished from above me, and the water turned so dark I couldn’t see past my nose.
It was so deep.
Nope. Not doing that.
The soundtrack of his growls grew louder, as if I’d been defiant, refusing to go to him, and it soothed the edges that wanted to take over.
Once I touched the bottom, I released the rock and moved forward.
Now for the moment of truth.
Sink or swim.
I felt for the curve to enter the tunnel that the path led to, and once it evened out I swam forward blindly, relying on my memory. Which, if it served me, this part was a straight shot.
My luck I’d swim right into a cavern wall.
But I couldn’t waste time feeling the whole way, the breath I held wouldn’t last that long.
Efficient and calm. That was what I needed.
It was impossible to tell how long it had been when my lungs started burning. I moved high to the ceiling, looking for air pockets. Even a single breath would help.
I was past the point of no return. I knew I’d gone far enough that a return trip wasn’t happening. There was no choice but to follow through on my plan.
But if I didn’t find something soon, I was dead.
