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Unbelievable…this girl…

He opened his eyes slowly, pulling back just enough to look at her.

Ethan’s blood ran cold as the monstrous creature from his nightmare stared back at him, golden eyes blazing.

Throwing himself back, Ethan slammed against the curved glass door of the gondola. The entire structure lurched violently, swaying on its axis. Metal groaned around them as the world tilted and spun. He stared at Evie’s face in disbelief and terror.

Scales rippled across her skin, iridescent and shimmering like a blue-black oil in water. Her neck slit open, what he could only describe as gills sprouted along the sides, fluttering and moving in the open air. Her once icy-blue eyes now burned gold, boring into him with an inhuman intensity.

Her form flickered, shifting between the monster from his nightmares and the woman he'd just been kissing.

No, no, not again—what the fuck is happening to me?

Ethan pressed himself against the door. Trapped. Suffocating. He looked up at the ceiling, but the sky was gone.

Everything was underwater.

The gondola sank rapidly, falling further and further into darkness.

Shapes writhed in the depths. Creatures he didn’t even recognize and sea life swam around them, propelling themselves through the dark water. The glass walls of the gondola groaned under the pressure, and cracks spread like spiderwebs around them. Any moment now, the glass would shatter, and the water of the Bay would flood inside and drown them both, just like his nightmare.

Evie loomed over him, a sinister look on her face as she moved closer. “Ethan–” Her voice was distorted and layered, multiple voices speaking at once.

Ethan’s chest tightened as if all the air had been sucked out of the space. The taste of salt tinged his tongue. “What–” He coughed up water. “What the fuck, Evie. What's happening?” he screamed.

She reached for him, but he flinched, her monstrous form staring back at him. He blinked, and she flickered back to normal.

Then the monster again.

Back and forth.

The images overlapped, superimposing themselves like a broken film reel.

Monster.

Evie.

Monster.

“Ethan, please–” Her voice broke.

“G–Get away from me!” His voice came out strangled as the gondola swayed again. The water was everywhere, rising from the floor. The glass around him cracked even further.

I’m gonna die. I’m gonna die.

Then Evie’s voice cut through it all, ripping him from the nightmare playing out before him. “Ethan.” Her voice was calm and melodic. “Ethan. Look at me.” Her voice vibrated through him, echoing in his bones.

His eyes snapped to hers despite everything in him screaming to look away.

“You’re fine,” she said. Her voice was certain. Absolute.

Peace washed over him. Her words wrapped around him like warm golden light.

That's... strange…

Ethan pressed his eyes shut as warmth flooded his chest, pushing out the cold. The sounds of rushing waters and cracking glass slowly faded away.

Everything’s okay. She’s right. Calm down, Ethan.