Curse of the 15th

Dalkey Island

In the last chapter...

After finishing her dish and pint, Emlyn stayed a little while longer and listened to the band that was playing, like she had programmed to do every time. Then she made her way down to the bus stop and re-counted the money her nana had given her for today's exploration target:

Dalkey Island.

When she arrived at the remote seaside, there was not one soul in sight. That's exactly what she craved, having the beautiful sea all to herself.

Down by the water, Lyn changed into the swimsuit, put on the pair of flippers and opened her ponytail, relieving her wavy, dark red hair.

She read a sign that said, "No lifeguard on duty, swim at your own risk." 

Then she proceeded with dipping a hand into the water. It was lukewarm, which meant that it feels warm to Lyn, as she spent years and years swimming in the cold sea.

She lifted herself down into the dark blue water and dived forward, being swallowed by it completely. She felt... welcomed home.

Lyn had been swimming for quite a while and was out far when out of nowhere, a storm came and the waves dragged her further away from the coast. She tried swimming to the island, but she got pushed underwater numerous times until she couldn't fight her way back up anymore. 

Even for a practiced, long-time swimmer as her, this storm was too brutal, fighting her attempts to stay on the surface of the sea with triple force. 

In a brief, blurry moment while losing the last bit of oxygen that was left in her lungs, she sees a young man in front of her, wearing old fashioned clothes. She was sinking slowly and it felt like she was in outer space, where there was no gravity. 

The last thing she remembers as the water started filling her lungs was that the man grabbed her. After that, everything around her turned black.

Drowning

I am underwater, 

like an iceberg,

nine-tenths hid.

Drowning, submerged, 

in a cold, cold sea.

I am holding my breath,

sinking deeper, going down.

Drowning, submerged,

deep in this cold sea.

I'm losing my breath, but no one can see,

there's not much left

Drowning, submerged,

in the depths of this cold, cold sea.

- Unknown