100 Ways to Die [Joshler Oneshots]

Rising

The tide is rising, and if Tyler doesn't get out soon it might just swallow him.

Word count: 1477

Is this where it ends?

Hard to believe that such a beautiful day could go so awry. Shining sun, chirping birds, a wonderful breeze that created the perfect waves. Not that Tyler could see or hear any of that now. 

Well, except the waves. They lapped at his feet, suddenly much less beautiful than before. Where earlier they had seemed fun, they now looked cold and grey. Where they had looked welcoming, they now looked threatening. They loomed in front of him, blocking him off like a wall. It was cruel; he knew they weren't solid, that he could get past if he wanted, but he also knew he'd drown trying. Then again, he was going to drown anyway, so what was the harm in trying?

The harm was that he was scared. He wanted to stay alive as long as he could, and that meant not risking it by diving in any earlier than necessary. Besides, maybe they wouldn't reach the roof? Maybe the tide would recede before the cavern was full? Tyler looked to the wall behind him, then up to the ceiling. Algae covered the whole place, from floor to ceiling. Nothing was dry, nothing was left untouched by the relentless waves. 

He was going to die in here. There was no doubt. 

And yet he didn't let himself believe it. Maybe clinging on to hope at this point was stupid, but damn it, he was going to try to. 

At least he had brought his camera with him, because it was his only source of light in this dark place. That was why he had been at the beach in the first place- to take pictures. He had just bought a new camera and wanted to test it out somewhere nice, and upon seeing the brilliant sun in the sky that morning he decided the best place to take some nice pictures would be a warm, sunny beach. He invited Josh to come along too so that maybe after he finished they could go swimming together, or sunbathe. 

Oh god, Josh. Josh was still waiting on their blanket all the way at the other end of the beach. Tyler had to wonder if the man had begun to suspect anything was wrong yet, but figured it probably hadn't been long enough yet for that. He thought of his phone, sitting back in his bag way down the beach with his boyfriend, and wished he hadn't left it there. He could have called someone, they could have rescued him, they could have got to him before the tide did. At this point, anyone who found him would likely be too late. 

Tyler turned his camera toward the water again and shrieked as he noticed something floating in it. He nearly dropped the device in his panic, but thankfully managed to hold on to it as he took a sharp step backward. His back hit the rocky wall behind him, leaving his shirt damp, and suddenly he was stepping forward again. He stood there, frozen, not daring to move in either direction. Slowly, he turned his light back to whatever was floating in the water, and felt his stomach churn as he realized it was a dead cat. It had likely gotten stuck in here previously, just like him. It certainly wasn't fresh though. The tide had gotten to it at least a few times, eaten away at its fur and its flesh and it was barely even a cat anymore.

...Was that what Tyler was going to look like by the end of this? Would he be stuck down here for days, his body rotting in the sea? Would the current drag him out of the cave, or would it take so long for him to be found that they would hardly be able to identify the body? Maybe he would be down here forever. Maybe that would be a good thing, because then at the very least people would stay away. He could be the example, the warning; go in here and it's all over. Be careful. The tide rises faster than you think. Get out. Quick.

But he didn't want that. He just wanted out. He wanted to be able to step out of the cave, see the sun, breathe fresher air, see Josh again. He wouldn't even get to say goodbye. 

Wait. Maybe he could say goodbye. Was his camera waterproof? He couldn't remember, hadn't had the time to test it out and didn't read through the instructions too thoroughly. The least he could do is try though. 

He felt around for a ledge, the driest one he could get. Set the camera to video, turn it towards him, start talking. 

"Hi," he began. His voice echoed around the barren cave, seemed to bounce ominously off the water. It was all starting to catch up to him now that he was doing this- why film a goodbye if you're not going to leave?

"I hope someone's able to find this," he started off with. "I don't know how much time I've got down here, cause the tide's rising and I think the cave's gonna fill completely. Who knows, maybe I'll get out and I can laugh at this video in a few years or something," he chuckled dryly, fully aware that he sounded utterly hopeless despite the words he was saying. He knew he wasn't going to get out. The water was at his knees. He couldn't see the cat anymore and prayed it wouldn't bump into him. 

"In case I don't make it out," he continued, swallowing a lump in his throat, "I just wanted to say goodbye. First of all, to Josh. Baby, don't feel bad. I know you're gonna make yourself feel guilty for not noticing I was gone, for not trying to find me, but there wasn't anything you could have done. I shouldn't have come in here in the first place- for all you know I'm still out on the beach taking pictures of seagulls or whatever. So don't feel bad. I'll miss you, I love you, so much." He ended with a watery smile. He hadn't said enough, it would never be enough, but it was all he had time for right now. He was shivering, the water had reached his waist, and he still had family and friends to record his farewells to. 

He didn't have as much to say to them though. They were relatively simple goodbyes, a 'thank you for everything' here and an 'I love you' there, and it got a bit repetitive. He was struggling to think of anything original to say by now though because his arms had been submerged and it was fucking freezing in here. He hoped they would forgive him. Reluctantly, when he had finally finished, he reached up on the ledge to grab the camera and shut it off. He tucked it back into its case, hoping maybe that would help a little bit to protect it from the water. And then he waited.

He hadn't prayed in at least a couple years, but that's what he found himself doing now. To get him out of here, to make it quick, whatever the best possible outcome was. His hands remained clasped as the water flowed up to his neck, and then he was pushing off the cave floor to keep his head above the water. 

"Please, please, please," he mumbled, begging to whoever or whatever would listen as his nose hit the roof of the cavern. He floated there for a moment, getting his last breaths, and then the water reached the roof and there was nothing he could do anymore.

He dove down, frantically searching for the exit now. He couldn't remember exactly where it was, just knew it was somewhere low, the reason for which the ocean had blocked it off and he was now trapped here. His hands pressed desperately against the walls, searching and hoping for an opening, and finally he found one. With the last of his energy, he pushed himself through it, eyes stinging from the saltwater as he made his way into the tunnel. His hand brushed against something on his way past, probably the cat, but he didn't think about it. He just needed out.

He thrashed his way through that tunnel, most likely depleting his oxygen too fast but he couldn't help the panic. His body shuddered as he realized he wasn't going to make it- he was too weak, the exit was too far. He would have sobbed if he had the air for it. 

Against Tyler's will, his defeated body sank to the jagged floor. Water rushed over and around him, and he didn't even have the energy to fight as that same water flooded his lungs. It was all over

This is where it ends.