Seasons: Secrets of Penumbra

Chapter 1 - Under

I closed my eyes and held my breath. I tuned out the voices, my mind focused on the sounds around me. My heart rate slowed and all I could hear was water. 

Water.

I was surrounded by it and I felt surprisingly calm.

I heard my name. Someone was calling me. 

I reached my hands out and let them hang there, feeling the coolness of the water on my skin.

Everything felt still. Oddly still.

I opened my eyes and to my surprise, I was in a massive bubble.

I gasped and the bubble disintegrated before me.  Water rushed into my nose, choking me. I struggled in pain, desperate for air. My vision darkened. 

I tried to do something. Anything. 

I was too weak. I felt myself sinking. 

The light above me faded.

My eyelids felt heavy as if there were invisible weights glued onto them. I tried my best to keep them open. 

Right when I was about to close my eyes, I felt someone lift me up. 

I floated upwards. An invisible force pulled me towards the light.

Floating gracefully as it glowed brighter, I felt as light as a feather.

The muffled voices got louder. 

Louder and louder. 

I could hear faint voices.

"Where is she?"

"We need to save her!"

There was a scream.

I felt a pair of strong hands yank me upwards. I wanted to wrench my eyes open. To see what was going on.

But I couldn't.

Everything was a blur.

All of a sudden, everything seemed loud.

So, so loud.

It was as if all of the sounds from my surroundings were amplified through speakers.

I could hear shouting. I could hear waves.

I felt the wind as it brushed against my face.

The light blinded me as I blinked my eyes open. The waves danced gently on my legs.

I must've been out of the water.

They were calling my name again but I couldn't make out what they were saying.

The figures loomed over me.  

And just like that, everything went dark.