Blub..blub, blub...blub.
Muffled whispers filled my ears, like voices lost to the depths, bubbling up in chorus around me. The sound was distant, yet deafening in its strangeness. I blinked, struggling to focus, my heart pounding against the pressure of water.
Water?
I opened my eyes, wide with disbelief. I found myself...underwater. An ocean, or perhaps it was an oceanic realm, too surreal to be real. The water surrounded me, yet I couldn't feel its cold touch. Was this reality, or merely my imagination — a mirage created by my burdened mind?
Panic clawed at me; I felt suffocated, yet somehow, I didn't drown. I had realized that I was floating in between the abyss and the surface, not sinking any deeper. The surface glimmered just above, so close I could almost reach out, but something held me back. Fear gnawed at me, like a weight pulling me down. Was it fear? Or something worse—this relentless, sinking lethargy that clung to me, whispering I wasn't worthy of returning. Why fight it? Why struggle, when I was already so far gone?
My head got messy, and I chose to shut everything out. I closed my eyes, and let it be.
*******
Time stretched on, feeling like an eternity. Until I heard slow whispers of the ebb and flow of waves, gradually increases in volume as if my ears just started to notice it. Slowly, I opened my eyes, fighting through the blinding lights to find myself lying on a surface of...sand?
As I slowly regained consciousness, I found myself lying on a beach. The sun was rising, scorching the deserted beach with its blinding light. The cool breeze was gentle, caressing my skin as I lay there, in my vulnerable state of being. Yes, I found myself...buck naked.
I stood up...tried to, before I fell face-first.
"Blegh!"
Spitting out the unwanted dish of sand from my mouth.
I tried to stand back up, but my limbs were numb, tingling like thousands of ants crawling over them. It took a minute of shaky effort before I finally able to stand and look around.
A forest stood before me, like a dense and mysterious sanctuary, calling out to me with its beckoning shadows.
Where am I?
I scanned the beach for anything to cover myself, but it was barren. The forest loomed ahead, dark and unwelcoming, yet it seemed like my only option.
Should I go into the forest?
I didn't feel like it was a good idea, and chose to walk along the shore instead. Still feeling uncomfortable with my exposed state even though no one seemed to be around.
As I started walking along the beach, the soft sand crunched beneath my feet, and the sound of waves lapping against the shore filled my ears.
The forest loomed in the distance, a dense and mysterious wall of trees that seemed to beckon me closer every time I looked at it. Eerie.
The beach was relatively empty, save for a few seagulls circling overhead and a few seagulls calling out to each other in the distance.
The seagulls...they look...different?
They looked somewhat not of this world.
Maybe it's a species I'm not aware of.
I continued to walk along the shore, until I was met with a dead end. I was looking up at a really high and steep cliff.
"Damn it. Guess I don't have much of a choice."
I looked at the forest, and it made me shiver. I walked back a bit to try to get a look above the cliff but to no avail. It was too high, and the path to the top was nonexistent. I would not take the risk of climbing it. I sighed.
"...to the forest then"
*******
I had no other choice but to go forward. The sandy ground of the shore was now replaced by tall, lush trees that obscured my view, their branches stretching out and reaching towards the sky. I could hear the rustling of leaves and the chirping of birds, but the forest seemed eerily silent.
My eyes were glued to the treetops, which seemed to go on forever as I looked up at the path to the forest. I tried my best to keep my senses on alert mode for if there was any kind of threat or danger. Then I looked at my unpleasant state.
I really need something to cover myself. I don't feel safe like this, or comfortable.
The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves, heightening my unease as I ventured deeper. My senses were heightened, each step felt heavier, as if the forest itself was watching, waiting.
The trees loomed over, their branches casting eerie shadows that danced in the dim light. The forest was dense and I was aware that it was definitely full of unknown dangers.
Crsh, crshh!
Suddenly, I heard a rustling sound coming from the bushes nearby. My heart skipped a beat as I turned towards the sound, scanning the area for any sign of movement. I immediately put my back against a tree and looked around.
As I pressed my back against the tree, I could feel its rough bark digging into the skin. I scanned the area, looking for any sign of what had made the rustling sound.
Crsh, crshh!
A low rustling stirred the bushes ahead, and my heart froze. Slowly, something emerged from the undergrowth—its movements were deliberate, predatory. The dim light revealed little, but a primal fear gripped me as the creature's eyes locked onto mine, glowing faintly, full of malice.
"Ww--wraaaghh! Shooo!!" I exclaimed, my heart racing.
I got goosebumps all over, I was so shaken. The creature advanced relentlessly, ignoring my desperate attempts to shoo it away. As it got out of the shades, I could make out more of its features. It was a tall and slender humanoid creature, with long, sharp claws and piercing eyes.
"Grarrrghh.."
It let out a low growl, revealing a mouth full of sharp teeth as it continued to advance slowly towards me.
"Whoa, what on earth?!"
As I instinctively started chanting prayers, the creature seemed to become even more agitated. It let out a guttural growl and sped up, closing the distance between us.
"Lorrrdddd!!"
As senses came back to me, I quickly tried to flee.
The forest was dense and the creature was fast. I had a good start by running behind the tree I leaned on earlier, blocking a direct path between me and the abomination. However, it was gaining quickly, its eyes locked onto me with a deadly focus. My heart pounded in my chest, each thud echoing in my ears, as the creature drew closer.
I continued to apologize to God as I made my way behind another tree after I had covered some distance, trying to hide from the creature. The creature continued its way towards me, its footsteps growing louder and louder as it got closer.
As I looked around, my eyes darted to a sturdy tree with a thick trunk, hope igniting within me. I sprinted toward it, desperate for refuge.
I lunged for the tree, my fingers grasping the rough bark as I hoisted myself upward, glancing back just in time to see the creature's claws swipe at the air below. I gave my best effort to climb and managed to. As I reached high enough, ensuring safe distance, I looked down to observe the creature that was chasing after me.
"What on earth is that?", trying to get a better look at the creature.
It was still trying to get to me, its claws scraping against the ground as it tried to climb up.
It was hard to make out any specific features, but it seemed to be some sort of humanoid creature with sharp claws and a long tail. It had scales for a skin, and a reptilian-like face. Its eyes were wild and unfocused, as if it was more animal than human. Obviously.
I continued to observe the creature as it tried to climb up the tree, its movements growing more frantic as it realized that I was out of reach. It let out a frustrated growl and clawed at the tree, leaving deep gashes in the bark.
As I took a break to catch my breath and was just beginning to feel a sense of relief, I suddenly heard the creature screeching and hissing right below me. To my shock, I looked down and saw that the creature was only a few branches below.
"Gimme a break!"