Mind and Matter
Chapter 1
Darkest Depths
The world around you is hazy, like a memory you can't quite recall. It shifts between shades devoid of any colour. The water by your feet is murky, barely reflecting anything noteworthy. Everywhere looks the same. There's no ceiling, walls, or even a floor. You don't even know how you ended up here in the first place.
An attempt to remember seems futile. You focus on what you can do. A step is taken. Your feet seem to drag, as if they are weighted. The water rises. It's now up to your ankles. Though you know this should cause you some level of panic or even concern, you can't muster up those emotions. As if they are not reachable.
It continues to rise until it has swallowed your lower legs. You try to move forward. A hand appears from the depths, and grabs your arm. It's the only colourful thing you've seen in a while. However, it does not offer comfort. Only despair fills the air.
The hold isn't even that bad, which is the worst. Its claw-like nails barely even register, but you feel overwhelmed nonetheless. The touch is cold as ice, and also burns like fire. You try to take a deep breath, but it feels like you might choke instead.
It has now reached your thighs. Whatever stubbornness and defiance you had seems to wane. There's no point any more. The hand releases its hold on you. It disappears beneath the murky surface, only for several more to appear. They do not try to grab you. Instead, the hands caress your body, but it's not a loving touch. The water rises, as if it can tell you're slipping away. Your gaze lowers. You have accepted your fate.
But they have not.
Chapter 2
Into the Light
To be continued...
