𝐈'𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐃 || 𝐙𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐭

Chapter 3 - Changes All Around

Note: Slightly changed from the prologue but yeah lol :)

I was drowning. All the air had been knocked out of my lungs from the fall so that there was none left as I sank down, down, down further into the water. And as black spots danced before my eyes, my lungs feeling as if they would burst, I knew I only had mere minutes before I lost consciousness completely. I kicked outward with my feet, trying to propel myself up but it was useless - I couldn't get traction. Just as I'd almost given up, almost succumbed to my fate, hands dipped down into the water before latching onto my wrists tightly. With one quick tug, I was heaved up and out of the clear blue water.

A massive gasp ripped free from my throat right before I choked up the clear liquid that had pooled in my lungs. I dug my fingers into the sand on the bank of the pool as I flipped onto my back, staring wide-eyed at the ceiling of the cave in shock.

"Leona! Leona, are you alright?" a voice asked from above me and suddenly, Emma's face swam into view.

She must have been the one to pull me out of there. I took a few more shaky breaths before nodding in response to her, still unable to talk. All girls breathed out a sigh of relief.

It was hours later, after I had recovered, when the sun finally sank below the horizon. We had to leave soon before we weren't able to see at all to swim out of here. Thank goodness, Emma had found an opening underwater that led back to the ocean. It was now or never.

"Everything will be fine," Emma's gentle voice assured me.

"How can you be sure?" I asked uncertainly, the fear in my voice betraying me.

I did not want to get back in there. Not after that.

"Listen to her, Leona. What alternative do we have? Stay stuck down here forever?" Rikki asked from her position in the pool.

I chanced a glance at my surroundings, knowing she spoke the truth. We had no choice. Cleo held her hand out to me then and begrudgingly, I took it, falling into the moon pool beside the three girls. Moving my arms out to the side every so often though, I was able to stay afloat. We were about to leave then when all of a sudden, something eclipsed the opening overhead. Glancing up in confusion, we realized it was the moon - full and glowing directly above us.

Bubbles began to form in the water around us then, encircling the four of us. My eyes widened in surprise as the moon beamed its luminous rays down on us, the water frothing with more bubbles.

"Spooky," Emma commented in confusion as it began to stop before glancing at the rest of us, "Okay, now concentrate. Take a deep breath."

I heeded her instructions completely and suddenly, down we went, our heads dipping below the surface. Emma was right - it was less than a minute swim to the outside and we were home free.

Little did we know, our troubles were just beginning.