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Chapter 41: Hei's Biggest Fan

"Can you swim, Rat?"

Then someone kicks my fingers.

"AHHH!"

Though I scream, I just barely manage to get my shattered fingertips back onto the branch before I fall.

"Hahaha, I love it. You just don't know when to die...do you, Rat? How about another one?"

"AHHHH!!"

I shuffle my hand back onto the root. More of it is broken then not at this point.

It hurts so bad.

Wait...why am I even bothering to hold on?

If I die...won't I just respawn?

"SCREW YOU!" I give him the finger with my good hand as I let go. The sensation of falling feels like freedom.

*Splash*

My flight lasts only seconds this time, though in the dark, it always feels like forever. When I hit the surface of the water, I'm instantly carried away by a strong current. Luckily, this time, I don't end up too deep. My lungs instinctively clench, and I work hard not to take a breath as the raging river shoves me head over heels.

MMMRRRR!!

Though I know not which way is up or down, the water is thicker than last time. Somehow, I bob my way up to the surface, more by luck than anything. Blind to everything, I hold my hands out for a root, some rock, anything to latch on to.

The sound of rushing water changes pitch, and I hear this great roar.

I open my mouth to take a breath.

Then the bottom of the river drops out from under me.

"AHHHHHH!" I should hold my breathe. I know I should. But the unexpected freefall is too much for me.

Down

Down

Down

I go with the water, kicking and screaming. The bottom can't come too soon, nor too late. I hope my skull splatters on a rock. Anything to get out of this cursed darkness.

*Splash*

No luck.

I land sideways, my wrist breaking as it takes the blow. Then my skull hits and I'm knocked out. True darkness eats away everything in an instant.

...

...

...

MRRRHHH??!!!

I wake up underwater with a jolt. There's no air in my lungs. I try to breath before I remember where I am. That's the end. Water gets inside me. My arms flail about helplessly under the surface as the waterfall pounds down on top of me. There's no way out.

Heeeelp.

Somebody...

I...can't...breathe...

Then my thoughts wink out.

#

*Surrrrrr*

There's this shushing noise.

Like sheets sweeping across fresh linens.

Nothing makes sense.

I can't see anything.

It's all dark.

My lungs are on fire.

I'm not breathing.

Half the bones in my body are broken.

What is this?

*Surrrrrr*

Damn.

I'm dead.

My muddled thoughts catch up with my situation with panic.

I didn't go back. I'm still underwater.

The Gray is in charge, but our shared ship has already sunk. Though the strange being inside of me tries to right ourselves, it's impossible to maneuver. Its limited intelligence doesn't know how to swim and the waterfall above keeps churning us around as it tries to find something to put a foot on. Rising horror begins to make its way through to my sleep brain.

It's...we're...stuck.

Oh my god. We're stuck down here!

CRAP!

It's the worst-case scenario.

Eternity at the bottom of this waterfall, lake, whatever you want to call it.

For the longest time, I just spin around with the Gray, lost in time. Neither of us are in charge really. We're just at the mercy of the water. I want to be sick, but my body doesn't do living things like that anymore. Instead, it just keeps trying to walk while tumbling around. Eventually the waterfall churns everything up and spits us out into calmer water. By that time, even the Gray has run out of energy. I imagine most of the muscles in my body are torn to shreds and exhausted.

*Suuurrrr*

That strange noise again. I realize it's strange because we're underwater. But without eyes, there's no way to see what's making it. Suddenly, the water ripples and my body's spinning again.

*Suuuurrr*

What is that?

There's something in the water.

Something big.

The Gray can do nothing but clack my jaws angrily. It snaps my head from side to side even though it makes no difference which way we're "looking".

*Suuuurrr*

*Crunch*

My leg. Sweet Jesus FREAKING HELL!

I'm screaming in my head. It's all I can do. The Gray snarls soundlessly underwater with no air in our lungs. Something's torn off our leg. The noise comes again.

*Suuuuurrrr*

Then a deep sonorous roar.

*Graaaawwwr*

Something massive sweeps by and seizes us in its jaws. Like a piece of meat in the grinder, we're sawed apart by great, jagged, teeth. The Gray is not weak like I am. It keeps struggling even without the lower half of our body.

Then the jaws open and close once more.

Sharp spikes pierce through our chest and neck, severing the spinal cord.

This time...the darkness is welcome.

#

When I open my eyes, I blink.

Then I blink again.

And again.

I still can't see...

But I went back!

We freaking went back!

Why can't I see?

My hands twitch and I feel dirt underneath my fingertips. The rushing sound of water permeates all.

No...GODDAMIT NO!

I'm back on the river's edge. My collarbone is still broken. And my eyes are still empty.

A message from the System glows red, the only light in my endless night.

[System Notification: You Have Entered Regionwide Dungeon The Underworld!]

"WAIT RIGHT THERE, RAT! YOU'RE DEAD!"