High Tide (boyxboy)

Chapter 1: The turn of the tide

"Stan, maybe we should go back, I mean it's getting late...and the water seems really close."

Stan just carries on heading forward and Nathan is obliged to follow, or be left in the dark. He heads round one last bend and finally stops. "Look ...we're here!" 

Stan holds his torch up to shine on 'the jaws'. Nathan stops and stands next to Stan, marvelling in the sight. In front of them both was an almond shaped cavity in the rock, with giant 3 and 4 ft stone stalactites hanging from the curved ceiling, with equally impressive stalagmites rising up to meet them. "Woah! You weren't wrong." Nathan has to admit he is impressed.

He watches as Stan runs over to the display, placing his head between the 'teeth' as if being eaten by a vicious beast. "Help! Help! It's got me!" He says laughing. 

"Let me try." Nathan says as he mimics Stan's actions. "Please! Someone save me!" 

Nathan pulls away again to standing. "Hey, let me take a picture." He pulls his phone from his pocket and gets to, selecting the camera, waiting for it to load. "Ok, one, two, three!" CLICK

"Ok, ok my turn." Nathan hands his phone to Stan who returns the favour with a picture of Nathan being potentially eaten. 

They spend a few more moments messing around with different poses, when Nathan looks down at his feet. His already wet trainers feeling a fresh soaking. "Hey, I think the water is coming in. We'd better get back."

Stan flashes his torch to the ground, seeing the water beginning to pool around his feet. "Ok, let's get back."

They begin to head back the way they came, but it takes a little longer than Stan had calculated for. The rising of the tide was making more pools of water to wade through and Nathan had to give up on his precious trainers. 

Finally they are a short distance from the entrance. Only the deep hole to get through and they would be out. But here lies the problem. The once deep cavity was now full. So much so, that if they didn't know it was there, then they would think it shallow like the surrounding area. 

Nathan is the first to plunge in. The water now feels freezing, so much so that it takes his breath away. He inhales in a sharp breath as he begins to swim across the space, making his way safely to the other side.

Now it was Stan's turn....

He lets himself fall into the water, the coldness wrapping around him like an unwelcome blanket. He begins to kick his arms and legs in order to keep afloat before intending to swim across, but something is stopping one of his legs from moving. "Stan! Come on!" Nathan shouts from the other side, grabbing his own upper arms for warmth. 

Stan is just about able to keep his head above the water. "My jeans....they're caught on something." He manages to say with the cold of the water taking his breath each time. 

"Just shake your leg!" Nathan shouts out.

"I...I'm trying!" He pulls hard, not even caring if his jeans rip but it's no good. Nathan watches from the edge, feeling helpless. He can't even call for help, his phone is wrecked by the water. 

Stan breathes in an expanse of air, filling his lungs and ducks under the water, he can just about see the cuff of his right jeans pierced through a sharp piece of rock, jutting out from the wall. He tries to pull and pull, but with no luck. He is soon running out of air and has to return to the surface.

"I...can't get free!" Stan splutters the slow rising water now invading his mouth. He tries again, ducking again into the cold water, but his wriggling and writhing had only made it harder to break free, with the denim of his jeans twisted around the jagged stone. Stan was finding it ever harder to keep his head above water. He began to choke, and gasp for air as the water was pouring in from the sea. 

"Stan...I don't know what to do!" Nathan feels helpless, Stan is too far to reach his hand. He decides to get back in the water. 

"No!" Stan cries out, guessing that Nathan will try to free him the same way he had been trying to do. 

"Let me try!" Nathan says as he holds his breath and ducks under the water. He yanks hard at the material, but it is stuck fast. Nathan eventually had to come up for air.

"Help...get help!" Stan says under a panicked breath, his face now pointing to the ceiling in a desperate attempt to keep the air flowing in.

Nathan scrambles out from the water "I'm coming back!" He then runs as fast as he possibly can to find help. 

Stan can no longer keep his mouth above water and can feel the water ticking his nostrils. He knew it wouldn't be long before he would be completely submerged. The cold alone was making him want to shut down. He could feel his once tense body slowly relaxing as he was losing this battle.

Then it happened... A wave of water from the sea washes in, completely soaking his entire face. He knows he needs to take a breath. He is going to go under.

One more wave enters the cave and Stan anticipates it. He takes in a deep breath and closes his eyes as the water washes completely over him. 

His senses are suddenly dulled, his ears only hear muffled noises. He opens his eyes, trying to see his surroundings. He can see his arms outstretched before him, his hair floating in front of his eyes. He can feel his mind getting light headed. His eyes keep closing, but Stan tries to keep them open. 

He then feels like he is seeing things. His mind wanted to close down. He thinks he can see something bright orange race towards him. He can feel a pull on his leg. His mind is confused. Playing tricks. He can't focus anymore. He shuts down, unconscious.