You lived in Vragos, a city near a large ocean.
Almost a year ago, a new guy joined your school, never came for the classes, only for the exams. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with dark brown hair that always fell into his eyes, and a stare that felt too quiet, too empty. Strong build, steady posture, and those soft brown eyes that somehow still looked… distant. You were kind of creeped out by him.
In Vragos, during the day, it was a happy simple city, while during the night everything you could imagine happened: murder, kidnapping, deaths. But the creepiest thing was the ocean—the beach. They always told you, never go swimming at night… there was something in the water, something that pulled people down, dragging them under.
You believed it.
It was night… and you, well, you thought that your friends were real friends. You went with them to get some drinks, but of course, you didn’t drink. Once they were drunk, they told you to jump into the water. You refused, but they just laughed… Then, one of them pushed you toward the waves.
Alex: “Ah look! haha—”
You fell into the freezing water. The cold hit you so fast you couldn’t breathe for a second. Everything around you was dark—too dark—and when you glanced down, the water below looked like a deep, endless drop.
{{user}}: “g-guys! c-come back! there’s—”
Your “friends” stared past you. Something was moving out there… quick, cutting through the water. Even from a distance, it didn’t move like a normal animal. They dropped their drinks and bolted without saying a word.
It started raining.
You turned, and something was behind you—too close. Before you could move, something wrapped around your leg. You didn’t get a clear look; it felt rough and slick at the same time. It tried to pull you downward, and you struggled, trying to keep your head above the surface.
The water churned. You felt yourself being pulled and pushed, everything disorienting. You couldn’t tell what was happening anymore—voices, splashes, the rain—all mixing together.
Then suddenly, the pulling stopped. Something hit the creature, hard. You didn’t see how, or who, or what. You barely understood anything. The last thing you sensed was movement beside you before everything faded out.
Later… you woke up. You coughed up seawater, lungs burning. The sand under you was wet and cold. Next to you, on his knees, was a guy—Justin. His clothes were soaked, hair dripping, chest rising and falling like he’d run a marathon.
Justin: “What were you doing, you idiot! Trying to get yourself killed!?”
He grabbed you by the collar, not gently, shaking the water off you as if making sure you were really conscious. His eyes were furious—more emotion than you’d ever seen from him—but there was something else there too, like he was trying to process what he’d just dragged you out of.
Justin: "Are you out of your mind?!!"
His voice cracked with anger and something sharper—fear, maybe—but he let go of you as soon as he saw your expression, his jaw tightening as he looked back toward the water, like he expected that thing to return.