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Description

The water was ice and as sharp as a knifes edge. Mina had long ago learned that it was best to take the plunge and get it over with. Trying to wade in inch by inch would only prolong one’s suffering or worse yet turn one from their goal. Hers in this case lay forty or fifty yards out from the rocky shore line and several yards down.

Around her the waters were a murky gray haze that churned like a swirling mist. Clumps of algae mixed with stalks of calp blooms brushed against her face as though she were pushing into the lair of an enormous water dwelling spider that had cone mad in its effort to spin a trap. And that is just what it was, or, at least to those who were not careful and calculating in their dive to the bottom. Careful to follow the guide posts she had painstakingly placed over the course of a month she touched each stone in turn as she set her self on the narrow path.

Her eyes closed tight, Mina lived in a world of darkness but was nearly blinded by the overwhelming sensations around her. The deep rumble of the surf from above moving in a slow steady pulse, the steadily growing pressure around her, pushing against her ears, eyes, and lungs. And the current.

One could tell so much just by feeling it flow around the body.

Now, it was steady, rhythmic, slow. And so was she.

Moving with a careful deftness, Mina kicked with her feet while rotating her arms to push herself forwards. Every three sweeps she would hold for a few seconds and listen to the water, feel the current. Here, she was the outsider. The one who was in the most peril and she was well aware of it.

Her lungs were beginning to hurt, not a sharp pain, not yet. But a dull ache that crept into her mind all the same. Toughing the third marker, she forced herself to stillness again. There was something out there, she was certain of it. The question was, had it detected her yet?

Sinking even deeper, she pressed herself against the rock bottom and skidded along. The smile smooth rocks brushing against her breasts as she pulled herself forwards now with fingers alone. Slowly. Slowly, her senses strained to the limit listening for wat was out there, in the darkness beyond her sight.

So focused was she that Mina’s first encounter with her crap cage was by running into it with her snout. The spike of sharp pain causing her to let out a small cry as precious oxygen bled from her lips. Cursing herself, she quickly slipped the straps over her shoulders and began working her way back up the makers.

The fifth maker. Her lungs were beginning to burn. The dull ache that had once been there had slowly been transforming into a fire.

Around her the currents swirled. It was hard to listen, hard to sense anything around her, save for the burning inside her chest.

Slowly, slowly, arms sweep then legs kick. Stay near the bottom. Be calm. Be invisible. Though she spoke the words, nothing could be further from the truth, she could almost feel it, slimy tendrils all around her! Closing in, sharp teeth that glinted behind her closed eyes! She could feel it all around her! Everywhere – and then her fingers brushed the sharp relief of the fourth marker.

Better. Safer, closer. Three more.

Her lungs hurt, burning with pain, though now she was able to focus, use the pain to force clarity. No monsters here, just weeds, bulbs, and the wash of the surf. Slowly – now not so slowly.

The third marker – she needed air, she wanted it now, but forced herself to keep to the bottom. Her arms and legs working as one now to kick and sweep as she pushed forwards. The pressure around her lessening with each sweep.

Faster and easier she bumped against the bottom, she could sense the surf above her and ignored the pain blooming in her chest. Body undulating like an eel swam touching the second and then the first maker before at last breaking the surface.

Gasping in the frigid air she swore nothing tasted so sweet in that moment.

There was no time to celebrate though and lifting her body up she crawled the rest of the way onto the rocky coast just as she did two years ago. One hand at a time, exhausted, wet, and in pain. This time though, she had a treasure on her back, one she could feel clicking and pinching trying to find a weakness in her trap for the tiny morsels.

Tonight, she would eat well, and, so would her guest.

Pushing herself to her feet she let the basket fall and gave herself a good shake. Calp bulbs and bits of seaweed flew off in all directions as she rid herself of their embrace.

As she did so her gaze was drawn out to the waters she had just exited. There, where she had just been moments before something moved just under the surface. Hidden in the twisting mists and bobbing algae the creature remained invisible to the eye. But the water did not lie. It, was out there. It had been hunting her.

And, it was big.

Description

The water was ice and as sharp as a knifes edge. Mina had long ago learned that it was best to take the plunge and get it over with. Trying to wade in inch by inch would only prolong one’s suffering or worse yet turn one from their goal. Hers in this case lay forty or fifty yards out from the rocky shore line and several yards down.

Around her the waters were a murky gray haze that churned like a swirling mist. Clumps of algae mixed with stalks of calp blooms brushed against her face as though she were pushing into the lair of an enormous water dwelling spider that had cone mad in its effort to spin a trap. And that is just what it was, or, at least to those who were not careful and calculating in their dive to the bottom. Careful to follow the guide posts she had painstakingly placed over the course of a month she touched each stone in turn as she set her self on the narrow path.

Her eyes closed tight, Mina lived in a world of darkness but was nearly blinded by the overwhelming sensations around her. The deep rumble of the surf from above moving in a slow steady pulse, the steadily growing pressure around her, pushing against her ears, eyes, and lungs. And the current.

One could tell so much just by feeling it flow around the body.

Now, it was steady, rhythmic, slow. And so was she.

Moving with a careful deftness, Mina kicked with her feet while rotating her arms to push herself forwards. Every three sweeps she would hold for a few seconds and listen to the water, feel the current. Here, she was the outsider. The one who was in the most peril and she was well aware of it.

Her lungs were beginning to hurt, not a sharp pain, not yet. But a dull ache that crept into her mind all the same. Toughing the third marker, she forced herself to stillness again. There was something out there, she was certain of it. The question was, had it detected her yet?

Sinking even deeper, she pressed herself against the rock bottom and skidded along. The smile smooth rocks brushing against her breasts as she pulled herself forwards now with fingers alone. Slowly. Slowly, her senses strained to the limit listening for wat was out there, in the darkness beyond her sight.

So focused was she that Mina’s first encounter with her crap cage was by running into it with her snout. The spike of sharp pain causing her to let out a small cry as precious oxygen bled from her lips. Cursing herself, she quickly slipped the straps over her shoulders and began working her way back up the makers.

The fifth maker. Her lungs were beginning to burn. The dull ache that had once been there had slowly been transforming into a fire.

Around her the currents swirled. It was hard to listen, hard to sense anything around her, save for the burning inside her chest.

Slowly, slowly, arms sweep then legs kick. Stay near the bottom. Be calm. Be invisible. Though she spoke the words, nothing could be further from the truth, she could almost feel it, slimy tendrils all around her! Closing in, sharp teeth that glinted behind her closed eyes! She could feel it all around her! Everywhere – and then her fingers brushed the sharp relief of the fourth marker.

Better. Safer, closer. Three more.

Her lungs hurt, burning with pain, though now she was able to focus, use the pain to force clarity. No monsters here, just weeds, bulbs, and the wash of the surf. Slowly – now not so slowly.

The third marker – she needed air, she wanted it now, but forced herself to keep to the bottom. Her arms and legs working as one now to kick and sweep as she pushed forwards. The pressure around her lessening with each sweep.

Faster and easier she bumped against the bottom, she could sense the surf above her and ignored the pain blooming in her chest. Body undulating like an eel swam touching the second and then the first maker before at last breaking the surface.

Gasping in the frigid air she swore nothing tasted so sweet in that moment.

There was no time to celebrate though and lifting her body up she crawled the rest of the way onto the rocky coast just as she did two years ago. One hand at a time, exhausted, wet, and in pain. This time though, she had a treasure on her back, one she could feel clicking and pinching trying to find a weakness in her trap for the tiny morsels.

Tonight, she would eat well, and, so would her guest.

Pushing herself to her feet she let the basket fall and gave herself a good shake. Calp bulbs and bits of seaweed flew off in all directions as she rid herself of their embrace.

As she did so her gaze was drawn out to the waters she had just exited. There, where she had just been moments before something moved just under the surface. Hidden in the twisting mists and bobbing algae the creature remained invisible to the eye. But the water did not lie. It, was out there. It had been hunting her.

And, it was big.