Water.
The first thing that June was able to comprehend was the sound of water. It was waves to be exact, steady and calm ones but not far, very...very close.
She grappled with consciousness for a few moments, feeling about every organ in her body manually functioning. She couldn't harbor a thought, she could hardly stay awake, but all of her energy now went to opening her eyes. She just wanted to open her eyes.
June fought with her body telling her to just go back to sleep, just disappear into unconsciousness again and super ended. But she was comprehending a little better now, she was more awake than she had been in awhile.
Before she could manage to open her eyes she got the sickening realization that the water she had been hearing, was closer than she had ever suspected. It was beneath her, it was around her, she was in it. She could tell this by the way her body was suspended, nothing below her to keep her in this upright position. She was leaning on something, her body slumped over whatever it was. She could feel before she could see. All she wanted was to see.
As she fought to open her eyes she soon realized she hadn't breathed, and suddenly seeing wasn't as important as breathing. She sucked in breath as fast as she could, this naive action leading her into a fit of coughing. Water bubbled at her lips and she could taste it...salty. She felt panic course through her, trying to catch onto a single thought of where she could possibly be, what was going on.
She willed her eyes open, only to be met with darkness. It took her a millisecond of panicking to realize the darkness was being caused by her hair, her dark hair that was covering her face, obstructing her view. She sent a signal from her brain to move it with her hand, but her body was so heavy, and her limbs were weighing her down. Water sloshed against her back as she finally was able to move her arm, pushing the hair out of her face and revealing the horrifying reality she was in.
The sun was gently rising to the left of her, the orange hues burning glorious hues into the water that had enveloped the world. She could see nothing but water for as far as the eye could see, her heart dropping out of her body and as deep as the floor of the ocean. This was unimaginable, she couldn't do anything. Water hit her back again and it was almost as if the push had returned everything into her brain, June suddenly completely aware of what she could possibly be doing in the middle of the ocean.
"John B." She croaked out, her throat hoarse. She looked down at herself, the orange life jacket standing out the most. "John B!" She managed louder this time, her arms attached to the side of the boat. They had taken the boat out into the storm. They had escaped their fate and lived.
"Sarah!" June shouted now, unimaginable terror striking her when she realized she could not see either of them. She pushed herself up as far as she could, her breaths heavy as she tried to see either of them. Surely they were here, surely she hadn't been the only one to make it. Her heart was pounding as she pushed herself around the side of the boat, the water rocking her as she fought against it. Her eyes caught Sarah first, the girl slumped against the side of the boat just like she had been, unconscious. Down at the other end she could see John B, the boy also unconscious. She let out a relieved sigh, pulling herself only about a foot closer to Sarah. Maybe they would be fine, and even if they weren't...perhaps they would be together.
June used the side of the boat to pull herself, her knuckles white as she tried to get to Sarah. She pulled again but this time she didn't move any further, her body stuck in its place. She tried again but realized this was as far as she could go, her blood running cold as she looked down. It was the life jacket...something on it had been stuck to something in the boat. Her eyes widened as she felt a tug, whatever she was caught on seeming to be attempting to retract. She pulled herself again but the panic of being pulled back had her frantically fighting for control and to keep herself above water. Her fingers slid across the smooth bottom of the boat and she realized very quickly just what had been pulling her. Her strap was caught on the anchor.
"No!" She cried out, trying to hold herself against the top of the boat. She used one hand to try and undo the straps of the life jackets, her breaths heavy and her heart pounding as she began to cry, the same tears mixing with the cold water. "Guys! John B! John B please help me! Help me! Help!"
The more she struggled against the strap the more her frantic attempts at wiggling out loosened the anchor, the chain pulling her as it finally gave way. She was no match for it, especially in her weakened state the girl letting out one more yell as she was ripped beneath the waves.
The sun disappeared within moments and she was left with nothing but darkness, nothing but coldness. She fought and fought for as long as she possibly could, pulling at the straps, trying to scream, trying to break the buckle...nothing was working.
The water slowly began to overtake her, the girl unable to breathe, unable to fight any longer. The darkness overtook her and she experienced a delicate serenity, her arms outstretched as the blackness entered her vision. It was surprisingly peaceful, how empty death felt, how easily it had decided to take her. Her lungs filled with water and her body descending into the depths. She thought of her parents, their faces flashing before her eyes, of her brother, her friends...old and new, Zach, Rafe, Ward, her grandparents. People she had seen randomly on the street for years but had never taken the time to speak to. She found it funny that she didn't get the life flashing before her eyes, just the people. She thought of JJ and what could've been, their blossoming relationship being the epitome of happiness, she thought of how she would break that promise to him. A shame. It was empty down here. She was alone and afraid. And it hit her that she would die alone and afraid.
The darkness welcomed her as she made one final push to keep her life, her fingers attempting to undo the strap of her life jacket. She slid out of the vest this time, finding a new sense of survival, that abyss beneath her begging to be her new home. She swam and swam, her body screaming for air, air, air. Her fingers touched the surface just as it took her, June March fading away into that void. It was welcoming. It was peaceful. She was still left alone and afraid, careening into the depths of the void.
:::
A gasp left Junes lips, her eyes springing open as she regained consciousness. Her body was heavy, heavier than it had ever been, and this darkness that was consuming her was nothing like the darkness she had been reminded of in her unconsciousness.
She was quickly aware that she was dry, but she could not move, her arms were bound to something. There was something over her head, a bag maybe...she wasn't sure. She tried to fighting through the grogginess of her brain and she was actually able to catch onto a singular word...a name.
Tyler.
The extremely vivid dream that was actually just like watching a movie of her life she had just been pulled from lead left her shaken, but the fact that she couldn't move at all left her even more afraid.
"Help!" She managed to scream, not able to lift her head. It was too heavy, everything was too heavy. She blinked, the sweat dripping down her neck filling reminding her that she was in fact alive. She scoured her brain for an explanation and after a few moments she realized she had been drugged, a feeling she had recognized from the last time she had been drugged and kidnapped. However this one was way stronger than the last time, her body feeling like sludge or like she was a brick. It didn't feel nice. "Help!"
As soon as her scream for help was finished she heard a door open and then quickly shut, her heart pounding as she heard footsteps on a solid floor. They were heavy, and they were coming right towards her, her stomach in knots as she felt the urge to throw up. The footsteps stopped in front of her and the bag was ripped off of her head, June unable to see who it was due to the heaviness of her body. Her eyes attached to nice dress shoes, suit pants. She felt like she could guess who was standing in front of her now. A hand gripped the back of her head by the hair, June crying out as her head was pulled back to look. Her lip trembled as Carlos Singh stood above her, a smile on his lips as he looked down at her.
"Welcome back to the land of the living. We have a lot to discuss."
