A yell choked and died in his throat as he watched the anchor plummet into the water, Althea giving him one last, sickening smile. And there was nothing left but a trail of dark red blood trailing in the water.
He felt like he couldn't possibly be awake. That this moment, this perfectly terrible, nauseating moment wasn't just a dream. He felt like he could wake up any moment, be snug in bed with her after recovering from his cold. He felt like perhaps he could wake up and her whole existence would be just a figment of his imagination, reduced to nothing but bubbles trailing up to the surface of the water before bursting and vanishing.
He barely felt himself running, tearing down the deck of the ship towards the rail. He barely felt the hands grab him, holding him back. He barely felt it when they covered his nose and mouth with a damp cloth. But he felt the single, burning tear fall onto his cheek, tracing a trail of grief down his face. He could hear someone screaming, a guttural, harsh sound.
And that tear was not just for the loss of a mission but for the loss of someone he loved more than he ever thought possible.
And as the darkness claimed him, Simon clung to the hope that this nightmare would end, that he would wake up to a reality where Althea was alive and well. Little did he know that, deep beneath the surface, Althea fought against the same darkness, fueled by the determination to survive and complete the mission.
—-----------------------------
Althea was nearly prepared for the dropping of the anchor. Nearly. Even though she knew that the drop was inevitable, she was not quite ready for the fall.
As the massive anchor descended into the dark, unforgiving sea, a rush of frigid water engulfed Althea. She clenched her hand around the ring, digging it into her palm. Panic welled up inside her, her heart pounding like a drum. The cold water quickly sapped her strength, and she could feel herself sinking deeper into the inky abyss.
The cold water closed over her head, and she was submerged, surrounded by darkness and silence.
She knew that she needed them to believe she was dead. Only a few more seconds. Her mind raced as she struggled to think, her breaths becoming shallower with every passing second. She knew she had to stay calm, had to find a way out of this nightmare. But as the pressure in her chest mounted, it became increasingly difficult to maintain her composure. Sharp needles of freezing water poked and prodded at her skin, numbing it.
She closed her eyes, regaining her composure.
The dark waters of the sea surrounded her, and as she descended deeper into the abyss, Althea felt a growing sense of helplessness. Her vision became hazy, and the crushing pressure of the water made every movement a struggle. She couldn't hold her breath much longer.
She clung to the ring, her lifeline in this dire situation, and her mind raced. If she was to survive this, she needed to act quickly and decisively. She was alone here.
Summoning every ounce of strength and determination, Althea shifted her bound hands to access the concealed blade hidden within the ring. This would work. It would have to work. With trembling fingers, she carefully began to saw at the ropes that bound her hands.
The seconds felt like hours as she worked to free herself, the water pressure making each motion agonizing. The darkness pressed in on her, and her lungs screamed for air. Panic was replaced with dead calm, quiet as the depths of the sea. With one final, desperate effort, she managed to cut through the ropes, and her hands were free.
Althea pushed off from the anchor, swimming upward with all the strength she could muster. Her vision blurred, and her head throbbed from the lack of oxygen. But she couldn't give up now. She kicked her legs and reached for the surface.
The world above was a distant, wavering light. It felt impossibly far away, and her body ached with the effort. She was almost there! She gasped for breath, only getting a lungful of water. Choking, crying, desperate for air, she swam with all her might. There was no way she would die like this. There was no way she had gone through all that she did just for it to end like this.
With every ounce of determination, Althea swam toward the ship. The cold water stung her skin, but the adrenaline coursing through her veins fueled her, and the edges of her vision grew darker and darker. But finally, she broke the surface, coughing up water, gasping for air, her lungs screaming in pain as she resurfaced on the other side of the ship. But she was alive. And she had a mission to finish.
A/N: I SWORE I POSTED THIS LAST WEEK BUT IT DIDNT POST??? WHAT
Anyways, thanks for reading everybody! I will write so much during the break I swear. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! LOVE YOU ALL!!!
Make sure to spend time with your family and loved ones :)
YOU ARE READING
How to Love the Stars | Ghost (Simon Riley)
FanfictionAlthea was dangerous. She wasn't particularly large or imposing, but once you heard the Whisper of her breath, it was too late. Her ability to sneak around without alerting others, as if melting into the shadows, it scared people. She was a cold, h...
