The Serpent Inside (A Karmagisa Fanfiction)

9: Agony

The note in the burger stand had been easy enough to find- once more it was written in blood, and Nagisa had been able to clue into the next location fairly easily.

Now, he looked at the scenery around him. A gust of wind picked up, blowing his hair into his eyes. However, he didn't blink—not even when his eyes dried out. Instead, he stood at the edge of the lake that he and Karma used to hang out around back when they were merely friends all the way back in their first year at Kunugigaoka Junior High.

A frown pulled down his pale, chapped lips.

In the middle of the bowl of water sat a boat. It was tiny and painted red and blue. A small red flag was waving in the wind as the boat rocked on the waters.

He sighed before taking off his shoes and socks. Pulling off one of his extra layers, he sat the sweater by his footwear. The wind bit at his bare arms, and Nagisa felt the hairs on his arms stand on end.

He took in a shaky breath before walking barefoot into the water. It was icy, and he was half tempted to just stop there and find another way to get the boat. He hated the cold. Biting the inside of his cheek, he continued walking into the freezing-cold lake. His teeth started chattering as he started treading water. He sucked in a deep breath before going completely under the surface. The deafening silence that surrounded him as he swam towards the boat was never-ending.

After several minutes of swimming endlessly, the cold finally faded. It was only evident when he came up for air, which would result from the wind biting his cheeks. His clothes felt heavier than they should have been, and his legs burned from swimming for so long. He came back up for air, gasping as his lungs filled up before deflating. Rubbing his eyes to see what progress he made, the biting wind came back to jab cold needles into his uncovered neck and face. He shivered, treading water, before he finally realized that the boat was just to his right.

He nearly stopped treading water completely in his surprise, making his open mouth go under the surface. He came back up, choking up the water that got into his throat. His eyes teared up from the pain. Shaking his head, he swam to the right, making sure not to tip the boat over. He picked it up, his hope rising that it was soon going to be over—

And he found the bottom attached to a thick chain with a huge padlock attached. Growling, he tried to stop his teeth from chattering so loudly. He grabbed the bottom of the boat, trying to break the chain. However, his hands had long since grown numb and the chain was slippery from the water. His eyes narrowed before he sighed lightly.

Preparing himself, Nagisa took in several breaths before holding a big one. He dropped himself beneath the surface, forcing himself to hold his eyes open. It was blurry and dark, the cloudy day making it hard for any sunlight to penetrate the water. He swam down, tracking the barely-visible chain down.

He did not expect

it

to

keep

going

on

and

o

o

o

o

n

n

n

n

n.

He felt his lungs burning, his arms growing tired. He grew lightheaded as he made his way back up the surface. Breaking it, he gasped frantically. His chest heaved, and he scowled. He looked back to the boat and shook his head. He prepared himself and went under again, this time not going slow. He swam further and further, the chain guiding him.