5 Depths

My eyes stung, I can't open them. I can't breathe? Where am I? Water? Gotta go up. Fast.

Out of the water, my eyes finally cleared, and there I saw where I truly was: a lake inside a cave, with a river encircling it.

"This is...how?"

I walked towards the light, only to bump into something.

"Ow!"

Once I took a closer look, I realized that it was a blue gem, glowing. The entire cave was covered with them.

"Oh my god..."

This cave was full of treasure!

"Damn, I don't have time for this, I gotta find a way out."

I walked forward stumbling in the dark, only parts illuminated by crystals, disappearing the more I persevered, at some point I started to have second thoughts like: am I ever going to get out of here? Where am I?

"Reynolds...when I get out of here...I'm going to kill you!"

I needed to move forward, just a little more. I could barley make out a thing in this place, but I heard something, something that knew I was here staring at me.

"Hu...man?"

No...no, no shit!

I started running from the monster. It chased after me, bellowing our words that rushed through the wind far too fast for me to hear, I ducked behind a corner, thinking I had lost it when I heard the steps of the monster, approaching at a horrendously fast pace. I began to run away again, when I heard it's voice again.

"Wait...wait."

The monster was telling me to wait?

"What do you want?!"

"Why...you...run?"

"Look, I know what you are, I know you're trying to eat me!"

"Why...I...eat...you?"

"What?"

He pointed at himself.

"I...monster."

He then pointed at me.

"You...monster."

"...what...? No that can't be right, I'm human!"

"I...smell...monster...flesh."

I ran from the monster, my heart pulsing faster than it had ever been, until I stumbled over something in the cave: another jewel, I peered into the jewel attracted by its beauty, to see someone else staring back at me.

"Wha!"

I jolted back in surprise as I looked back into the gem, I realized it was me staring at myself, with another person's face. I touched this face, tears streaming down from my face.

"Who...is this...?"

[SERENA'S PERSPECTIVE]

This was my first time seeing someone die. It was the boy from before, it was as if it happened slowly, from the boy falling, to his body crumpling down from the vast heights.

The other one, who dropped the boy from the stairs, was holding the gun, his pupils were dilated, and he saw me.

"Oh god...no...it was just supposed to scare him, I swear! I didn't mean for the shot to actually hit!"

He ran up to me. "Y—you won't tell anyone right? Or I—I'll..."

"You'll do what?"

His resolve faltered, he got down on his knees.

"Please...please don't tell father."

"Alright."

"Really?! Huh? Where'd she—Ugh!"

His head fell, his shoulders slumped.

"How...how did you..."

His final breath, wasted.

"Now."

I turned to the boy who fell from the sky.

"What shall I do with you?"

I picked up his body, opening a cut from his already bloodied corpse, licking the droplets of blood from his neck.

"...this is delicious, and he has great potential."

I relocated his bones, and bit his neck, draining blood from him, while letting the curse spread deep into his veins. His body, not able to resist, fully accepted the gift, and his wounds began to close his limps reattaching, all at an insane pace, and soon there were no traces of wounds, except for the scar on his forehead.

"Can you tell me your name?"

The corpse though awake did not respond.

"?, c'mon! Answer me!"

His eyes were glassy, with no pitch.

"His soul is gone? Oh, well it shouldn't matter anyways."

I drew a drop of my blood, and placed it upon his scar.

"You...are mine."

I searched his fractured memory for his name, looking until I finally found it: a place where I had never been before.

"Matthew! Come back here!"

"Mother! I'll only be gone for a bit!"

I saw him sneak into a corner.

"She didn't follow us right?"

"Of course not, father!"

"Good, let's go hunt."

I went out of his memory, feeling dizzy.

"Matthew, your will is mine, and you shall never disobey my orders."

The corpse nodded.

"So be it, my thrall."