Hitomi Yoshizawa
Rockfort Island Shore, Sea
October 8, 11:40 PM
Water enveloped her, the icy, stinging salt burning Hitomi’s eyes and nose as she flailed desperately, lost and breathless. A body rushes past her-
-Miki!
Hitomi quickly grabs onto her unconscious friend, and braces Miki’s arm around her neck.
She holds tight.
- Where is it –
She’d seen it, an immense and pebbled plain of flesh surging up from the black at the second of impact. The surface pulled at her, and she kicked against the dragging depths, terrified. Her head broke through to air and an ominous quiet.
- the team where’s –
Hitomi whirled around, gasping, heard a spluttering cough to her left.
“ Get to shore, “ She panted, turning in a circle, trying to find their position, to find the creature’s, cursing herself for being a fool.
Was too excited about seeing people on this stupid island, stupid, stupid-
The raft was ten meters behind her, upside down, disturbed water splashing at its’ sides. The force of the attack had thrown them clear, actually knocking them closer to land. She saw a few floating bags, then two bobbing shapes, faces between her and the shore, heard more splashing as another joined them. She couldn’t see the unnatural thing that had hit the raft but expected to feel the bite any second, the cold puncture of dagger teeth tearing her into pieces.
“ Get to shore, “ She called again, her heart thundering against Miki, her legs heavy and vulnerable, kicking, obvious.
I can’t hold on to Miki forever, jesus ch-
“ Hitomi- “
Reina’s terrified shout, from beyond the floating raft.
“ Here! Reina, this way, come this way, follow my voice! “
Reina started toward her as Hitomi tread water, propelling herself backward, toward the rocky beach, and shouting all the while. She saw the top of Reina’s head appear, saw her arms pumping frantically through the murky water.
“ – follow me, I’m over here, we have to get- “
A giant, pale shadow rose up smoothly behind the second youngest Musume, at least three meters across, rounded and dripping and impossible. Time jerked to a crawl, the events unfolding in front of her in a slow motion dream. Hitomi saw thick, tapering tentacles on either side near the top of the rising shadow, saw a rounded slash in the corpse-colored slickness-
-not tentacles, feelers-
-and realized that she was seeing the underbelly of a monstrous animal that couldn’t possible exist, a bottom feeder as big as a house. The black slash of its mouth hissed open, revealing clusters of peg-like, grinding teeth, each the size of a man’s fist.
When it came down, Reina would be swallowed up, by the massive jaws.
Or crushed.
Or plowed into the icy deep, a drowning meal for the creature.
In the instant it took her to absorb the facts, Hitomi was already screaming.
“ Dive! Dive! “
Time skipped forward and the beast was falling forward, arching over, its long, thick serpent’s body, dwarfing the raft, its shadow enveloping the frantic swimmer. Hitomi caught a glimpse of bulbous, rolling eyes the size of beach balls-
-and it crashed down, sending explosive plumes of water high into the air, blotting out the stars in sheets of foaming spray. Before Hitomi could draw a breath, a tremendous wave knocked into her, driving her and Miki violently backward through the bubbling darkness.
There was a rushing movement, a sense of helpless speed as she struggled against the force that tore at her limbs, struggled to find air in the sweeping torrent. Kicking wildly, and suddenly, another forceful blast hits her, and she loses her grip on Miki-
- Shit, shit, shit!
Her eyes stare at her friend, floating in a slow motion, away from her, towards the recoil of the sea. Hitomi starts to swim towards her, but her lungs couldn’t hold out any longer.
She had no choice but to go up.
Hitomi surged upward through the liquid veil, felt cold air slap at her skin. She was about to head back down until-
-warm, human hands yanked at her shoulders.
She inhaled convulsively as her shoes scraped against rock, and Ai’s ragged voice spoke behind her.
“ Got her-! “
Staggering against the slimy rocks, Hitomi let herself be dragged backward until she found her balance and could turn around. Wet figures were reaching out, Kusumi and Sayumi-
Oh my god, Reina, Miki-
“ I’m okay, “ Hitomi gasped, stumbling forward, her knees cracking numbly against larger rocks that her blurred gazed denied her from seeing. “ Miki, Reina- does anyone see them!? “
Nobody answered. She blinked away salt, reeling around to face the splashing darkness, the settling waves slapping at their feet.
Shit!
“ Look for Miki- I lost her while I was being surged in, check down that way, QUICK! “ Hitomi points and before she could blink again, the girls were already moving; swiftly jumping over rocks and jagged edges.
“ Reina-! “ Hitomi called, as loud as she dared, searching, seeing nothing at all. Her heart was cold as her body, as heavy as the sodden weight of her drenched clothes.
-no life jackets, would’ve seen her by now-
She called again, hope dwindling. “ Reina! “
A choking, strangled voice from the rocks to their left. “ What? “
Hitomi sagged in relief, taking a deep breath as Reina’s dripping figure staggered out of the shadows. Hitomi lunged forward, grabbing the shorter girls’ arm, and helping her lean against the rocks.
“ I dove, “ Reina rasped out.
Hitomi turned and looked up, past the silver of pebbled, boulder-strewn beach to the darkness of the compound. They were at the bottom of a short, angled drop, in plain sight. The shock of the monstrous fish- if it could be called that- was suddenly unimportant in the light of-
- oh god, Miki –
Before Hitomi could turn, and look for her friend, the sight of Ai, Kusumi and Sayumi pacing grimly towards her, stops her in her tracks. Hitomi examines their faces, filled with regret and sorrow; Kusumi covered her eyes, while Sayumi tended to her crying friends’ side.
And then Hitomi's heart dropped.
Ai slowly comes to a stop in front of Hitomi, her face, full of dread and salt water.
“ She’s gone Hitomi… “ Ai said, her voice quivering. “ She’s gone. “