Depths of Darkness

The pool looked perfect that night. Crystal clear water, gentle moonlight, complete silence.

My friends dared me to jump in after midnight. I should have noticed how the fog clung

to the surface, how no insects buzzed nearby, how the water rippled despite zero wind.

I dove in headfirst. The cold hit different, wrong somehow. When I opened my eyes underwater,

dozens of pale faces stared back from the depths below. They weren't swimming up.

They were pulling me down. The surface suddenly felt miles away. My lungs screamed

as icy fingers wrapped around my ankles, dragging me deeper into darkness.