Chapter Text
How did it all come to this?
Well, you knew how it came to this, yet at the same time you really didn't. It felt like an eternity ago when you were on safe, stable land with a warm, inviting place to call 'home,' with a group of friends that you nearly wanted to call family.
And they wanted to call you family too.
It was such a beautiful morning too: where the seagulls cajoled in the wind, the breeze brought that salty, briney smell right to your window, and the waves hushed themselves in their own contemplation of how picturesque the scene was made out to be.
The sunrise was gorgeous, illuminating the skies in shades of indigo that slowly gave way to gentle blues and grays. The shores were shining from the abundance of seafoam and tidepools alike, and in that moment you thought the island almost never looked greater.
Now that island, that place you called 'home' for the past few months, was far out of reach and ever growing further. With each harsh wave, your little boat drifted further from dry land, from safety.
And only left you ever more at the mercy of them.
"(y/n)!~ won't you join us for a swim? you have us drowning in anticipation here!"
"MY BROTHER IS RIGHT, DEAR SISTER! THIS IS NO TIME FOR PUZZLES! WHY ARE YOU HIDING FROM US?! YOU KNOW WE WANT TO SEE YOU VERY MUCH...!"
"We are starting to lose our patience, (Y/n)! There is no reason - nor is there any point - for all of this fuss!"
"Yes, it would be so much better for everyone if you would simply just come into the water, (Y/n)!"
The voices continued to call for you, sounding easygoing and lighthearted in nature, but ultimately betrayed by the very telling scrapes and thumping of claws and tails against the hull.
With every desperate attempt, another threatening lurch caused your little boat to dip terrifyingly close to capsizing into the sea.
And then, for a moment you could see them.
There, just below the deceptively bright reflection of the ocean surface, the blinding shine would momentarily break and reveal the monsters below.
Four pairs of burning eyelights watched you fondly, impatiently, hungrily.
They circled around your vessel with sharp, aggressive lashes that frothed up the water tumbling your ship about, completely in contrast with their gentle grins and almost playfully pitying expressions. The moment they would catch sight of your fearful expression they'd kick up a sudden clamour of whistles and clicks, as if they were demanding to keep your attention, to beckon you towards them.
You thought they looked deranged, like they wanted nothing more than to yank you down into the water and maul you in their unbridled frenzy.
A shuddering wail wracked itself out of your chest as yet another violent pounding from below nearly knocked you out of the tight little niche you tucked yourself away in. The awful vibration traveled through your entire body, nearly numbing you completely and loosening your hold on the center thwart.
Tears continued to stream down your face as with every passing moment the reality of your situation mounted higher on you.
You weren't going to make it.
The realization made you hiccup, it made your bones feel so cold and your veins feel icy, as if you were already dead. No! You didn't want to die! Not like this! Never like this!
Nonetheless, your assailants were unrelenting with their attacks and taunts, completely uninterested in your pleas and cries. They had long made their decision and there was nothing you could do to dissuade them, nothing left to fight them off with; you had long lost your paddles to their powerful talons, the rudder left torn asunder in the waters, and you could only hold on to what remained of your vessel for so long before your weak little body simply gave out.
Various bruises were already beginning to form from the unceasing slamming about, and it took all of your strength to keep yourself from accidentally falling through the gaps during the more threatening lurches.
If not now, you were doomed to succumb to the mounting exhaustion very, very soon,
Unless, that is... the boat decided to give in first.
As if jinxing the thought, one particularly harsh blow against the transom just exploded. Something finally gave - you don't know what and you probably never will - and with a blood-curdling crack, the stern caved in with the ocean flooding with it.
They came flooding with it.
You shouted, you wailed, you begged for anyone, anything to save you from this unwaking nightmare.
How was it that it came to this?