Chapter One

The soft wind gently caresses my face as I gaze out onto the ocean from the shore. The sandy beach is the perfect bed as I lay down on it. The sand feels like clouds as I feel it surround me. I feel complete, yet not. What does this mean exactly? I don't know. All I know is that the ocean calls to me, but scares me more then anything. My ears begin to twitch and I sit up. Is this all real, or a dream? It is all so hard to tell. All I want to do is live in this moment. Dream or reality, I shall make it mine.

The waves come at me slowly and soak my feet. At least I'm not wearing any shoes. That, of course, wouldn't have mattered to me anyway. The water is cold and smells of a light salt scent. I see a sign on the beach. "A kiss will consume you". I felt a chill run down my arms as I stand slowly, taking a step deeper into the water. I kept slowly advancing until my knees were a little below the water. I didn't care. My eyes are focused on the moon. It looks radiant tonight. It seems to call me as the ocean does.

I feel the swirl of something in the water. My heart starts to race. Why can't I move? Oh no. Move damnit! I can't. I'm frozen on the spot for some reason. More movement below me. I sense a scale like texture of something run across my bare leg. I shiver. Someone help me! Please! Something grasps my ankle. I can't even scream. It...It feels human.

It tightens its grip on my ankle and I feel it as it jerks me hard yanking my body under the waves as if to silence my calls. Help! The water rushes into my mouth as I try to scream. All I taste is salt. I feel it as water floods into my lungs. Nothing was working! I couldn't scream, couldn't talk. Nothing! I kick and manage to get my head above the water and gasp for breath. Yet it was all in vain.

The grip on my leg is an iron like one. It pulls me back under the waves and I thrashed in a panic frenzy. Why was this happening to me!? I couldn't breath! The little amount of air that is in my lungs was burning on empty and I grasp my neck, as if grasping my neck would let more air into my lungs. I feel as if someone was tearing into my flesh! Claws were being dug into my skin and I felt it as each gash was made...