For a fleeting moment, time seemed to stand still as Violet's back hit the surface of the lake, her heart pounding in her chest. Then, with a splash that echoed through the stillness of the night, she plunged into the cool embrace of the water below.
The shock of the cold water enveloped her like a lover's embrace, stealing her breath away as she sank beneath the surface. Darkness closed in around her, a world of muted colours and muffled sounds as she struggled to find her bearings.
And then, just as she felt herself slipping away into the darkness, the voices of forgotten souls reached her mind.
"Save me!"
"Don't leave me!"
"Please, stop this! It hurts!"
"I don't want to die here!"