Floating Corpse

The palpable sensation told him it wasn't a dream, nor a hallucination. Everything before his eyes was undeniably real.

Gazing at the water's surface reflecting his blurred visage, Simon's mind began to drift. Alone in this eerie silence, devoid of any signs of life or hope, a sense of despair and loneliness engulfed him, as if the entire world had forsaken him.

Suddenly, a splash emerged from the water ahead, accompanied by a faint sound. Startled out of his reverie, Simon abruptly stood up.

"Who's there?" He felt something in the water before him, instinctively taking a step back.

He stared at the water's surface for what seemed like minutes, noticing only the slight swaying of a plastic basin floating there, with no other movement to be seen.

After a minute or two, assured there was no further disturbance, Simon cautiously approached the water's edge by the staircase again, peering closely into its depths.

This time, he glimpsed a dark mass submerged around the corner of the stairs leading to the next floor. The view obstructed by the staircase, he couldn't discern the exact nature of this shadowy figure.

Simon fixated on the silhouette, his heart pounding in his chest. From the angle he could see, the shape emerging seemed increasingly akin to a human head.

He was certain he hadn't seen that dark mass before, unsure if he had simply overlooked it or if it had just drifted there.

"That... that resembles a human head... those scattered strands, resembling long hair. Could it be a woman's head..."

Simon's scalp tingled with increasing dread, a chill creeping down his spine. Unable to restrain his fear any longer, he stumbled back.

He fled all the way to his own apartment, slamming the door shut with a bang. Back in familiar surroundings, his fear and unease eased slightly. As he calmed down, he began to reconsider what he had just witnessed.

"Yes, it could really be a woman's head. It might be someone who drowned, very likely a resident of the twenty-ninth floor. If that's the case, it means not everyone evacuated; many may have drowned in the sudden flood before they could escape. I am just a survivor in the flood. Perhaps there are others like me who are trapped. I am not alone."

With this thought, Simon felt somewhat reassured. After thinking it over, he decided to return to the stairwell to get a clearer look. He wanted to confirm if it was indeed a body submerged in the water.

He rummaged through his belongings and found a flashlight he hadn't used in a long time. Testing it to see if it still worked, he took the flashlight and grabbed a drying pole before opening the door and stepping out again.

The corridor remained eerily quiet as Simon walked to its end and pushed open the two doors beside it, stepping inside.

Arriving at the stairs leading downward, he switched on the flashlight and aimed it into the water ahead. Though it was daytime, the stairwell windows were large, and the light was not particularly bright. Previously flustered, he hadn't examined carefully, but now he shone the flashlight into the water, observing closely.

Finally, Simon was fairly certain that the dark mass at the stairwell's turn, visible in the water, was indeed a head of a submerged corpse. Due to being immersed, its long hair floated around, lending an eerie and initially frightening appearance.

Prepared mentally this time, Simon didn't panic excessively. He took a deep breath, steadied himself, and put away the flashlight. Gripping the drying pole with both hands, he reached into the water, attempting to retrieve the submerged body.

Alone with the corpse, Simon's palms sweated, and his throat felt dry. Gritting his teeth, he summoned courage and extended the drying pole into the water.

Soon, Simon realized the pole wasn't long enough to reach the head. Frowning, he finally stepped down the stairs, one foot entering the water.

His shoe soaked, Simon felt a chill. With his determination set, he didn't hesitate. His mind was solely focused on how to retrieve and examine the corpse.

Carrying the drying pole, Simon descended the water-submerged stairs, taking several steps down until the water reached his knees. Soon, the pole was able to reach the submerged corpse.

Simon gently prodded the floating head with the pole, causing it to sway slightly in the water, creating ripples.

The body had emerged from the corner of the stairs, its head obstructed by the upper wall due to the water level, causing it to wedge there instead of floating over.

With the buoyancy of the water aiding him, Simon gently nudged the body a few times with the pole. Gradually, the corpse drifted closer.

Seeing the corpse floating towards him in the water, Simon took a deep breath and quickly retreated back up the stairs.

Despite knowing it was just a corpse, he couldn't suppress the chilling sensation welling up inside him. At the same time, curiosity crept in—could this be someone he knew?

Certainly, the most likely candidate was a resident from the twenty-ninth floor. After all, residents from other floors, even if submerged, were less likely to float up to this level compared to those higher up.

Transferring the drying pole to his left hand, Simon once again illuminated the corpse with the flashlight, aiming to observe it closely.

The beam of the flashlight fell upon the floating corpse in the water, causing Simon to shudder involuntarily, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes.

Perhaps due to prolonged immersion in water, the bloated corpse appeared swollen and indistinct. Simon couldn't discern who it was, except for the long hair floating around, indicating it was a woman.

What terrified Simon, however, was that the female corpse was not intact. Its bloated surface revealed blurred flesh, with bones protruding from the thighs and abdomen, signs of being gnawed upon. It was a gruesome sight that sent shivers down his spine.

Having lived for twenty-seven years, Simon had never witnessed such a horrific and bloody scene. His heart skipped a beat as he suddenly took two steps back, retreating in shock. The murky water before him now seemed eerie and ominous.

"What could have gnawed at it? Could it have been fish or some other creature in the water..."

Simon dared not dwell on these thoughts any longer. His scalp tingled with fear, and a strong sense of unease surged through him, compelling him to leave quickly rather than linger and examine the partially gnawed corpse any further. With the drying pole in hand, he hurriedly retreated back to the corridor and firmly shut the door leading to the stairwell, feeling his heart pounding intensely.