Trial by Water

Alex was deep in a restless sleep when the dream began. It was the kind of dream that felt vivid yet surreal, leaving him adrift between the waking world and something darker. He was standing in a field shrouded in mist, the soft grass cold beneath his bare feet. Suddenly, an icy wind swept through, and the ground crumbled beneath him, plunging him into an abyss.

The sensation was strange at first—a cool, numbing touch against his skin—until it became unbearable. The cold seeped into his bones, and the weight of something pressing against his chest made it hard to breathe. He struggled to open his eyes, his lungs screaming for air, but there was none.

Water filled his mouth and nose, the taste of salt stinging his throat. His eyes snapped open, and he realized with horror that he wasn’t dreaming. He was underwater.