Beneath the Surface 

Al's mind was never quiet. Thoughts crashed into each other, twisting, unraveling, rebuilding. Some were his. Some weren't.

Inside his head, a council of six debated every impulse, every hesitation. One was him. Another was his shadow. The rest? Faceless, whispering things he didn't always want to hear.

They never left. Not at work. Not even on vacation. Not in his quiet moments. Not even in sleep.

Until they did.

And that's when everything started to go wrong

 It was during one of those rare breaks from routine that it happened. 

 After a long day of sightseeing, Al and his friend decided to unwind at the hotel pool. The water was warm, the air thick with chlorine. Laughter echoed off the tiled walls as they played around. 

Then, a scream. 

Al turned just in time to see someone struggling near the deep end. Arms flailing, mouth gasping above the surface before slipping under again. 

 Before his mind could process it, his body was already moving. Instinct overrode thought. The council in his head went silent. 

He dove in. 

The water was colder than expected, shocking his skin. He reached the person in seconds, but the moment his hands grabbed them, they latched onto him in terror. 

A crushing grip. Desperate. Unrelenting. 

Their arms coiled around his neck like a vice, pushing him down. His body lurched, feet kicking against nothing as he was dragged under. 

Panic set in. His lungs screamed. His muscles burned. He fought, twisting, trying to break free, but their fear was stronger than his strength. They pushed against him, forcing him deeper, their survival instincts overriding his own. 

The council in his mind spoke again. Push them away. Fight. You have to get out. 

But another voice, softer, quieter, whispered something else. 

What if you didn't? 

His movements slowed. His struggling ceased. The weight of the moment pressed down on him, and for the first time, he didn't resist. 

His body floated, sinking into the abyss. His heartbeat slowed. 

Above him, distorted by the rippling surface, the last thing he saw was the sun.