Day 2,143

The only light for miles around was his cheap headlamp that barely dented the murky water, not showing what was in front of him until he was inches away from the ruins of the old village, broken bones or the hint of teeth and scales that had been stalking him since he lost track of the rope that led back to the relative safety of their boat.

He'd taken to guessing what it was as he tried not to panic and waste whatever air he had left. Too big to be a pike... alligator's aren't native to the country but could have escaped from a zoo somewhere nearby... not the right size or shape for a water snake... He had very few guesses left.

Over what felt like hours, but in reality was more like twenty minutes, he'd gone from steady and even swimming to jerky kicks that didn't seem to propel him anywhere. It was like he was stuck but he couldn't feel that he was caught on anything and couldn't see any obstacles around him, only broken walls and small fish hiding amongst the bones.

It must have been the fourth or fifth attempt to resurface, every other time somehow leading him to the floor instead. This time, however, he was successful and for a few blissful minutes his head was above the water, he could see the boat in the far distance and he took off his mask to yell to the others when

Pain.

Sharp. Searing. Rows upon rows of jagged teeth closing around his calf and dragging him back down with so little warning he was barely able to put his mask back on. The initial shock had slowed his reactions and the mask was too full of water to get a proper seal.

He started to choke as the ruins of the village rose to meet him and scales clouded his vision.