He was standing in what felt like a black room. As he turned around to get his bearings, the man’s feet caused black ripples to crawl to life. He paused and stared as the first ripples kept expanding, until they eventually merged with the dark beyond his vision. Looking down, he moved his feet again. Strange. They made no sound. As he stood there, wondering how that worked, something clicked in his mind. That’s right, I have a name. Pierre. Well, that was a start. But where the hell am I? 

You wouldn’t be able to understand. 

Pierre froze. The voice wasn’t something his ears had picked up. It came from within his head. What was that? He turned around, noticing the black “water” seemed to cling to his feet a little bit this time. As he looked on, a nagging feeling snaked its way up his spine and coiled around the base of his neck. He shouldn’t look for the voice. He knew it, but morbid curiosity drove him on. As he looked on, he felt that something was off. He turned to look at his feet, and shuffled them, making ripples. Strange. They made no sound. As he stood there, wondering how that worked, something clicked in his mind. That’s right, I was part of an expedition to investigate the interior of a small island. But I’m missing something. 

Your name is Pierre,

said an amused voice in the back of his mind. Pierre smiled. Of course, that had to be it. “Thank you,” he said aloud. The voice chuckled inside his head again. But then something strange happened. Pierre felt a flash of panic, and his mind screamed for him to run. That voice is dangerous. His heart stopped. Where are the others? They had spent the night discussing something very disturbing. But what? 

An entire town, dead. 

Pierre’s eyes opened wide and he turned to run somewhere, anywhere that the voice couldn’t reach him, feet sending ripples through the nether. Somehow he knew not to look down. But then the black water gripped his foot, and he braced himself for impact —

and looked down, his feet disturbing the water. He stared at the ripples. Strange. They made no sound. As he stood there, wondering how that worked, something clicked in his mind. Why was I even running? Why should I run anyway? He felt his bones ache. It had only been a few moments since he ended up…wherever this was, yet he had never been this tired before, even after sailing through the worst storms. This was different. He wasn’t sure why, though.

You shouldn’t pry any further. No one else was able to get this far, and you’ve managed to entertain me quite a bit.

No one else? Wait no, the voice was right. I shouldn’t be spending any more energy thinking. They know what’s best. “So then, what should I do?”

What do you think you should do?

the voice cooed. Pierre sat in silence. “I want to rest.” He felt it smile.

Let me help. Look down.

Pierre innocently looked at his feet. He saw something white appear in the water. It grew into a razor sharp tooth. More teeth appeared alongside it, until he was standing on top of a gigantic smile. Strange, It feels like I’ve seen this before. The voice giggled. As Pierre watched, a single eye emerged above the smile. He locked his gaze with it, and felt his body seize as well. The mouth opened,, and the “water” began to pull him in. As he descended into the mouth, Pierre peered inside out of curiosity. There were other people down below. They looked familiar, but he didn’t know why. Their eyes stared off at something he couldn’t see. He began to worry about their condition.

They’re resting, just like you. 

All worries were gone now. Pierre looked up, as the mouth closed, sealing him and the others in darkness.