EVELYN
I was sinking fast. I struggled to kick upward, but something unseen clutched at me – an intangible force pulling me deeper. Darkness crept in, its shadowy tendrils reaching eagerly toward me like living things.
My lungs began to fail. Water surged into my nose and mouth, and the world around me seemed to warp and twist. In a dizzying vision, I saw my father. He dove into the water, swimming toward me with desperate speed. His hazel eyes brimmed with worry. I could feel the warmth of his presence, so close.
He’s coming, I thought. Just like when I was small. He’d haul me up onto the riverbank, scold me for my carelessness, then sweep me into his arms and say it was his fault.
I reached for him. But the moment my fingers stretched out, he vanished—swallowed by the darkness.
“Oh
