Page 1 of Forever

PROLOGUE

"Please," Stacy whimpered, her voice muffled by the damp cloth that pressed tightly against her lips.

She couldn't see, not through the blindfold, but the cold, hard surface beneath her sent shivers up her spine as she struggled to find purchase on the slick surface. Her captor's hands were rough and unyielding, tying heavy weights around her ankles with a cold efficiency that left her breathless.

"Let me go," she pleaded again, the words barely escaping her throat in a pitiful whisper. But her captor seemed to take no notice of her pleas, continuing his work with a detached precision that made her stomach churn.

Stacy's heart pounded in her chest as the blindfold rendered her world dark and shapeless. She strained to hear anything that might give her a clue as to where she was. The faint sound of water lapping at the edges of something solid reached her ears, accompanied by an unmistakably strong scent of chlorine.

"Help!" she attempted to scream through the cloth, the sound echoing through the empty space around her. "Somebody help me!"

To her surprise, her captor stilled his movements and took hold of the blindfold, ripping it away from her eyes. As the darkness gave way to light, Stacy blinked furiously, trying to make sense of her surroundings. Slowly, the world came into focus - a night sky dotted with stars, the faint outline of a roller coaster in the distance, and the shimmering expanse of water beside her.

As her eyes adjusted, it became clear that this wasn't any ordinary pool. Shadows darted just below the surface of the water, their shapes unmistakable even in the dim light. Dolphins?

She was standing beside a pool filled with dolphins. And there were more pools, too.

"Wh-why?" she stammered, terror robbing her of coherent thought.

Her captor said nothing, his face expressionless as he regarded her with an unsettling calm. Panic surged through Stacy's veins, her mind racing to find a way out of this nightmare.

"Please... don't do this," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the sound of her own ragged breaths.

But as her captor turned away from her, his actions spoke louder than any words ever could - and in that moment, Stacy knew that mercy was not something she would find here tonight.

"Look at me," the man commanded, his voice cold and detached. Stacy's heart pounded in her chest as she forced herself to meet his gaze, confusion and desperation swirling within her.

"Wh-what do you mean?" she asked hesitantly, tears welling up in her eyes, unwilling to look away from him for fear of what might happen next.

"Watch," he replied, a cruel smile slowly stretching across his face. He bent down, gripping the weighted end of the rope attached to her ankles. Her breath hitched, her chest tightening with each agonizing second that passed.

"Please... don't," she choked out, her voice trembling.

The man ignored her plea, his smile never wavering as he lifted the weight effortlessly and tossed it into the pool with a splash. The sound echoed through the deserted amusement park, sending chills down Stacy's spine.

Her mind raced, struggling to comprehend the situation. She couldn't believe this was happening to her. Was there any hope for escape? What would happen when the weight hit the bottom of the pool? Panic threatened to overtake her, but she held onto the tiniest shred of hope, praying for someone - anyone - to come to her rescue.

As the last trace of the rope disappeared beneath the surface, Stacy felt her legs begin to wobble, threatening to buckle beneath her. Desperation clawed at her insides as she tried to muster the courage to fight back against her captor. But as she stared into his emotionless eyes, she knew that no amount of pleading or struggling would change the outcome. The rope slipped into the dark water, leaving behind only ripples as it disappeared into the inky depths. Stacy's eyes remained glued to the spot where the rope had vanished, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Please, don't do this," she begged, her voice trembling with fear.

Her captor stared back at her, his face a chilling mix of amusement and malice. The smile that had been plastered on his face since the beginning never faltered, even as he stepped closer to her, invading her personal space.

"Isn't it beautiful?" He gestured to the pool, his tone mockingly affectionate. "I picked it just for you."

"Please, I don't want to die," Stacy choked out, tears streaming down her face.

"Ah, but who does, really?" He raised an eyebrow, feigning deep thought. "But we all have to go some time, don't we?"

Stacy searched his cold eyes, trying to find some semblance of humanity within them, but found none. She knew she was running out of time, and her thoughts raced through her mind, desperate for a solution, a way out, anything.

"Why?" she whispered.

"Good, keep looking at me," he said. "I want to see the light leave your eyes, Stacy."

And then, without warning, he shoved her forward with all his strength.

As Stacy plummeted toward the water, her scream tore through the air, echoing across the water park. The world seemed to slow down, and for a moment, all she could see were the stars above and the terrifying abyss below.

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