Page 40 of Forever

"Almost," he replied, his heart pounding in his chest as they neared their final destination. "Just a bit further."

The van continued to slice through the darkness, the unsuspecting women laughing and chatting in the back, completely unaware that they were mere moments away from taking their last breaths. And as the moon continued to cast its ominous glow upon the world below, he knew that tonight would be one he would never forget.

The chilling fog rolled in, wrapping its tendrils around the dark van as it sped down the desolate road. The laughter of the two women in the backseat faded into the background, drowned out by the haunting memories that played like a broken record in his mind.

"Remember to breathe,"his mother's cold voice echoed, sending shivers down his spine. The lake behind their house was where she'd take him, her icy fingers gripping his arms as she submerged him beneath the water's surface.

"Mom, please!"he gasped, bubbles erupting from his mouth as he thrashed against her iron grip. She held him there, waiting for the precise moment when his body would convulse in a desperate attempt to draw breath.

"Only when you learn your lesson,"she whispered as she finally released him, allowing his head to break through the surface. He choked on the air, lungs burning with the agony of near-drowning.

"Sometimes I wish I could breathe underwater,"he'd murmured one day, staring at the murky depths that had nearly claimed him so many times before. His mother only scoffed, dismissing the idea as childish nonsense.

"Life isn't that kind to those who misbehave,"she spat, grabbing his wrist and dragging him back to their house, leaving him wondering what it would be like to escape into the water, free from her cruelty.

"Hey, are you okay up there?" the brunette called out, her concern puncturing the veil of his recollections. "You've gone awfully quiet."

He blinked away the ghosts of his past, forcing a smile as he glanced at her reflection in the rearview mirror. "Yeah, just lost in thought. We're almost at the restaurant, I promise."

"Good," she grinned, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "I'm starving!"

"Me too," the blonde chimed in, her laughter ringing through the van like a siren's song.

He gripped the steering wheel tighter, the specter of his mother still looming in the shadows of his mind. The women continued to chat, oblivious to the sinister thoughts that brewed inside him.

"Almost there," he whispered under his breath, the memories of his past fueling the dark desires that burned within. And as the fog continued to thicken, enveloping everything in its ghostly embrace, he knew that tonight would be one for the ages.

The van's headlights pierced through the fog, casting eerie shadows on the road ahead as he drove. The two women in the backseat were a cacophony of laughter and chatter, their voices blending together like the notes of a macabre symphony.

"Hey, have you ever tried scuba diving? It's so amazing," the blonde enthused, her excitement palpable.

"Never had the chance," the brunette replied, her eyes filled with curiosity. "But it sounds incredible."

He clenched his jaw, the memories of his mother's twisted punishments bubbling to the surface once more. But it wasn't himself he longed to see submerged in water anymore; no, that fantasy had long since morphed into something much darker. He'd found solace – and power – in watching others gasp for breath, their eyes wide with terror as they struggled against the crushing weight of the water.

"Maybe we should try it sometime," the blonde continued, her smile infectious. "I'm sure our friend here could join us too, right?"

"Of course," he said, forcing a smile as he glanced back at them. Their innocent faces held no hint of the fate that awaited them tonight. They had no idea that their final swim was just hours away.

"Great!" the blonde clapped her hands together, her blue eyes shining with anticipation. "You won't regret it, I promise."

"Sounds like a plan," the brunette agreed, her expression equally eager.

His heart raced as he imagined their panic when they realized there would be no escape from the watery abyss. The thought sent shivers down his spine, igniting an insatiable hunger within him.

"Almost there," he muttered under his breath, his grip on the steering wheel tightening. The fog outside seemed to mirror the haze of his thoughts, shrouding everything in uncertainty and darkness. But one thing was clear: tonight, he would be the one holding the power, watching as they fought to take their final breaths.

"Did you say something?" the brunette asked, her brow furrowed in concern.

"Nothing," he replied, his voice betraying a hint of impatience. "We're almost at the restaurant."

"Good," she said with a sigh of relief. "I'm starving."

"Me too," the blonde echoed, her laughter ringing through the van like a death knell.

As the fog continued to thicken, swallowing the world outside in its ghostly embrace, he knew that soon, their laughter would be silenced forever. The anticipation was intoxicating, and he couldn't wait to watch the light fade from their eyes as they took their final swim into the abyss.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

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