Covet

Chapter 1

1

For a moment, I’m free.

Really, truly free.

Falling backward over the waterfall in the remote jungle, I’m weightless. Insubstantial. Without a single worry in the world.

I spread my arms out and close my eyes. The rush of the water is so loud that I can’t hear anything else. I can just feel that I’m falling, feel the mist on my back, feel the rush of freedom.

Then I hit the surface of the water. First my head and shoulders, then everything else gets wet. I’m submerged suddenly, and in pain from how forcefully I hit the surface.

The pain is much more vibrant than I expected it to be, somehow.

My eyes pop open. All I can remember seeing is a large air bubble escaping my nose and lips, expelled by the force of my body hitting the water. It flits out of me, silhouetted against the perfect blackness all around.

Everything goes dark.

I keep sinking down, down…