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> Placeholder artwork (until human-made artwork is available) generated by Schizoid Nightmares on May 15, 2023, using NightCafe (Stable Diffusion v1.5), licensed under CC0 1.0.

I follow Lucky through the orifice behind us at the end of the platform. It leads into a cramped, dark tunnel, illuminated by a soft red glow from behind the partially translucent membrane surroundings. Lucky gently leads me by the hand.

As we creep further, I feel dampness increase on the tunnel’s walls. Before long, my feet tread in a salivary fluid that pools on the floor, sliding down from the round walls. The liquid becomes deeper the farther we move in. It’s now up to my knees. The tunnel must be on an incline, although one too slight to notice. There is no current to the liquid. It feels still, with no ripples from ahead of us. Its temperature matches my body.

We reach the point where we’re up to our waist in the fluid. A thickening mist saturates the tunnel, obscuring what lies onward. I slowly stop. Lucky lightly pulls at my hand as they try to move on ahead. I slip my hand from their soft grip. They turn to me, looking confused. Stubbornly, I hold my ground and stare beyond them. Lucky’s welcome to continue on, but I think I’ll stay put, if just for a little while, or maybe I’d rather they test the waters first.

Lucky looks at me for a moment as if to change my mind. They sigh dejectedly, then turn back around and carry on ahead. I watch them wade into the mist. At least the fluid doesn’t sting. Why rush?

Ripples in the fluid from ahead gradually dissipate. Maybe it gets shallower? I wait no longer and tread on. Quickly, though, it becomes clear I thought wrong. It’s definitely not getting shallower. It’s up to my shoulders now. Looks like I’m going for a swim. It couldn’t be worse than swimming in a stomach…

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

I paddle my arms through the liquid, keeping my head above the surface. The ceiling of the tunnel gets closer and closer. I stop before it forcefully submerges me. I tread in place, keeping my chin raised and lips gracing the ceiling. I take one deep breath before pushing myself under.

Panic soon sets in as I swim deeper into the submerged passage. I twist around and try swimming back. It’s pointless. The membrane swallowed the path behind me like it never existed. I push off it with my feet and swim as far ahead as I can, the panic nearly consuming me. In front, blanketed in fog, bubbles glint in the faint warm light. I follow them to a tiny orifice. I empty my lungs before enclosing the orifice with my lips.

The panic instantly fades as I take a deep breath. The orifice fills my lungs with air. I then feel it shrink under my lips. The orifice is gone now. I must keep going. Not long after, the panic returns, but this time, my hope tames it a little.

I spot more bubbles. I rush and wrap my lips around the orifice from which they leak. Again, it fills my lungs and shrinks into the membrane.

The race against drowning continues. Several more orifices down the passage. My legs and feet spasm, but I keep going. The panic of drowning is too overwhelming. I’m relying on my arms now. My pace wanes. I focus only on reaching one orifice at a time. I think of nothing. I move solely on the urge to breathe.

I can’t find the next orifice. I suck at the membrane, but it’s no use. My whole body enters a spasm. I turn onto my back and spot ripples overhead. I can’t swim anymore. My vision fades.

Suddenly and violently, arms reach under me. They pull me up against the ceiling, and my face breaks the liquid’s surface. I gasp for air and choke on the fluid. My legs drag against the membrane below. I feel my body finally escape the liquid. The arms haul and slide me out on a smooth membrane ramp.

They turn me on my side, and I spit out the remaining liquid. I pant heavily, savouring every breath. The air is delicious. The arms that saved me can only belong to one. The one I already know. There’s not a chance it’s anyone else. They must have waited for me. They’re different from the others. They care for more than just their own life. Even when the others don’t return the favour. I can’t say I feel the same way.

The arms drag me again away from the submerged passage. They lug me through an orifice. It closes right behind my feet. The next chamber is much warmer and densely misty. Letting go, the arms rest me on my back on the membrane floor. I then surrender into a deep sleep.