The echo bounced back again and again – it was long and hollow – and told him he was a long way from anything solid. He needed to find a wall, so turned off the flashlight to save its power and began to stroke eastward for no particular reason.

“Hello!” he tested the cave depth again, hoping he would receive a shortened echo, telling him he was closer to an obstacle. But there was still a vast emptiness in the repeating sound.

Jim swam for thirty minutes before stopping to tread water and catch his breath. He felt the first pressure wave then, and was initially buoyed by the sensation – a backwash for sure, he hoped.

“Hello.” Strangely, the echoes were still as long and hollow as ever. He began to swim again, but immediately felt the next pressure wave push him in the water. This time it had come from another angle. He stopped and floated, his brow furrowing.

There came another push of water, from one side, and then the next. It reminded him of the time he swam in the lake at home, and one of the big boats came close. He felt another surge, and another, this time from behind him – it felt like something was going around him. He felt his testicles shrink, even in the warm water.

Jim Granger lifted his flashlight, and switched it on. He slowly swiveled, holding the light up. The oil-black water was as flat as glass, with just the hint of a mist lifting from its warm surface.

“What are you?” he whispered, but knew he didn’t really want to know. The memory of the old man jumped into his head – him, and his prize – the tooth.

The impact hit Jim Granger from the side, dragging him for a dozen feet, and knocking the wind from him. He swirled and bobbed in the water, suddenly unable to stay on the surface. His control over his body seemed gone, and even though he was a strong swimmer, he feared his legs or back had been broken as his lower half refused to obey him.

He used his arms to break the surface, thrashing in his panic and gulping air. He raised the flashlight, and in its dying glow saw that the water that dripped from his hands was red. Jim reached down, and whimpered. He now knew why he couldn’t tread water – both his legs were gone from the thigh.

“What are you?” his scream was weak, and his head felt light as his life was rapidly gushing from his body. Shock was setting in. I’m dead, he thought, as he let his body sink. The last thing he saw was a lemon yellow turtle spinning madly on the surface.

Jim Granger was consumed whole before he even made it to the bottom.

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 1

Stanford University, Stanford – Lecture Room M106 – Today