Just as Daniel was reeling in shock, a vine—thick and sinuous like a serpent—suddenly shot out from the abyss and wrapped itself tightly around his neck.
He didn't even have time to react. One second he felt a sharp constriction around his throat, the next, a crushing wave of suffocation hit him. The vine yanked hard, and his body lurched forward uncontrollably.
"Ahhh—!"
He plunged headfirst into the abyss, swallowed by the endless darkness. His scream—raw, piercing—echoed through the chasm, lingering long after he vanished.
"Captain!"
A few of his teammates behind him cried out in horror, frozen in place by the sudden, nightmarish scene.
"He got pulled down!"
"What the hell was that thing?!"
"No idea!"
"…"
Terror washed over their faces. They stared, wide-eyed, at the edge of the cliff, hearts pounding.
Then came a sound—soft at first, like something slithering or scraping. Nails against rock. Or maybe clawing through ice. Just hearing it made their skin crawl.
