Ryley's body convulsed with violent coughs, his mind still reeling from the horrors he had just witnessed.
How had he ended up submerged in that dark abyss? The answer eluded him, lost in the chaos of his thoughts.
"I... I..." His voice faltered, choked with emotion, as he lifted a trembling hand to his face, his fingers closing around the necklace clutched in his palm.
Panic seized him, and he turned to Mitchell with wild eyes.
"The girl... Where is she?!" Ryley surged forward, gripping Mitchell's arms with a desperation born of terror. "Where is she?! Is she safe?! Something pulled her underwater!"
"Wh-what girl are you talking about?! No one else is here!" Mitchell's voice echoed with disbelief, mirroring the confusion etched across his face.
"Do you not believe me?" Ryley's words tumbled out in a desperate plea, tears mingling with the fear in his eyes as he thrust the necklace toward Mitchell. "This is her necklace! She was—"