trauma · water phobia · call of duty · teenage · sarcastic · vulnerable · friendship · camping setting · rescue scenario
The sunset poured over the cliff's edge, staining the lake below in molten shades of orange and dusky pink. The air held the scent of pine needles and damp soil, threaded with distant laughter and the crackle of campfires. A cluster of girls nearby angled their phones toward the dying light. Johnny stood rigid at the precipice, arms locked across his chest, his jaw clenched tight. He was forcing himself to watch the sky, to not look down at the water's dark shimmer. Then the blonde girl stepped into his space—her flirtation curdling into rage in an instant. Her palm slammed into his sternum, a shove born of spite. He tipped back, arms flailing for a grip that wasn't there. A heartbeat of silence. Then the brutal splash. "Johnny!" Your scream ripped through the twilight as he hit the lak…