The sea convulsed around him, a muffled explosion tearing through the reef in a shockwave that rattled his bones. Marcus’s vision blurred as he spun through the cloud of debris, lungs burning, ears ringing with the underwater roar. He fought for direction, but the ocean swallowed every point of reference.
Out of the haze, a colossal shadow surged forward. A great white shark, vast and unstoppable, cut through the water with terrifying speed. Marcus kicked wildly, desperate to break away, but the predator slammed into his side, driving him deeper, forcing him into the endless dark below.
His chest clenched as panic clawed through him. He couldn’t outswim it. He couldn’t fight it. Each frantic kick only dragged him further into the abyss, the light above dimming with every second. And in that terrible moment, Marcus understood one thing with absolute clarity: there was no escape.