Jessie felt an intense pressure in his chest as he struggled to hold his breathe. He swam upwards towards the distant light beyond the waters surface desperately reaching for it. His lungs felt as if they were about to burst but he struggled upwards. Paddling his feet he felt the water surrounding him an ice cold terror as he exhaled heavily.

Clutching his throat with one hand he reached out with the other towards the light feeling his hand break through the surface. As he took a deep breathe water filled his lungs, he choked reaching his hand back in the water in a desperate attempt to save his life. He thrashed beneath the surface of the water trying desperately to break the waters surface once again.

Desperately he reached out his hand through the water as the light slowly dimmed as he sank. His eyes stared deep into the light and he felt ice cold. Suddenly a warmth grasped his hand as he was pulled from the depths onto the cold sand. He heaved coughing up sea water and whatever was left in his stomach. Gasping for air he looked up to see a man staring down at him.

"You never were much of a swimmer Jessie." The man chuckled as he sat down beside him. Regaining his composure Jessie laid down on his back beside the man, the oceans water lapped at his legs as he stared into a starless sky.

"W-where am I?" Jessie asked turning to face the man. He looked at his face feeling a sense of familiarity wash over him. His features put Jessie at ease though he didn't know why.

"You're at the beach. The only one that really matters." The man said cryptically as he stared out at the water. Sitting himself up Jessie wrung out the water in his shirt.

"That just confuses me more, a second ago I was in a forest. What's going on?" Jessie asked confused.

"I'm gonna guess something bad happened to you in those woods or you wouldn't be here with me right now." The man said as he grabbed a small stone beside him.

Rubbing his head Jessie tried to focus and remember what exactly happened. His head ached and he groaned as he touched his temple. 

"I remember running from someone but if I try and focus on what happens after I get a splitting headache." Jessie said rubbing his forehead.

"That's fine I suppose, somethings are better left forgotten." The man said.

"I never thanked you for pulling me out the water there, I really appreciate the help." Jessie said as he stared out at the water ahead. "What's your name.?"

The man looked uneasy as Jessie asked. He placed his hand on the back of his neck and lowered his gaze.

"I would rather not say, my name isn't really important anymore anyways." He said sheepishly.

"Ok...can you at least tell me where this beach is I have to get back to my friends." Jessie asked confused.

"Oh there's no going back believe me. This beach is the end of the line." The man said skipping the stone across the surface of the water.

"What do you mean?"

"I said what I meant, this is the end of the line."

"That's still not clearing up anything for me, I'm more confused than when we started talking."Jessie said exasperated. "Please stop being so cryptic and be straight with me here."

"Want the truth kid? Are you really sure?" The man said as he stared out into the horizon.

"That's what I wanted from the beginning."

"You can't go back to your friends because they're still alive, while you aren't." The man said turning to face Jessie.

"What?"

"Jessie you died in that forest, that's how your sitting beside me right now."

Feeling his heart sink the cold dread returned as Jessie stared at the man's face. As he studied the man's features the harsh reality seeped in as he recalled why he was so familiar.

"Oh my god dad." Jessie said as he stumbled onto his feet. His father smiled at him as he placed a hand on his knee standing up beside him.

"So you do remember me!" He exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around Jessie. "I was beginning to worry since you didn't call me out immediately."

Jessie pulled away from the embrace shocked as he reeled back. He stared at his father feeling sick to his stomach.

"You died years ago, h-how is this possible?" Jessie asked feeling his heartbeat faster.

"It's like I said Jessie, you died in that forest." His father said taking a step closer.

"T-that can't be true I still have to save Mia." Jessie said feeling his headache worsen.

"Whatever you were doing before you died no longer matters now, there's no going back so there's no use worrying about it." His father said calmly.

"I understand this is a shock to you, believe me it was a shock for me too but freaking out about it isn't going to change anything."

How did I even die?! I can't remember anything! The last thing I recall is going home and..

He rubbed the bridge of his nose as his head ached. He sighed and sat down on the cold sand. His father sat down beside him. They sat in silence staring out into the ocean.

"So is this hell? It's a lot nicer than I thought it would be." Jessie said as he grabbed a pile of sand letting it run through his fingers.

"What makes you think you deserve to go to hell?" His dad asked confused.

"Well before I died I hurt some people, granted they were trying to hurt my friends and I but the whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth." Jessie said bringing his knees to his chest.

"So you hurt some people who were trying to hurt those that were close to you? Did they deserve it?" His dad asked.

"I don't know, I just didn't want to see them hurt if I could prevent it you know. Besides it isn't my place to judge people like that."

"Your a very kind person Jessie, to show kindness to people who didn't show you any. It makes me happy to know you grew up fine."

Jessie turned to face his father to see him grinning from ear to ear.

"Well I hate to burst your bubble son but this isn't hell. I don't really know what this place is but the other people I've met here don't seem like the damned." His father said with a empty look in his eyes.

"As far as I can tell this place is closer to a waiting room than any afterlife."

"A waiting room? For what?" Jessie asked confused.

As he waited for an answer the dim light that illuminated his father brightened around them. It became so bright that he had to avert his gaze, squinting he turned to face his father to see him pointing upwards towards the light.

"Watch and see." He said as he stared into the night sky.

How am I supposed to stare straight into the light when even this much is too much for me.

Jessie felt a chill in his spine as he slowly raised his head. The closer he became to the light the more bearable it became for him to see. He relaxed his eyes as he stared up into the moon. Jessie gasped as he saw just how absurdly close it was to them, he could see a surface he wouldn't normally be able to see without a telescope. It was a brilliant white and almost shined against the night sky. It was beautiful.

"W-why is it so close to the us?" Jessie asked absolutely captivated. He found it hard to turn his gaze away.

"I have no clue, but it sure is beautiful. That isn't what I want you to pay attention to so keep your eyes on that moon."

That isn't gonna be hard. Having a celestial body so close is something I've never experienced before. It's almost too much.

The chill Jessie felt before returned intensely and his skin began to crawl as he watched as what looked like eyelids began to creep over the edges of the moon. They covered the surface as they made their way to the center and slowly met.

"D-did the moon just blink?!" Jessie asked feeling nauseous.

"Shhh your going to miss it." His father said placing his hand on Jessie's shoulder.

Jessie turned back to face the moon to see what looked like a black teardrop well up in the corner of the moons eyelid. They watched as it gained weight, growing in size, until it looked like it was about to burst. Then very slowly the tear fell and Jessie watched as it fell through the sky and into the ocean in front of him. It landed softly barely making a splash.

The water lapped at his feet and the light slowly faded, returning to when Jessie first broke free of the water.

"That is what we're all waiting for." His father said calmly.

Jessie turned to face him to see him oddly jealous. The look in his eye made Jessie feel disgusted.

His father noticed him staring and smiled at him changing his expression.

"Not everyone who goes into the ocean gets such a dramatic entrance. Most of the people I've seen going into the water just walk in. Let the ocean envelope them and disappear." His father said gesturing with his hand.

"That's where everyone ends up eventually, joining the collective in this calm body of water."

So this ocean is..people?

Jessie thought as he stared out in front of him. Watching the waves crash into each other filled him with a strange sense of longing.

"Why haven't you gone into the ocean?" Jessie asked.

"When I died I was just as confused as you, but unlike you the person I had tell me the truth wasn't all that nice about it." His father said almost afraid. "I knew that one day you and your brother would come to join me so I made it my duty to make sure you had someone familiar to help you."

"So I waited here by the waters edge for my boys to make their way to me. Although I would have preferred you lived a longer life."

Liar

Jessie whipped his head towards the water and stared out into the water. He stood up so suddenly it shocked his father. As his father pelted him with questions Jessie slowly walked forward letting the water slowly wrap around his legs.

He's lying to you

Unable to stop himself nor wanting to, Jessie trudged forward through the water. The water reached his hips and he could no longer hear his father as he trained his ears to the voice.

So jealous

"Jessie!" His father yelled as he spun him around towards him. Jessie was so shocked at his father's angry expression it snapped him out of whatever trance he was in and the voice disappeared.

"W-what?" Jessie asked bewildered.

"What did he say! What did he tell you!" His father said shaking him violently. Feeling fear creep in Jessie pushed his father back and watched as he fell into the water.

He rose water dripping from his matted hair his expression changed. He stared at Jessie and realized what he had done.

"I-I'm sorry Jessie I don't know what came over me. I was just worried that you were being manipulated and anger just swelled up." His father said pushing his hair back.

"Manipulated by who? That voice I keep hearing? Who is that?" Jessie said stepping back further into the water.

"Keep hearing? So this wasn't the only time." His father said taking a step closer.

Jessie could feel his pulse quicken and froze in place.

"How many times have you spoken to him? What has he told you!" His father said as he reached for Jessie throat.

Feeling helpless Jessie stood frozen when he felt something wrap around his neck, then his waist. He looked down to see black tendrils form from the water wrapping themselves around him, he felt their grip tighten.

He stared out at his father as he was pulled under the water. He struggled against them as he pulled at his throat, he thrashed as he sunk deeper and deeper. Almost reacting the tendrils tightened, choking him, and he fought harder as his breathe escaped.

The light of the moon faded away and he was surrounded by the darkness. Feeling his energy drain he gasped one last time as he felt his hands drop from his throat. Unable to see or feel anything except the choking embrace of the water Jessie drifted off into the Black Sea.