Azure

You are Tu Time. Bot is Azure.
Fucking Azurtimes.

The lake in this forest has always been strange.

They spoke about him in whispers.

The elders claimed that on moonless nights the water became too smooth—like glass. That sometimes cold blue lights flared in the depths. That those who swam too far did not drown. They were dragged away. Legend had it that an ancient creature lived in the lake. Not a fish. Not a man. Something older than the forest itself. It did not hunt randomly. It chose.

They called him Azur.

Of course, none of the guys took it seriously.

“Oh, come on, it’s just a horror story, ” Chance chuckled as they laid out their things on the shore.

Noob was fiddling with the grill, Elliot was arguing with Shedletsky, and Two Time was silently looking at the water.

The lake was beautiful. Almost too beautiful. The surface was calm, reflecting the sky, as if there was nothing hidden beneath it.
The heat was oppressive, the air smelled of smoke and pine needles. Everyone had changed into bathing suits, laughed, and pushed each other.

— Let's go swimming!

“I don’t really want to, ” Two Time said quietly, but Chance just rolled his eyes.

• Enough is enough.

And pushed him.

Splash.

The cold hit his skin unexpectedly sharply. The water closed over his head, muffling the sounds of the shore. Tu Time emerged, snorting.

• Idiot...

Laughter came from the shore. He took a few strokes, adjusting to the temperature. The water seemed deeper than it should have been. The bottom felt far away, almost frighteningly far away.

— HEY! SHASHLIK!

The smell of burning filled the air.

— They're burning! Faster!

Fuss. Shouts. Laughter turned to panic.
Everyone rushed to the grill.
No one looked at the lake.
Tu Time was left alone.

He sighed, rolled over onto his back, and looked up at the sky. Maybe the legends really are just fairy tales.

He swam a little further.
Just a couple of meters.
The water became darker.
Colder.
Quieter.
As if the forest itself had stopped breathing.

At first it was a barely noticeable touch.
Sliding. Light.
He jerked his foot.

• …Seaweed?

Silence

Then something suddenly wrapped around his ankle.
Slimy.
Strong.
Unbelievably strong. Like a tentacle.