Receiving no answer, he managed to free his other leg. He continued walking forward, going deeper and deeper into the water until it was over his chest. He paused, unsure of what to do, as if he continued, he could drown, as he didn't know how to swim.
The voice whispered again, "Keep going."
Overcoming his fear of drowning, he kept going, the water inching closer and closer to his mouth and nose. Just as he thought for sure the water was going to be too deep, his foot hit a sandbar underwater. Stepping onto it, the water was now below his waist. "At least I'm not going to drown for now," he thought.
He pushed forward, still unable to see, until he felt his feet hit solid ground. Taking a couple of tentative steps, wary of the terrain, he found it mostly flat. Giving him a false sense of confidence, he rushed forward and was instantly slapped across the face.
"What the fuck?!" he yelled, startled by this ambush.
The darkness around him seemed to pulse with a life of its own, the air thick with an unseen presence. He rubbed his cheek, the sting of the slap still fresh. "Who's there?" he demanded, his voice echoing in the void.
Silence answered him, the oppressive darkness pressing in from all sides. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing heart. The voice had guided him this far, but now he was alone, left to navigate the unknown.
He took another step forward, his senses on high alert. The ground beneath his feet was uneven, the terrain shifting with each step. He moved cautiously, his hands outstretched to feel for any obstacles.
"Keep going," the whisper came again, softer this time, almost a caress against his ear.
He gritted his teeth and pressed on, determined to find the source of the voice. The darkness seemed to stretch on forever, an endless expanse of nothingness. But he refused to give up, driven by a need to understand, to find answers.
As he walked, the ground began to slope upward, the incline growing steeper with each step. He climbed, his muscles straining with the effort. The air grew colder, the chill seeping into his bones.
Finally, he reached the top of the incline, the ground leveling out beneath his feet. He paused, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The darkness was still all-encompassing, but he felt a shift, a subtle change in the atmosphere.
"You're almost there," the voice whispered, a note of encouragement in its tone.
He took another step forward, his heart pounding in his chest. The ground beneath his feet felt different, more solid, as if he had reached a new plane of existence. He moved cautiously, his senses heightened.
Suddenly, a light appeared in the distance, a faint glimmer in the darkness. He squinted, trying to make out what it was. The light grew brighter, illuminating a path before him.
He followed the path, his steps quickening with anticipation. The light led him to a doorway, a portal to another realm. He hesitated for a moment, his hand hovering over the handle.
"Go through," the voice urged, its tone insistent.
He took a deep breath and pushed the door open, stepping into the unknown.