He shot toward the surface, lungs screaming. When he finally broke the water, the sun was setting. He scrambled onto the shore, gasping, and looked back at the lake.
Should we add a where Luca finds something in his pocket from the house, or La casa in fondo al lago
Panicked, he checked his oxygen gauge. It was dropping rapidly, far faster than possible. He turned to leave, but the front door was no longer open. In the window, he saw a reflection that wasn't his: an old man sitting in a rocking chair, staring at the ceiling, waiting for the water to stop rising. He shot toward the surface, lungs screaming
The water turned from golden green to a bruised purple as he descended. Then, out of the silt, it appeared. The house was perfectly preserved, untouched by rot or currents. It sat on the lake floor as if waiting for a Sunday guest. Should we add a where Luca finds something
As Luca reached out to touch the glass, a sound vibrated through his chest—a heavy, metallic thump . Then another. The clock was ticking.
The water was a perfect mirror again. He looked at his wrist to check the time, but his waterproof watch had stopped. The hands were frozen at exactly 12:06.