Lynn

It was a beautiful day out, and Lynn was feeling adventurous.

She was visiting a new spot up the coast, where she had recently heard about the existence of an old sunken steamboat. It sat submerged and on its side, just a handful of meters below the sea's shimmering surface. It was a bit far out from the more populated beaches in the area, so when the enthused hyena arrived that morning, she found herself to be the only one there. Not that it mattered of course; Lynn had planned on diving down alone...

She stepped out of the car and undressed, stripping off the baggy garments she'd thrown over her two-piece swim suit. Dawning nothing but that and a yellow snorkeling mask, she quickly took to the sea, stepping in and beginning her swim. The shipwreck wasn't too far from the shoreline; In fact, the water was so clear, she could see the stranded structure from where she waded.

The metal was bent and corroded, but the boat's overall shape remained in tact. She could see the sea life living within, schools of fish floating throughout and in between the busted portholes. The temperature was warm, and the tides were calm. Yes. Conditions were perfect. Lynn smiled with excitement.

Inhaling deeply, she held her breath and dove beneath the surface.

Lynn made her way towards what appeared to be the bridge and entered through a large open window. Inside, she made her way down an upturned hallway, swimming swiftly with open doorways beneath her feet. She hadn't brought flippers this time around which made her movement generally slow. It was inconvenient, but Lynn didn't mind it much. Flippers were cumbersome at times, and besides, she was in no hurry. She took her time getting a look around, meandering through the rooms and corridors.

The peaceful scenery drew her in deeper and deeper...

Narrow beams of light streaked through the cracks up above, and below, old pieces of wreckage were scattered and strewn about. Lynn was enthralled. There were so many areas to discover, so many little details to pick out. The space flourished with reclaimed life, it glowed in beautiful shades of blue and green. Yes. Everything was soothing. Peaceful. If she could, she'd stay down here for-

BONK

"Aarrghlbl- glubglubb!"

Lynn flinched painfully and let out a burst of bubbles. Her temple was rocked by a throbbing pang. She turned around, covering her mouth and taking notice of a thick, steel pipe. Adrift in her thoughts, she had failed to pay attention to where she was going, and bumped her head hard against it.

"Mmmgh..."

Her pain turned to concern as she oriented herself. Her head would be fine, but in her daze, she had let out a worrisome amount of air, and she was already running a little low as it was. With a frightful whimper, Lynn turned around and began to make her way out.

Blub "Mmmghl!"

She hurriedly whisked her way along, trying desperately to keep her composure as she backtracked through the submerged corridor. The halls seemed to twist and turn endlessly, and Lynn was gravely unfamiliar with it all. The capsized position of the interior disoriented her, and without her flippers, navigating the space was gut-wrenchingly slow. After a few wrong turns, it started to sink in: She was lost...

She was trapped.

Beginning to panic, Lynn scanned her surroundings for an alternate exit. The cracks and slits between the hull's metal plates were too narrow to pass through and too rigid to force wider. She tried pulling on a few doors, but the hatches wouldn't budge. She spun around and searched throughout, her lungs aching with every labored stroke. The seconds ticked away. Lynn was in deep trouble...

But then, she saw it.

A beam of sunlight suddenly caught her attention. She followed its gleam upwards, finding an open porthole just a few feet above her. Beyond it, the surface, and with it, precious air. Her heart jumped. This was it. Freedom. She frantically pushed herself upwards, launching herself arms-first through the narrow opening. Only a couple meters to go and...

THUD

Lynn stopped dead in her tracks. She had managed to squeeze herself halfway through the window, but it was a tight fit. Far too tight, actually. Her chest scrapped and strained against the frame, but her gut... No... Her lower half couldn't make it through.

"MMMMH!"

She slammed her paws against the ship's exterior and forcefully attempted to loosen herself. She wriggled and writhed, twisting and squirming as much as she possibly could. She was able to gain an inch or two at first, but her progress was short-lived. The window was too small, which meant... No... The grim reality of her situation began to sink in. She was stuck. Really stuck.

"MMNAARGLGLGH!"

Complete terror took over her. She thrashed and pounded on the hull, her mask flooding with water as she fought. She shook is off, bubbles escaping to the surface. Lynn continued to kick and contort for what seemed like an eternity. Her head spun. Her lungs burned. Her muscles spasmed.

Her chest convulsed.

HUWAAK!

Lynn froze, overwhelmed by the intense jolt. Her paws shot up to her mouth, covering it. She had almost taken a breath of water...

She was in serious danger.

The pounding and banging had ceased, replaced by an intense, focused stillness. The top of her gut slid back down through the porthole, undoing what little progress she had made earlier. Her mouth was shut tight, and her paws remained grasped around her quivering muzzle, pressing firmly, attempting desperately to keep the water out and the air in.