I'm not afraid of heights, I swear, especially when there is zero chance of falling. I'm not afraid of the dark either. In fact I've always felt more at home in the glow of the moon than in the warmth of the sun. Despite that I stare down and my chest clenches. No, there's no way. It's not like it is on land where I've spent my whole life acclimating to the fears. This is different, this is something new, a deeper more primal emotion. Even though I have plenty of air, I feel it isn't enough. My light that I thought was powerful only illuminates a small circle. Below me the chasm seems like a forgotten entrance to Hell, a void with only unending terror to accompany me. No, there's no way I'm swimming into that, I'm not even willing to go over it. Even though I paid extra for this dive and my friends will mock my cowardice I start my ascent. This is a place mankind isn't meant to be and I understand that now. This is their home, whatever dwells in that darkness and I will leave them to it.

Dear Reader,

I wish I could tell you that you're going to survive this but to be honest no one has before. I wrote this to give you at least a chance of success no matter how miniscule.

First of all don't eat the purple berries, yes I know they are tempting especially after your supplies inevitably run out. Take it from someone who knows. They are delicious and you think safe because you'll see animals eating them but you'll be wrong. The animals have adapted to them, our kind, not so much. They caused our first fatalities. I won't go into details but they died writhing in pain, it wasn't pleasant.

Second warning is the trees, at some point due to the excessive damp you'll get the idea to sleep among the branches above. This works but only with certain conditions which we discovered the third night we tried it. Avoid any fruiting trees at all cost they attract the insects, not the ones you screech and brush off your clothes. These miniscule monsters will burrow under your skin and although not fatal initially they are torturous. Especially when their eggs hatch three nights later and the larva start chewing their way out. In the end what killed them was actually infection as the exit wounds refused to heal despite all our efforts.

I don't have much time left so I'll leave you with this final piece of advice. Stay away from the river. There's something there, something I haven't seen but have heard stalking us almost from the start. Eyes I have felt watching me since I stepped foot in this cursed place.

I'm the only one left now so I'm pretty sure tonight is my end. You've done well to get this far alive and I hope you can make it through this nightmare. If so as a last request, in exchange for my advice. Please tell our families that we perished quickly in an accident, don't give them the details of our gruesome fates. Thank you and good luck, you'll need it.

I read the letter taken from the corpse's hand and my blood went cold. The body was alone in the cave but what really made me shiver was seeing the evidence of the fatal blow. Obviously not self-inflicted since the blade itself was gone as was the heart.

Love is not worthwhile

People only disappoint

My heart is now dead

Rebirth is a dream

Reaching it impossible

Regret lives inside

It's late, so late that it's closer to waking up time than bed time. Still it's the only part of the day where I get any peace and quiet so I stay up knowing I'll have to pay the price later. I'm not doing anything in particular just surfing the internet until my brain turns off enough to sleep. Then I hear it, a tiny, pitiful voice through the window next to me maybe just inches away. I hear the helpless cry through the glass "Help me... help me." My blood runs cold as it does every time I hear this particular plea. I suck in my breath and remind myself, it's just a damn cat.

True Story, stray cat in my area, nearly scared me to death the first few times before I figured it out. Eventually it grew out of it, but then one of it's kittens started, it seems to be either taught or hereditary.

I'd get a box and cover it in birthday wrapping paper to make sure it was stolen. I wouldn't put my address or name on it in case they realize later and come back for revenge. Then I'd fill the box with thick blankets and cheap toys to make the weight. They'd rip into the well wrapped layers one after another flinging them away not realizing the nearly invisible company they had brought into their lives.

Bugs of all sorts, lice, fleas, ticks and even bedbugs if I could find them. If lucky I could even get miniscule baby roaches to add to the fun. The pirates will sit there in disappointment, bemoaning the cheapness of their ill-gotten gains. Days, or weeks maybe even months later they'll realize their infestation. They'll be sent home from school or work in tears with itchy scalps and red bumps on their skin. Their house will crumble around them from insect damage. They'll be pulling up carpets and washing everything they own over and over. As they spend all their money on exterminators they'll wonder how this happened to them.

They'll never know how it happened, never suspect that it was me. Even if they did what could they say, that the stuff they stole was infested. I'll lose nothing but some cheap plastic toys and some thrift store blankets bought especially for this purpose. Cheaper than most of the booby traps I see and more insidious. Only drawback I see is that I don't get to witness their reaction but I can imagine it and smile.