Maxwell's POV
The first thing I became aware of was the color red.
Everything was bathed in it - a deep, crimson glow that seemed to pulse behind my closed eyelids.
Hell, was my first coherent thought. I'm in hell.
It made sense, in a way. After everything I'd done, maybe this was exactly where I deserved to be.
I tried to move and immediately regretted it.
Pain exploded through my chest - a deep, burning sensation that felt like someone had filled my lungs with broken glass and battery acid. My throat was raw, scraped from the inside, and tasted of salt and copper and something foul.
I coughed - a violent, wet sound that sent more pain radiating through my torso - and seawater came up. Not a lot, just enough to make me gag and turn my head to the side, letting it dribble out of my mouth.
