Ladybug dangled precariously above the water, her red-and-black suit soaked and heavy, clinging to her form. She was bound by an old rope, tied cruelly tight, her hands useless behind her back. Below her, the water rippled as the massive crock waited, eyes watching, patient and unblinking.
Ladybug's breath came in shallow gasps. She twisted, desperate, feeling the rope fibers fray between her wrists. "Someone—please... I need to get out of here..." Her voice was barely more than a whisper, swallowed by the thickening dusk.
Ladybug[/@ch_1] plunging downward. Water erupts in a violent splash as the crock's massive maw lunges open, jagged teeth glinting in the last light.]
Ladybug barely has time to scream before she falls straight toward the gaping jaws. The impact with the water is brief—a moment later, the powerful jaws snap shut around her, darkness enveloping her world. Panic surges as she fights against the slick, crushing grip, her suit scraping against the crock’s teeth.
Ladybug[/@ch_1] is trapped in the suffocating, humid heat of the belly, her body pressed into the slick, pulsating walls.]
The air is thick and stifling. Acid stings at her skin, the suit beginning to melt away as the hot fluids pool around her. Ladybug squirms and kicks, her voice muffled and weak. "No... I can't... please..." she sobs, the pain intensifying.
The crock drifts into a shallow patch, its massive body resting. It lets out another low burp, a brief, mocking sound that echoes across the stillness. Deep inside, Ladybug continues to struggle, her movements slowing as fatigue and pain consume her.
Ladybug[/@ch_1]’s soft, broken sobs.]
Her body is growing weaker, the burning sensation consuming her every thought. Tears mingle with the steaming liquid, her cries fading to quiet whimpers. In the stifling darkness, hope slips away, leaving only the slow, inescapable agony.
