My name is Bryan Clornet, and what I'm about to tell you might be the last thing you read before you decide never to step foot in a swimming pool again.

Hello everyone, at this very moment, I'm locked in a locker room to protect myself from this thing. I know you're going to think I'm crazy, but please, I beg you, don't stay another minute in this pool. Please, please…

Today, I'm going to explain who's been around here, who's screaming, and most importantly, who this person is that's arriving. First of all, I'm going to tell you about the person you just heard. That person was once my cousin, Carla. Like every Wednesday, she went to the pool, but that day, everything was different. This event didn't happen long ago; it was two years ago, on August 12, 2022. On that day, Carla was at the pool as usual, but the atmosphere was strange. She felt a mix of joy and fear, but she went anyway.

She used to film with her phone to do a TikTok live, but that day, something was wrong. It was a Friday, not a Wednesday. Carla was acting strangely, as if she was hiding something. Maybe she decided to change her routine that day, but I knew that wasn't like her. She wasn't the type to put things off, let alone reschedule a pool day. Carla was a brilliant girl who kept her promises and loved helping others. Unfortunately, since she's been gone, my life has become difficult. Every morning, I tell myself I'll never see her again.

The Bond Between Carla and Me

Carla and I weren't just cousins; we were like brother and sister. We grew up together, sharing every important moment in our lives. I still remember our summers at our grandparents' house, laughing until we cried and imagining wild stories, like one about a monster living under the pool. It's ironic, now that I think about it...

We were inseparable. Every weekend, we'd do something together, whether it was going to the movies, hiking, or just spending hours talking about everything and nothing. Carla had a gift for making every moment special. She knew how to lift my spirits when I was down, and she was always there to encourage me in everything I did. In return, I felt responsible for her safety, like an older brother protecting his younger sister.

Carla's death shattered me. She wasn't just a cousin to me; she was my best friend, my support, my confidante. Losing Carla was like losing a part of myself. Since that tragic day, I haven't been the same. I live with this emptiness, this constant pain that reminds me I couldn't protect her that day. And this pain turns into rage, a rage directed at the monster that took her life.

You're probably wondering what happened and who's responsible. What I'm going to tell you goes back to the 1960s, with the first "Aqua Soft" cartoon. This show, intended for children, was created by two brothers. The story featured two close friends: a unicorn and a swimming elephant. The goal was simple: to make children laugh, teach them to swim, and spark their curiosity. But this cartoon was quickly canceled after three seasons of 18 episodes. More than ten children had gone mad because of the unhealthy curiosity it aroused. Under pressure from parents, the brothers destroyed all the episodes; everything that had been drawn and animated was thrown into the sewer.

The most frightening episode was the first of season 2, titled "The Villainous Things Badatouille Did." This highly anticipated episode aired on a Wednesday, like all the others. Badatouille was quietly walking through the forest, picking figs, strawberries, and potatoes. The unicorn asked him to bring back another kilo of strawberries, which he accepted. But that's when everything went wrong. Badatouille began to transform into a monster, destroying leaves, scaring the other animals, even biting another animal's arm until it bled, all to see what was behind a tree. This episode terrified children, and many stopped watching the show, causing a huge financial loss for the creators.

Since then, a legend has emerged: Badatouille would have returned from the shadows. At first, I didn't believe in this story, but maybe I should have, because it may have cost my cousin's life. Since she disappeared, the police have investigated and visited the pool, but what they don't know is that this thing can spread to all other pools. More than 300 people disappeared in the span of one month. The police didn't understand and eventually closed the case.

Now, let's talk about the creature that traumatizes everyone who goes to the pool. I've forbidden myself and my nephews from going without my permission, and only if I accompany them. During family meals, it's hard for me to behave normally. I'm tired, detached from reality, but the remarks from my loved ones no longer affect me. I lost something in myself since I promised to avenge Carla.

Here are the characteristics of this creature:

• It is enormous.
• It can withstand a nuclear bomb.
• It can make a person rot.
• It is extremely perverse in hunting its prey.

You might think there's only one, but in reality, as soon as it enters a pool, it multiplies and turns the place into a nightmare. Unfortunately, we don't know what happens next.

Today, I've become a government soldier, and I'm ready to do anything to find and destroy this monster. It still holds many secrets, like why it takes a human form in a cartoon, why it became black and white. Even if I have to die for her, for what it took from me, I beg you, the next time you go to the pool, be very careful. Since that day, I've named it NOT ANOTHER MINUTE.

Bryan Clornet