Miles Deep

Foto: Shutterstock

A man in a mini submarine. More than three thousand meters deep, floating 5 meters above the seafloor. It is pitch black outside. Nothing to see beyond the range of the sub's headlight.

His eyes scan the seabed. He sees some yeti crabs, a glowing jellyfish, and sands, lots of sand.

His submarine now almost touch the seafloor. He keeps going around. Looking for some sea creatures.

Foto: Shutterstock

Then suddenly, he hears a knock. Two times actually. As if someone did it from outside.

"Must be rocks or something," he said to himself. Then he keeps going for a while.

But the knockings. It's happening again. Two times just like earliers. He instinctively stops the sub.

He peeks at the window. Thinking it might be a big fish or something poking at his sub. Though in the end, he sees nothing.

Being alone in the dark, especially 3.000 meters deep in the cold depth of the sea make your mind kind of funny. It makes you think, somehow, you're not alone. Moreover if you hear a knock or two, which might be the last thing you imagine happening at the moment.

So he tried to ignore what just happened. He contact his team on the surface through radio. Making some small talks. Trying to get his mind under control.

BANG! BANG!

The knockings. It is now become loud bangings. Now he knows for sure. He is not alone down there.

"What the hell was that?" says his team mate.

"I don't know. At first I was thinking maybe a big fish poke the sub. Now I'm not so sure."

"Jesus, you okay though?"

"Define okay."

"Your pulse skyrocketed. Your blood pressure is of the roof."

"Then why bother asking. I'm thousands meter and something just tried to attack me. Of course I'm shocked."

"Okay, okay listen to me. Calm down. You're in the sub. Whatever it is, it can't get you."

He is not convinced. What if it's a colosal squid and it mistakes the sub for being its prey. The sub can only withstand so much pressure. And it is currently at its maximum depth.

But something that big. He should've seen it by now. The thing is, he saw nothing.

"Hello? Hello? Do you copy?"

"Huh? What? Sorry I wasn't following," he said.

"Take a deep breath. Close your eyes. You need to relax," his team mate trying to calm him down.

So he closed his eyes and take a deep breath.

"Good, good. Keep doing it. Your vitals are getting better."

Knock.. knock...

And there it is again. The knockings. But this time the sound come straight from in front of him. It's from the window.

He senses danger. By instinct, his eyes that were shut are forced open.

And right there, in front of him, something --someone, standing. Staring him with its all white eyes, grinning, showing its all black sharp teeth. A human figure with blueish skin, knocking the window again, and again, while staring him right into his soul.

Now he knows what has been knocking the sub. Yet he can't speak a damn word. His body froze. His team mate tried to talk to him but the words simply didn't reach him.

Then all of a sudden, everything went dark for him. He passed out.

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Beep. Beep. Beep.

Oxygen level in his sub is now critical. It is at 8 percent. If he wants to get up there alive, he has to get up. Now.

Luckily the sound of the sub equipments beeping and buzzing is enough to wake him up.

"Jacob, do you copy? Jacob? Please respon," his team mate voice begin to break.

"I hear you, Suki. Loud and clear," says Jacob weakly.

"Finally! Guys he's okay!" says Suki to the others.

"What the fuck happened to you? You've gone dark for almost two hours. Your oxygen level must be critical by now."

"Damn right, Suki. I'm at 8 --7 percent now."

"You need to resurface. Right now. Then we talk about what happened to you on your way up."

"Okay, okay, let me just press a few buttons and adjust a couple things."

"My God Jacob, you had us worried sick up here."

"Suki, listen. There is someone --something down here."

"Jacob focus on restarting the sub. Talk later. It is a long way back up here."

"Yes but listen. I am not alone. There is someone. Outside."

"What the fuck do you mean, Jacob? You sure you're not seeing things?"

"Suki, I just woke up from passing out. I passed out for a reason and that is from a shock because I saw things that is not supposed to be out there."

"Okay, okay Jacob, I believe you. But please. Get up here. Right now."

Jacob then start his ascend. The first few meters went smoothly. Until the sub stop. It feels like it's anchored to something.

"What the fuck..." Jacob whispers audibly.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The thing... it smashes the window furiously. Then a crack begin to appear.

"Jacob?? Jacob?? What happened???" says Suki.

"I'm fucking dead, Suki. I am fucking de--" the sound become radio static. Suki tries to reach Jacob, but there is no response.