Ben Archer and the World Beyond

by Rae Knightly

  Kimi helped Jeremy drink from one water bottle and shared the second one with Ben. They gulped down thirstily.

  Ben wondered whether he should tell Kimi about the plan that was forming in his head, but he knew she would object. So, he headed straight into the pitch darkness of night, away from land and followed the ocean current instead.

  By the time the motor sputtered to a stop a couple of hours later, Ben knew he’d reached the place where he needed to be. Not only had he followed the ocean current for several miles to the approximate area of The Gathering, but from what he remembered during his previous connection with the blue whale, there were large container ships in the area.

  The night had cleared up, revealing a half-moon that hung above the horizon.

  Ben grabbed the flare gun, protected his face with his arm and fired at the sky. A bright, red glow arched into the night, waking Kimi with a start. She had fallen into a restless sleep some time ago.

  “What’s going on?” she exclaimed, searching the darkness for rescuers only Ben could see with his mind.

  “It won’t be long now,” Ben said, half to himself.

  “For what?”

  The Gathering…

  He took a deep breath. “We ran out of fuel,” he told her. “But it’s ok. There are ships in the area. They’ll see the distress flare.”

  Kimi searched the darkness, then tensed. “Ben?” she said, turning to him with large eyes. “What are you talking about? There’s nothing out there.”

  Ben forced a smile. “There is. More than you will ever know.” He sucked in air and pointed to his left. “There are container ships there, there, and there. The second one is our best bet. That’s the one I aimed for when I shot the distress flare. You’ll need to repeat the shot every fifteen minutes.”

  “Me? What about you? And how would you know there are ships out there?” She stopped, eyes narrowing. “Wait a minute; you’re up to something again, aren’t you?”

  Ben felt a shudder go down his spine, and he bit his lower lip to give himself courage. He turned so he wouldn’t have to look at her and heaved one of the air tanks over his shoulders. “There’s something I need to do…” he said before straightening and pointing at the lapping waves, “…down there.”

  She paled. “You’re joking, right? Tell me you’re joking.”

  Ben shook his head.

  She flung the towel at him. “Why do you keep doing this?” she yelled. “I hate it when you do this! Did you even think to consult me? Do you think this is some kind of game? It’s your life you’re risking! Don’t you think that matters?” Her nostrils flared. “Because it matters to me!” The words were barely out before she caught herself. She stepped back, visibly shaken, and plopped beside the outboard motor. “Please don’t do it,” she begged, and by the tone of her voice, Ben knew that she understood she had already lost the fight.

  “I won’t be long,” he lied. “Keep sending the distress signal, then wait for me.” He swallowed. “And if I’m not back by the time help arrives, call Mesmo.”

  Kimi pressed her lips into a thin line, crossed her arms over her chest and pretended to ignore him. She did not try to stop him when he sat at the edge of the dinghy but shot him a glare just before he let himself fall backwards into the sea.

  Ouch!

  His body hit the water, and he sank below the surface. The utter gloom turned his stomach to stone, and he almost gave up on his task right then and there. But something unexpected kept him going: Auntie Jen’s warm face. Her words echoed in the darkness, “Is there really such a place as The Edge of the Ocean, where half-moon and sea creatures meet? Perhaps we will never know. Or perhaps you are here to find out.”

  And so, Ben dove deeper and deeper into the ocean realm.

  It was so dark down there that he had to blink to make sure his eyes were open. It was one thing to experience the ocean world through the mind of a blue whale; it was a whole other thing as a human. The whale’s senses gave him a perception that he did not have as a human. If he did not connect to a sea creature soon, his whole mission would fail. He scanned with his mind as far as he could, but not a single soul manifested itself to him. The underworld remained silent.

  They don’t want me!

  The realization hit him. The blue whales had shut him out as soon as they had realized he was a human being.

  They don’t want me at The Gathering.

  Ben tightened his fists, wondering what to do next.

  And then it occurred to him that if they would not let him go to them, then he would have to make them come to him. It was time to test the limits of his skill. Would he be able to vocalize through the water the way the whales had?

  He shut his eyes, willing the alien skill to wake within him. He searched for it within his heart, his blood, his soul. A tingling began at the tip of his fingers. He knew his hands glowed. There was no need to open his eyes to see. Electricity coursed through his body, his ears sang, and his brain burst with activity.

  He remembered the blue whales’ song as they had called the sea creatures across the ocean, and he repeated the notes, one after the other, louder and louder, over and over.

  The reaction was immediate. In a heartbeat, the biggest blue whale connected with him from somewhere below him. His inner vision cleared, darkness evaporated, giving way to hidden valleys and mountains, forests of kelp, distant ships on the surface. Ben was startled to find a shoal of curious fish observe him from not too far.

  But most of all, the biggest whale snapped him to attention.

  How dare you! We told you to leave!

  Ben stood his ground.

  My name is Benjamin Archer, and you will listen to what I have to say.

  He sensed the blue whales’ anger as they emerged from the depths, their shadows growing larger and larger as they approached and surrounded him, for real this time. And it wasn’t only the ten-story-tall mammals, but a myriad of other creatures, ranging from dolphins to sea turtles to bioluminescent phytoplankton. The tiny organisms flickered like millions of blue stars around him.

  Something sharp brushed by him, tossing him into a spin, and black, gleamy eyes told him sharks lurked nearby.

  The silence turned into a cacophony of hissing, bubbling and scratching voices. Unhappy, angry voices.

  Get rid of the two-legged fiend!

  Destroy him!

  Others burst with alarm.

  Hide!

  It’s a trap!

  They will come for us!

  Ben bellowed a single word. SILENCE!

  The clamour died down at once. The gathered sea creatures considered him with a mixture of defiance and fear.

  Ben toned down a notch. He could not afford to lose his audience.

  I ask you to listen to me. Yes, I am a two-legged creature from the world beyond. Yes, I belong to a species that has continuously depleted and hunted you down. I understand your hate and fear of my kind, and it is well-founded.

  Yet, I come here before you, defenceless, to offer you a truce. For I speak your language, and I also speak the language of my kind. Let me be the bridge between our worlds so you can transmit your injustices and requests, so our different species can come to an agreement, and balance can be restored.

  Let me be a tool for you, so you no longer have to flee from us in fear, and your numbers no longer need to decline to a vulnerable level.

  Silence fell over those gathered. The whales remained suspended around him in muted consideration. Sharks circled below his feet.

  Ben insisted.

  Let me help restore the natural balance that humans have broken. I can do that for you if you will let me.

  One of the blue whales retaliated.

  Why would you do anything for us? You are no better than the others of your kind.

  A flutter of agreement reached Ben’s mind.

  Ben insisted: Then do it for me. I am a child from the world beyond. I do not wish to live in a world where you no longer exist. You mus
t take this step and connect with my kind, through me, so my children and my grandchildren may know you.

  A passing sea turtle slid by Ben’s head and spoke with scorn. Your kind will never listen to us.

  Ben tried to be conciliatory. You are right: many will turn their backs or refuse to listen, but is it not our duty to try?

  One of the whales swung its tail in annoyance. Enough!

  Craning his neck upward, Ben saw the outline of the whale’s head, meaning dawn was approaching. Its voice was far from amicable.

  We have let you speak, and now it is you who will listen. We have long considered disappearing to a place where your kind cannot find or reach us, and wait for the era of mankind to perish. Your offer is interesting. It is different, yet useless, nonetheless. You are but one child. What could one child do for the realm of the sea?

  A new wave of agreement rotated around those present. Ben’s stomach knotted. He was losing the debate, and losing was not an option. He clenched his jaw.

  And you are but one whale! Yet you were a child, too, once. And here you are, today, leading The Gathering, surrounded by your followers. What would The Gathering be without you?

  SLAM!

  A shark knocked him so hard in the shoulder that his sight blurred. Angry shouts assailed his thoughts.

  Ben grabbed his shoulder and blinked stinging tears from his eyes. The alien skill was to the point, all right, but jeepers! His diplomatic skills were in dire need of an upgrade.

  He tried to come up with something smart to say, but it didn’t help that his mask was askew, and his arm throbbed.

  The sea creatures toyed with him, biding their time.

  Waiting for a signal to attack!

  The animals were becoming more defined. The sun would rise soon. There were so many of them closing in on him. He had to keep trying.

  Why do you reject an opportunity to make things better? Why won’t you let me transmit your plight to my kind? If humans heard your voice and understood you better, we could learn to live side-by-side. If you would only listen to the rest of my message…

  It was useless. He sensed it as he probed the blue whale’s mind from a safe distance. He hadn’t made a single dent in their resolve. Humans were not worthy of sea creatures’ attention. And Ben still belonged to humankind.

  The whale confirmed his worst fear.

  The Gathering has decided. You do not belong here. You and your kind have removed themselves from life’s natural balance. You must now face the consequences, whatever they may be.

  Life’s natural balance: to eat or be eaten. Ben numbed. His voice sounded weak.

  You are making a mistake.

  The whales receded, making way for the sharks.

  Ben turned, the predators circled him, closing in.

  The first rays of sunlight pierced the ocean, and Ben wondered if Kimi was up there, somewhere, waiting for him. Would he make it to the surface in time, if he swam really hard? He didn’t think so.

  The bioluminescent phytoplankton faded away, and the blue whales broke the connection with him, leaving him in semi-darkness. The sharks circled like shadows on the edge of his mind.

  I should have listened to Mesmo.

  Had Mesmo not warned him about diving on his own? How strange, to be thinking about the alien man’s disappointment while he was about to get ripped apart.

  Then an unusual star descended towards him. Unusual, because it was red in colour. He had never seen a red star before. Another star appeared to his left, and another to his right, briefly startling the sharks away from him. Two of the red lights passed him by and continued into the depths. But the first one stopped by his face. The red flare was held by a hand that belonged to a person with a diving mask, topped with long, black hair.

  Kimi!

  She extended her hand to him.

  Ben reached out.

  An animal, much larger than the sharks, entered his field of vision, speeding towards them.

  Too late!

  Kimi whirled towards the creature, making no attempt to escape.

  Ben’s eyes widened. A scream formed in his throat.

  The huge creature burst before them, stopping at the last second. You will leave these children alone!

  Ben almost fainted. Kana’kwa?

  The black and white orca spoke. Yes, Benjamin Archer. I came as soon as I could. Are you all right?

  Ben’s arms and legs weakened with relief. I am now!

  Kana’kwa’s pod arrived and circled them, while she remained close to the teenagers. She addressed the sea creatures, who observed the new developments from a safe distance. Any creature intent on hurting these human children will have to go through me.

  The five whales sang in disapproval. The Gathering has decided against them. Who are you to defy us?

  Kana’kwa insisted. This child saved my pod and me. We would not be here were it not for him. Yes, humans caused our beaching, but it is also a human who saved us. The beings from the world beyond can be our downfall, but they can also be our lifeline. And I choose to pledge myself to them.

  The biggest whale bellowed. You are too late, Kana’kwa. A consensus has been reached regarding this particular child. You will move aside or share his fate.

  CHAPTER 23 The Message

  Jeremy woke to the sound of seagulls. The bright morning sunlight stabbed his eyes, and the swaying boat brought churning sensations to his stomach.

  If only it would stop! That up and down motion of the boat. Up and down, up and down.

  His insides heaved. He crawled to the side of the boat, leaning over to empty his stomach, only to find there was nothing left to expel.

  “I hate boats!” he lamented to whoever would listen.

  Except there was no one there.

  He glanced around through cracked eyelids and stared at a seagull that landed on the outboard motor.

  It squawked at him.

  “What are you looking at?” Jeremy demanded. He stared at it with one arm hanging over the side of the dinghy, his hand dangling in the water, and racked his brain to figure out how he had gotten here. But his thoughts floated around like jelly.

  The seagull squawked again.

  “Yeah, yeah, I heard y…” Jeremy began, then gave up because the bird took flight. He stared after it, annoyed at having been ignored, then realized an impressive amount of birds were flying overhead. Didn’t that mean there was land nearby?

  He glanced over the side of the boat and froze.

  The sea churned and bubbled like boiling water. Multiple shadows moved below the surface, bathed in bright blue light.

  Why is there a bright blue light under the water?

  He stared blankly at the phenomenon, figuring he must be experiencing a hallucination. He pinched himself, but the weird event continued.

  A large fin broke the surface, making him yell. He pulled his hand out of the water and sprang to his feet, planting himself firmly in the middle of the dinghy.

  Dolphin… It’s just a dolphin!

  His hands trembled with relief. Boy, was he glad it hadn’t been anything more dangerous, because the mere act of standing had almost sent his stomach to his throat again.

  Seagulls swept by his head, bypassing the churning blue water as if something had startled them. Jeremy turned and gawked.

  There was something on the horizon. Something that was approaching. A wave? A storm?

  He leapt to the outboard motor, feverishly trying to start it. But the engine spurted and went dead.

  He blinked, searching in vain for something – anything – that would save him, then spotted something under a pile of towels. He reached for it and fished out his waterproof bag. Pulse quickening, he unzipped it and stared inside.

  My camera!

  Feeling like a toddler who had just found a long-lost toy, Jeremy took the camera lovingly out of the bag, held his breath and turned towards the mysterious tsunami that was heading his way. If these were going to be his last moments, he w
ouldn’t go down without taking at least one picture.

  * * *

  Below the surface, Ben sensed the coming of new sea animals before he could see them. A clamour of voices reached his mind, and before he could react, an avalanche of creatures broke into The Gathering, swirling and dancing above, around and below them, causing havoc and confusion.

  Kimi grabbed Ben’s arm so hard he winced, pain shooting to his shoulder.

  He watched in awe as diamond-shaped creatures dove between those gathered, splitting up groups and clearing the way for Ben and Kimi.

  One of them stopped before the teens, and they stared at the giant manta ray that could have embraced them in its massive pectoral fins. This leader spoke with authority.

  You will not touch these children. Not until you have heard what I have to say.

  The swarm of manta ray that had just reached The Gathering slowed and hovered like flat spacecraft around the teens.

  We have travelled a long way. We do not enjoy these cold waters. Yet it was necessary for us to come to The Gathering and confirm the orca’s words.

  A small manta ray, the size of a dinner plate, appeared next to the leader. It glided towards Ben and let him touch it. The leader continued:

  This human child saved my grandson from certain death. Yes, my grandson was trapped in human garbage, yet it is also this human who saved him after our coral reef was destroyed. Only humans can undo the mistakes they have made. Do not be fooled. Hiding is not an option. Garbage will follow us to the depths of the ocean and suffocate us. Our survival depends on our capacity to face the humans from the world beyond, and this child can speak for us. Never before has a human spoken our language. This is our only opportunity. There will be no other. And so, for better or worse, we must accept his offer.

  A lingering silence followed.

  Ben forgot to breathe as The Gathering reconvened.

  Then, out of the corner of his mind, he sensed the blue whales returning, the sharks moving away, the orcas and dolphins spreading out around him.

  He glanced at Kimi and saw fear and wonder reflected in her eyes. He reached out his hand through the myriad of sparkling plankton and took hers, squeezing it in reassurance. Then they turned and faced the creatures of the ocean together.