431 YEAS OF DEATH: The origin

by Divya Singh

  Devon and I were watching an incredible little green ocean before us, both of us with opened up gaping mouths. Three dwarf steps led me up to the edge of the tank. I was almost blown away by the stormy winds artificially produced by giant fans, probably recreating the stormy ocean effect. I somehow got to balance myself from falling off, partly because Devon held me tight by my arm preventing me from tumbling down. Then I saw over my head was standing Dr. Parker on a platform. I did not get how and when he got there, it hung from above and he could move it by a steering. Parker already spoke too little, and now he was inaccessible to be asked of anything. I could shout but all this noise building up by winds and storms and echoes thereof made my voice inaudible. While Parker held a mike, obviously it was a one way communication now.

  Anyways I gazed back at the tank before me; I could see the water was very shallow a first few feet. But, then the tank bed went steeply deep down creating a simulation of a real ocean bed. But then I noticed, that it was overly covered by slippery blue green algae, while the deepest of the tank was filled with kelp and sea grass. It was strange because now I felt that the smart recreation of oceanic tank went a little too dramatic.

  I did not like so much greenery inside water; it would get it slimy and slippery. Yuck! I said to myself. My thoughts were disrupted by shrill loud noise of the mike, which I soon related to being that of Parker.

  Dr. Parker: “The black clothes at the right corner of the tank are your size. Go put them on. This is what everybody wears for swimming these days.”

  I did as was asked; I put on the stretchable clothes and came back to where I stood earlier. Parker was an expressionless man and wrinkles hid what his face still could show. So I was clueless as to what was coming. Certainly, the artificial atmosphere was a little dreadful and it made me slightly nervous of trying to swim here.

  Dr. Parker: “Step down on the tank floor before you, and zip up the chains well and tight, so that this cloth could cover all the skin including the face. The ocean water outside is highly acidic and so is the tank water. You would not wish to harm your eyes, nose or digestion with highly acidic brackish water. So, cover up the hoodie including the eyes, adjusting the looking frame before them.”

  I was reluctant to cover it up, but I also didn’t know that it was made to cover every bit of my body! I followed parker word by word.

  Dr. Parker: “Don’t worry, acidic water is not directly harmful to human health, but we are not certain of its effect in your special case. So it would be rather wise in your case that you be extra careful of your vulnerability. Now go ahead and take a dip.”

  I stepped into the first shallow tank bed, but could hardly hold my ground because the floor was utterly slippery due to overgrown algae. Water was about two feet high on my body; it was hard to move ahead due to the storm conditions and the extra care I showed in standing my slimy ground, forcing me into movement by violent waves. I shouted out to Parker-

  I yelled: “Why so much Algae?” But he obviously couldn’t hear me in these conditions. I was trying not to frustrate myself.

  Dr. Parker: “You know I can’t hear you. Consider yourself as being on your own now. You have to swim now. Move towards the steeper abyssal floor! If you couldn’t swim this whole tank will empty itself. But it will only happen when you actually fail, as ultimate resort; it is not made to happen when you give up. So it is much like a one way road which you have already plied on.”

  I thought, it just kept getting better and better! Then I suddenly decided to do it, and bring this drama to a quick end. Something had reminded me of fleeting time. All of a sudden, I dived into the abyssal floor of the tank. This wholly physical act had no connection to my mental set up then. All the fear, the reservations and novelty of my new life vanished into oblivion in split of a second. I committed the act like a professional diver. I was sly and quick. Like, I had mastered the art of scuba diving for centuries. All the slimy floor and windy waves had given way to deep water. I thought I loved it. I dived straight into the floor and found myself in a jungle of excessively grown kelp. There was nothing to explore about this artificial tank so I kicked the water down and surged up to the surface. Then I swam freestyle towards the edge where a smiling Devon stood.

  He gave me a hand and pulled me out of the water.

  Devon: “I told you that you were a great scuba diver. While you thought you would not be able to swim. You have even me believing that it might not come to you again. But I remained confident that you were physically so adept to it, that this you will remember as a basic fact of breathing.” I smiled at him. I had another reason to believe in what he said. He had been so true to the point. The tank had transformed me completely. I was this nervous and intimidated person getting affected by the wind, the noise, the grass and the waves. But when I had known that I could swim, I was this confident daring soul.

  Parker has reeled his platform in and came in from the door again. All the fans were turned off. It was all calm now as I began removing the swimsuit.

  Parker: “You did well miss! This much training was enough. The sinking ship vacuum is not necessary as of now. So consider yourself good to go. Now follow me to my office and I will hand you over with necessary equipments for the dive.”

  At his room, he handed me over a new swimsuit; this one was without a hoodie, swim cap, swim fins, snorkels and an oxygen tank. I found it strange that Devon was not given anything while he said that he was also going.

  I asked: “You said you were also going, so why didn’t you pick up any of this stuff? You even did not say a word to Parker.”

  Devon: “I knew of this all in advance so I was prepared already.”

  I said: “You sneaky little puppy!” The statement was followed by a smile on his face. “Hey Dev! Ever thought how strange it has become? I took you in my shelter, became your legal guardian in the last life. When I met you now, how come you are my dad’s age?”

  All he had to say was: “Love won over time, eh?” He was in mood of some fun but I was a little serious and did not smile back.

  I said: “You scare me Devon! You know everything about me. You know me more than me and honestly it scares me. That’s why I behave strange sometimes.”

  Devon: “Try to take your time my friend! Things have changed in all these centuries. We are from a different era just try to learn about this one. I have tried but immensely failed to understand your condition. Dani! I must be sorry; I poured all my feelings over you in haste. I wish that you can forgive me. I am here just for you my angel. I had no dreams of having this kind of life. But I just wanted to be at your side when you needed someone. No, I don’t want one single favor from you. But I just want to make you feel that you are not alone in this future world. Dani, I have seen you suffer all your life and I couldn’t accept the fact that you will have to struggle with loneliness again. So I followed you despite hating cryo thing so much. So I am with you, so please never feel lonely and alone again. I beg this of you.”

  There was a little silence, which instilled trust in me. Trust in his words. Silence was beginning to become comfortable between us now. I had started in trusting his hand he extended towards me for friendship.

  Devon: “So here ma’am is your pet clown at your service! Laugh!” He is trying overmuch in being funny, I let a fake smile out.

  By the end of 3 hours, we were all prepared in advance. I pocketed a knife and carried a closed glass container with me. Devon had carried a backpack kind of thing with tools etc. I had spread the sunblock and it was already beginning to cool my skin.

  I was at the navigation chambers when they decided to anchor the ship a mile before the Marshall Islands even began. The ship stopped sailing and the engineers of the engineering department started moving around as their work of maintenance of the ship had now started.

  We had started our own task of leaving. The Navigator came to us and said-

  The Navigator: “Danielle Spearhead! What are you waiting for? Is all prepared an
d ready to go?”

  I replied: “Yes!”

  The Navigator: “So go to the third floor, there at the stern you will find a number of motor boats. Then rail it down the passage to the outlet on floor zero, now you can easily get it afloat and go on it to the site where you want to dive. The boat’s instruments will show you the depth, salinity, acidity and other necessary parameters. Return when you are done. We will not leave before you return. As the ship’s log of life boat count will not be complete. But I will myself remain at the navigation. So go carefree and best of the luck to both of you!”

  We thanked him and did as he said. It was really easy. We splash touched the boat to the water. We sat on the boat and Devon tried to start its engine. He was pretending to look confident in what he did. But I knew he was seeing that engine for the first time in his life.

  I said: “do you know how to run this thing?”

  Devon: “Ah, yes! Even if not these new age machines are user friendly and easy to operate.”

  I scratched again: “When did you learn driving this boat? Come on Dev we don’t have time for kidding around. Let me see it.” I went ahead and anyhow started the boat somehow after examining it closely and gave it back to him to drive. Although it had mechanical systems but there was a computer operating its main engine. I trusted that he could at least drive it now.

  While he was driving around the boat I turned back to look at our ship. It read ‘Asclepius’ in navy blue color. They had not cared to change that age old painted title. The ship was big white and compact. It showed less what was inside. But from outside it looked more like a submarine. It was submerged below the floor 0, i.e. the navigation floor.

  We were quickly picking up speed and pacing away. I could now see the open dock, the green inverted dome looked mesmerizing from the increasing distance. Devon broke my thought process-

  Devon: “I think we should go far from here, where the water is shallow for snorkeling.”

  I interrupted: “No! We must not miss the sight of the ship. Remember we do not have any communication system, should there be a need.”

  Devon: “But you have brought snorkel and all? But yes I am trying to make a contact with the ship navigation but it is not happening.”

  I suggested: “The Navigator said that he had put the whole ship offline, so that the signals are not intercepted by those on land.”

  Devon: “Ah, I see! That’s why I can’t establish a link here with the ship.”

  I said: “Dev! Here is right. Let’s go diving right here, it must be shallow enough now; also I don’t care about it. The deeper it is the better view we get of the marine life. I can see ship very clearly from here. It is a safe zone.”

  Devon shut the engine down. But we were still drifting, because we both did not know how to anchor it, then I opened a box at the back, I found a sharp anchor like heavy object. I called for Devon to give me a hand, he held that thing and concluded that it was the anchor he was trying to pull it out so that he could drop it to the ocean bed, but the cords wouldn’t uncoil with all the force we applied. Suddenly I found a green knob, I indicated to Devon that it must be something which would release the rest of the anchor, and he now kept the face of the anchor toward the ocean bed directly below, and placed it out of the boat. Now I pressed it, with a gunshot speed it must have hit the sea bed, leaving Devon struggling for keeping his balance. The recoil was hard and powerful, and it was rather large when compared with a gun. We both were stunned for a moment and decided to be more careful with machines from now on.

  Finally we had everything set at its place for the dive. Then I remembered that I had forgotten to wear the shades that Von gave to me. But then I understood that that I was easily looking around without a vision difficulty. Then I glanced at my open hands, I did not feel any skin burning, although it was cloudy and time of 3 pm wouldn’t allow the insolation to be that harsh and direct. Devon by now had dived in with a splash. He came up to the surface and called for me-

  Devon: “Hey Dani! The water isn’t so cold. It is just lovely! Come on now!” he giggled like a kid.

  This really excited me. I took my oxygen tank and attached it, so did I attach fins etc, and also put on goggles. I dived into the water hanging from the boat upside down. Nice and easy. The water looked dark green in the absence of an afternoon sunlight and wasn’t crystal clear as expected. I thought may be a little light would have given a better view of marine life.

  I treaded the water downwards, light reduced as I went deeper. But till now I found no life forms, which I found hard to believe, given the fact that it was a shallow seabed, where life forms should have thrived and overly populated the place. I hoped to see colorful fish and other species but I found nothing. It was a little unacceptable as I had traversed through a lot of water till now, and I must have been near the bed now, although it was deeper than I thought considering that we were close to the archipelago.

  I saw Devon touching some rocks and removing green blue algae from their faces. As I moved deeper I was almost intertwined in the Kelp jungle. I hated slimy green algae surfaces and overgrown kelp which filled the floor and I couldn’t see the floor through it. In my opinion it spoiled the oceanic beauty and presented an ugly contrast to a colorful marine ecosystem. But here it was just this green shamefully grown blue-green and brown algae and sea grass. I saw Devon a few meters below me now trying to pull out something he must have found from behind the rock he was probing, with all his might, with his feet placed on the rock.

  Here I was getting tangled in the kelp jungle like it was engulfing me. Then I thought about the knife I had secured in my pocket. I took it out and chopped away all the kelp in anger. I went near the bed to Devon who was now done with the pulling out. Devon now stared still at the rocks. While, something shiny caught my vision. I Bent over to look at it, it was white, I held it by my hand and tried to pull it out and it was out before me in a second. A little algae had grown on its face, which I rubbed out with my palm.

  Now the letters were clear before my eyes, it read ‘MARSHALL ISLANDS: National Shark Sanctuary’. It was a metal board but it was not heavy. I figured out that the waves and current had washed it away to here. I put its one corner under my belt so that I could take it out with me. Now I felt like looking around was not worthy, as we were just stuck in a kelp jungle which left little place for anything to grow and imparted an overall reduced visibility to the ocean. I gestured to Devon that I wanted to go up now. But he did not understand anything, considering it useless I pushed the water behind to help me float upwards.

  Soon I was near the surface, but suddenly I felt like something stung my right palm from beneath. Then I got stung at various places suddenly, my both palms and cheeks and chin. I was devastated with the strong tingling and itching, I saw little greenish glowing umbrellas and figured out that I was stuck in an endless smack of jelly fish! They were a few inches in dimension and their open stinging tentacles were touching every bit of my open skin my whole face and hands. I got helpless with strong pricks, but soon Devon’s quick and strong hands pulled me away from this hell.

  I didn’t realize how and when I got pulled out on the boat. I lay flat stunned with pricking and tingling. I was itching wildly everywhere.

  Devon: “Oh Damn! Dani you got severely stung on the face and hands. Wait, there must be something to help with jelly stinging.” He searched all over the boat and found a vinegar bottle, it was written ‘Apply on jelly stings after rubbing and scratching the area.’

  Devon told me about it and said-

  Devon: “You have already scratched enough, now this vinegar will deactivate nematocysts in your skin.” He then applied it all over with cotton balls attached at the bottom of the cork.”Now you should wait a little, most of the jelly fish stings are harmless.

  I said: “It already feels better.” In a few minutes the tingling and pricking was gone and I was almost fine. “Yeah I am fine now. Just that I was not ready for such an attack. In fact I a
m happy to have come across some life form other than kelp. Where is all the marine life Dev? You know I found this board…oh no! I lost it in the assault.”

  He shook his head in ignorance. I told him about the shark sanctuary board I had found. Then I suddenly remembered that he was pulling something out in vain, and got curios.

  I asked: “What was that you were pulling out from behind the rock?”

  Devon: “I am not sure, but it looked like an octopus or something. It was dark brown. But I failed to get it out. It was too strong and its grip was fastened to somewhere behind the rocks.”

  I sat up and looked around, as little sun shone to reveal some light into the atmosphere. I saw at the horizons pitch dark clouds had accumulated, only clouds slit opened to allow some direct sun rays. But I did not understand if the stings were causing the burning sensation in my skin or it was sun rays. But soon I forgot about it partly due to mildness thereof and partly because I got inquisitive.

  I asked: “Where is the archipelago? I don’t see any land forms like rocks above the sea surface. Do you?”

  Devon: “No! Your guess is as good as mine. Hey you brought a little container to collect samples; I want to collect jellies in it to understand any ill effects that they might have caused to your health.” He found the container and pulled out little jars out of it. Then, he opened one and bent over the sea surface to collect a jelly fish and fastened the lid back again. We both looked at it.