Suspending Reality

by Chrissy Peebles

  Jack leaned in, his arm brushing mine. “Aren’t those New Zealand’s “living lights”?”

  “Looks like it. Do you think that’s where we are?”

  He shook his head. “Could be, but it’s over a thousand miles away.”

  “Living lights?” asked Mike. “Dude, are you saying those lights are alive?”

  “Yep.” Jack nodded and motioned with his hand. “Millions of little, glowing worms, courtesy of the fungus gnat.”

  And with my luck, a big fat one would fall off and land on my head, a new friend dropping in to say hello. The thought made my stomach squeamish, and now I might hurl.

  “Glowing maggots, huh?” asked Mike, who didn’t seem fazed in the slightest. “They’re pretty cool. Got to admit, nature puts on one heck of a light show.”

  I clung to Jack, watching the shadows dance and flicker on the dark limestone. I tried to swallow the sudden knot in my throat. “No, they’re not cool. It means they’re what’s causing the dim light, not moonlight.” I took a deep breath, my heart racing. “What if we’re stuck here?”

  Jack gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. “There has to be a way out…and we’re going to find it. Besides, glowworms have to eat insects like moths and mayflies to survive, so they have to be able to come and go. So don’t look so sad. This is good news. All we need to do now is find their point of entry.”

  I glided forward, using long strokes. “Okay, then let’s go find ourselves an exit out of this giant bug hotel.”

  “Wait a sec. What’s wrong with the water?” Jack frowned, his eyes darting to and fro, as he jerked his hand back. “It’s changed colors three times.”

  I scooped up the brown water and watched it trickle through my fingers. There was nothing wrong with it as far as I could see. I wouldn’t be drinking it anytime soon since it looked somewhat like rusty punch, but apart from that, it seemed as good as any other.

  “A little mud never hurt anyone,” said Mike.

  I focused my gaze on the brown water when it suddenly turned purple. My hand flew to my mouth. “Look! Are you guys seeing this? I swear it changed right before my eyes.”

  “Dude!” Mike’s jaw dropped as his eyes flew wide open.

  Jack laughed and slapped him on the back. “I told you! We didn’t notice it before because we were so occupied with each other and the ceiling, and the colors really weren’t that noticeable.”

  “There it goes again!” Mike couldn’t stop staring at the strange phenomenon. “Whoa. Now it’s green. Weird, huh?”

  When the surface turned orange, Jack let out a gasp. “No way! The colors are switching like every twenty or thirty seconds. What kind of place is this?”

  The words remained frozen in my throat. I could only shake my head in shared disbelief.

  Mike swirled his hands back and forth through the multicolored sea. “This is crazy stuff, man.”

  “There’s got to be a logical explanation.” Jack struggled for words. I knew he was never comfortable with things he couldn’t easily explain. He fidgeted with the buckles of the life jacket. “Maybe it’s the bioluminescent glow of algae reflecting through the water.”

  “Like the blue algae I swam with in Puerto Rico?” I asked.

  “Exactly,” answered Jack.

  I cocked an eyebrow. “That doesn’t make any sense. The water there didn’t change colors.”

  Mike nodded. “Yeah, she’s right. I saw the vacation pics. Maybe it’s best not to be so obsessed with cause and effect, Jack. You sound just like that chick Pam I dated last month. She had to have an explanation for everything.”

  “Pam? Hmm. Name doesn’t ring a bell.” Jack paused for a moment. “But then again, there’re so many of them that I can’t keep up.”

  Jack was right. Mike had a beautiful girl hanging on his arm practically every week. I wondered how I could ever compete with that.

  “C’mon! Let’s find a way out of here.” I took the lead and swam through the large limestone room, followed by Mike and Jack.

  Mike cocked his head to the left. “Hey, I think I see an opening. See that, Jack?”

  He craned his neck and looked. “Nah. That’s only a shadow, man.”

  I rounded a corner and stopped, gazing across the vast space, past clusters of towering stalagmites. Through a jagged opening high in the rock wall, I noticed something peculiar. Not one but two suns glowed in the sky. The rays pushed through the dark clouds. Did I swallow too much salt water, causing me to hallucinate? I gripped a rough rock formation until my knuckles turned white. The hairs on the back of my neck rose. “Jack! Mike! Come quick!”

  Jack was the first to appear from around the bend. With powerful strokes, he swam toward me. “What is it? Did you find a way out?”

  “Maybe. Look, there’s an opening!” I pointed straight ahead, across the giant room, at the long, narrow gap hundreds of feet above us. “I think I just found the bug door in this joint.”

  His eyes widened. “That’s awesome!”

  “Look closer,” I said.

  Jack sucked in a deep breath. “What the—”

  Mike started forward, and then swung back. “Twin suns? No freakin’ way!”

  “I think it’s safe to say this isn’t New Zealand.” My stomach fluttered, but my gaze didn’t waver from the two suns across the horizon.

  Jack paused for a moment before he continued. “This is just a phenomenon that makes it seem like there are two suns in the sky. You’re actually looking at two luminous spots caused by the bending of light, that’s all.”

  I rubbed my eyes. “Are you sure? It’s just an optical illusion?”

  “Yep. It’s called a “sundog” or “mock sun”. Incoming sunlight is bent at just the right angle and passes through a thin layer of ice crystals in our atmosphere. It’s best seen at dawn or dusk when the sun’s near the horizon.”

  “Glowing algae and mock suns?” asked Mike. “Well, I think both of your theories are lame, especially the second one. Ice crystals would mean snow, and we’re not in Alaska. I know you’re a genius, but this time you’re wrong, Einstein.”

  Jack’s gaze narrowed. “Got a better way to explain the freaky water and two suns?”

  “Easy, dude,” he said. “Don’t you get it? None of this can be explained.”

  I had to agree with Mike. Jack was the smartest person I’d ever met, but his explanations didn’t make any sense…especially the mock sun. We were in the boiling hot tropics, not at the North Pole.

  “Never mind.” Jack’s forehead wrinkled, and his dark eyebrows bunched. “We’ve got more important things to worry about, like how we’re going to scale that wall.”

  I had no idea how we’d climb that high. If we could only find notches in the wall, we might have a chance. “We’ll figure something out.” Through the hole, a blur of green caught my eye. I blinked. In the far distance, lush green mountains sharpened into focus. I smiled, my heart pounding like a jackhammer. It was the miracle I’d been praying for. Emotion overwhelmed me as I pointed a trembling finger. “LAND!”

  Mike shook my shoulder. “Where?”

  “Look…there’re mountains way off to the left,” I said.

  He did a double-take and threw his arms up. “Woo hoo!”

  Squinting, Jack tilted his head. “Oh yeah! I see them now.”

  We laughed and hugged, Mike’s arms tightening around my waist, his face pressing into the soft spot at the nape of my neck.

  “Well, what’re we waiting for?” I asked. “Let’s swim across to the other side and check out that wall. My fingers are shriveling up like prunes.” I disconnected our embrace, and with a lunge forward, pushed off the cave wall with both legs, my arms cutting through the green water.

  “Wait for us!” called Jack from behind.

  Mike said goodbye in his usual dramatic fashion. “Twinkle on, glowworms, twinkle on!”

  I sped across the water to the far end of the cave and lifted my gaze. The gap was unreachable. We’d have to cl
imb up a sheer vertical wall towering hundreds of feet above the surface of the water. There was no way we could do it without killing ourselves.

  We all exchanged a look before Mike broke the silence. “I can do it.” He flashed me his trademark cocky smile.

  I prayed he could, but deep down, I knew he just wanted an excuse to pull a crazy stunt.

  Jack’s gaze swept over the ceiling and the wall. “With the proper equipment, maybe, but right now, it’s a suicide mission. The last time I checked, you weren’t Spiderman.”

  “Yeah, what’re you going to do?” I asked, half-smirking. “Get a radioactive spider to bite you? We’ll just have to find another way.” It might’ve helped if I’d thought to bring along a Mount Everest climber’s guide.

  Movement broke the stillness of the lavender water. Tiny bubbles popped and then disappeared. I leaned forward and peered into the ocean. Something glistened and swirled beneath the surface. “Did you see that?”

  “Oh yeah, baby!” Mike slipped out of his life jacket as his voice brimmed with excitement. “Maybe I can wrestle with a giant squid.”

  I slapped his arm playfully. “Focus. Don’t let your imagination run wild again.”

  “I’m kidding,” he said. “It could be fish, and if that’s the case, they’ve got to come from somewhere. Maybe we can swim our way out of here like frogmen.”

  I pushed back a long strand of hair from my eyes and heaved a sigh. “We’re not trained Navy SEALs, but I see your point.”

  “It’s a great idea,” said Jack. “I’m onboard.”

  I nodded. “Me too. Let’s go for it. Mike, you lead the way.”

  He threw up a hand. “Wait. When did you two learn to free dive?”

  Jack’s brow furrowed. “We didn’t, but—”

  “Then it’s settled.” Mike’s mouth stretched into a wide smile. “Since I’m the one who can hold my breath for five minutes, I’ll go search for an underwater way out.”

  I had been cut from synchronized swimming last year. I let out a sigh at the remembrance of that embarrassing situation. But come on! It was gymnastics, aerobics, and ballet all combined in one, requiring strength, flexibility, and precise timing all while holding your breath—and smiling too. I sucked underwater big time and would certainly be of no use to Mike.

  Jack cut into my thoughts. “Mike’s right. He’s the most experienced one outta all three of us. He should go.” Jack spun in the water to face Mike. “No crazy stunts, okay?” He slapped him on the back. “Be careful and hurry back, bro.”

  Mike pointed to himself and laughed. “Me? Pull a crazy stunt?” He playfully rolled his eyes. “Never.”

  They laughed and traded fist bumps.

  My gaze connected with Mike’s. “I hate it when you disappear underwater for long periods of time, especially now with all of this going on.” I pointed around me. “We don’t know where we are. What if it’s not safe?”

  “Don’t worry,” said Mike, scoping out the water as if he had some kind of brilliant plan playing out in his head. He probably imagined himself riding out of there hanging on to the dorsal fin of a whale, and I knew I hadn’t signed up for that excursion. Dolphins, yes, but a fish as big as a submarine? Maybe not so much.

  Mike gave me a quick hug and pushed his floating life jacket toward me. “Hang on to this for me, okay? And try not to look so sad. This isn’t goodbye. Besides, what could possibly go wrong?”

  “You want a list a mile long?” I retorted.

  He smirked, then took several large breaths before one giant gulp, and dove under the water with a splash.

  I called after him, my voice anxious. “Mike, no!”

  A trail of bubbles trickled to the surface. Watching his toned, tanned body disappear deeper, I pressed my lips into a grim line. “We should go with him.” I peered at Jack, waiting for an answer.

  “Listen, we’d only get in the way. Mike’s our best chance at finding a way out.”

  I stared at Mike’s empty life jacket bobbing in the ripples. “What if the water changes to a dark color? He’ll be as blind as a mole, a bat, and a sea cucumber all put together.”

  His gaze fixed on me. “It’ll only be for thirty seconds. If anybody can do this, it’s Mike. Remember, he’s a skilled free diver. He’s been diving on one single gulp of air for how many years now?”

  I hoped he was right, but somehow Jack’s reassuring words failed to convince me. I slumped on a nearby rock and closed my eyes, waiting for Mike to resurface. The seconds trickled slowly by. By the time the five minutes had passed, I couldn’t stop fidgeting with the hem of my life jacket. The surface remained undisturbed, not a ripple or a bubble in sight. Where is he? I pushed off the rock and peered into the water. “Do you think he’s all right?”

  Confidence shone in Jack’s weary face. “Caves can have lots of chambers. Maybe he’s found one.”

  I clutched my yellow vest, my heart racing. I tried to think positively, but it wasn’t an easy task. What if he got lost, or there’s been a cave-in right on top of him? Even worse, what if he’s run out of air?

  “Hey, can you guys hear me?” Mike’s voice echoed from the other side of the cave wall. “Are you two ready to make a prison break? I can see land, and it’s—wow!—you’re not going to believe it! It’s awesome.”

  “Whoo Hoo!” shouted Jack. “Mike, you rock!”

  I smiled, and the tears welled up all over again. “He’s okay, and he found a way out.”

  Jack’s blue eyes lit up as he grinned. “This is the best news ever!”

  I cupped my hands like a megaphone and directed my voice toward the gap high in the rock. “Fantastic! You did it. Catch your breath and hurry back.” I smiled even bigger as Jack’s arms wrapped around my waist and spun me in the deep water.

  Minutes passed before Mike emerged with a gasp. Letting out the biggest sigh of relief, I threw my arms around him and relaxed in his embrace. His risk had definitely paid off. He sucked in mouthfuls of air and caught his breath. His green eyes bulged underneath the disheveled mess of blond hair.

  Meeting his gaze, I asked, “What’s it like down there?”

  “All I can say is…wow! The water turned crystal clear, and I saw everything—I mean everything! There were tropical fish, these cool-looking sponges, twisted rocks, amazing coral beds, and—”

  Jack laughed. “Slow down, slow down. You’re talking a million miles an hour.”

  I loved seeing Mike so excited, especially since he’d found a way out. “Sounds neat.”

  He flashed his trademark smile. “It’s awesome! There’re colors down there that Crayola crayons has never even invented! And there’re all kinds of fish I’ve never seen before in my life.” He gave my hand a squeeze and then clapped Jack on the shoulder. “C’mon, guys. I found a hole about two minutes away. There’s an air pocket halfway if you need it.”

  I gripped his hands tightly. “Are you sure? I can only hold my breath for a minute. What if I pass out?”

  Mike grinned. “Hmm. In that case, I guess I’ll have to carry you out the rest of the way and give you CPR on the surface.”

  “Wouldn’t you love that?” said Jack.

  “I won’t be loving it so much if I have to suck your face too,” shot back Mike.

  Jack gagged. “Gross.”

  Mouth-to-mouth CPR? Well, that would be one way of getting Mike’s affection. It sounded like a brilliant plan, minus the passing out part. I didn’t want to spend another minute in that cave. “Okay, let’s do this thing.” I slipped off my life jacket, and Jack followed suit.

  The water changed to sky blue as Mike turned toward us. “On the count of three. One…two…three!”

  I took a long, deep breath and ducked my head under the water.

  Mike held my hand, and we dove deeper under a rocky curtain into a gigantic subterranean chamber. The visibility there was awesome. The high walls were beautifully decorated in a kaleidoscope of marine life; from clusters of colorful anemones to large sponge
s, coral, and starfish. Thick carpets of strawberry anemones covered the bottom, and Jurassic-sized sea fans swayed in the current, like branches in the wind. I noticed every light and shadow and thought how wonderful they would look captured on canvas.

  I grinned at passing tropical fish in startling reds, blues, greens, and yellows. There had to be zillions of them. My eyes opened wide as I noted their sparkling appearance, complex patterns, and vibrant coloration. The spots, stripes, and shapes were all different. I couldn’t identify most of them. Have we discovered some new, unknown species?

  Mike’s blond hair flowed out, waving back and forth to the rhythm of the sea. A stream of bubbles came out of his mouth as he smiled, his eyes wide. He picked up a huge stingray measuring at least five feet across, from wingtip to wingtip. Mike tugged my arm and pointed directly above them to a swirling hole.

  Good. It must be the halfway point where I can catch my breath. I reached out and touched the gentle giant as it swam out of Mike’s hands and disappeared into the sandy sea bottom. Too cool! It felt soft and slimy, like a big, wet Portobello mushroom. I resurfaced in a large air pocket and gasped for air.

  Leaning back against the hard rock, Mike asked, “You guys doing okay?”

  I kept my arm raised so my head wouldn’t hit the sandy-colored and white marbled roof that looked like melted candle wax. “I’m doing good, thanks.” No way was I going to admit fear. Besides, I was an adventurous girl who was willing to try anything—at least once. “Jack, are you alright?”

  He nodded and said between breaths, “This place…it’s incredible…the colors…the fish…” He let out a soft groan and turned away.

  I touched his shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

  “I cut my leg on one of the stalagmites, but it’s no biggie.”

  “Oh, man, sorry you got nailed,” said Mike. “You okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine. I shouldn’t have swam so close.” Jack’s voice echoed in the small, confined place.

  “Especially since I left the needle and thread at home,” I said, trying to distract his pain with humor.

  “You sew about as good as I do painting portraits in your art studio,” he retorted with a smile.