Pressure

by Betsy Reavley

  Once in the control room I close the door and sit in the gloom, staring out into the black water knowing that I am going to die a killer and no one will ever know what took place down here.

  Leaning back in the chair I look around at the dials and control panel and wish there were a magic button that could take me to the surface and away from this place of horrors.

  As I flop back into my chair something catches my eye. In a small box up high I see the word SOS written in white on the glass front of a box.

  Standing up, I make a fist and break the glass to remove the box. Inside I find three flares and a flare gun. It makes me laugh. Breaking into hysterical laughter I double over, still holding the rescue equipment. The irony isn’t lost on me.

  I don’t cry often but I can’t stop myself and after letting it all out I feel tired and close my eyes. I’m going to rest now. There isn’t anything else left to do and as I close my eyes I quickly start to slip into a sleep. Somewhere in the background I hear a faint crackle. It sounds like a radio and I welcome the dream that promises to drag me under. I hear it again, the crackling sound, and open one eye.

  Crrrkkk, crrrrrkkkkk.

  I am sitting bolt upright and my eyes are open wide now.

  Crrrrrkkkkk. Crrrkk. Crrrrkkk.

  The noise is coming from the radio.

  ‘Hello, hello?’ I yell into the microphone. ‘Is anyone there?’ It falls silent again. I hit the microphone with the palm of my hand. ‘Hello?’

  Crrrrkkkk. Crrrrrkkkkk.

  ‘This is The Pica Explorer. Can you hear me?’ I choke on my hope. The quiet is unbearable.

  ‘This… crrrrrkkkk… I crrkkkkk… SAS crrrkkkkk.’ I’ve never been so happy to hear something so unintelligible.

  ‘Yes! Yes. I’m down here!’ My voice cracks just like the radio.

  Crrrrkkkk. Then there is a long squeal from the radio before I am plunged back into silence again.

  ‘Hello?’ Talking into the microphone, I long to hear another voice again but there is no response. ‘Hello!’ I scream. ‘Hello, hello, hello! Is there anyone there?’

  After a few moments of total quiet I get up and I start to punch the buttons on the panel in front of me repeatedly until my knuckles split. I hate this submarine.

  Crrrkkkk. I freeze, wanting to hear the sound again.

  Crrrrrkkkkkk.

  ‘Come in, crrrkkkkk,’

  ‘Yes, yes, hello.’ I hold the microphone as close to my mouth as I can.

  ‘What is your position? Repeat, what is your position? Crrrkkkk.’ The sound of the man’s voice is like music to my ears.

  ‘Repeat, crrrrrkkkkkkkk, what, ccrrrrrk, is your position?’

  Hanging my head, I allow myself a smile.

  Crrrrrkkkk.

  ‘Pica Explorer, come in crrkkk, this is crrkkkk… what is your position?’

  Leaning over the mic I look out into the black water.

  ‘I don’t know.’

  THE END

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  Acknowledgments

  I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge that this is a strange book. It asks that you stretch your imagination and remove yourself from reality and I accept that this may not please some of you for that reason, but I wanted to delve into fiction in its purest form. This is the result.

  Having said that, every novel I’ve written has always been inspired, one way or another, by real-life events, often reported in the news and this story was inspired by the tragic real-life events that saw an Argentinian submarine disappear with forty-four people on board. The thought of being trapped on board a vessel at the bottom of the ocean filled me with fear. That was the birth of this
book.

  I would like to take this opportunity to thank people who have helped make this book possible.

  Firstly, thanks to Emma Pullar for her insight on a difficult subject. Les Morris for his unending knowledge about submarines. Andrew Barrett for his advice on decomposition. To my wonderful BETA readers – Anita Waller, Emma Pullar, Mark Tilbury and my mother. You all helped to tighten this novel and I am forever grateful.

  A special mention for Alexina Golding who BETA read the book and used her eagle eye to help improve the narrative.

  To Clare Law who always manages to polish my work so that it is readable.

  For my children who put up with me and my husband who encourages and forces himself to read my books, even when he is up to his eyeballs with work. To Sarah Hardy who does a wonderful job arranging the publicity and Sumaira Wilson who, with her magic hands, has the ability to turn a Word document into a real-life book.

  For all the bloggers who take time out of their busy lives to help promote the writers they love, I take my hat off to you.

  To Susan Hunter who is a wonderful woman and I would like to mention her just because I can!

  To the amazing people who run book clubs, libraries and online groups, and who have a passion for reading, you make it all worthwhile.

  Finally, I’d like to thank Amazon and all the Kindle readers out there for giving me the career of my dreams.

  Anything is possible. Dedicated to the families and the forty-four crew members of The ARA San Juan, which disappeared without a trace on November 15th 2017.