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Beneath Crimson Waves: Part 1
🕑 Added 2023-02-10 03:13:00 +0000 UTCFor fun, I have started posting a little bit of my work over on Royal Road in the last week or so. Occasionally, I will likely be sharing other stories, or even writing new stories for that site. The site is free to read on and to sign up for, and I can assure you that there are some amazing authors over there even if they discourage blatantly adult content (Pornographic) on the site.
The first chapter of a story below is one such story I intend to post there and will be continued over there in coming weeks. Give a like over on Royal Road if you'd like to see more since that's what I'll be using to gauge interest in the story. And a like on this post if you'd like me to share over here whenever I write something.
PS: Authors would sell their souls for reviews over on Royal Road, it helps to boost their stories into the trending tabs and such, which in turn helps generate more attention for their work. If you like anything I wrote over there, I'd really love it if anyone wanted to take the time to drop a review.
With all of that said, hope you all enjoy the story!
Beneath Crimson Waves
Part 1: Descent
Day 1
1700 Hours
The submarine; intended to hold ten, is more than a little crowded by it's twelve passengers.
Less than half way into their descent, the air has already started to smell stale, with more than a hint of sweat and fear. Every breath seems somehow worse then the last.
A nervous looking man wearing thick glasses slides his hand over his pale face and takes a deep breath for perhaps the tenth time in as many minutes. His skin looks clammy as he chews a stick of bubblegum.
Across from him a petite young girl sits with her feet on her seat, a laptop computer balanced on her knees and headphones over her ears. If you listen closely, you can just hear the heavy metal music playing. A smattering of freckles are barely noticeable across her caramel skin.
Meanwhile a group of four people, three men and one woman, and each having an air of danger about them, huddle in the back of the passenger space talking softly between themselves. All three men look like they would be right at home in any gym, yet the girl looks right in place among them.
Huddled close together is a couple, the man's arm around a woman who looks half his age. The woman holding his hand with one of hers while idly turning the wedding ring on his finger. On her own finger is a matching ring.
A disheveled looking man sits tucked between two bundles of gear, somehow managing to look isolated even in the crowded compartment. In his hands is a tattered old copy of //20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.// His dark lips move to the words as he reads silently. Silently until he suddenly grins and reads a section out loud.
"The sea is only the embodiment of a supernatural and wonderful existence. It is nothing but love and emotion; it is the 'Living Infinite'...The globe began with sea, so to speak; and who knows if it will not end with it? In it is supreme tranquility."
He smiles as everyone turns to look at him, one of his hands brushing over the reddish stubble covering his chin. "Seems fitting doesn't it? Can you imagine the kinds of things we're going to learn down here? A whole, . . . . "
Under the scrutiny of a hawkish looking woman, he trails off and after one last look at his other companions in search of support, he returns his attention to the book in his hands.
Another half hour passes in near silence as the submarine continues it's journey into the depths. The only sounds being the occasional creaking of the hull and the soft hum of the submarine's engine.
"We'll be coming up on Leviathan Station in about fifteen minutes. Make sure everything is secure before then. The station has been alerted to our approach, but someone is sleeping at the job because all I got back was the automated signal." The man driving the submarine has a barely noticeable Hispanic accent. From his tone, it's clear that he's not bothered by the lack of response, sounding more bored than anything else.
Just then a dusky woman with short cropped curly hair peppered with gray sits up from among the luggage, rubbing the sleep from her dark eyes.
"We there yet?" She asks while stifling a yawn.
The man sitting with his arm around the young woman slips his arm free and stands. All eyes are on him even before he clears his throat. "As you've all been briefed, the Leviathan is a state of the art research station. And while we haven't been given a lot of details because of security concerns it was made clear to me that each of us are the best our fields of experience have to offer." His eyes dart toward the four people huddled by themselves before continuing. "Though I suspect we all have our suspicions given the range of talents on this submarine alone." He grimaces for a second, clearly not comfortable with public speaking but determined to power through it. "It seems to me that if we're going to be living down here together, that it might be nice to know who everyone is."
There's a few nods among the people listening.
"I'll start." Placing one hand on his own chest, he continues, "I'm Doctor Kelvin Booker. I was told that I'll be taking over the Biology department upon arrival."
The woman he had been sitting with before raises her hand, "And I'm Doctor Lisa Booker, his wife."
There's a hint of possessiveness in her voice as she says the last.
At the front of the sub, the pilot raises one hand in greeting, not bothering to look over his shoulder, "Euan, but my friends call me Goose. I'm the taxi service."
Fiddling with his book, the disheveled man uses one finger as a bookmark and smirks, "Clifford Gibbs. Archeologist. Did they find a-"
Kelvin raises one hand to silence him. "We all have more questions than answers, we can compare notes when we get our briefings."
Clifford nods in understanding, though the disappointment is clear in his hazel eyes.
Still looking half asleep, the woman who just woke up raises one hand. "Mable York, if it's broke, I can fix it. If I can't fix it, I can I can make something to replace it." There's a simple certainty in her voice as she speaks.
Realizing that everyone is still looking at her, she allows herself a lazy smile before shrugging.
"Sergeant Lester Kerr, United States Marine Corp." the oldest of the three burly men announces before nodding to the other three.
Taking his cue from the Sergeant, a man so dark he seems to absorb the light around him stands stiffly. "Corporal Aran Chen."
Immediately the woman of the group stands to join him. "Corporal Violet Hodges."
The fourth member of their group stands to join the others, his movements lacking the same rigidness of the others. "Lance Corporal Hussein Peterson, at your service." He takes a casual bow at the end of his introduction before straightening suddenly when he sees the anger in his Sergeant's eyes.
As the four soldiers take their seats, the severe woman speaks. "Doctor Patricia Wolf. I am a chemist."
Adjusting his thick glasses before raising a hand to draw attention to himself. "I'm Kaden Richardson. I'm a geologist. So I guess you could say I'm the guy who likes to play with rocks."
All eyes turn to the last person on board the submarine.
"Ma'am?" Kelvin speaks to her as he steps close. It's not until his shadow falls over her that she looks startled and pulls her headphones from her ears. For a second, her fingers dance over her keyboard before the faint sound of music dies.
"Sorry, I was listening. You, uh, want me to introduce myself too?" Her voice is soft and child like.
Kelvin nods before stepping back.
The girl swallows, looking impossibly young. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath that she lets out slowly. "I'm autistic. I don't really like people because I don't understand them. I like computers, and I like patterns. I see things other people don't. My name is Sabrina Bryan. There's something wrong on the Leviathan." Every word she speaks is matter-of-fact.
Euan turns in his seat to look at her, concern on his features, but Doctor Wolf speaks before he has a chance to.
"What do you mean?" Her tone is hard, making the younger woman flinch back and visibly withdraw.
Kelvin shoots Doctor Wolf a hard look before giving the girl a friendly smile. "Why would you say that?"
The girl can't quite look him in the eye as she replies. "Because it's true."
There's a murmur among the submarine's passengers.
"How could you know that" Kelvin kneels in front of the girl to look her eye to eye.
Seeming to wilt beneath the attention of so many people, she seems unable to speak.
After a few seconds, Euan speaks up. "She's probably just a little nervous about the trip since I can't get anyone on the horn. //Da fuck?!//"
Just then something hits the submarine, sending a long shuddering groan through the hull and leaving everyone wide eyed.
Kaden mumbles something under his breath that sounds like a prayer.
Euan talks into the headset, "Leviathan Station, please come in. This is Neptune 3 on approach. ETA 7 minutes to arrival. Is everything ok over there? Amanda, I know you're supposed to be watching for me, this is Goose."
An edge of panic starts to seep into Euan's voice, raising the tension in the chamber considerably.
The seconds tick forward, stretching into nearly a minute before Private Peterson asks the question that everyone wants to know, "Anyone else wondering what we just hit and why it spooked our driver so bad?"
TO BE CONTINUED
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https://www.royalroad.com/profile/340069/fictions
