THE TRENCH CRISIS

Panic was all what they have in such a critical situation. They found nothing but the roaring sea in front of them trying to quash their vessel.

               The cruise began two days before from the Mumbai yard and was going on through the Atlantic Ocean. “The Mariana trench is the deepest part in the world and its whole cryptic facts are not yet found.” Mr. Pete continued his speech in the press conference held by the seashore organization made for the expeditions in the sea to find the secrets hiding under the sea. “The seashore has decided to send a team to Atlantic Ocean to have a research through the Mariana trench. We expect the endorsements from you people to get succeeded in the initiative.” He was welcomed with a rapturous ovation from the audience.

               The team, composed of ten people, was specially trained for the voyage. The research was planned to be held from the beneath of the water. Special sachets were readied to put some of the sailors to underwater. It was connected with the ship and there will be communication setups in the box to send the SOS.

               The world was in immense anxiety on the venture as the world of science was looking forward to the very thing to be happened for a protracted span.

               They checked the weather update in a bid to circumvent any kind of climatic change.

“This is the acute time to set out as the climate shows no signs of rage.” Mr. John, the captain, informed his mates. He was giving suggestions and safety instructions to the team. “Any kind of cautions want to be informed ASAP. Check all the communication setups and you...” he said pointing to the control room “you people want to be vigil all the time and inform us any thing you see in our track.” “Aye Aye sir” they chorused. “We need to give the world what they expect from us.”

               They began the cruise from the port backed by a crowd lauding them and some of them seemed to be apprehensive, as they were the relatives of the team.

               The distance from Mumbai to the trench was approximated as 7000 km. Indian government was granted help from countries neighboring the destination including Japan, Australia and Indonesia because the expedition will give them precious information pertaining to the climate.

               Within two days, they reached the area of Mariana trench. However, the real problem triggered from there. The weather changed intensely. “Ready the sachets. We have no other choice but to keep moving on the venture. Divers… get ready at once.” John cried to his team. “Mate gets the life jackets and make sure the ship is safe from chinks. Control room… checks the satellite pictures of the sea and I need the complete diagram of the place.” “Roger that.”

               They were almost near their destination. “Captain we are at the place. However, the situation is critical. To let the divers go in is a terrible terrible idea.” Control team informed. “How about going back” “not sure about the survival.” The whole crew was silent for a second as they were preparing to breathe their last. “I don’t like to know that our fate was to get drawn in the sea that I loved most.” Mr. John was puzzled. He knew that for the first time his crew has lost the confidence. “Mates… this is our sea. We had seen a lot like this but we have no story of stepping back.”

               However, the crew was instilled fear. Nevertheless, the senior most divers came forward and said. “This is just an El Niño. We are sure that we could go down to the sea. We must drop the anchor right here.” This cheered the captain. The sea began to raise its temper for each second gone by. When it got calm for a while, the captain ordered to drop the sachets out of the ship.

               “Track their way and get them to the bottom surface” “Aye aye sir”

The control room was busy tracking the divers and informing the crew the weather updates. David was the leader of the divers. “We think we are almost there. The place is dark. Switch the lights on. Over.” He said to the controlling team. “No... Wait! It is not the time. It will attract the sea monsters towards you. You should make sure that you are safe. Over”

               David was convinced. He tried to find out the things he and other divers are surrounded of. “Captain we feel nothing around us can we now have a look around us.” “Ya I know… I know that you are but you need to wait some mor…...” “Captain? Hello.” The communication was cut down. “Divers report…” captain insisted. “Divers report….” There were no responses. “Get me the track record” Captain we have lost connection with them. I think we should stop dropping and lift them a bit.” “Captain the wire has been cut by something. We can’t get them anymore.” A silence lingered with fear spread on the crew. They found no way to find them.

“Captain, please respond.” David was trying to get contact with the ship. But he failed. He contacted his counter parts. “Aaron… Flake where are you.” “Thank god David we cant get the connection with the control room” “yak I think we are lost.”

               While talking they felt something strange. Their sachets were tilting and going straight down. They reached the surface their sachets upside down. They can do nothing but open up the door and go back with the oxygen with them. “Aaron… flake where are you peopled. Give me a signal.” David saw flashlights from two different places. “I got it switch it off.” Don’t make yourself targeted by the sea monsters down here.” They were occupied in a deeper place. “Now what?” someone doubted. “We should look for air rooms. This place looks like a sea cave.” “Ya, sea caves will be filled with air rooms.” “But we should be cautious. There will be stone fishes here.”

               They started to meander around. They lit their torches very often as they were already instructed to do. As they moved, they spotted a little light. “Stand down. That’s an omen.” “What the f…. do you believe in these kinds of shits.” Just as they stopped, the light started to move forward. It was heading towards them. The light became much brighter. They stepped aside. They found a group of rocks there and used it to hide themselves. The light passed them and they saw a monstrous fish swimming. It has a length that equals to that of an average person. The light they see was from the sting of the fish. The teeth of the fish were sharp and strong enough to crush a rock. It could tear ones body apart. Its scales were red in color. “What is that thing? I hadn’t seen something like that in my life.” 

“We are lucky to get this place to hide.” “I don’t have the guts to go forward through this place searching for something. Why can’t we think of some thing else like using our oxygen packs to go upwards?” he got no response from David. Instead, he showed him that his microphone is not working. This was the situation with the others. They found that they could not talk each other anymore. Without wasting much time, they went on.

               At last, they found such a place. It was such a relief to them. But the room were small and could consist only two persons. David and one of his mates got there. Now they can remove their air masks. David said to his comrade “both of us will give him the oxygen packs. Then he can use the three cylinders to get back to the surface and inform the crew that we are alive. That is the one last way we have.” The others nodded. They did what they were instructed to do. One of them went straight upward. “There is a slight chance for our escape. But we have no other choice here.”

               Time passed by. They were pin drop silence there as both of them were struggling to breathe from that packed cave. They began to see strange and scary things. They were almost unconscious. They knew that this situation is caused by breathing the CO2-filled air. They knew that they could not be alive here for long.

               After a while, they saw the same light coming back. They were perplexed to know that the room they occupied was near to the nest of the fish. “Don’t panic. It will never reach us.” David consoled his partner. But he wasn’t sure about it. The light came closer to them. They found it heading towards them. Unfortunately, they realized that the monster had seen them and is coming for the kill. “What do we do now?” “I don’t know really. But I don’t think it will come to this room.” The predator closed to its prey. It began to swim back and forth, as it is looking for a way to strike. Whenever it closed to them, they kicked it back to the water.

               It went back. They were sure that it would come back very soon. They looked for something to defend. They found themselves equipped with knifes.

               As they were anticipating the monster, they heard a sound from their backside. They concentrated to the origin of the sound. It was the sound of water trickling from the wall.

               In a sudden, the beast jumped out of the water to get hold on the hand of David’s partner. “Aron!” he shouted. Before he could do something, the monster went straight down to the water and Aron in its caught. David was left alone in the cave. He has no idea on what is next. He waited for his turn to death. But he wasn’t ready to give up his hopes. He put his trust in god and in his knife.

               For a long time nothing happened. He assured that he will be dead before the fish or his mates will comeback. He looked to the place where lee was sitting before a while with pity and cursed himself for being alive after letting his partner who was young to die. He lied on the rock waiting for his call.

               He opened his eyes to feel a slight movement in the water. He saw the beast coming back. He tightened his hold in the knife. He was burning in fury and was ready to take revenge for his partner. When the fish came closer he jumped on it and started to stab it with his knife. He lost the hold on it and fell back to the water. He saw blood spreading the water. With his last bit of energy used, he fell unconscious.

               He opened his eyes to see the fan turning intermittently. He tried to recover what happened. Suddenly the beast came to his mind and shouted “Aron”. The others said “we are sorry about him. But the monster is no more.” He was delighted to hear that. “what about the trench.” “It is still cryptic.” The sachets were still drawn in the ocean with the memories of Aron