Depths of the Ocean

Introduction

The ocean has held a special place in my heart since I can remember. The mirror-like waters of the sea and all of its inhabitants have never failed to intrigue me. The ocean is both a beautiful and destructive place, filled with mystery and wonder that I yearn to explore. What is truly in that 95% of unexplored waters, what is truly hidden beneath the waves, beneath the seaweed and the coral and the sand? It is a mystery that my heart aches to uncover.

I, a grade 12 student at an extremely prestigious school, have been gifted the opportunity to explore the depths of the ocean in a submarine with my father, who is a marine biologist. This very day, April 19th, 2024, is when I set off on this journey into the great unknown, to discover great mysteries and species and anything in the vast ocean.

Chapter 1

To say I am nervous is truly an understatement. My hands cannot stop shaking as I reach for my water and take a gulp of its contents. I stare out the car window and observe the blue, cloudless sky and various cars as they zoom past. My knee endlessly bounces like an energetic rabbit, and my mother notices this unusual anxiety that I am displaying. Concerned, she rakes her hands through my coffee-coloured hair and soothes my nerves.

"Darling, you know this is extremely dangerous, are you sure you want to go on the submarine? We can just leave it to your father."

I reply hastily, "it's alright, mum. I can't back down now".

And I am right, for we have arrived at the organisation, where I can observe the very submarine I will be embarking on with my father and his scientists sitting in the middle of a large warehouse. The large vessel is a glorious work of humankind, and I cannot help but stare at it mindlessly as my mother shakes me from my daydream.

"It's time to go, love", she exclaims. The anxiety and adrenaline floods back instantly. Thankfully, my father is accompanying me on this adventure, as well as his colleagues who are all exploring the ocean. I step out of the car and make my way over to the submarine and my waving dad. I wave back timidly as I notice his colleagues beside him.

"Hello sirs, I'm Mika. I'm excited to be joining you all on this expedition," I quietly remark.

"Hey Mika! No need to be so formal, as we're all gonna be spending a month together. I'm Paul, and this is Mark, Jackson and my daughter Stacy".

I glance around and observe the people in front of me. Paul, a short but stocky man with fading tattoos. Mark, a man who seems to be in his 30s, with blonde hair, piercing blue eyes and a warm smile. Jackson, tall and lean, with a growing beard, about 50. And Paul's daughter, Stacy, with her glossy brown hair and kind expression. She looks about a year younger than me.

"Hi! My dad's a scientist too, and I love the ocean, so he said I can come on this expedition! I hope we can become friends, Mika!" Stacy smiles at me happily, so I smile back. The month following is most definitely going to be interesting.

Chapter 2

I hug my mother goodbye and join my father and the rest of the scientists.

"Are you excited for this, my daughter? Us two, exploring the unknown together. You'll most definitely follow in my footsteps." My father and I share a chuckle as we watch the submarine being lowered carefully into the ocean. This is really happening.

I take a deep breath as I observe the other scientists and driver stepping into the vessel. I soon follow, and watch as the equipment is transported into the submarine. Stacy and I share an excited glance as we all take a seat. Worry and exhilaration is brewing in the pit of my stomach. I am so excited to explore the mysteries of the sea, but I have heard countless stories of submarines malfunctioning and sinking into the depths of the ocean. I pray that we will be safe on our journey.

The vessel violently jolts and rumbles as I feel us moving deeper into the water. I stare out the window, completely in awe. We were under the surface.

"This is insane!" Stacy squeals. Her smile stretches from ear to ear as her bubbly energy radiates off of her. I couldn't help but giggle at her excitement. Schools of vibrant fish swim past our window, and I gasp in awe. The way the sunlight reflects on their scales makes the fish glisten and glow. Beautiful.

We descend slowly into the unknown bleak waters. My father and the other scientists begin to collect data, observing the various species as we descend, as well as measuring water temperature and checking how deep we are. I peek at one of the monitors on the submarine, and see that we are 25 metres under the water. I let out a shaky sigh, and Stacy notices.

"Hey, are you ok?" She asks me.

"I'm fine, don't worry," I reply. "Just a bit shocked that we're so deep down, that's all."

She flashes me another one of her blinding smiles and takes my hand in hers. "I'm here if you need to talk. That's what friends are for, alright?"

I grin back. It's nice to have a friend for once.

Chapter 3

26th September, 2022

My family moves around frequently. I've never settled down, and never had friends. Whenever I move somewhere new, I am deemed an outcast almost instantly. I am doomed to live a bleak, lonely existence.

This day is a day I have gotten used to. The first day of another brand new school, except this time I have been granted a scholarship at a prestigious academy. I may be an outcast, but I am intelligent.

I stand there once again, at the door leading to my new school. I take in a shaky breath, and walk in. Surprisingly, no one stares. No one whispers to their friends, no one laughs and points and glares. No one even mutters a sound, and instead reach into their lockers to retrieve their items. All i can hear is the squeaking of shoes, the shutting of lockers, the shuffling of paper. No voices echo through the halls.

I guess no one has friends.

Just like me.

I like this school.

Chapter 4

A sudden jolt of the vessel wakes me up from my slumber. It has already been a few days on the glorious submarine, and so far I have enjoyed every minute. I continue to document every animal I see, and observe the different data that the scientists have collected so far with Stacy. We have even radioed the lab headquarters to explain our findings, which was extremely fascinating.

Bubbles continue to float up, up upwards to the surface. The sun glistens through the iridescent water, shining beautifully, creating a display of shades of blue and white. I feel content in this moment of bliss, under the unforgiving waves of the sea, away from all my problems on the surface. I can just exist, so perfectly, so calmly.

It's moments like this where I don't ever want to return to the surface.

"Hey Mika, here's dinner. How's life on the submarine going?"

Mark's blue eyes stare into mine as he hands me a plate of meat and vegetables.

"It's extremely interesting, but I can't help but worry sometimes," I reply honestly.

"Try not to worry. My first time in a submarine was scary too, I thought we were going to die. But, we didn't, and I continue to come down here. You'll get used to it." I smiled warmly. This made me feel better.

Chapter 5

Stacy and I have really connected in the past few days. She is officially my first ever friend, which is alarming. I never knew I could have one of those.

I really don't want life on this submarine to end. I want to live here, in this moment forever, studying and analysing the waters surrounding me, playing boardgames with my father, Stacy and the other scientists, with not a worry in the world. I want to float deeper, deeper into the water, where I will find new and exciting things, where I am the most happy. Where I can explore the unknown.

Alas, this wish can never come true. I will eventually have to leave the comfort of this vessel, up to the surface where I once again have no friends and endless problems.

Chapter 6

14th November, 2022

Two months have passed since I moved, and I can confidently say that life has never been better or worse. Knowing that everyone around me is in the same position; with no companions, no love, nothing but study, study, study. And although I convince myself that this is the life I have always wanted, I cannot shake that feeling in the back of my mind that this is not the case. I have never wanted to be alone, to be completely drained of human affection, to focus only on work or school.

As time progresses, the hole in my heart enlarges, eating away at my soul slowly, until nothing but sadness is left. As I drag my feet along the marble hallways of my school, I feel almost no emotion, yet my heavy heart weighs me down. My eye bags are a deep purple, and my lips are puckered into a permanent frown.

It has only been two months here.

Two months at this school, where no one laughs and points at me and giggles with their friends about how disgusting I look.

Two months of no emotion. I prefer my old schools where everyone hated me.

I don't like this school.

Chapter 7

It's three weeks into our expedition. I've gotten used to life on the submarine, spending every day staring out the window into the vast ocean. Watching as sea creatures swim soundlessly across the glass, studying and analysing, watching the different monitors whirr and turn. Currently, the vessel is at 200 metres under water. I find that so utterly amazing, how we have gone so deep into the water, into the perspective of the species who inhabit it.

Stacy and I sit on one of the chairs on the far corner of the room, when our ears are suddenly filled with a blaring alarm. My father bursts into the room, worry plastered onto his face. The other scientists soon follow, hurriedly approaching us with a look of pure fear etched upon their features.

"Mika, Stacy, there is no light way to put this, but the submarine's tanks have sprung a leak- water's coming in too fast, we're sinking." My father takes my hand in his, waiting for a reaction. All I can do is let out a shaky breath and stare worriedly into his eyes.

"Well, what are we going to do?" Stacy's lip quivers. The scientists all look at each other, desperately trying to acquire a plan.

"I'll go talk to the driver. All of you, wear a lifejacket and stay put," Jackson then bolts out the room. I clutch onto my dad for safety. What was going to happen? Would the submarine really sink?

All of a sudden, the lights turn off, and everything goes black.

Chapter 8

Oxygen is getting low. My breaths come in short gasps. This submarine life doesn't seem so pleasant now. We have lost contact with the surface, therefore no one knows about us sinking. My father guides me through the dark room to the oxygen tanks. I begin to put on a mask with snorkel gear. Stacy joins me, and slips on her gear effortlessly. It looks like we will have to swim to the surface.

The other scientists, the driver and my father all secure their oxygen tanks and gear. The escape trunks can release two people at a time, so my father begins to lecture us on what we need to do to reach the surface.

"Alright girls, as soon as you are out that hatch, you must stick together. Swim upwards, and be extremely mindful about your oxygen levels. We'll follow shortly after." A few tears roll down my cheeks. Doubt and fear swims and brews in the bottom of my stomach like an incoming storm, but all I can do is trust my father.

"I love you dad," I manage to choke out, before giving a quick glance to Stacy and plunging into the icy water.

Chapter 9

All I can feel is pure panic as I observe my surroundings. Blue, blue water stretching out for what seems like forever. All I can see is ocean surrounding me, and the submarine below me. I frantically search for Stacy, and let out a sigh of relief when we lock eyes. We begin to swim upwards, up into the sky. I feel so strange, in the middle of the ocean, hundreds of metres below the surface. I take a glance below, and can see my father and the other scientists swimming upwards. We are all safe.

My entire body aches. It seems like it has been forever since we were on the submarine. Maybe it has been, maybe not, who knows. The only goal in front of us all is to reach the surface. I think of my mother. I think of my life before this adventure, how plain and boring and lonely it was. Once I reach the surface, that life will resume. Stacy will no longer be my friend, and I will continue to mindlessly work and study each day until my miserable death.

I look to my right and see Stacy, who struggles to swim just as much as me. I mouth to her: "are you alright?" And receive a quick nod. We must persevere.

Chapter 10

Colder than ice, my body begins to weaken. Every limb is sore, numb, painful. Tears form in my eyes, survival seems near impossible. Although, I can see the light so much clearer, the rays of the sun breaking through the water, telling me to keep going. That I'm almost there, almost safe, almost at the surface.

Seconds turn into minutes, minutes into hours, and the light is getting brighter. My oxygen levels are dropping, but the escape is in sight. Who would have guessed, an expedition into the great unknown of the ocean would lead to the evacuation of a submarine 200 metres under the surface.

I gasp. My body is a ball of flames, unstoppable, as I reach for the light. So close, I can feel it in my fingertips, shining in my tired eyes. I hear my father from somewhere below shout: "almost there!" As we all desperately swim and swim and swim for our lives.

I reach the surface, and take off my mask. I gasp, breathing in the natural air like it was an addictive cigarette. I cry out, so grateful to be alive. Not long after, Stacy and the scientists join me. We shout and applaud and scream, grateful to escape the ocean's deadly clutches.

Although we are stranded in the great unknown, we are alive. Alive and together. I haven't ever been happier.

The End