Kings of the Sea

" 8B, ....8B, ...8B" Paul muttered as he sped past the other people on the escalator. He had missed his first departure on the sonic rail and was determined not to repeat his mistake. His new job required attendance at both of the publishing firms, headquarters in Los Angeles and Tokyo. What used to be impossible now was a weekly commute for him and millions of others. An 8-hour flight and nearly six thousand miles squeezed into 30 minutes. He was racing for the sonic rail car and once there he would be sure to make his meeting time this afternoon. With nothing but his tablet his phone and his wallet, he was heading to the other side of the ocean far below the turbulent waves. It was a trip that was becoming as routine as coffee in the morning or catching a bus before work.

Last summer he went to New York for a quick vacation with his now ex. However, that sonic rail didn't have an observation deck, and Paul's favorite part of this trip was the ten minutes or so in the North Pacific Sea where the king crabs stretch out as far as the eyes can see. The scene was so alien and mysterious. Large lamps illuminated the ground around the tube encouraging the sea stars and crabs to gather and enjoy some heat, so most people liked to head up to the deck and watch. He loved to sit and just for a few minutes pretend he was an explorer seeing one of Saturns moons for the first time.

Today, the crowds were not too bad. Once he was boarded it looked like four or five people had been assigned to car 8. He shared his new space with a young girl, possibly her grandma, and two small families with young children. The first half of the trip was uneventful. The usual bustle of tablets and monitors beeping from screens available at every table. Drinks and snacks appeared out of every bag and vendor to keep the small children occupied and Paul sat quietly. He wondered to himself how magical this trip would be to them. Like when he was young and his mom would take him to the aquarium.

Just before they reached the observation site where a section of the tube had been manufactured with clear acrylic, a small vibration crept into the car. As Paul was skimming his e-book he looked up to see others had noticed as well. This was unheard of and since the first sonic rail was built they marketed solely on the smoothness of the magnetic rail. He sat up to see if any stewardesses were giving instructions when he was nearly launched from his chair. A large screech rattled through his ears followed by what he imagined to be a roar. His stomach lurched as he saw the families surrounding him begin to panic, and he felt the car slow. They continued to slow until they reached the observation area. The lights flickered and then dimmed to a low orange hughe. Paul bolted for the observation deck. The other passengers in his car were too busy trying to quiet their children to notice.

As he reached the top of the small staircase he heard the intercom chime on. " Attention all passengers. Please be advised this is not a drill. All cars have stopped while the automated system addresses the issue. Currently, we have lost contact with the stilts. The tube itself has articulated joints and will adjust to a new trajectory. No water was detected in the tube cavity. Please be aware each car is insulated, pressurized, and able to continue to function if the tube structural integrity should fail. " Below him Paul could hear the rising panic from his car mates. A rumble all its own was now rushing up to meet him on the stairs, and he made his way to the observation deck.

The silt that had been kicked up. Paul and soon the other patrons could see parts of the tube that had been shifted and dented. Next to the tube a scar was etched into the silt that usually lay undisturbed. A creature the size of a football stadium gorged itself on the king crabs. Covered in scales the shape of spears and lurching with a face that looked like a hunk of concrete. It swallowed large swaths of the crabs while its fins floated slowly behind it. It crawled on stubby primordial legs and dragged large belly. Paul took a second to be utterly shocked and realized it looked like a mutated goldfish and although it was the largest thing he had ever seen it didn't seem interested in the tube or passengers at all. He was just feeling some relief as the other passengers began to raise their murmur into alarmed yelling.

The chime of the automated attendant quieted the crowd, and they all listened intently. " Attention passengers all calculations are complete and we apologize for any inconvenience. We will resume your trip shortly. Please remain seated while we make final adjustments to our trajectory. " Just as it finished its explanation a few vibrations rang through the car. From his seat on the observation deck Paul could make out the tube ahead of them straightening itself out. Within minutes they were on their way and the giant creature was pushed out of sight.

Paul and his fellow survivors did make it to Tokyo albeit slightly behind schedule. The first ever recorded accident on a sonic rail and a demonstration of how their safety fail-safes were foolproof. The giant creature made everyone aboard a mini-celebrity while simultaneously reigniting a love for science in an entire generation. Paul made his move to Tokyo permanently. He never again went on a sonic rail or anywhere near the shore. He used his newfound online popularity to fund his own publishing house in the high mountains of Japan. Very happy with his terrestrial life Paul did eventually retire and took to a life of scaring his grandchildren with tales of the world's largest monster.