Underwater

“ Oh no… no, no, nooooo! ” – Jonathan screamed. Jane was staring at him, not knowing what was happening. Just by the look he had on his face, she could easily guess there was a problem. 

And now, let me take you through the whole story. We have a lot of time, so I won’t spare the details.

January 18th. That was the date when the OEC, which stands for ''ocean exploration community'', made the decision. They wanted to announce the existence of the Megafish but they yet didn’t have enough proof to do anything. Many other ichthyologists thought it was extinct based on several documents that later turned out to be mistaken. Nevertheless, all of those people never came back to the case. They were saying the OEC was wasting their time trying to prove something that could never be proven, as they thought, when they could have done more “worthy” things. Still, there was something none of these other companies knew that was quite a huge privilege. A long long time ago, Christopher Sepkins, one of the first and greatest ichthyologists to ever exist, wrote something in his journal that changed everything: “ The female species of that specific kind of fish are extremely special and vital. When their babies are born, the body of the big fish releases a blue-white substance that comes out to be incredibly efficient for certain illnesses. It moreover makes peoples’ immune systems really strong and stable and prevents sicknesses and dangerous bacteria from coming into the body. However, don’t think those fish are simple to catch. First of all, they have the ability to be invisible. Like chameleons, they can mix with every single pattern they get next to. Secondly, they have three ginormous sharp blades on their tails. I’ve seen them. I nearly died because of them. Wherever the Megafish stabs you with her blades, that part of your body paralyzes. It’s said that within 8 hours every single organ of yours would be paralyzed and you would die instantly. You feel pain from the very beginning. You can even feel the poison entering your body. Probably the worst feeling you could ever experience. A fun fact: the Megafish is precisely not a fish. It only has the tail of a fish, while its legs, yes, you heard me, it has legs, are something like the tentacles of an octopus and there is a shark-like growth on its head. Pretty unbelievable, huh? Wait, remember that sky-colored substance I told you about earlier? Yes, you guessed it, that’s the antidote. Oops, no, don’t think there’s not a catch here. The substance must be from the same Megafish that paralyzed you. Basically, you can get it only if you’re fortunate enough. Actually, you must be greatly lucky so that the same fish that stabbed you is pregnant and will give birth soon enough to save your life. I know what you're thinking, '' that man is crazy, he's talking nonsense'', but the one thing I'm asking you to do is trust me. Trust me on this. I've seen it with my own eyes. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to tell you all of this, right? So now, my advice for today: don't deal with the Megafish if you’re not prepared otherwise the end will be fatal.” 

This was the last thing that he wrote down before the cruise ship he was on was flooded. Think about it, if the community could find a representative of the Megafish, they could end the worlds’ worst diseases. Nobody would ever struggle again. Many people will get the chance to live longer, enjoy life for an extended amount of time. Incredible.

That was what Jane and Jonathan were looking for the past year. They were looking for more evidence so they could prove everyone wrong. Exactly on that day, they decided to go on an ''adventure'', as they named it, and find it. No matter how hard and frightening it could be. No matter what. They wouldn’t go home without the antidote. 

“ Jonathan! Come here! “ – shouted Jane. 

“ Wait, first I need to finish my experiment about that new kind of octopus we discovered last week. I’m almost done. Is it urgent? ” – said Jonathan, while holding a bunch of tubes filled with varied fluids. 

“ Yes, it is urgent, Johnathan. Listen, you should end your work on the octopus case. Please. Why are you still trying to find something? You won’t find anything. I know you realize that. The Megafish are more crucial now and we must focus on them. I’m the boss here, so I officially close the octopus case. Now, come and help me look for the key. ”

” You’re right.  I’m sorry. I just don’t like it when I don’t have anything to do and ever since we are stuck with the Megafish operation, this is what I kill time with. And what key are you talking about? ”

” The one for the submarine ” – specified Jane.

She was getting truly anxious lately because there was something on her mind... Her son was awfully sick and needed the medicine as soon as possible. They needed to move fast. 

” Oh, right, I think I put it in the drawer with the frog guts ”

” Wh- You know what, I don’t care why. Just go get it quickly, we don’t have a lot of time.”

” Jane, are you okay? Recently you’ve been exclusively troubled and I have no idea why. Is everything alright? You can tell me anything, I’m your brother, I will help you as much as I can, I promise. ”

” David is sick. Really really sick. ” – mumbled Jane. The tears in her eyes started falling one by one.

“ Since when? “ 

“ Two weeks ago “

“ Why didn’t you let me know? “

“ I didn’t want to bother you. Also, I thought it was just the seasonal flu, at least the doctor said so. Turns out it’s not. “

“ Listen to me, now I’m gonna go buy some snacks and drinks so we can have something to eat in the submarine and you will get everything we have in the lab about the Megafish. All the documents, all the samples, everything. We’re not going anywhere until we get the antidote. We’re gonna stay down there as long as we need to. We find the medicine, we go out, we give it to David and everything’s alright. Got it? “

“ Got it. Thank you, Johnathan “

“ Less talking, more moving. We have a lot to do. “ – said her brother with a big supportive smile on his face.

After 2 hours of preparing everything they needed to bring with them down in the deep scary ocean, Jane and Jonathan got in the submarine and set off. 

'' I really hope we succeed, we've been trying our best to find the most that was available for the Megafish '' - said Jane and you could see her eyes fill with hope.

'' We will, don't worry. Everything will be fine. Now, I'll put the lure so the Megafish can smell it and find us faster "

Jonathan put his water suit on, got his mask and the bottle of oxygen, and went down the pipe, which was resembling a water slide, in the big ocean.

Happily, he did everything with ease.

'' Now we wait " - spoke Jane, a little dizzy from the ride.

So that was what they did. They waited, and waited, and waited... At one time Jonathan decided to see what's going on. He stood up the chair he was sitting on and went to the dashboard with the control knobs. Suddenly, they felt the submarine bump into something. When Jane looked out the window, she figured out they have crashed into a rock.

This was where we left off: 

“ Oh no… no, no, nooooo! ” – Jonathan screamed. Jane was staring at him, not knowing what was happening. Just by the look he had on his face, she could easily guess there was a problem.

'' What? What happened? " - asked the sister uneasily.

'' The power went off "  - continued the brother.

'' No. You've got to be kidding me! '' - yelled Jane. She started shouting this loud all the creatures swimming around them stopped moving. 

In seconds the submarine sank down even deeper. Inside it, Jane and Jonathan were jumping up and down and spinning like in a washing machine. Finally, they hit it. The bottom of the ocean. 

'' Ughhh, my head hurts so much... " - Johnathan complained.

'' I think I sprained my wrist, but it's not a big deal "  - added Jane.

'' What are we gonna do now? No one even knows we're here...''

- she continued anxiously.

'' Wait. Don't we have a radio station here? '' - asked the brother.

'' Well, yeah, we do, but the power went out, so I'm not sure if it works. Try it, just in case some miracle happens "

And it did. A miracle happened. The radio station turned on. 

'' Hey, hey, is there anyone? Can anyone hear me? " - Jonathan was asking. Unfortunately, there was no answer.

'' Please, I'm begging you, if someone can hear us please send help. We hit a rock that hard it caused a power outage in the submarine, so now we're stuck at the bottom of the ocean. Please. " - said Jane through tears. 

Still, no answer. They were out of strength,  worried, and with zero clue what to do. That was when Jonathan noticed something. There was a hole. The submarine was starting to fill up with water.

“ Jane…. There’s a hole…. in the submarine “ – barely uttered the boy.

“ Think, think, think, Janeee! “ – the sister was wondering what to do. They had to think fast, otherwise, they would be flooded very very soon. 

“ Pass me that wooden board. Quickly! “ 

“ Okay, okay, I’m moving as fast as I can, chill ”

” I can’t chill, I’m scared, we’re gonna die if you don’t hurry up”

Jonathan gave Jane the board.

” Thank you ” –pronounced nervously Jane.

After a few minutes, there was no hole.

” You really are a good mechanic ” – Jonathan congratulated his sister for the outstanding work.

” Thanks! ” – laughed Jane.

And that was the actual moment they saw it. The Megafish. It was staring right at them.

” Oh m- ” – Jane couldn’t even form a sentence.

” Wow ” – her brother gasped.

The sister was terrified to look at the animals ’ belly. What if it wasn‘t pregnant? What would happen to her son? But she overcame her fear and looked at it.

“ I can’t believe it. I‘m about to faint right now. Thank you, thank you! “ – Jane started running and jumping everywhere, she hugged her brother tight and thanked him for everything. That was a moment of pure happiness. 

Now they only had to get the medicine, which would be easier because of the lure they put before. This smell surely makes the Megafish give birth faster.

” Jonathan, go inject her some more of the lure ” – she ordered like a boss.

The boy did everything his sister told him to because he was extremely happy for her. And then it happened. The Megafish gave birth. The substance came out. Jonathan was standing right next to the creature so he can put the component in a container.

“ Yes, yes, yes! He got it! “ – Jane was shouting again. 

At the same time, from nowhere, the girl saw another submarine. Turns out someone actually heard them through the radio station. 

When they were finally out of the water, they got straight home and gave David the medicine. Thankfully, now he was fine. 

Jane and Jonathan were wildly delighted with how everything went. They got the antidote. They proved everyone wrong. They even took pictures of the Megafish so they can show it to the other people in the OEC. 

” Jonathan, that was the best adventure we’ve ever been on ”