The Creature in the Baltic

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1:05Hello, I'm Wilkins. Stories all the time. Glad you are here. Let's get into it. My name is Will. I had recently graduated with a degree in marine biology and was looking to stop my career. I had always thought the only underwater research lab had been off the coast of Florida, the Aquarius reef base. But here I was staring at an application of work on another sea lab across the world. I choked my lack of knowledge up to my own incompetence and applied for the job. It was long before I got a reply. A sophisticated man with a German accent spoke with me about my education and all the other regular things that you would hear on a job interview. But at the end of the conversation, things started to get a little weird. Are you in any way afraid of any sea life, like sharks? For example, Asperr tram, the German interviewer. I'd say I have a healthy fear of ocean predators, I said. But I don't mind swimming with them. They're mostly uninterested in humans. Good to hear, he said. I completely agree. The job will include some diving and some deeper waters and this can make some people uneasy. To my surprise, I was hired. I boarded a plane and ended up in Rostock, a medium-sized German port city.

2:08I made my way over to the port itself, where I was to meet with the team and start traveling to my new home under the sea. I had read the documents they had sent over to familiarize myself with the underworld environment. I had noticed, however, that there were no bathrooms and the seemed a little strange. I assumed that I probably would just go in the ocean. I had been peeing in the ocean since I was a kid, but I had never gone number two. I laughed to myself as I thought of how silly it was that I was dwelling on such a triviality. When I arrived on the dock, there was Bertram. I recognized him from the video conference we did before. He was taller than I had expected. Then next to him stood another tall skinny man. All speak of the devil Bertram said as I approached. His accent made me chuckle to myself, but his grammar and diction were very good nonetheless. Though I would like you to meet Derek, our colleague. Derek also seemed very polite and his English was excellent. We have a tea with French, German, and English speakers. We mostly speak English, but you will have to forgive us if occasionally we start rounding and on native tongues together said Bertram. At that, Derek mumbled something in German and they both

3:10laughed. We hitched a ride on another vessel out towards the east. After about an hour, I saw a little ship. That is the Hoffman side Bertram. A humble ship. The ship was small and rusty. It looked like I had seen better days. Something seemed off. The facility underwater was much too advanced to be paired with such a beat up looking ship. We geared up for the dive. As far as depth is concerned, the Baltic is pretty shallow. Yet I was surprised to hear that we would be diving down to a depth of 65 meters. The deepest I had ever gone was 30 and going 65 didn't help my growing anxiety. Don't worry. It is a one way trip, so it isn't very dangerous. You don't have to worry about the bends. I remembered how cool it was that the underwater facility used ambient pressure and a moon pool. The entire facility was pressurized. It was still too deep for humans to live at that pressure between seven and eight atmospheres. Though humans can free to quite deep, it cannot live in such crushing pressures for extended periods of time. Time. Three atmospheres was what the facility was pressured to. Still, the times saved not having to go back and forth between sea level

4:12and seven atmospheres made this facility useful for studying this ebit. We have all heard how we know less about our oceans and outer space. This was what fascinated me so much about the sea. The beginning of the descent was uneventful. Things started to become backer as less light was able to penetrate the depths. When we reached 40 meters, it was like I was entering another world. It was surreal. I had never been this deep before and I remembered my driving and struck to mentioning how dangerous it was. People were set to fall into a trance. As we continued to descend into the misty depths, a building appeared. It was taller than I had expected spanning at least three stores upward. Certainly this was not the facility that I had read about. Soon enough, however, I saw the moon pool. It was a peculiar thing to emerge from the ocean into an indoor swimming pool, and we all treaded water for a minute. Bertram and Derek turned and smiled at me. I couldn't help but smile back. It was just so badass. I felt like I was in some kind of sci-fi movie. The room we were in was pressurized higher than the rest of the facility, and we made our way into a depressurization chamber after removing our gear.

5:15Whatcher arm said Derek as I clumsily walked into a loose panel. It graved my skin a little. Sorry, said Bertram. I should have mentioned a loose panel. This facility is much larger than I read, as said, inquiring about the large structure I had seen. Yes, said Bertram. Sad document is out of date. The facility has expanded in several areas, so we lowly scientists are to remain in our humble quarters. He and Derek laughed. I thought this facility was entirely run by scientists, I said. The job application had been from the website of GMR, a prestigious research institution in Germany. It started that way, but after funding was cut back, it looked like we were going to have to abandon the facility, said Bertram. But then they discovered it were deposits down the hole, the hole. I asked. We ended the habitat I had familiarized myself with from the manual. There was a bunkhouse, a mess hall, and a couple of other rooms for science and storage. Is this the new bloke asked a voice from around the corner? He walked a short man with a smile on his face. He had instant charisma. Don't let the crowds scare you, me. Things are peachy down here. He

6:18shook my hand with a vigour that left my arm in Newdland. He was a middle-aged man, a little older than the rest of them. Names dug by him from Newcastle. I nodded. This whole crap thing, said Bertram. I just don't understand why you all think it's offensive. It just means cabbage, your people's will for a two. Puttowns weren't very good. I couldn't help but chuckle at their relationship when, suddenly a loud explosion rang out. They all grabbed for something to brace themselves with. It everybody alright? Came a shrill, worried voice from deeper into the facility, amidst the flickering buttons and endless readouts. A Frenchman cautiously came into the room hugging the wall, and despite the fear of the crash moments that go ahead instilled, she smiled politely to me. Phil Camerville is good to see you, she said somewhat nervously. Hi, I said smiling back. She was wearing a cap and bulky crewman coveralls, yet I could tell that she was really beautiful. Those bastards are really pushing our luck with those explosions, said Doug. They're going to get us all killed. Why are there explosions? I asked. We didn't have the funding to keep this place running. We were forced to entice some other

7:19parties. I said it then, and I say it now. It was a short sighted decision, said Doug. Yes, but what choice did we have asked Bertram? The rest of the day was spent familiarizing myself with the facility. Everything was just like it had said in the manual, except for a ominous looking door just after the pressurization chamber. That was new. Though the whole place looked like a futuristic space, this door seemed to be even more so. It looks strong. A first there was constant traffic in and out, but after they completed their submarine docking station, Assault hasn't passed through the door in months. We occasionally speak with one of them on the radio, but we have less and less contact as they need us less. It is a little strange, but it is better than being shut down, said Bertram as he noticed me looking at the door. Who exactly are they? I asked. Well, at first it was underwater, welders and construction workers who worked for a German mining company, all the usual staff, but after several months the miners left an apparently ownership of the facility changed hands again, so I've heard nothing about him. Sealmer has been vague about it all. No doubt they are up to some kind of exploitive act, probably attempting to weaponize something beautiful. That is why I get

8:21the feeling that we are no longer welcome in our own facility. They wouldn't want the secret exposed by his pesky, good intention scientist. Said Bertram laughing eventually, I had to go to the little boy's room, and I finally inquired as to how this was done. They all laughed. It's a pleasure going number two during the day. Them fish can get quite frisky, said Doug. Manon rolled her eyes smiling. The fish sometimes eat your waste. She said, don't let Douglas gay. They are just fish. There is a dome several meters out from the moonpool where you can hang out and do your business, but you won't catch me going out there in the dark hall. Yeah, I can imagine the fish are much more frightening in the dark. I said, actually, that is a weird part. Said Bertram, there are no fish at night. Manon lost a shirt she was holding at Bertram's arm punishingly, yet in a soft, motheringly way, but I'm just saying, I don't go number two at night either, said Bertram right. Well, if it's an emergency, I dropped the log right in the moonpool and you should too, said Doug, floaters be damned. That is disgusting, said Manon. Why do the fish only come at night? I asked. At first there was constant traffic in and out, but after they completed their submarine docking station, a soul hasn't passed through that door in months. With at first there was constant

9:24traffic in and out, but after they completed their submarine docking station, no soul had passed through that door in months. The scatter in all directions explained Manon. I'll accept towards the hole, said Derek. What is this hole? I asked. It is the 20 meter wide hole in the bottom of the ocean at the moonpool to the east. It is hard to miss. We stay away from there at said Derek. President Barack Obama. Virginia, we are counting on you. Republicans want to steal enough seats in Congress to raid the next election and wield unchecked power for two more years, but you can stop them by voting yes by April 21st. Help put our elections back on a level playing field and let voters decide not politicians. Vote yes by April 21st. Paid for by Virginians for fair elections. Access to affordable credit helps me pay my employees that I don't really need it. Infliction is killing me. But who cares? Big retailers are making record profits. That's why we support the Durban Marshall credit card bill. See?

10:30Things in credit unions help small businesses make payroll. This bill would cut the vital resources they need. While increasing Megastore profits. They deserve it. Don't they? Tell Congress, stop the Durban Marshall money grab for corporate megastores. Paid for by the Electronic Payments Coalition. I made a point to do my business during the daylight and was alarmed and amused by the amount of fish it attracted. I swarm out to the dorm and soon several fish began to investigate me. I looked around in the area and saw the massive hole to the east. I could see that the facility must have been built to study the hole. It was starting to get a little darker and I was ready to swim back to the moon pool when I noticed a small submersible ascending out of the hole. The submersible propelled itself towards a large tree story complex attached to our habitat. A hatch opened and the submersible ascended up into the hatch. My imagination ran wild as to what this mysterious other faction was up to behind the hatch. As weird as it all was, after several days I had fallen into a rhythm and everything became normal. I would gather samples and document the wildlife by day and study my findings as well as talk to my colleagues at night. Occasionally there would be an explosion and,

11:32like clockwork, a submersible or two would ascend from the hole at sunset. Sunset became a time of caution I noticed. The fish would remain until it was dark but almost in a flash, they all knew to disappear as the last sun rays left. It was part of a fascinating cycle. I had seen things like this in nature before like when bats all fly out of a cave at the same time or bows migrating for winter but this was different. There was a desperation about it. For the fish, it was more of a desperate rumble. I quickly understood why Doug wouldn't go numbered to the dome after dark. I found out that none of them did. Every day I would walk by the mysterious door leading to the other facility but the hole we beyond was always dark and I could never see that far. It was unnerving. On top of that, there were no port holes or windows of any kind to look into it from the outside, only the submersibles it summarized in its sunset. One day I joked, maybe one of us should try to swim up the hatch one time, I said. The mood in the room became very tense and it wasn't long before Manon burst into tears. I didn't understand. I'm sorry, I said. It's okay, mate. It isn't your

12:34fault, said Doug as he went to console Manon. I tried to look at Bertram who usually explained things to me when I was baffled but his eyes remained fixed on his breakfast. I looked at Derek. It is time we'll know about Javier, said Derek. Nobody said a word. All that could be heard was Manon solving. Who is Javier? I asked. Javier was the marine biologist you replace, said Derek and he also had the idea to swim up the hatch we were informed that he was dead over a week late at the Bastards, said Doug. We began searching desperately but after a couple of hours we knew that the air would have run out. We started searching for his body, apparently the whole time he was in the other facility. What? I asked mortified, I, this is that there had been an accident and they weren't able to save him, said Doug, and they waited to tell you. I asked, he nodded, I never looked at the hatch the same way that Javier been trapped in there and ran out of air. Surely there must have been some way he could have entered the facility, as it is how the submersibles went in and out. Over the coming days things went back to normal, or at least as normal as living 60 meters under water could be. I didn't dare broach the subject of Javier. I just kept my head down

13:35and did my work. There was plenty of plant life to catalogue and not to mention all of the different species of fish and jellyfish occasionally, a part of sea mammals would pass through as I was performing my nadi bathroom ritual before the dark set in. One night I noticed the submersible ascending from the hull is always only this time it seemed to be having trouble moving through the water. It almost seemed to be stuttering. As I looked closer I saw what looked like markings on the side of the vessel, as if it had been in some kind of accident done there. I shadowed to think what would have happened if the craft had been damaged more, there. I tried in the outhouse dome, wondering what I just saw. That made me feel uneasy, but nothing like what I felt after what I saw next. My gaze fell back in the giant sinkhole there, at the very edge. I saw something that will horrify me for the rest of my life. I saw a head looking back, the rest of the body was hidden down the hull, just the head, as if it was piring at me, even with the water cloud in the distance between us. I felt his stubborn and to my soul, here 60 meters below in the middle of the ocean, was a face completely unencumbered by gear. No air tanks, what was he breathing? I must have been hallucinating, but the moment lasted for what seemed like a lifetime. I've until then, it was the longest moment of my life, his eyes locked on mine, just his head, as it got dark,

14:36I came out of my confused trance, I made my dash for the mumpole, I didn't dare look back, I lapped out of the mumpole and into the decompression chamber, and it was terrified, I stared at the mumpole through the window. Half expecting the head to emerge from the water, how could it man I've been in the hull? He would have had to have held his breath for at least five minutes as I hadn't seen anyone else, as I swam to the dome, although we're training, a human being can hold their breath at long, something was just off, I had goosebumps all over my body, I had toad of pressurised their playing tricks on people's minds, perhaps I had nitrogen across, I quickly went in and told the others, elevated levels of nitrogen affect all of us in different ways, said man on a sheath summoned me, that is possible, that you hallucinated. Yeah, I must have, I said, if anything like this happens again, come tell us right away, she said, I noticed Derek looking at me from across the habitat, he quickly looked away, when I made eye contact, there was something about it that made me feel like he knew more, I decided to sleep it off, but had wild dreams about what I saw, I work in a cold sweat, I felt even more exhausted than before, the crew, for the most part, hadn't noticed that I was a little off, I'll accept Derek, he approached me that night, you must be feeling a little rattled, he said I was good friends with Javier. When he died, I sort of lost it a little bit, I couldn't sleep or eat,

15:39I even saw things too. He became very serious, this place is dangerous, more so than the others understand, said Derek, he brought me over to the laptop and opened up a folder with images, he then brought up a picture of the crew all happily posing, barely all were, dark, man on, Derek, and Bertram, then my eyes came to rest in the first person, and when they did, let's rest you run through my body all at once as horror welled up from the depths of my soul into my throat, those did the very same face that had stared at me from the hull, and all at once I knew who it was, what Derek had seen and what it meant, I could barely speak, I just muttered, that was the man I saw, I said, we have to tell the others that they are not going to believe it or like he, he said, we headed into the common room where the others were gathered, Derek led bluntly in a diatone, we both saw Javier alive in a water, he said, Doug almost dropped what he was doing and turned around to look at us, then looked at Bertram, who was as be weathered as him, then they broke into laughter, man on looked very upset, that's not funny, Derek. And Vell? I didn't think you were like this, she said, Derek showed me a picture of Javier, and it was without a doubt the same face that looked at me, I said, I didn't care about impressing man on any more, something was horribly wrong,

16:40I thought it was my mind playing tricks on me because Javier had just died, I heard you could see people sometimes, who have just died, said Derek, so I didn't think much of it, but one thing is very clear, we need to leave, he said, it was empowering to be next to him, I would have never had the courage to say these things, there was a moment of silence, okay, I will put in a goal for the ship to come pick up whoever wants to leave, all right mate, but this is my life's work, I can't just leave because you think he saw ghost, you understand, said dub respectfully, I strongly urge you to reconsider, said Derek, and we can't wait for the ship to get us, we need to take the half-man now, suddenly this wasn't sounding like such a good idea, the half-man had seen better days, but from start to argue with Derek in German, man on endocc started jumping in, and I had no idea what was going on, last however, Derek went out with a loud exclamation that silenced the rest, he then turned to me, I know it seems like the half-man isn't see-worthy, but she is, she passed the required inspection, that was five years ago, Derek, really said Doug, mate there's a reason we don't use her anymore, she's a floving platform, just in case something happens down here,

17:42really, what is another day to wait for the ship? He said, if you had seen what we had seen, you would understand, said Derek, I wasn't sure what to do, on the one hand, waiting another day for proper ship to take us back seemed reasonable yet, what if that thing in the water came into the moonpool tonight, what if it came into the decompression chamber very well? I'm going to make the call to be picked up, said Derek, he left and came back moments later, there's a storm coming, they can't make it here for two days, he said, my stomach started to turn, that rusty old boat was starting to look more and more enticing, I was starting to feel better, but everything, there were tests to be run and forward to be catalogue, man on even helped me, which put me at ease, during the day she started asking me questions, so you are sure that it was javid that you saw, she asked, yes, he must still be alive, but we watched each other for minutes, I don't know anyone who could hold the breath that long, men on looked at me horrified, he was a good swimmer, but five minutes, I know, I said, after I finally started to feel normal again, I started to feel tired, even though it was just the afternoon, something about the pressure or being cooped up, that was why I went to sleep early that night and going to sleep early turned

18:42out to be a giant mistake, I woke up in the late evening around 10, I had to poop something fierce, I instinctively went over to the decompression chamber, when I ended the moonpool for the first time, I saw pitch black water, I stood there, watching it ripple, beyond was just the murky black depths, I remembered of admitting he wouldn't go to the bathroom at night, and now I understood, I worked up to the edge and looked down, there was absolutely no way I was going to swim into the outhouse dome, with little options left, I pulled down my trousers and attempted a squat right over the moonpool, still squatting there, I couldn't help but look back every couple of seconds to make sure something wasn't coming up to grab me, it felt silly, but it was a very vulnerable position to be in, after trying for a couple of minutes, I stood back up, it is amazing what kinds of things the body will do when it knows that it's not safe, I suddenly felt no urge to go into the bathroom at all, I slowly back away from the edge of the moonpool, keeping my eyes on it's dark, rippling depths, I thought I saw something move, and I felt deep fear, I had to get out of there, I went for the decompression chamber, and to my horror, I saw out of my peripheral mass cresting out of the water, I threw myself into the chamber, and as fast as I could try to throw the door closed, I'm monstrous of dark, grayish green tentacle moved with startling speed and

19:43just as I was shutting the door, wrapped around my leg, sinking several spines into me, I cried with pain as the creature began to drag me out of the chamber, I slammed the door on the tentacle, but it was thick and strong, and continued to drag me, a second tentacle, just like the first, was starting to crest out of the moonpool, just then, I looked up, it was the same sheet metal panel that had grazed me when I first walked in, I ripped it off the wall with surprising ease, and with all my might, for my life, I cleaved the tentacle, it didn't sever it, but I cut it deeper and it released me, before the second tentacle could reach the chamber, I slammed the door with all my might, I looked at the tentacle's prodding and probing at the sealed door, it was absolutely horrifying, I knew they had every intent on dragging me done into the depths they were terrifying, like a giant octopus with spiny thorns attached to hook its prey, no doubt, after what seemed like ires, the decompression finished, I had already been screaming and the others had gathered at the door, I exited the chamber and turned to the others, we have to get the hell out of here now. I screamed, calm down, said manon, that happened, there was some kind of I stopped, I didn't know what to say, look, I know this sounds crazy, but I'm massive, predatory in vertebrae grub me in the mean pool. Like a Pacific octopus?

20:44To gas curiously, they were not understanding the gravity of the situation, the tentacles weren't visible from this angle, and I dared not open the door to show them, instead, I showed them my leg, he was bleeding, though not profusely the puncture wounds were still clearly visible, the others began to inspect his leg, Derek went into another room and came back with a couple of knives, there were the only weapons we are available, that first light, all of us should make a break for the Hoffnan, said Derek, but this about the storm, said Bertram, I would rather take my chances with the storm than be done here. At least I would die a natural death, said Derek, I don't think the others understood, but any exactly what he meant, the idea of drowning in the open water somehow seemed like a tolerable alternative, it suddenly made sense, the explosions, the beaten up submersible, this animal was being stood by the other facility, one thing is certain, said Derek, the creature only seems to be around at night, and we seem to be safe in here. I'm swimming for the Hoffnan in the morning, I strongly urge the rest of you to come, I nodded, the others looked among themselves, not knowing what to think, we all went to our bunks and tried to sleep, after hours of tossing and turning and staring at the entrance, half expecting a dark grey tentacle to slither around the corner.

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22:48Coalition, I fell asleep when I awoke I started my daily routine I even got ready to go out and swim to the bathroom when I stopped dead in my tracks I felt a deep sense of horror as if I was just remembering what had happened to me in a moonpool just I was before I suddenly felt no urge to go to the bathroom at all. I just stood there gazing at the pressure chamber All of the others had risen and were mulling about have either of you seen dog said manon I'm waiting for his data, but I haven't seen him Maybe he hasn't woken up. I said he's in his bunk said manon. I'm starting to get worried He probably just went out for some samples said bear frown You're probably right said manon and she start abusing herself at her work I finally worked up the courage to go out to the bathroom dome The water was moving faster than usual But nothing I couldn't swim against. I could see how being a person woman would be very How's it understood why they insisted on strong swimmers in the application Out at the dome I looked around and realized that there wasn't a fish inside Usually during this time of day the ocean was full of them But now it was barren, it was unnerving I looked around the area depths trying to make out what I could through the misty sea water I noticed something strange the hatch to the other part of the facility was open The same hatch the Javier had swam up upon thinking about Javier

23:50My eyes started back to the place where I had seen his eyes stirring at me from the hole I shut it and suddenly started to feel very vulnerable I got done with my business and started back towards Munpal when I entered the habitat I saw that manon was coming my way with Bertram and Derrick that year she said We're going out to look for duck You should have been back by now The hatch is open I said they all looked at one another We will have to think about that later she said everyone Suit up and make sure you're full of oxygen The water was still moving fast due to the stormy conditions It was difficult to fight against a current But duck should have come back by now And there was a chance he was stuck and running low on air We had to look for him We checked down the slope in the opposite direction of the hole There was no sign of duck We finally came to the hole We shined our lights down into the depths Nothing but darkness after a while Our oxygen levels were getting lower and we returned to the habitat on our way back We all saw the open hatch No doubt we were all thinking the same thing Doug might have gone up the hatch for some reason When we had shed our gear in the Munpal Derrick was the first to mention this We need to get in touch with the other part of the habitat He said I will try to radio them again As I walked past the door to connect to the two habitats

24:51I peered down its corridor Surely we could just override the locks and walk in there It seemed like the right thing to dig even the circumstances I shined my light down the corridor through the glass It was strange something at the very end of the corridor seemed to be flirting I squinted and tried to discern what it was I was looking at Hey guys, I said I think something is moving in there We all gathered at the glass of the door and peered into the darkness There was something that seemed to be hovering And it was drifting closer I know what it was before my mind could register What I was seeing It was a strange feeling And the one hand there was a pen But a nail there It was drifting right in the middle of the air The pen was floating because the chamber had filled with water It won't break through Said Derrick, the store is designed to withstand pressures far beyond this It was always a possibility that one of the habitats would be compromised His words did little to reassure me I kept staring at that pen as it seemed to drift aimlessly They've ricocheted off one of the walls gently What happened to all the people? Us Bertram There was nothing but silence for a moment Then Nanon spoke They have to go in there Said Manon, that must be where dog is Maybe he strapped Derrick and Bertram exchanged glances and started speaking in German Nanon interrupted them and they all started yelling at each other

25:53I stood the puzzle until they finally switched back to English I can't believe you too Said Manon, Doug would have done it, save you Doug is dead Said Derrick, or worse What do you mean, or worse? Said Manon, he has been out of air for a while now And we all know it Said Derrick, Bertram and I are going for the Hoffman We aren't waiting for the ship Bertram stood there looking as guilty as he was terrified Finally, they were starting to understand Weird to get the hell out of here I opened my mouth to gree adamantly But Manon spoke first I'm going over there She said to finally She looked at me and waited for me to speak Okay, I said, I will go with you to look for Doug This is crazy, said Derrick I don't want to be on that sinking boat in a storm Any minute longer than I have to We can't wait for you One-eier said Manon, that's all we need Derrick and Bertram started arguing in German again If I will wait one-eier, said Bertram Send we will head to the surface together Sooting up on fast We did our final text and off back into the moon pole The hatch seemed to beckon me I thought of Javier and how I had seen his head staring at me Even now it gave me the chills But I put it in the back of my mind

26:54Soon we could almost see up the shaft I thought of how much had happened in my life Since I had taken this job How much I had learned and seen it was hard to remember What my life used to be like It seemed like so long ago that I had been sleeping in an ice bed And heating all the food I wanted Mostly I thought about how much I had taken for granted You don't realise how important it is to feel safe until you don't We reached the entrance of the shaft And it became dark fast Manon turned on her light And my hot sank At the end of the shaft was a metal door But it looked as though it had been what What could have done this Luckily our diver's masks had radio communication built in Who could have done this Said manon she looked over at me She knew what I was thinking already There is no creature I've had discovered like the one you hallucinated Well I went to retort But stopped There was no point in arguing I wanted to live Not to be right Let's hope not I said It took everything I had But I managed to start kicking and swam up into the shaft Manon soon followed after me We traced the dark room with our lights And it seemed to have been some kind of submersible docking room What once was a moonpool had been overtaken by water All manner of clutter floated about There was a nerve into being there under the darkness Six to meters beneath the surface of the water In a breached habitat that had consisalent

27:55As watered a tablet away from my head as we continued On with the decompression chamber it was wide open And both of the large doors stood in sealed I knew what had happened The creature that had tried to grab me That giant octopus creature Had gotten through the decompression chamber I couldn't stop thinking about those tentacles that had grabbed me It looked like they were as thick as a tree trunk As they disappeared into the black water I will never forget the next room was large and quite long It was full of all types of computers and lab equipment But in the center of the room into my horror There it was that same docked great Must have been 50 feet long I instinctively swam away This was horror movie 101 I had done everything I could to convince Manon that my story was true If she didn't believe me now It was on her to my relief I saw a swimming fast behind me She now in the stood that our lives were in imminent danger As we rounded the corner in the room with the hatch we saw a dog It seemed like a miracle there He was floating there in his diving gear We made it towards the moonpool And started to get out of our gear That's when I caught out of the corner of my eye Dog's oxygen meter had been empty still I didn't think much about it as we made our way to the decompression chamber I wish I had Suck I have to say it's good to see your stupid face Said Manon Why didn't you respond to my radio

28:56Dog gave a slight smile We looked everywhere for you I said he looked at me He looked like he had some kind of debris in his eye And still he said nothing He just stared at me That's when I realized that Bertram and Derek were nowhere to be found Derek Bertram I cried out He don't think they would have left without us Do you? Usman and suddenly I heard a loud crash at distance from the habitat It was as loud as the explosions But it was different I could tell Manon thought the same thing As we looked at each other in horror Putting it out of our mind Manon and I desperately scrambled around the habitat When we returned We noticed dog standing by the decompression chamber He seemed to be examining it You okay there? Dog I asked He turned to me and gave me that same holostair I'd seen that stare before somewhere I couldn't quite put my finger on it He soon turned back to the decompression interface And just stared at it Any ideas on where Derek and Bertram are? Dog I asked More to make conversation than anything else We stood there in silence for a moment I dared not walk away Manon had made her way over to us after searching for Derek But look on my face She could tell that there was something wrong Dog she asked After a moment of silence Dog's hand rose and pressed one of the button

29:57He pressed another button He was starting to figure it out I tried to block the panel But he swatted me away with a speed That was characteristic of dog He was trying to open the decompression chamber I tried to push him away from the panel But he had but it me hard I fell to the ground I felt woozy I tried to stand up But fell over again Manon I cried out Don't let him open the chamber Manon stood there Horrified As I finally got to my feet But it was too late Dog managed to open the decompression chamber Still There was a fail-siff mechanism Both doors couldn't be opened at once Unless overridden in an emergency I had read about it in the manual Before I came aboard There was a way But if it was done in underwater at depth The moon balls integrity would fail And the water would rush into the habitat It took stood there once more Thinking thinking with that horrifying holostair My head was still spinning But I managed to grab a hold of his arm And we both went tumbling over I managed to dodge some swings at my head And scrambled backwards Dog refocused his attention back And the panel suddenly allowed alarm sounded It was over The moon pool integrity had been compromised And water immediately began to rush in Manon and I looked at each other in horror She rushed over to a cabinet The water was already up to our knees

30:57And rising fast Dog simply stared at his void of emotion The water poured forth And in seconds I had taken a deep breath from the air at the top I tried to think of something Anything But before I could Manon grabbed my hand She had found the life raft We swam for it We both started towards the moon pool When all of a sudden I felt a strong hand grit my leg It was dug, I thrashed And kicked but no avail I tried to fight him with all I had left But he was just too strong And I was running out of oxygen Theages of my eyes were starting to turn black And my lungs were crying out This was it suddenly Manon drove a fixed blade deep in a dog stomach He momentarily let go And we scrambled out of the moon pool We dug right behind us to my horror I saw him swimming down after us blood pouring out Manon screened and pointed towards the hole There was Jivya Bertram And Derek swimming for us All with it hollow Life was looking nice All we had to do was clear the building above us And we could pull the rep cord We were so close And that's when I saw the hawthorn It was the ship that was supposed to be above us But there it was I could barely make it out through the murky water But it was hard to miss something so big The storm, or maybe the others Had sunk it That was what the crushing sounded We cleared the structure And just as the creatures were closing in on us

31:57Manon ripped the cord Holding on We started just in fast I watched as we left That horrible place behind And it disappeared into the misty Or as an underneath my feet We hung there Blind and helpless all the while, thinking to ourselves What if the others swam up after us How long would it take them to reach us? Why joints were hurting and I knew why Decompression sickness was setting in Still we were alive for now The more I strained to look The more asserted to make it several shadows They were getting closer I could start to make out the human bodice now There were no more than several meters We're swimming for us My joints were in agony and I felt so tired I felt so tired I needed to sleep Still the sight of the surface was so close It's glimmering majesty just a little farther We broke the surface gasping for air The life raft was so close We scrambled into it as I felt the fear of having my last like grad But it wasn't We had made it We quickly looked over this side A chill ran down my spine as I saw Right beneath the surface the faces of Javier Derek, Doug and Bertram

32:58All of their eyes fixed on us They they remained as if unable to break the surface Doug was still bleeding profusely from his stomach And a cloud of red was gathering We collapsed in the bed of the life raft exhausted We had made it We could feel their hands crouching at us Through the raft and it was unnerving But the raft seemed to be holding The sun was setting And the sky was a beautiful pink color That brings us all the way up to now The last light has gone away The others are still scratching at the bottom of the raft The sun is no longer holding it bare The creature will surely come for us tonight And that is the end Thank you for listening And I will see you in the next one

34:04United Unions help small businesses make payroll This bill would cut the vital resources they need While increasing Megastore profits They deserve it Don't they? Tell Congress stop the Durban Marshall money grab for corporate megastores Paid for it by the Electronic Payments Coalition Hey I'm Josh Speagle Host of the podcast Luna Tick in the newsroom If you enjoy journalism that drifts into mild panic Wild overthinking and a guaranteed nervous breakdown Luna Tick in the newsroom is for you It's news like you've never heard before The only newsroom with a panic button You'll laugh You'll cry And gasp and horror as the show spirals completely out of control It's not just news It's emotionally unstable Luna Tick in the newsroom Listen today