Thing from Under the Sea

A Thing living at the oceans bottom dares to escape to discover what lies beyond the oceans surface.

Beneath the sea surface, existed an unknown society that knew equally the same about the outer world as the outer world knew of it. Miles below the surface on the ocean floor existed vast cavernous and tunnels. The Society of Things lived within there with only minimal light from sea creatures illuminations and heat from the planet’s core. Thousands of Things lived amongst each other in harmony until the day came, a small and insignificant Thing, with the name only of Klenor, swam away from its ocean floor cave. It hungered to know what lay beyond the Cap – the ceiling of the Ocean water. It hungered for escape and feared what it was escaping.

 Something came through the veil of black above that its eyes it had never seen. Its mind correlated its thoughts. Klenor was young for its species even though it could be classified as an adult. Its mind ventured of what lies beyond and so decided to discover for itself. The thing it saw brought out colors never before shone at this depth. On the spectrum not known to it nor its kind. Sunlight. The words formed in its mind. It heard about this phenomenon before from Elders and Lords. Far above, a ceiling, waving in and out like sand at the bottom when a giant squid brush against it. What was this, it thought? Klenor wanted to know. So it stared at the splash of the water back and forth like, like a wave! This was the Cap.

It approached the ceiling that no other floor creature had before, only fish food ventured north to the cap. As children, they were told not to venture past the horizon as black faded grey into yellow, and to stay down low near the dirt and sand and the heat. But Klenor wanted to know what lay past the blackness, what was above. It splashed and waved both appendages near its eyes to rise above.

Curiosity, and fear, led it to swim further north than any of its species had before. Further than any story could tell. Strenuous hours of thrusting itself forward heading in a direction unfamiliar, it began to wonder if there was even a limit to the universe or if infinity was the only thing lying in wait. For that’s what seemed in wait for the creature swimming north. The familiar emptiness loosened up like a shark through a school. The surroundings brightened.  It could sense it was nearing the Cap. This Thing needed to escape the Bottom. For the Bottom was under fear of indiscriminate slaughter by the Elders and God Beasts. They were named God Beasts for their lack of awareness or care for the Things. They whipped their tentacles and swooshed their bodies around with no forethought for the destruction done. Monctrose moved around the Society of Things and created chaos whenever it moved. Its length outlasted ten whales of large size, with many appendages and wings to propel itself through the ocean water. Great flames burned all animals around Monctrose. Most often it remained asleep until it woke when it needed to feed. This Thing had to escape.

Before venturing north Klenor stayed near the ocean floor along a deepening trench. Its depth was measured by great searchers but was unknown to this Thing. Curiosity drove the Thing to see beyond the Cap but another Thing, a rival Thing if you will, nudged it to see beyond. Dared it. To push it out of their community. But that Thing lacked understanding of the fear is what lies in front and not beyond its door. Near the floor, they had food, plants to feed off of or schools of fish to slaughter and feed upon. They built homes inside caves in the trenches. Some were small caves, for families of Things or single Things. Others were cavernous, of a vast size that escaped all light from outside. They lit up only with species of fish and warmed from the angry ocean peaks pouring out its crimson rocks wrecking all in its path. This particular Thing, lacking satisfaction in the cavernous life under the sea sought freedom from the angry ocean peaks and downtrodden other Things that fought to control all Things. And to escape the God Beasts. This Thing, the one swimming north, wanted to discover the other side despite the others fighting against the knowledge. Maybe it could help save the Society of Things. Make them realize that true fear inside and not beyond their door.

It pounded its appendages, all four of them to reach the Cap. It saw the seal, the border and wondered whether it would hit the Cap like swimming into a cliff wall. The fish were smaller the further it swam from the floor. It wondered what caused the shrinkage of the fish and why the high Things avoided seeking refuge past the Cap where logic dictated safety. The Thing wondered if the High Things were misguided or knew something valuable with the intent of keeping it secret. Why keep the Things at the Bottom where the God Beasts in all of their might, horror, and fear ruled in full reign and terror.

Nearing the Cap, the Thing remained calm and hid its excitement from itself. The scene began to clear up, harming its eyes. It never saw so much brightness near the ocean floor, even near the angry ocean peaks. This brightness appeared opposite of the angry ocean peaks. The latter brought thoughts of terror and fear, this brought joy and hope. In ten seconds it would reach the Cap.

One. It sped its appendages flapping back and forth.

Two. The light blinded its eyes.

Three. Thing flapped harder.

Four. What laid beyond the Cap?

Five. Could it breathe?

Six. Would the God Beasts come?

Seven. Would the Elders come?

Eight. Its eyes adjusted.

Nine. Soon answers would arrive.

It stopped.

Its face stood still before the Cap. Staring into the void, the void of light. Yellow, blue, white. The Thing remained patient soaking in this newfound feeling. It reached an appendage through the veil, feeling hollowness, an unknown feeling. It stretched its head through and let out water pouring like a fountain out of its mouth. Emptiness went in. But it felt a joyous hollowness. The Thing swam to a peak stretching from the floor to the Cap. It went onto to it, climbing on top until its entire body lifted above the Cap.

A strange orb beamed down and it felt a burn only felt by the angry ocean peak. Thoughts of harm, yet love, filled its mind. It walked onto the Cap’s dry sand, similar to the ocean floor, familiar enough. The Thing never felt the touch of sand without water. It strolled and stretched its legs on this… land. That’s the name of it, land. The beam of the orb up high, higher than it was able to swim, disturbed its skin. 

Something shouting.

Something shouting in an unknown language. It said, “are.”

“Are you okay?”

“Naked.”

“Why?”

“Why are you naked?

The sound, the words, were foreign. The Thing’s mind closed its senses from an overabundance of ambushing information.

Two figures, they looked the same as the Thing, rushed towards it clasping their hands to their mouth, one returned with a rock to its head. It spoke into the rock. It said, “help.” The figure had long hair down its back. It glowed in the orbs brightness.

The other figure put its appendages on the Thing. “Are.” “You.” “Okay.” The sound came out. Its ears received. It understood. “Are you okay?” It reached out its appendages to the Thing, the other figure with the flowing hair also placed its appendages on the Thing. “You.” “Will.” “Be.” “Alright.” “Everything.” “Will.” “Be.” “Okay.”

The orb beamed down on the three figures to reveal three of the same. Their skin varied in tone, their hair stretched to separate lengths, their necks reached heights apart from each other, yet all three resembled each other where it mattered. Two arms. Two legs. Head. Chest. Heart. The Thing Klenor found its people above the Cap and never went back undersea to its cavernous and horrid life. The island shook and the sky went gray as the island’s peak roared.