by Eliza Taye
Oceania: The Underwater City
By: Eliza Taye
Copyright Page
Copyright © 2016 by Eliza Taye
All Rights Reserved
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner of this book. The only exception is brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, businesses, organizations, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Dedication
For all who dream of the sea and especially those who one day hope to live beneath it.
Table of Contents
Oceania: The Underwater City
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Epilogue
Review Request Page
Acknowledgements
Author’s Note
About the Author
More Books by Eliza Taye
Chapter 1
The door slammed and creaked against its hinges as it nearly collided with the steel siding of the house before returning to its rightful place with a satisfying bang. It groaned as if it wanted to break at any moment, but I didn’t care. All I cared about was getting away. Getting away from my aggravating family and my annoying full name of Alexandria, which I could still hear Gran yelling at my back as my feet stamped down the dried, yellow grass on her front lawn. Rolling my agitated eyes, I increased my pace down the elongated pathway to the gate.
Glaring back at the house, I took in its sorry state as I passed it by. Peeled yellow siding revealed the gray steel skeleton of the ranch house. The porch sagged from the roof with a slight tilt to the left. The two windows on either side of the porch hung open to let in the soft breeze, rippling the bright blue window curtains. Everything about it was old, stuck in a time reminiscent of ages gone by. It was the home in which my mother had grown up, and was why I had to leave it. I couldn’t stand to be reminded of her for another moment.
Things used to be different. It wasn’t always this way. Before Mom and I moved from San Antonio, Texas to Chicago, Illinois, where she landed her dream job, I didn’t have to spend summers with Gran in this sleepy little town. I had friends. I had things to do in the summertime, but Chicago is too dangerous for me to run around wild by myself, or so Mom says. So, now I’m stuck here: Sunnyville, California, population 30,000. I didn’t even know towns so small existed anymore until Mom banished me here.
Sunnyville had to be the most boring place in all of California to spend the summers. Formerly a Navy military base, all that remained was a shell of a town with mostly old people and very little for a teen like me to do. There is only so much time I can stand playing Scrabble with my grandmother before I go crazy.
Gran’s face appeared in the glass window of the front door and I snapped my gaze to the road ahead, kicking up dust as my feet dug into the earth to push my body forward. Tears burned inside my eyes, but I fought to blink them back. I wouldn’t cry like a weakling…I wouldn’t cry over the way my mother treated me anymore.
The road adjacent to Gran’s home was the only man-made feature in the area. Abandoned fields of dying grass and old crops long withered in the unforgiving heat crowded in on either side of the road for hundreds of yards in each direction. The solitude was absolute, leaving me alone on the road to run out my frustration.
I knew the center of the small, rural town of Sunnyville to be somewhere in the general direction the winding road would take me. I’d run about a mile or so before I finally reached it. Little novelty shops, a few restaurants, a grocery store, and the town bank lined the asphalt paved road down the center of Main Street, making this town the first one I’d ever seen still using asphalt instead of indestructible kryotyte. I slowed to a walk when I passed underneath the town welcome sign spanning the width of the road. Ignoring the empty street, I headed over to the boardwalk just outside the line of shops to the right. Peeking inside the windows of each storefront, I expected to see holographic displays meant to dazzle the mind and induce a shopping spree, but instead, trinkets and other souvenirs stared back at me.
Taking notice of the signs on the door, most of the shops didn’t open until ten or eleven. Digging in my jean shorts pocket, I pulled out my omniphone and checked the time—it was only nine in the morning. Shoving the omniphone back into my undersized pocket, I kept moving on down the boardwalk.
It didn’t take me long to see every shop, since there were only about twelve or so of them. Trailing the wraparound boardwalk to the side facing the ocean, I discovered alternate entrances on this side as well.
Removing my attention from the dull shops to gaze out at the ocean, I expected to see the so far absentee residents frolicking in the sea. However, no human dotted the beach or bobbed in the ocean. I started to wonder what was going on with this little town. What sort of seaside town didn’t use their beach in the summertime?
Making my way towards the water, the boardwalk ended and burning sand greeted my thinly covered feet. Bouncing from one foot to another to keep my feet from being scorched, I found a sign about twenty feet from the edge of the water inscribed with the words: Keep Off the Beach—Radiation and Toxicity Danger.
Puzzled, I backed away and returned to the boardwalk. Sitting down at the edge, carefully tucking my feet beneath me to rescue them from the molten sand, I checked in either direction for other people, but saw no one. Turning my gaze towards the beach, I stared at the harmless-looking surf. The blue water morphed into white as the crashing waves washed onto the beach and then retreated out. The calm, serene beauty of it reminded me of my former home in San Antonio, bringing up nostalgia I had been trying to resist for the past year.
I watched the waves from a distance until I couldn’t stand it any longer. Standing up, I took out my omniphone and swept my fingertips across it to unlock the screen using my fingerprints. The screen flashed to life and I quickly connected to the Network. Earnestly, I typed in my question: What disaster occurred in Sunnyville, California that caused toxicity and radiation?
Within a couple milliseconds, an answer popped up. According to the website, a nuclear disaster involving the Navy occurred nearly 150 years ago. I let out a puff of air in annoyance. One hundred and fifty years! No way could it still be a danger!
The rhythmic thudding of high-heels on the boardwalk alerted me to someone coming. I snapped my head up to see a bleach-blonde-haired woman heading my way with a tote bag dangling off her arm.
“Hello,” she greeted, nodding as she passed by.
“Hello,” I greeted back with a forced smile.
I was going to go into the ocean. No way would I waste my enti
re summer holed up in my grandmother’s ancient low-tech house playing board games specifically designed for the elderly.
Realizing the blatant impossibility of enjoying myself near downtown, I took off jogging back towards the road. I followed it north along the beach, always keeping the ocean in my peripheral line of sight. Isolated houses passed by on my right-hand side, but mostly it was nothing but empty fields.
Traveling up and down hills beside the edges of steep cliffs, I finally came to a plateau about three or so miles outside of town. Sweating profusely in the nearly one-hundred-degree heat, I paused to breathe in deeply, shielding my eyes as I peered up to curse the bright sun for its unbearable warmth.
Regaining focus and leaving the road behind, I pushed through the overgrown bushes to strike out on my own. Once I left and began making my way toward the sea, I found my path impeded by a large chain-link fence. The infuriating obstacle surrounded the entire section of the beach. On it, a sign read, “United States Navy Training Beach, No Civilians Allowed.” Obviously, based on the large fence surrounding the area, no one was allowed in, which seemed absurd since the Navy was long gone.
Unperturbed, I searched for a way inside, possibly a hole where I could slip into the restricted area. About a hundred yards to the south, I discovered an opening just large enough that I might be able to slide under without touching the wire. I paused for a second. What if it was electrified?
Convincing myself there was only a slim chance the fence was electrified, and even if it was, the power for it would have run out long ago, I crouched down and examined the opening. Taking a deep breath and blowing it out, I lay down and slid gingerly on the rough sand. Nearly halfway through, a piece of jagged wire hooked into both my tank top and jean shorts.
Frozen, I waited for the electrical shock of my life. When it didn’t happen, I sighed in relief and quickly continued through, standing up on the other side.
I had made it. I now had my own private beach.
Relishing in the freedom, I dashed toward the waves and felt the bliss of the pounding surf as it lapped around my ankles, then up to my knees and waist as I dashed into the sea.
Time became irrelevant as I swam out past the breakers and into calmer waters. This was the life. I would have to find an excuse to come here every day for the entire summer. Begging Gran to take me to the public beach, a half hour away every day, wasn’t going to happen. Besides, I didn’t have to share this beach.
Diving beneath the waves, the immense expanse of blue encircled me. I never feel as vibrant or alive as I do when I’m under the surface of the water. All the residual anger I felt at my mother washed away with each wave crashing over me. With a grin on my face, I challenged myself to dive as deeply as I could before coming up for air. Enveloping me each time I dove beneath the surface were silvery fish darting here and there in small schools. Every time I drew near, they skittered off just beyond the reach of my fingertips. Playfully, I would swim into them, making them break apart only to rejoin later.
Once bored with the fish, I swam further out to sea and was astonished to see a sea turtle hovering not far from me. The methodically serene flapping of its fins as if it were a bird in the sky caught my attention, as I watched it glide past, bouncing slightly with each stroke.
Breaking the surface with a large gulp of air, I flipped over onto my back and floated for a while. The rays of the midday sun shone down on me with a comforting warmth that contrasted to the cool waters beneath me. I floated for a while before rolling onto my stomach and letting myself tread water for a bit.
Reluctantly, goosebumps on my skin compelled me to exit the cold waters of the Pacific. I started moving my way back to the shoreline, letting the waves carry me on their crests gently to the beach. Trudging along with the incoming waves, I splayed across the sand, arms spread out like an eagle, the water licking at my bare feet. Just when my body started to relax, I heard what sounded like the soft purr of an engine.
Propping myself up on my elbows, I gazed out across the water to see a guy riding a watercraft that resembled a Jet Ski. Creasing my eyebrows, I pushed myself up to a standing position and sprinted over to where it seemed like the guy was heading.
Stumbling over rocks and slipping on slimy surfgrass, I made it over to the rocky outcroppings when the guy disembarked the watercraft. I watched him curiously, as he pulled the craft up beyond the reaches of the surf. He clearly hadn’t noticed me watching him yet, but when he did, he jumped with a start.
“Hey, who are you and what are you doing here?” he questioned, stomping up the sandy bank to where I stood next to a cluster of mussel encrusted rocks.
I stared incredulously at him. His outfit resembled a yellow space suit, minus the helmet. Blue outlines trailed the seams along with matching blue insignias on each arm. Dirty-blond hair hung shaggily past his slightly big ears and touched the tips of his mid-level cheekbones.
“Hey, why don’t you answer me? How did you get here? I didn’t see you when I left.” The boy looked at me with quizzical eyes, as if was trying to size me up; determine what kind of person I was.
“What are you talking about? What are you doing here?” I pushed back, staring him right back in his strikingly green irises, not letting him intimidate me. Although I had spoken with a solid tone, I had to admit to myself, I didn’t feel as confident as I pretended to be with my shabby appearance of wet, sandy clothes, and sand particles matted to my wet, black hair.
“I’m here to collect data like I always do.” The guy looked me up and down, examining me like I was a luxury hover car. “Where did you get those weird clothes?”
I glanced down at my light-colored jean shorts and aqua blue tank top. “What do you mean? I bought these online at a store.”
“Online?” the guy furrowed his brow. “What class are you in?”
“Huh?” Both my confusion and annoyance were growing.
“Where are you from in Oceania? Which school do you attend? I have exclusive access to this beach for my project. No one else is supposed to be here.”
“Oceania? What are you talking about?” I defiantly folded my arms across my chest. “Who are you? What’s your name?”
“My name is Dylan Baker. What’s your name?”
“Allie.”
“No last name?”
I raised a quizzical eyebrow at him. “I don’t know you and thus don’t want you looking me up on the HoloNet.”
“HoloNet?” Dylan mirrored my confused expression. “What is that?”
I gawked at him. “You don’t know what the HoloNet is? Everyone knows about the HoloNet!”
Dylan swiped his hand in the air and turned around. “Forget it, I have work to do.”
“Wait, no…tell me what’s going on!” I followed him, careful not to trip on any of the rocks scattered across the sand.
“No, you’ll just get in my way.” Dylan picked up a pen and tablet from the backseat of the watercraft, and proceeded up to the rockier portion of the beach.
“Look, I don’t understand why you’re so upset, but I want to know what you mean by this Oceania thing.”
Dylan paused and turned to face me with his pen and tablet frozen at chest level in his hands. At first, he peered at me in confusion, but then his face began to soften as he once again visually examined me from head to toe. “You aren’t from Oceania?”
“No,” I answered in exasperation. What was this guy’s problem? Had he escaped from a mental institution?
Both Dylan’s eyebrows disappeared under his shaggy hair, his eyes bulged, and his jaw dropped farther than I thought it could go. “Are you from land?”
“What?” I leaned forward slightly, my arms instinctively crossing again, while I enunciated as if talking to a two-year-old. “Of course I’m from on land. Who isn’t?”
The tablet and pen fell from Dylan’s grasp as he grabbed the sides of his head with both hands. I heard him murmur, “Oh, conch shell.” With his expression of surprise still unchang
ed, he bent over slightly then jumped into the air letting out a celebratory hoot.
I watched him as confused as can be, as he hopped around and continued screaming like he was a monkey or something. Eventually, he came back to me, grabbing my hand and jerking it free from my crossed arms.
“Allie, oh my gosh…are you the only one?”
“Only one of what?” I continued to let him hold onto my hand but prepared to yank it away at a moment’s notice.
“Only human survivor.”
I snatched back my hand. “What are you talking about?”
I started backing away when he reached out and gently grasped my arm. “Don’t be scared. I’m sorry…I’ve just always been told that every land-dwelling human had died out long ago. I didn’t think terrestrial humans still existed.”
I froze in place. I’d just met a lunatic. I continued to stare at his face, waiting for it to erupt into laughter, indicating that he was merely joking with me.
“Please, tell me. I’ve been working on this assignment to take observations of intertidal species for nearly two years now and I’ve never ever seen any semblance of human life before.”
I stayed quiet, still trying to figure him out. Something was seriously wrong with this guy. Clearly, he had fallen and severely hit his head at some time in his life.
Dylan merely looked at me with hope in his eyes, but then his face fell and he turned back to the rocky shore. “Forget it. I have observations to make.”
At first, I thought about returning to swimming in the sea like I had been before, but my curiosity had been piqued.
“Wait! What do you mean only human survivor?” I followed Dylan, hurrying across the beach and slipping on the surfgrass, falling flat on my butt.
Dylan whipped back around to face me, staring down at me sprawled on my backside like an overturned starfish on the grass. “I was always taught the entire land world of humans was exterminated by the second wave of the deadly virus that caused The Great Plague.” He held out a bony hand to help me up as he spoke. “Are you okay?”