Oceania: The Underwater City

by Eliza Taye

  about twelve to fifteen feet long. The short orientation and signing of forms was over and we were ready to depart for the island.

  “All right, is everyone ready?” The dive leader checked the gauges on his complete U-SCUBA suit, the “U” I was told stood for “Ultimate.” “Check all your gauges one more time and make sure you each have a diving buddy. It will be pretty dark inside once we get in there, so make sure each of you has a flashlight attached to your belt.”

  I checked all my gauges and that my flashlight was tied to my belt as well. Dylan did the same and we both raised our hands with thumbs up to show that we were ready to go.

  “All right, if everyone is ready, let’s get on the boat.”

  Dylan and I, along with six other people and the dive leader climbed into the small boat. Seats bordered the edge of the stern with two rows facing each other. Walking to the side opposite the dock, we took an empty seat and buckled ourselves in.

  The dive leader checked to make sure everyone was seated with their seatbelts secured and then he climbed into the chair for the driver. “Hold on tight, everyone.”

  Within the span of a minute, the boat revved up to seventy miles an hour, the wind blasting our faces with such intensity that tears streaked out of my eyes, leaving trails down the sides of my face. Blinking and squinting, I strived to keep my eyes from tearing, but to no avail. Peering down, I checked all of my gear to make sure it was secured on my person in case the high speed caused anything to knock off, but everything was good.

  In no time flat, we arrived at the site where Alcatraz Island had once been. Beneath us lay the roof of the main prison building just barely below the surface of the water. The concrete structure and accompanying island loomed underneath us like an apparition. I couldn’t help but feel haunted as I stared down into the water.

  “Okay, now, we all need to stick together. We can communicate through the regulator’s communication system in our helmets, but I need you guys to keep the line quiet unless there is an emergency. If everyone talks at once then I won’t be able to understand anyone. Keep your diving buddy close to you and never let him or her out of your sight. Got it?”

  Dylan raised his hand. “In orientation, you forgot to mention how the island became fully submerged. Didn’t it used to be much higher than old downtown San Francisco?”

  “Ah yes,” the dive leader swatted a fly in front of his face. “There was a project to do some underwater mining near here that went wrong. It caused an undiscovered rift in the ocean to rupture, causing an earthquake that effectively sank the entire island almost two hundred feet into the ocean.” The dive leader’s gaze swept from Dylan to the other members. “Any more questions, or are you ready to dive?”

  Shouts of let’s go and yeah surrounded us as people checked their gear and grabbed their oxygen tanks.

  “Okay, put your masks on and secure them. I’ll come around and make sure everything is done correctly.”

  After all of the tedious checks were in place, we were finally permitted to jump off the boat into the water. Everyone jumped simultaneously, filling the water with a bubble shield so thick that I couldn’t see anything around me. Flailing out in a panic, I felt pressure on my wrist as someone grabbed me and pulled me away from the boat. Once the bubbles were behind us, I could see that it was Dylan. I nodded in thanks and he replied in kind.

  The intercom inside my mask crackled on. “Can everyone hear me? Put your thumbs to the side if you can. Remember, if you put your thumbs up, it’s the universal sign that you are ready to ascend.”

  I took a quick glance at everyone and all thumbs were to the side.

  Finally, we were permitted to enter the structure, swimming through a window that had purposely been removed. An eerie calm and silence permeated throughout the room, bouncing off jagged walls matching the outer ones of the building. Via the eight shining flashlights in addition to my own, I could see we had entered the main section. Our dive leader led us down to the very bottom of the three levels of holding cells. From there the dive leader permitted us to take our time in this area and peer into the cells if we wished too. A few of them were lit, surrounded by a protective barrier, in which all the water seemed to be drained completely. Inside, there was a plaque stating that the cell looked exactly like it did when the prisoners were there. The items included a very old-style toilet, a small sink, and what appeared to be a cot. I had once read that the worst sorts of people in our country were housed here, but seeing the bare necessities made me feel a little sorry for them.

  A fish swam in front of my view and I was once again reminded of my submerged state. I reached out and touched the bars, feeling the cold, yet brittle material. Clearly, the place was degrading and there was no telling how much longer it would be until the whole thing decided to collapse.

  For at least another twenty minutes, we were allowed to explore the main cellblock. Dylan and I stuck together, swimming up to the second level and peering in. I nearly laughed at the fish playing in the toilet of one of the cells. It repeatedly dipped itself down into the bowl and then back out again.

  Swimming up towards the ceiling, passing the red demarcating paint between each level, most of which had already been peeled away. We wove carefully through the pipes still hanging from the ceiling, careful of the hanging lamp as well. Rounding a corner, we continued to view the cells around the edge. Oddly enough, clinging to the bars of one of them on the second row was an octopus. It scurried away when Dylan shined his flashlight directly at it to get a better look.

  The dive leader’s voice piped in once again. “Okay, everyone, gather under the skylights in the center of the main cell block. Once all of you are here, I’ll guide you through the tour of the rest of the island.”

  Dylan and I were two of the first ones to join the dive leader. When the rest had joined us as well, the dive leader took us through the rest of building showing us where the solitary confinement area, the library, and the laundry room were. Each of us was allowed to take turns swimming into the cell where the solitary prisoners were kept. Eventually, we ventured back outside into the open water to visit the rec yard and the rest of the complex. We saw the powerhouse, homes of the people who lived and worked there, and more.

  Throughout the entire time, I couldn’t help but think about how the ocean had reclaimed this place. The seas had risen and claimed so many of our precious monuments and historical sites, but the fish only saw this as a place to colonize. Eventually, I started to find the historical site less interesting and instead became more interested in how the ocean’s residents had taken it over.

  Finally, I understood the allure my father had for nature. The allure that called him to distant and remote places with a touch of danger. Not only did nature give peace and solitude, but insight into a world so different from our own technologically driven societies. It brought us humans back to a primitive state where we were one with nature instead of apart from it.

  For weeks, I had explored the ocean and its secret city in the deep. Yet I had failed to find a connection between my marine expeditions and my own life. I’d felt a disconnect between my life and the life of the Oceanians. I thought of the Oceanians as living in harmony with nature, and the land world in discord with it. But in reality, my world was also engulfed by the natural world—one only had to step outside the city to see it.

  In a flash, two hours had elapsed and the tour was over. We all surfaced, returning to the boat and climbing in. Dylan and I talked each other’s ears off all the way to the dock and back to the parking lot where Gran’s car was.

  Both Dylan and I climbed into Gran’s car and she pressed the button to turn it on, but this time, she set it to automatic instead of manual and instructed the car to take us home. Unlocking her seat and swiveling it around so she could see us, Gran’s face lit up. “So, did you both enjoy your time in San Francisco?”

  “You bet we did, thank you very much for allowing me to come along.”

  Gran
laughed, the smile lines adding to the permanent wrinkles on her face. “You are quite welcome, Dylan. Thank you for being such a good friend to my granddaughter. She was really upset about there not being anyone her age to hang out with while she’s being forced to stay here all summer long.”

  “Gran!” I chastised through clenched teeth.

  “What?” Gran’s brown-eyed gaze turned toward me. “It is the truth, is it not?”

  “It’s no problem. I didn’t have anyone else to hang out with either, so I’m glad I’ve made a new friend as well.” Dylan placed the bag of souvenirs he was holding on the seat between us. “My parents often take me along on their business-related trips, but I’m usually alone and pretty bored most of the time. They buy me games and things to be entertained, but it isn’t the same as having someone to hang out with.”

  I glanced over at Dylan, surprised at how easily he lied. But then again, maybe it wasn’t a lie. Maybe he was telling the truth about how his parents in Oceania treated him. Maybe it was why he was so fascinated by the outside world and had befriended Dr. Wilcox. I felt like I was beginning to understand Dylan in a way that I hadn’t before. Perhaps his home life was just as complicated as mine was.

  . . .

  The hover car drove itself into Gran’s space for it beside our house, parking, and opening the doors for us to get out.

  “Thank you again for inviting me to go along with you,” reiterated Dylan to my Gran.

  “It was no problem. You’re always welcome here, Dylan.”

  Dylan nodded back with a smile.

  Gran glanced up and down the street. “Aren’t your parents coming to get you?”

  “No, I’m just going to walk home. It isn’t far from here.”

  “All right, stay safe, Dylan.”

  “I will,” replied Dylan. When he looked at me, I gave him a wink, indicating that once we went back into the house, I’d find an excuse to take him to the restricted beach so he could return home to Oceania.

  Chapter 21

  After I dropped Dylan off to return to Oceania, he’d told me it’d be best for us not to meet for a while in order to keep suspicion down. Reluctantly, I agreed and said goodbye to my friend for an uncertain amount of time.

  It had been weeks since the trip to San Francisco, but finally, yesterday, there was a message on the beach from Dylan that said he’d be picking me up today. According to him, it would be safe for me to return to Oceania. The Master Coders were no longer keeping him on a tight leash and monitoring his every move. At long last, I would be returning to the underwater city.

  Pausing my furious pedaling, I allowed my bike to glide down the hill towards the restricted beach. I slid off my bike before the wheels had even stopped turning and swiftly walked with it until we both came to a stop.

  Suddenly, I thought I heard a rustle in the bushes nearby me, but after a short pause of listening, I dismissed it as a figment of my imagination or merely a noise that resulted from my hiding my bike beneath the bushes. I was too excited to return to Oceania to waste my time investigating something fruitless.

  Scrambling underneath the rabbit hole, I wiggled out on the other side and ignored the sand that stuck to my skin as I raced down the beach toward the rocks where Dylan and I had designated to be our usual meeting place.

  He was already there, resting against the seamobile. “Hey, Allie, ready to return to Oceania?”

  I rushed over and came to a halt on the other side of the seamobile. “You bet I am. It’s been too long.”

  “Yeah, I know.” Dylan threw his leg over the seamobile. “Then hop on.”

  Halfway to Oceania, Dylan drew my attention away from the underwater sights of the abyss that I’d miss seeing so much. “Hey, Allie, there’s something I didn’t tell you about your visit today.”

  “What’s that?” What could he and Dr. Wilcox have thought up now?

  “Well, um…” Dylan cleared his throat. “It’s my birthday today and my parents allowed me to throw a party.”

  I grinned. “So that means…”

  “Yeah, I’m bringing you to my birthday party where there’ll be a lot of other people our age. I think you now know enough about Oceania to pretend you belong there and mingle with others living in the city beyond the casual greeting. I feel like after you and your grandmother took me to San Francisco that I owed you some kind of equivalent exploration of Oceania.”

  Immediately, I felt both great excitement and dread. What would the other teens in Oceania be like? Would they be like my friends on land or would they be just like Dylan? What if they talked differently and I got lost in their lingo? What if they completely ousted me as an outsider?

  I told my concerns to Dylan, so for the rest of the trip to the city, we concocted several different lies I could tell to decrease suspicion.

  By the time we arrived at Dylan’s apartment, it was already crowded with people—including Dr. Wilcox. Colorful cerulean and chartreuse decorations slung from the ceiling in drooping U-shapes. Projected images of Dylan making a variety of silly and normal faces graced the walls with captions of Happy Birthday Dylan underneath them. Music blared through the room from invisible speakers, making my heart beat in rhythm. Robotic servers hovered through the room serving snacks and drinks to the hungry guests.

  “Hey, Dylan, my boy, you made it to the party.” Dr. Wilcox laughed and came over, taking Dylan under his arm and ruffling his hair. “Happy Birthday, Kid!”

  “Hey, Dylan, what’s up man? I have to say I’ve never arrived at a party before the guest of honor…that is until today,” said a guy about Dylan’s age with glistening white teeth, black curly hair, and gingerbread eyes.

  “Well, I had to go out and get something. I didn’t expect it to take so long for me to return.” Dylan and the guy shared some kind of special handshake I’d never seen before, both laughing when they finished. Dylan reached back and gestured toward me. “Hey, Max, this is one of my friends I met at the engineering camp my parents sent me to a few months ago.”

  “Ah, the camp of death?” Max walked up to me with a warm smile and extended his hand. “I’m Max Granger.”

  “I’m Allie.” I hoped he didn’t notice I left off my last name. I didn’t want someone trying to look me up on a database later just to find out I didn’t exist.

  “Great, Allie. I see you’re one of the survivors of the Engineers of the Future Camp, huh?”

  I laughed. “Yeah, I barely made it through.”

  “Dylan!” a girl with long, straight hair nearly knocked Max over on her way to give Dylan a hug. “Happy Birthday!”

  “Thanks, Samantha. I’m glad you could come.”

  “Well, you know how our parents are…work, work, work. They wouldn’t notice if I disappeared into the hadalpelagic zone.” Samantha turned to me and grinned. “Who’s this, Dylan?”

  Dylan introduced me and Samantha waved at me. “It’s nice to meet you. Are you new to this area?”

  “No, I live on the other side of the city. I met Dylan at the Engineers of the Future Camp a few months ago.” I regurgitated the lie like a pro.

  Samantha winced. “Oh, I just barely made it out of that horror camp. Dylan and my parents work together at the Oceanographic Lab and his parents were trying to convince mine to go so badly. Luckily, I threw a tantrum and they gave in.” Samantha smirked as if she took pride in throwing a tantrum.

  “Well, you got lucky then, it was horrendous.”

  “I bet.” Samantha laughed and then kept smiling. “Hey, Dylan, why don’t I show Allie around while you greet the rest of your guests?”

  “All right, that’s fine. Thanks, Samantha.”

  “No problem.” Samantha slung an arm over my shoulder and led me down the step into the living room. Leaning over and whispering to me, she added, “Us girls have to stick together since we’re the only ones at the party.”

  I peered around the room and noticed she was right. We found an empty place to sit and a robot came over and off
ered us each a beverage.

  As Samantha handed me a drink and got her own, saying thank you to the robot, I asked her, “So how long have Dylan and you known each other?”

  “Oh gosh…pretty much our entire lives. He’s always been like a big brother to me. When I was a toddler, my parents used to leave me in the glass-encased observation room to play because the day care centers would always close before they finished with their work. They didn’t trust a robotic nanny to watch me. So when Dylan’s mom would pick him up from preschool, he’d play with me in the same area. I would hate being alone in there and cried most of the time until Dylan showed up.”

  “Wow,” I said, taking a sip of the sugarless drink that somehow still tasted good.

  “Yeah, and we’ve been close ever since.”

  “How much older is Dylan than you?”

  “Two and a half years…but I’m the more mature one.” Samantha winked and then laughed, throwing her head back, a bit of her drink sloshing out.

  “Hey, Sam!” shouted a short red-haired guy across the room. “Dylan wants to know if you are going to challenge him in All-Stars today.”

  “Of course I am! Let him know I’m not going easy on him because it’s his birthday either!” Samantha shouted back across the room. Turning to me and talking in a normal voice, she added, “Gotta keep his ego in check.”

  Samantha kept talking to me at a mile a minute. A few other people came around to say hi to her and joined in talking with us for a bit. I learned a lot from everyone, but not as much as I did from Samantha. She talked about school, complained about her parents, and about every other topic imaginable. I found out we were both alike and different in many ways. We had many of the same interests and were good at the same subjects in school, although many of the high school classes in Oceania were very different from the ones I had. Even with Samantha asking a lot of questions, it was easy to keep up the charade that I, too, was from Oceania. Most of the other teens didn’t ask questions. All they cared about was having a good time hanging out and joking with one another.