Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

by Deb Mercier

  For Nance, who inspires me to get out there and experience all of life’s adventures.

  Special thanks to my family for keeping the ship afloat while I was submerged in this project and to Dana Kuznar who provided great input.

  Edited by Blake Hoena

  Cover art by Elizabeth Hurley

  Cover logo by Shane Nitzsche

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2012933189

  Copyright 2012 by Deb Mercier

  Published by Lake 7 Creative, LLC

  Minneapolis, MN 55412

  www.lake7creative.com

  All rights reserved

  ISBN: 978-0-9774122-5-9 (paperback)

  ISBN: 978-0-9821187-7-1 (eBook)

  I’ve always liked making my own decisions. Even if they were the wrong ones—like the time I insisted on wearing my favorite red pants with a green bowling shirt. I grew up reading Choose Your Path books and was really excited to dive in and try writing them myself.

  I decided to take on Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea for a couple of reasons. First, I’ve always been fascinated by the ocean and the creatures that live in it. Second, I’ve never been one to back away from a challenge—and adapting a book written by a master was definitely a challenge!

  I also like the main character, Pierre Arronax. He is curious about the world, and he’s not afraid to explore. Those are qualities I really admire. And even though he might be considered “nerdy” or “not cool” by others, Pierre doesn’t let that bother him. He just does what he does best. He’s happy to be an accidental explorer.

  When you’re ready, I encourage you to tackle Jules Verne’s original version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea; it’s an adventure you won’t forget. Until then, I hope you have fun getting your feet wet with this version!

  —Deb Mercier

  As you read Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, you will sometimes be asked to jump to a distant page. Please follow these instructions. Sometimes you will be asked to choose between two or more options. Decide which you feel is best, and go to the corresponding page. (But be careful; some options will lead to disaster.) Finally, if a page offers no instructions or choices, simply turn to the next page.

  Your choices will always be located on their own separate page. This allows us to ensure that your choices appear together, with no page breaks in between.

  Enjoy the story, and good luck!

  An Important Note

  This ebook is best read by holding your eReader vertically, as shown above. It allows the book to be viewed one page at a time, rather than two. This helps to avoid any potential confusion, after making a choice, about which page to read next.

  Prologue

  A wave rolls in with a crash, and you jump back. Water slides across the sand toward your bare feet. When your parents first told you about a vacation by the sea, you were so excited that you bought a new pair of goggles. But the closest you had ever been to the ocean was watching a movie on coral reefs at school. You hadn’t realized it was so... big!

  You watch from the beach as your mom and dad—and even your little sister—bob in the ocean swells. Their playful laughter rolls across the waves as fear grips you.

  “Come on in!” your dad calls.

  “The water’s great,” your mom adds.

  You swallow hard. The thought of what might lurk under all of that water makes your knees go weak.

  “Th-th-that’s okay,” you reply. “I’ll go grab a snack.”

  You run across the soft, sun-baked sand. You hurry up the weather-beaten steps of the condo your parents rented. You enter, and the door creaks shut behind you, blocking out the sound of the surf.

  You sigh. It’s going to be a long week.

  Several peaceful moments pass. But eventually you notice a loud crash of waves. That wouldn’t be odd, except the sound is coming from inside the condo. It’s followed by faint screams and the echoes of gunfire—the sounds of an adventure.

  Your heart pounds. Did someone leave the TV on? you wonder, as you follow the noise into the living room. The racket seems to be coming from a shelf lined with battered, old books: The Call of the Wild, Treasure Island, and Dracula, to name a few. The book that catches your attention is Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Somehow, it seems to be the cause of the bizarre commotion.

  You’re afraid to guess what will happen if you pick up the book, yet you can’t help feeling curious. Could this be the thrill of a lifetime? Will it be dangerous? Is there a chance you could get hurt, or worse? You feel strangely certain the answer is “yes” to all of the above.

  The sounds slowly begin to fade. Your instincts tell you it’s now or never. You must decide, and you must decide fast. Will you pick up the book, or will you leave it be? What will you choose to do? (Choices are on the next page.)

  Leave the book alone.

  Pick up the book.

  The strange sounds leave you feeling more afraid than adventurous. Quickly, you dart outside, leaving the book behind. You stop midway down the steps leading to the beach. You’re at a loss. How will you ever overcome your fears?

  You imagine the week that lies ahead. Your family will be having fun, playing in the ocean, while you sit around and mope. The weather will be hot and sunny, and the only way you’ll cool off is by retreating into the condo. The dream vacation by the sea is going to be more like a nightmare.

  You shrug and tell yourself it’s only for a week. After that, it’s back home and back to school. And if your friends ask what you did, well, at least you can tell them you watched a lot of TV.

  Try again.

  You are afraid, but you are also curious. Before the sounds die away, you grab the book off the shelf. It feels old and rough.

  The sounds grow louder again. The book almost leaps from your hands. You stare at it, gathering your courage. You take a deep breath, hold the book tightly, and yank it open.

  The room begins to spin. A wind starts to blow. The condo grows dark and cold. You feel your body being pulled downward. An invisible force pushes you closer to the pages before you.

  And then, suddenly, everything is still.

  1. In Search of a Monster

  Your name is Pierre Arronax, and you’re a scientist working for the Museum of Natural History in Paris. The year is 1867. You and your assistant, Conseil, are now aboard the ship Abraham Lincoln.

  There have been reports of a creature attacking other ships in the Pacific Ocean. You believe it’s a Giant Narwhal, a monster nearly 60 feet long and sporting a spear-like tusk. The United States government has asked you to help hunt it down.

  The Abraham Lincoln is armed with every weapon possible, and you even have a world-famous harpooner on board: Ned Land. You’ve heard stories about this Canadian—that he is the best whale hunter, or whaler, to ever sail the seas. He’s been described as skilled, cool, daring, and cunning.

  You’ve been at sea for more than three months now. Tonight, like most nights, you stand on deck watching the sea for signs of the Giant Narwhal. Conseil stands by your side. Large clouds scud in front of the moon.

  A shout from Ned Land shatters the quiet. “Look there—off the starboard bow!”

  The ship’s captain orders, “All stop,” and the engines go still. The Abraham Lincoln glides quietly forward. Your pulse races as you eye the waves. Out in front of the ship, the monster lies partially emerged in the water. Its body throws off an intense, mysterious light.

  The beast starts
to move.

  “It’s darting toward us!” you yell.

  Shouts of excitement erupt from the crew. This is the moment you’ve been waiting for. The Giant Narwhal is within your sights.

  It’s nighttime, a very dangerous time to stage an attack. It might be safer to wait, yet you don’t want to risk the creature escaping. You must advise the captain. What will you choose to do? (Choices are on the next page.)

  Tell the captain to retreat.

  Tell the captain to attack.

  “You must attack at once,” you tell the captain. “This is our best chance to get that monster.”

  “Ready the forecastle gun!” the captain shouts.

  An old gunner with a grey beard hurries to it. He takes careful aim. Krak!

  The gun fires, and the gunner’s aim is true. But the bullet bounces off the Giant Narwhal. You can’t believe your eyes. The beast continues its charge. It is unharmed.

  You watch as its strange glow disappears below the waves. A moment later, a shudder wracks the ship, and you are sent reeling. As you collapse to the deck, you crack your head against the rail. Screams erupt from the Abraham Lincoln as its hull is ripped open.

  You are not sure what happens next. Everything is fuzzy. Water laps at your feet. Sailors shout. The ship moans. You’re too weak to fight the cold blackness that swallows you. The last thing you see is the creature’s mysterious light disappearing into the darkness, and then you are plunged into the ocean water. After that, you know no more—not ever again.

  Try again.

  “We must get away from that monster,” you say. “In the dark, we cannot tell what we’re up against.”

  “Reverse the engines!” orders the captain.

  The Abraham Lincoln moves rapidly away from the creature’s light. But the giant animal follows at double speed. It rushes the ship, stopping within 20 feet of the hull. Then, finally, its light disappears under the waves.

  It is a restless night as the crew watches for signs of the Giant Narwhal. Lights are spotted, sometimes near, sometimes far away from the ship.

  In the middle of the night, you swear that you hear the loud strokes of the animal’s tail and its panting breath as it draws in air.

  As a new day breaks, Ned cries out, “There it is, on the port quarter!”

  Every eye turns toward the back of the ship. About a mile from the Abraham Lincoln, a long, blackish body emerges from the water. Its tail beats the waves violently. You can see now that the creature is about 250 feet long, much larger than you had imagined.

  The captain turns to you and says, “You’re the expert, Mr. Arronax. What’s the best way to attack the beast?”

  You consider the captain’s question carefully. Your suggestion could either save or doom the Abraham Lincoln. What will you choose to do?

  Suggest attacking with a gun.

  Suggest attacking with a harpoon.

  Suggest attacking with a net.

  You pause for a moment, considering each option.

  “Speak up,” barks the captain. “We haven’t got much time.”

  You take a deep breath and nervously exhale. The word “net” escapes your lips.

  “Ready the net,” the captain immediately shouts. “Full steam ahead!”

  Crewmembers prepare the net, and the chase is on.

  You follow the creature for hours, for hundreds of miles. When the ship finally pulls up alongside the Giant Narwhal, the captain orders the net to be thrown overboard. It enters the water with an enormous splash and quickly entangles the monster.

  The creature dives out of sight. You grip the ship’s rail tightly. Will the net hold?

  Your answer comes with a sudden, violent lurch. You tumble to the deck and crack your head on the rail. The stars that reel in front of your eyes are not enough to mask what you see next. With a terrible krak, a rift zigzags down the middle of the ship’s deck. The Abraham Lincoln is being torn in two.

  The crew’s screams and shouts are cut off as you slide helplessly into the churning waves of the Pacific Ocean. The last thing you see is a black shape gliding into the ocean’s dark depths. Soon, after your ship has sunk and your arms and legs grow tired, you glide into the ocean’s dark depths, too.

  Try again.

  You pause for a moment, considering each option.

  “Speak up,” barks the captain. “We haven’t got much time.”

  You take a deep breath and nervously exhale. The word “gun” escapes your lips.

  “Ready the forecastle gun,” the captain shouts. “Full steam ahead!”

  An old gunner with a grey beard hurries to it, and the chase is on.

  You follow the creature for hours, for hundreds of miles. When the ship finally pulls up alongside the Giant Narwhal, the gunner takes careful aim. Krak!

  The gun fires, and the gunner’s aim is true. But the bullet bounces off the Giant Narwhal. You can’t believe your eyes. The beast is unharmed.

  The creature dives out of sight, and there is a sudden, violent lurch. You tumble to the deck and crack your head on the rail. The stars that reel in front of your eyes are not enough to mask what you see next. With a terrible krak, a rift zigzags down the middle of the ship’s deck. The Abraham Lincoln is being torn in two.

  The crew’s screams and shouts are cut off as you slide helplessly into the churning waves of the Pacific Ocean. The last thing you see is a black shape gliding into the ocean’s dark depths. Soon, after your ship has sunk and your arms and legs have grown tired, you glide into the ocean’s dark depths, too.

  Try again.

  You pause for a moment, considering each option.

  “Speak up,” barks the captain. “We haven’t got much time.”

  You take a deep breath and nervously exhale. The word “harpoon” escapes your lips.

  “Ready Ned with a harpoon,” the captain shouts. “Full steam ahead!”

  The chase is on.

  You follow the creature for hours, for hundreds of miles. Every time the Abraham Lincoln gains on the monster, it pulls effortlessly ahead. Sometimes it even runs circles around the ship.

  The captain orders more speed. The Abraham Lincoln’s masts tremble, and clouds of smoke pour out of the narrow funnels.

  The chase lasts all day, and the sun starts to set. You fear you will never catch the creature. Then, just as suddenly as the chase began, the monster stops.

  The captain orders, “All stop!”

  With the engines turned off, the Abraham Lincoln slowly glides toward the monster.

  All is silent on the ship’s deck as you watch Ned ready his harpoon.

  He hurls the weapon with deadly accuracy. You hear the harpoon klang as it strikes the creature, almost as if it hit metal. The creature’s light goes out. Two enormous waterspouts erupt from the beast and blast the bridge of the Abraham Lincoln.

  Water rushes from stem to stern. Rigging lines snap, and men are washed overboard in a tangle of limbs. The ship lurches from a terrible shock.

  You grab for the rail and feel the slippery wood beneath your fingers for a moment. But it’s too late. You tumble helplessly into the sea.

  2. An Unknown Species of Whale

  You kick desperately to the surface, looking in all directions for the Abraham Lincoln. Did the crew see you go overboard? Is the ship turning around? You try to keep your panic in check, but the darkness is intense.

  Off in the distance, you catch a glimpse of light. The ship is moving away. Your clothes feel glued to your body, pulling you down. “Help, help!” you cry.

  “Here!”

  You turn to see Conseil swimming toward you. “You were thrown into the sea as well?” you ask.

  “No, I followed you,” says Conseil.

  You realize how trusted y
our assistant is. Conseil jumped overboard to save you.

  “And the ship?” you ask.

  “We’d better not count on her,” replies Conseil. “Before I jumped, I heard the crew yelling that the rudder was broken.”

  “Broken?” you exclaim.

  “Yes, by the monster’s teeth. She can no longer turn back to rescue us.”

  You think for a moment. It would seem your best chance of survival is being picked up by the Abraham Lincoln’s search boats. If the crew knows where you fell out, staying here will make you easier to find. But if they don’t know, you can move closer to them by swimming toward the light. What will you choose to do?

  Swim toward the light.

  Stay and tread water.

  “It doesn’t make sense to chase after the ship,” you say. “Our best chance is staying afloat long enough for the searchers to find us.”

  Conseil tears off part of his shirt and ties the two of you together. This way, you won’t drift apart in the rough waves.

  You tread water for what feels like hours. Slowly, your limbs grow numb. Then you feel a tug from Conseil.

  “I’m... sorry... sir,” he sputters as he struggles to stay afloat.

  “Help!” you cry one last time. Your mouth fills with water as you fight to stay on the surface. However, all too quickly, Conseil’s weight and your own fatigue drag you into the inky darkness of the sea.

  Try again.

  “It doesn’t make sense to stay here,” you say. “Our best chance is to follow the ship’s light.”

  You swim forward, unsure of what lies ahead. You paddle onward for hours, and your body cramps with fatigue. Conseil tries to keep both of you afloat, but you can tell he’s struggling, too.