Depths of Paradise

by Vance Albright

  “I’m just nervous,” Mya replied as she pulled to get her leg through the wetsuit. She hated how tight it fit to her body.

  “About what?” Mya did not answer right away. She knew Jade would laugh at what was making her nervous.

  “I’m worried my equipment will fail and I’ll run out of air miles below the surface.” She waited for Jade to laugh. To her surprise, she didn’t.

  “I hear that at least once a week. Don’t worry; since you’re a newbie, we’re sticking to the shallows for the first dive,” Jade replied, then said in a joking voice, “That way when you do mess up, you won’t drown.”

  “Well, I’m sorry if I’m a professional cosplayer, not a professional diver,” Mya shot back. She grunted in frustration as she pulled the wetsuit up her body. Jade stopped the boat and went over to help her sister.

  “Here: this will make it easier,” Jade said, holding up the arm portions of the suit. Mya pushed her left arm though the neoprene, wondering how Jade had effortlessly put her wetsuit on. Mya breathed in relief when both her arms were though the suit.

  “There, you did it,” Jade said, zipping the wetsuit up.

  “Thanks, but you didn’t need to stop the boat to help me,” Mya replied, feeling embarrassed.

  “I stopped the boat because we’re here, silly.” You didn’t notice the island?” Mya shook her head and started to turn to the front of the boat. “Hold on. I don’t want you to see it from here,” Jade said, then clamped her hands around Mya’s eyes.

  “Don’t push me in the water,” Mya said, expecting her sister to do just that.

  “I’m not that mean,” Jade replied as she guided Mya to the front of the boat. “Okay, now look.” She lifted her hands off Mya’s eyes. In front of her was a small crescent-shaped island. Patches of grass made it look like someone had painted green lines on the rocky shore. She looked over the edge of the boat. The crystal blue water was so clear that she could see the ocean floor. Several species of fish swam amongst the rainbows of coral. Mya’s nervous feelings were replaced with awe and excitement. Molokini Crater was more stunning then she’d ever dreamed.

  “This place is beautiful,” Mya said in awe. “You get to go here every day?” Mya asked, with slight jealousy in her voice.

  “No, just once, maybe twice a week,” Jade replied, pleased to see Mya this thrilled.

  “Okay, I’m jealous,” Mya admitted.

  “Well, it’s not always fun,” Jade said. Mya looked at her skeptically. “Most of the time I have to keep dumb tourists from killing themselves, but on occasion I do get some hot guys with dive skills.” A frown formed on Mya’s face. “Sorry, I... wasn’t thinking,” Jade said in a remorseful voice.

  “It’s okay. I just don’t want to think about that cheat,” Mya answered in a bitter voice. “Well, let’s get this dive underway.” She continued trying to remove the negative thoughts from her head. While Mya continued to admire the view, Jade grabbed the oxygen tanks and diving flippers.

  “Here,” Jade said, handing Mya an oxygen tank. Jade effortlessly put her tank on. Mya fumbled with hers until Jade intervened.

  “Okay, I can get my diving fins on myself. I can do this,” Mya said, reassuring herself. Jade dropped the boat ladder. She saw Mya struggling with the diving fins. She waited a few moments to see if Mya could do it herself.

  “It’s official. I suck at this,” Mya said, frustrated, tossing the diving fin on the ground.

  “No, it’s completely normal for people to struggle their first time,” Jade replied. She picked up the fin and held the back of it open. Mya slid her foot through. Once Mya had both fins on, Jade spoke again.

  “Hold on. I have another surprise.”

  “Can’t be better than the island,” Mya replied.

  “It’s not, but it will make the dive more enjoyable,” Jade said, handing Mya a diving mask. Mya gave her an enthusiastic look. “These are full-face diving masks,” Jade continued, putting hers on. “These will give us greater visibility than a normal mask, plus we can talk to each other underwater.”

  “Awesome,” Mya said as she placed the mask over her face.

  “Testing, testing,” Jade said into the mask’s mic. Jade pointed to the button Mya needed to press to speak.

  “I read you loud and clear, commander,” Mya replied in a serious voice. Both sisters giggled. Mya stood up.

  “Mya, don’t walk around in the diving fins. You’ll fall,” Jade said while putting her own fins on. She motioned for Mya to sit next to her on the side of the boat.

  “Just one last thing before we jump in,” Jade said. Mya turned to listen. “If you see a shark. Swim as fast as you can back to the boat.” A look of concern formed on Mya’s face. Before she could speak, Jade pushed her into the water. Mya screamed as she fell backwards. Jade let out a happy whoop and fell backward into the water.

  “I can’t believe you did that,” Mya said in a playful, surprised voice.

  “You brought it up earlier,” Jade replied as she swam laps around Mya. “Come on, we’ll start at Reef’s End and make our way to Enenue.”

  “Were you serious about the sharks?” Mya asked, needing to know this before she could enjoy herself.

  “No, there are no dangerous species in this area. Farther out to sea, you may get chomped, though. Now, let’s get underwater!” Jade said eagerly.

  “You pulled the boat ladder down before you dove in, right?” Mya asked. Jade brought her hands to her mouth.

  “Oh my god, I forgot!” Jade yelled. Mya felt a feeling of anxiety come over her. She quickly swam over to the side of the boat; the ladder was on. She smacked the water when she saw the ladder dangling in the water. Jade had got her again.

  “You satisfied, Mya the worrier?”

  “Forgive me for not wanting to be stranded out here,” Mya replied and splashed some water at Jade.

  Jade splashed some back and said, “Mya, people at the Maui Diving Experience know where we are, and around what time we are supposed to return. If we don’t return, the Coast Guard will send a rescue ship.” A look of annoyance briefly formed on Jade’s face. “That is, if they can spare some of their boats currently guarding luxury hotels.” Jade put both hands on Mya’s shoulders. “Are you done worrying?” Jade’s voice got pumped up. “Are you ready to have fun and explore the reefs?”

  “Yes!” Mya said in a matching voice. Both sisters giggled and dove under water.

  For the next two hours, Jade and Mya conducted several dives, exploring the different reefs in the area. Jade had seen each reef dozens of times, but seeing them with Mya was different. Seeing her sister marvel at the beautiful fish and coral made everything fresh and new. The highlight for Mya was when Jade found a small octopus and showed her how to handle it. Mya was following a school of yellow tang when Jade spoke.

  “We’re at 50 bar. We need to head up.”

  “Again?” Mya said in disappointment.

  “Unfortunately, yes; we’re going to take an early lunch break, and after that we have enough tanks for one last dive.” The two headed to the surface. Mya swam to Molokini Crater. Jade swam back to the boat for the lunch box and joined her. She handed Mya a sandwich, apple, and a bottle of vanilla soda.

  “My favorite,” Mya said as she took the soda, setting it next to the other items. For several minutes, Jade and Mya ate and exchanged small talk. Mya looked out at the ocean and happily sighed at the sound of birds chirping, and the waves crashing against the shore.

  “Jade, thanks for inviting me to spend time with you. I know I was hesitant to come, but this is really helping me keep my mind off things.”

  “Hey, any excuse to go diving,” Jade replied sarcastically. Jade looked down, thinking of what to say next. “Look, Mya. What happened with Brandon wasn’t your fault.”

  “I know,” Mya replied. Her face turned cold. This was a subject she really did not want to talk about, but she knew she had to sooner or later. “I mean, it’s bad enough I found out he was sleep
ing with another girl; then when I confront him about it, he just says, ‘Too bad you caught us. I had big plans for you. Now, get out of my house. Having two girlfriends was fun, but I’m done with you.’” A look of anger and bitterness formed on Mya’s face as a tear rolled down her cheek.

  “I thought I finally found a guy who loved me….Turns out he was just using me!” Jade gently put her arm around Mya’s shoulder.

  “You planning on moving back in with Mom and Dad?”

  “No. After my vacation here, I guess I’ll get an apartment and start over,” Mya answered as she tossed a small rock into the ocean.

  “Look, Mya, it can get lonely on my days off, and you know I have a two bedroom condo. Why don’t you live with me for a while?” A small look of happiness replaced Mya’s bitter expression. It felt good to get those bottled up feelings off her chest.

  “I’d love that,” she said softy. “There’s nothing left for me back in San Diego anyway.” The two sisters shared a hug. “I’ll just have to fly back, get my stuff. Cancel or transfer some of my cosplay photo shoots, and then you’re stuck with your little sister.”

  “Leave Brandon in the trash where he belongs,” Jade said, delighted Mya accepted her offer. “Well, enough talk. Time for our last dive of the day!”

  “Where to?” Mya asked, tossing her trash into the lunch box.

  “The edge of the world,” Jade replied.

  Around an hour later, Jade and Mya approached the edge of the world reef. Despite the deeper dive, Mya’s feelings of apprehension were completely gone. From a distance she was even hoping to catch a glimpse of a shark.

  “Mya, over here, I want to show you something,” Jade said. She grabbed Mya’s hand and led her to a small reef that sat on a plateau just above the depths of the edge of the world. On the plateau, the light from the surface shined brightly. Mya looked down. Her eyes widened with astonishment, the light revealing about fifty feet of the plateau wall, then turned to total darkness. “Welcome to the edge of the world,” Jade said, presenting it in the voice of a showgirl. Mya snickered, then looked around her, not believing she was in this magical place.

  “I’ve never seen anything like that!” Mya said in an awestruck voice. “How far down does that go?”

  “Around two hundred feet,” Jade replied.

  “Are we going to explore it?” Mya asked.

  “No, Explorer Mya,” Jade teased. “It’s too deep for a new diver, and we don’t have the proper equipment for a technical dive.” Jade looked at her diving gauge. It read seventy-two feet, forty-five minutes of air left. She checked Mya’s air gauge, which had a similar reading. The two sisters took some time to explore the plateau. Mya found a flat area and lay down. She looked up at the water above her. It was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. The light blue color that surrounded her was shared by fish of all shapes and colors. At the surface she could see a small yellow circle whose yellow beams gently pierced the water.

  “Better than one of your fantasy worlds?” Jade asked, lying next to her.

  “I feel like I’m in one,” Mya replied. Jade noticed something out of the corner of her eye.

  “Look, seals!” Jade said in excitement. The herd of seals swam directly over them. Several members of the herd started sniffing around the plateau reef.

  “What kind are they?” Mya asked.

  “Hawaiian Monk Seals. An endangered species,” Jade answered. She turned to Mya. “We’re lucky to see them.” For the next few minutes, they watched the seals swim and even eat some fish. One curious seal came over to sniff the strange new creatures. Mya reached out to touch it. Her eyes were glowing as she gently stroked its skin. Suddenly, the seal cried in alarm and raced out of sight.

  “I didn’t mean to scare it,” Mya said, feeling bad.

  “I don’t know if that was you,” Jade said, trying not to sound worried. As they watched the seals flee the area, a muffled clap of thunder filled their ears. Now even the fish started to disappear from the surrounding waters. A strong feeling of fear came over both of them.

  “What’s that? Why am I hearing thunder, Jade?” Mya asked in a concerned voice. Her legs and arms felt heavy. She was having to work hard just to move them.

  “It was probably a small rock slide,” Jade replied. She tried to sound convincing, but she was unnerved as well. Despite her best efforts, she couldn’t understand where this sudden feeling of terror was coming from. Before Mya could speak, a small amount of turbulence hit them. It was nothing strong, but enough to be noticeable. At the same moment, the visibility in the water started to cloud up. It was like something had stirred up the sediment around them.

  “Jade, let’s go back up,” Mya begged. She could feel her heart racing. She may be new to this underwater world, but she could tell something was very wrong. Mya looked at Jade, who was standing still facing to her left.

  “Jade?” Mya said. She felt herself starting to panic, wondering why her sister was not responding.

  “Jade,” Mya repeated, swimming over to her. Mya froze when she saw the look in her sister’s eyes. A look she never thought she’d see. A look of pure fear. Suddenly, Jade started to scream, which made Mya jerk back in fright. Before Mya could comprehend what was going on, she was struck hard from behind. The force of the impact sent her falling forward into a large mound of coral. Jade’s screams were cut short when a large set of jaws enclosed around her waist. Mya moaned in pain as she got to her hands and knees. Unsure of what had happened, she tried to get her bearings and locate Jade. Her heart sank when she saw a large cloud of red water a few yards from her. At the top of the cloud, a large tail thrashed side to side. Mya’s eyes filled with tears when the front of Jade’s body weakly crawled out of the red cloud.

  s s s

  Through blurred vision, Jade stared out at the familiar ocean, but nothing was registering.

  Where am I? How did I get here? She thought. She could still move her hands. She tried to move her legs but nothing happened. Her body was in so much pain, she did not know where it was originating from. Jade reached down to her stomach area.

  Was it supposed to feel squishy? she tried to remember. She kept hearing someone calling her name.

  “Jade! Jade, please answer me!” Hearing her sister’s voice made her regain her senses. She had to help Mya get out of here. Get away from that thing. Jade used the last of her strength to speak, but her efforts only managed a low whisper.

  “Mya, if… if you… can hear me… get out of here... I lov….” Before she could finish, a front leg slammed onto her back and neck.

  s s s

  Mya’s body became paralyzed with fear. Long claws extended from the foot and dug into her sister, pulling her back into the cloud. Mya tried to move, but her body was still frozen in place. She could hear ripping and tearing sounds from inside the now dispersing cloud of her sister’s blood. She was terrified of what she was going to see inside.

  Mya closed her eyes and launched herself upward. Now that she was moving, she opened her eyes and frantically started swimming to the surface. Her mind filled with images of monstrous jaws right below her. Ready to drag her down into the abyss. Adrenaline filled her body and she swam faster than she thought was possible. She broke the surface right near Molokini Crater and desperately swam towards it. Seconds later, she pulled herself onto the rocky shore. She turned around, hyperventilating, praying nothing would break the surface. For a brief moment she thought she saw a large shadow moving under the water. She pulled off her diving tank and mask, then started walking up the Crater, trying to get as much distance between herself and the water as possible. With her adrenaline rush fading, the shock of what happened started to return, which was too much for her system. Mya felt her legs get weak; then she hit the ground and closed her eyes.

  Chapter 10

  10:24 AM 4/10/2021 EST

  Ashly Cross sat at a workbench in her two bedroom apartment located on the outskirts of Greenville, North Carolina. Computer parts
were laid neatly across the workbench. Shelves full of small bins adorned the wall in front of it. Two large tables flanked the right and left side of the workbench. The table on the left had three computers, each complete with its own monitor and keyboard. One monitor showed robotic diagrams, one showed a computer code, and the third showed the feed from six different security cameras. The table to the right had a state-of-the-art gaming computer for her entertainment. Ashly adjusted the magnifying glasses on her head visor as she carefully attached two wires inside one of her newest projects. Her concentration was broken by a knock on the door.

  “Who could that be?” she wondered. Ashly was average height and had a healthy build. She had fair skin and long brown hair she always kept in a braid. She pushed back on the workbench and launched her blue and black office chair towards her control center. She looked at the security camera that covered the door. A Japanese man dressed in a business suit stood at the door. She watched as he knocked again. She noticed he was holding a brown briefcase. Ashly hit a button on the keyboard in front of her.

  “Whatever you’re selling, I’m not interested,” she said. Unfazed by the voice system that normally alarmed unwanted guests, he spoke.

  “I am not a salesman. I am a member of the Japanese Self-Defense Force,” he replied, holding up a badge to the camera. “I have important information I need to discuss with you.” Ashly changed the camera setting to detect metal items. She was looking for a gun or, more importantly, handcuffs. The detector found nothing that would alarm her.

  “Okay, I’ll be there in a few seconds,” she replied. She quickly moved over to the second keyboard and punched in a few commands, then walked over and opened the door.

  “What can I do for the Japanese Self-Defense Force?” she asked. Just play it cool. You don’t know if he knows anything, she thought to herself.

  “I am here to discuss a job opportunity with you. May I come in and give you the details?” That was not the response Ashly was expecting. She moved to the left of the doorway and motioned for him to come in.