by DAN MONTY
She shook her head trying to focus, as she paced back and forth along the deck of the boat she had chosen as her safe haven. The shark’s dorsal fin breached the surface again about ten feet from the boat, moving towards her like a knife cutting through jelly.
Abby took a hold of the spear, raising it high in the air as the massive fin drew closer, the nose of the shark barely visible beneath the surface. Abby breathed, not taking her eyes off the shark, as it drew closer... closer, finally raising it’s massive head out of the water, it’s eyes black as night, it’s mouth rearing up to bare it’s impressive jaws full of razor-sharp teeth.
The shark smacked the side of the boat hard, cracking the hull and sending Abby backwards. She recovered her footing quickly, taking aim with the spear and stabbing the creature’s tough cartilage with the spear as the shark chomped madly on the side of the boat, it’s jaws snapping with wild ferocity. Undeterred by the wound caused by the spear, the shark kept chomping on the side of the boat. Abby realised that there was no mistaking it – the creature was trying to get to her.
Again she stabbed with the spear, the vessel beginning to take on water as the shark thrashed about with it’s tail, angrily gnawing on the boat, ripping chunks of wood and fiberglass free from the drifting vessel. Abby stabbed the fish again and again, as the shark vanished beneath the waves, pumping blood into the water.
There was silence for a long moment. Had it gone? Perhaps she had inflicted far more damage to the thick hide of the creature than she had thought.
She peered over the side of the boat, recoiling in horror as the massive shark shot out of the ocean water, leaping out of the waves and onto the boat, crashing through the deck, sending splinters of wood flying all around her. Abby fell through the damaged deck and into the open water, screaming as she crashed through the waves, her body instantly transforming into her mermaid form, as she sank into the deep, dark water.
Abby swam around, her eyes glowing a brilliant blue as she swam, thrashing her tail in the water, glancing left and right as the boat began to sink in front of her. Abby watched in awe as her sanctuary was swallowed by the sea, the boat easing into the dark water like an old man into a bath. She held tightly onto her spear as she swam around, the shark tooth necklace floating around her neck as she moved through the water in search of her predator, which had gone to extreme lengths to ensure her return to the water.
Abby slipped out of her tattered clothing, diving away from the sinking wreckage, as her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the surrounding abyss. Far beneath her were ruins of cars, broken signs, and damaged houses. She looked around and saw the shark in the distance. To untrained eyes, it might have seemed to be still – but a shark is never still; its very survival relying on constant movement. It glided through the water toward Abigale, it’s tail thrashing behind it. Abby held the spear in her hands, her mouth baring a snarl of razor-sharp teeth – her posse now that of a warrior.
The shark charged, but so did Abby, and the two combatants launched toward each other in this new ocean covered world where there could only ever be one survivor.
As the shark swam at her with furious speed, Abby swam beneath it, raising the spear and cutting down the sharks belly from beneath... the shark pumping blood into the water. The shark swam around and prepared to make another pass, as Abby floated at the ready, snarling in the water, daring the wounded shark to try again. The shark swam forward, as a blast erupted from somewhere in the water - and the massive creature exploded with chunks of it drifting away in all directions.
The mantaship steered into view, and Abby lowered her spear. She should have known it would only be a matter of time before the mermaids sent someone to find her. Abby swam over to the vessel, as the cockpit canopy opened and she swam inside, sitting next to the pilot - a handsome man with whom she had not been acquainted. The cockpit canopy closed again, the water draining from the interior, and they transformed back into their human form.
“I’m Fisher Gree, I’m here to rescue you," he said. Abby, quite naked now, except for her shark tooth necklace - reached for a blanket, covering herself.
“I’m Abby. I don’t suppose you brought any clothes, Fisher?” Abby asked. Fisher smiled.
“Yeah... no. I did just save you from being eaten though, so a ‘thank you’ would be nice!" Fisher said, with a grin. Abby rolled her eyes.
“What makes you think I needed saving? I had the situation completely under control!" Abby replied, as Fisher navigated the mantaship towards the location on his navicomputer.
“Right, well... you’re welcome!” Fisher smiled. Abby sat back in her seat, taking a deep breath. It felt good to be alive.
Chapter Twelve: Into the Trench
Abby slept for what felt like hours. After everything she had seen it would be expected, the loss and grief she had suffered she had allowed to wash over her like a thick fog. Bo was lost, and she shook away the last time she had seen him like a bad nightmare.
She opened her eyes, turning to Fisher, who was flipping switches as he navigated through towering coral reefs, and schools of fish, gripping the stick in his hands and steering the ship through the water professionally. He was rugged and handsome, more so in his human form. Abby regarded his unshaven face with quiet admiration. He was cute, and Abby realised she hadn’t really met too many mermen on the island.
“I didn’t wake you did I?” Fisher asked. Abby shook her head.
“No. I have been sleeping too much anyway," she replied, and Fisher smiled.
“Well, you were only out for three hours. Are you injured?” he asked, and Abby shook her head again.
“Good. You must be someone special for Queen Teera to send me all the way out here to get you. She never said you’d be so... “ he began, chuckling, and Abby turned towards him, giving him her full attention.
“So... what?” she asked. Fisher looked back at her, maybe a little embarrassed.
“...Ah - beautiful," he said, returning his attention to the front. Abby flushed a little, smiling, and shaking her head.
“Yeah, you definately don’t seem like a guard to me. Who are you?” Abby asked, and Fisher grinned.
“Well, I’m definately not a guard. I’m a thief. I stole a mantaship and got busted. Taking you back is just my punishment, lady. No offense, but serving royalty isn’t my style. It’s true isn’t it? The world? Is it really all gone?” he asked. Abby shrugged.
“I don’t know, but the city I was just in was completely submerged. I don’t understand it,” Abby said.
“Fucking crazy, man! We are all turned into... whatever the hell we are, and then this happens? Like the whole planet just floods? Maybe that guy that created us all... that science guy? Maybe he knew this was gonna happen. You think it’s true? Like he was some kind of prophet or something, man? Something like in the bible an’ stuff?” Fisher went on. Abby shook her head.
“Hans Strucker wasn’t a prophet. I met him. The man was a lunatic, and us? We were just his experiments. That’s all we were and that’s all we will ever be," Abby replied.
“Wow! You really have a real grim way of looking at things. I mean, if it’s true? If it’s all fucking gone and that’s it? Why are we the only survivors? I mean, ya gotta admit, it’s weird we have been engineered to survive this, right? I mean... Maybe this Strucker guy was trying to create the next evolutionary species or some shit. I’m only saying, right? Like... maybe we were chosen to be the next step in the evolutionary ladder, ya know? So there’s hope for the future. I mean, why else would he create us?” Fisher asked. Abby let out a frustrated sigh.
“Because he could, Fisher. That’s it. There’s no happy, magical reason for our survival. There’s no higher purpose that’s the reason for our creation. Strucker wanted an island of monsters, so he made one. It’s really that simple," Abby said.
Fisher nodded, clearly not buying what she was saying.
“You don’t wonder why? I mean, you seriously think this guy just creates an
island of marine monsters just so he can say Fuck, I’m so amazing! Look what I’ve done! I’m God now? Nope. Trust me, that guy knew a flood was coming, so he built an ark. That’s what I think," Fisher said. Abby shrugged.
“Whatever helps you sleep at night," Abby replied, laying back in her seat.
There was a moment of silence as Abby sighed, gazing out the window of the high-speed submersible, looking out at a glowing world of bioluminescence. Schools of fish swam past them as the craft glided over the ocean floor, Fisher steering the craft over a massive trench that went down into the unknown darkness of the depths below. He looked back at Abby, whose face was suddenly a mask of surprise at the wondering sight of glowing coral reefs, and he smiled.
“Beautiful, huh? Yeah I gotta admit it’s quite a sight. ‘You ever been to the city? New Aquatica?” he asked. Abby nodded.
“Once. I was asked to rule it," Abby said. Fisher nodded.
“Right, but you wanted to live with the shark-men, huh? I gotta ask, why the hell did you wanna help those assholes? You know they want to kill us, right?” Fisher asked. Abby frowned.
“I thought I could help them, but when Ivan rose to power they became savage. They saw me as an outsider. I realized I couldn’t change them. Ivan became monstrous, vengeful, and arrogant... ” Abby said. Fisher nodded.
“It’s funny. Humans fought each other for years over land, religion, and skin colour and now, in a world run by freaks... shark-men want to kill mermaids. I tell ya what though, you broads are vicious! Even mermen wouldn’t question your authority! Everyone knows that the women have the strength beneath the waves. Us guys, we’re just a bunch of yes men, but you? You women can change the world. You really think it will come to war with the shark-freaks?” Fisher asked. Abby sighed again.
“Every species has differences that can only be resolved with bloodshed. Nature is cruel, Fisher. It’s just the way it is,” Abby said.
“Teera wants us to lead the army. Now me? I don’t got a say, but what do you want to do, Abby?” Fisher asked. Abby looked into his eyes.
“What ever I can," Abby replied, as Fisher nodded, returning his attention to the front, and steering downwards into a trench in the ocean floor. The craft dove deep into the trench, gliding into the darkness. Fisher flipped some switches activating lights that shone out from all around the craft, lighting the rock on either side of the trench.
At these depths, all manner of strange creatures lurked, lit up in the darkness of the trench. An anglerfish swam from a cave, a lit lure glowing brightly over its head as it grabbed a small fish in its jaws full of razor-sharp teeth. It vanished into the cave as the speeding craft hovered past, beams of light projecting from its hull.
The mantaship continued its course through the trench as Fisher eased on the stick, negotiating the turns in the rock carefully.
Abby was asleep again, and Fisher smiled to himself. She seemed like a nice gal, a little rough around the edges but he liked that. He covered her with the blanket, allowing himself another sneak peek at her breasts before returning his attention to the navicomputer. There was something coming towards the craft... something big, and he was about to take a closer look when something grabbed the ship from underneath.
“Now what?” Fisher cursed, jumping back in his seat in fright as a large tentacle wrapped itself around the front of the ship – followed by another, which crossed over the other, pulling the ship downwards.
“Oh you’ gotta be kidding me!” Fisher shrieked, as Abby bolted up in her seat.
“What’s going on?” she asked, seeing the massive tentacles wrapped around the front of the vessel.
“I think it’s a giant squid!” Fisher said, fumbling frantically with the controls, trying desperately to wriggle the vessel out of the creature’s grasp.
“It’s going to tear us apart if we don’t get free!” Abby said. Fisher rolled his eyes.
“No shit, lady! It’s dragging us down!” Fisher replied. The ship went tilting so that it came face-to-face with a massive eye that peered in at them, the squid’s reddish body was unmistakable.
“Doesn’t this thing have weapons? Shoot it for God sake!” Abby yelled, as the creature squirted the water with a thick black smoke. Ink... and it completely blinded them.
“I’m not letting this thing rip us apart!” Fisher said. He flipped the top of the stick to reveal a hidden trigger beneath it. He fired and there was a flash of light. The creature’s tentacles whipped around under the water, sending the craft out of it’s reach. The mantaship glided through the inky water as Fisher struggled to get control. They past through the black cloud of ink and Fisher grabbed the stick in both hands, pulling back to avoid the craft smashing into a wall of rock. He skimmed the surface of the rocky wall of the trench, gliding upward and jetting out of the trench belt – finally levelling the ship out and gliding over the surface of the ocean floor above the trench again. Both Fisher and Abby sighed.
“You are one hell of a pilot, Fisher!” Abby exclaimed, as Fisher cleared his throat and took a deep breath.
“Thanks," he said, steering the ship over the ocean floor. That was too close.
Chapter Thirteen: Return to New Aquatica
The mantaship glided over underwater terrain; so vast and beautiful it almost defied explanation. The city of New Aquatica came into view – a brilliant underwater metropolis lit up like a massive neon village. The sprawling cityscape towered upward from the ocean floor, lit with bioluminescence and sparkling coral.
Giant sharks glided over the towering cityscape, silhouetted high above the city. Schools of beautiful fish swam in and around the rocks and coral clusters in the thousands, as mermaids sang, swimming through the water, some of them carrying infant mermaids or mermen on their backs. The sea was full of dangers, and the children were taught to move like their parents through the treacherous ocean depths from a very young age, their magnificent blue-skinned bodies shimmering in the ocean gloom; their eyes glowing a magnificent blue.
The mantaship was one of several that glided towards a film of bubble where the ships would pass through to dock and unload. Fisher, Abby at his side in the cockpit, navigated the vessel with precision, and glided effortlessly into an opening in one of many towering underwater structures, passing through the bubble and docking the ship on a landing pad within.
The cockpit canopy opened, and Fisher helped Abby out of the ship. Several humanoid guards nodded as the two travellers exited the vessel, walking towards the entrance of a transparent tunnel that looked out into the blue of the ocean and the surrounding towers of the large sprawling city.
A humanoid turtle wearing sunglasses greeted them, walking upright and lugging a massive shell on his back. This was Picasso, an old friend Abigale had known quite well. He had once been a drug addict until he came to the island and was subjected to the bizarre, twisted experiments of Hans Strucker, who made him into a mutant hybrid that combined human and turtle DNA. He spoke with a rough English accent, or maybe it was Scottish, Abby could no longer recall. Either way, the man-turtle was all smiles as he threw his arms around Abigale, his muscular green body almost strangling her.
“I bloody knew you’d be back! Took ye long enough though! When Squishy told me the ice caps had melted, I feared the worst!” Picasso said. Abby smiled.
“I missed you Picasso! I’m so glad you didn’t stay up on the island!” Abigale said. Picasso nodded.
“Once the shark-men took over, we knew we bloody couldn’t! The mad bastards ate all the weak ones! Remember Crusto? The big crabby looking bastard? Aye! Eaten! Orca too! Fucking savages man!” Picasso went on.
Fisher cleared his throat, and Picasso looked at him. Fisher did his best to maintain a look of fearlessness around the imposing figure of the turtle man.
“You’re the thief! Nice to meet ya lad! I’m Picasso, the Queen wants to see ye both as soon as possible,” Picasso said. Fisher nodded.
“Thanks shell-head! I’ll take her up there now. An
y news about the island?” Fisher asked. Picasso shrugged.
“It’s still above water, so that’s great for now, but Squishy says it could go under at any time. London and New York are both under water. Washington DC too, though there’s no love lost there, am I right?” Picasso laughed, as Fisher and Abby glared at him open-mouthed.
“Right, well... I guess I’d better get back to work then. I’ll catch you too later on!” Picasso said, and walked off back in the direction they had come.
“Talking turtles... mermaids... and psycho shark-men. I still can’t get used to all this," Fisher said snuggly. Abby smiled, slapping Fisher on the back.
“Get used to it," she said, walking down the tunnel and towards the elevators that would take them up into the tower.
Queen Teera sat on a white coral throne in a long red gown, a silver crown on her hair of flowing golden hair. She smiled as Abigale and Fisher stepped into the circular room that was surrounded by bubbled windows, sealing the water out, but providing a fantastic view of the ocean beyond. The room stammered with light from the ocean outside and mermaids swam playfully out in the sea beyond, their beautiful naked blue bodies gliding through the water, propelled by their magnificent fish tails.
“I was wondering what had happened, Fisher. I’m grateful you have returned safely,” Queen Teera said.
“Thank you my queen. So if there’s nothing else... “ he began, but Teera raised her hand to silence him.
“Oh but there is. The two of you have much work to do. You are to lead the army of New Aquatica against the shark-men. They are coming and whether the island is taken by the sea or not, they must not be allowed to take control of the city,” she said, turning to Abigale.
“Eagleeye, I am most grateful that you are alive, but your place now is with your people. We will provide you with an army of our strongest mermaids, but you must help us defeat Ivan. His reign of terror must come to an end,” Teera said, resting her hands on the arms of her coral throne.