CROSSING RIVER (B×B×B..) *COMPLETE*

Chapter 7- River through the looking glass

River swam inside the wall and felt himself falling down the water through a huge and wide pipe then he was plumped underwater, similar to when one made a free fall from certain height, like a cliff.

He was face down in and once the bubbles around him dissipated, he gawked at his surrounding. This place really was floating over the sea! An underwater observatory. The place went on and on as if he was just thrown into the ocean, River’s heart tightened from that thought. The excitement and amazed feeling he just felt, vanished and uncontrollable fear took its place.

He turned around in circles to see if any other creatures were around him then he looked up and tried swimming to the surface, ‘I need land! I need land’, he kept repeating these words and kept swimming upwards. He finally tore through the surface but there was only space enough for him to raise his arm and he could not see any land, above him was wall.

Just by keeping his head above water made incredible fear creep into his mind and heart. He neither wanted to look down nor wanted to go back into the water but he had no other option. River dove back in then frantically looked front, back, left and right but there was no other creature, it looked like he was the only one.

However his fear for sea was deeply rooted and just being in such open under sea made every bone in his body tremble with fear.

He saw the red beeping light in one corner and swam back to the surface and heard, “Next time when you have something to say, try saying it more clearly for me to understand. You really made me lose my face today, River”, he heard Veronica’s angry voice then he looked around for the camera to scream for help. He was scared of being here but he could not move a muscle. River had never crossed the border from the beach, he had once jumped into the sea shore to see if he would chance into a merman but that was it.

River only travelled in sea through ships, above the water. He never wanted to go below the surface, so now this was his worst nightmare come true. “I was being very nice to you River. I saved you from that hospital and if I was seconds late, your miraculous surviving story would have been known world wide and surely you would have become some sort of public amusement. I destroyed all the blood samples that hospital had collected on you and our organisation even silenced those who had secretly kept some to sell that information, sell you to other countries. Just because of our twenty years history, I was being lenient towards you. Answering your questions, letting you in on our end game, I wanted to accomplish this project, together”.

The already paralysed boy from fear of sea had no choice to feel more dreadful. “You really were taking my kindness for granted. You tried to threaten me with your life in front of everyone. Let me make myself clear, you never had any say in this. Even if I am to be removed from your care, someone far worst than your fear of sea would take my place and that bitch, you might wish her to be the one assigned to you right?”, she laughed as if it was the most stupidest thing one could ask for.

“That’s what she is good at, making people feel comfortable around her then stab them when they had they guard down. How else do you think she is in-charge of creating clones?  She has the impossible job and that is why she is sour with all her failed subjects. If she gets her paws on you, you will only wish to be back in my care”, she took in a deep breath and sighed, “There are no creatures around you. The looking glass you are familiar with, it’s one of our impenetrable inventions. Large area under the organization is protected by such glass. The place you are in is just one box in three others”.

After hearing that there were no creatures, River’s body only slightly relaxed. Then he heard her say, “This fear of yours is first thing we need to test on until others arrive and don’t worry I won’t open doors to sharks or other predators, only if you do as I say. You are and always were a part of the sea, there is no need to fear it but just embrace what is natural. For now just explore the areas you have access to but beware, those other experiments are also placed in such boxes, you all are divided of course. Just a friendly reminder so that you won’t spook yourself if you saw them through the looking glass. Oh and it goes both ways, if you see them, they will see you too”.