The 96th hour

1

My ears ring from the sound and everything is black. I would not even be able to see my own hand infront of my eyes. Then a light appears at the top of the submarine. I squint, being blinded by it.

"We will now be let down into the water slowly. Shah, would you be so nice to open the blinds in your right side? There is a small window" Stockton says. 

For some seconds I just look at him, not realizing what he wants me to do. Then it dawns on me:,, er...yes, of course..."

I turn toward my other Side. There is a flower curtain similar to the one my grandma once had. It seems so out of place I have to giggle. I grab it and pull it to the side. Sunlight gets inside again and enlightens my face. It is absolutely beautiful. But it also seems like a completly different world already.

"Thank you Shah" I turn back to him and he smiles, "after we are in the water I have the full control with this controller and my screens." He shows us tho controller and my jaw drops. I was expecting a high tec controller but this is just a Logitech Controller. Even my son has a better one. Suleman also looks at me with utter surprise. The others seem at a loss for words too and Hamish's face looks very white and sick. I wonder if look similar. My son is the first to regain his power of speech:" That is a 30$ Logitech Controller?! How is this connected to the submarine?"

"Via Bluetooth, of course"

"And how is it powered?" 

"By batteries. I have replacements too." Stockton smiles sillily.

"I once had one of these too. They are enough for gaming but definitaly not for this kind of usage. Do you know how often they disconnect and bug and get joycon drift? This cant be safe, what the fuck." Suleman says.

"Watch your mouth, my boy, please. There is absolutely nothing to worry about. We have run more than enough tests and it works perfectly. Have trust in me and my experiences, this is not my first time, I am an expert. Paul would agree with me." Stockton looks at Paul for support and he only nods slightly. Paul looks the beste from the rest of us, not as surprised, but still worried.

There is an awkward silence. Then Hamish asks: "Can I still leave?". With this he has asked the exact question I was silently asking myself. All eyes wander from Hamish to Stockton. His smile falters a bit. 

"What do you mean? You really dont trust me, huh? I will tell you again, I have already been down there on the Same way and now I am sitting infront of you all, healthy and fine. The Sub is now closed. I do have a tight time plan and I would be glad if all of you would just lay back and relax while I do my job and get you to the Titanic safely too. I will need your trust. And, to your information, we will be let down into the water right....now". With that he presses a button on the questionable controller.

The sub rumbles. With it my stomach turns again. Everything tilts a bit, Stockton being on the lowest side. We all slide towards him a bit. Then I feel the sub hittinge the water. Then sinking. The sun I just admired leaving my view, making space for the light blueness of the water. We sink further down, the colour getting darker with us. 

"Just for demonstration. I will show you how well thisw controller works. By using this joystick, I will get us back to the top." He pushes it upwards and the engine of the submarine rumbles, then the water gets lighter again. My faith in this thinge sligtly rises. My sons face also brightens up again. 

"Now, relax, dear fellows. We will only be sinking for around three hours. I mostly don't even have to controll the Titan in that time. And if for whatever reason, I wont be able to get us up with this controller, which absolutely wont happen, then the air in here will get us to the top. We are going do because of weights, which can be dropped in an emergency. Again, one wont come. Thank you." Stockton then releses the joystick and we sink again. 

The first hour in the sub has begun.