An Average Life: Resort

Part 10

Coral swam to the pipe and looked inside. It was no longer taking in water, but it was still dark and scary.

"Alright.." She huffed. "I can do this.."

She swam into the pipe, and began to crawl through. It wasn't a small space, but it was dark and it felt claustrophobic. It didn't take long for her to find Ripple and Mira. They were sitting in a pocket of air, and were both barely clinging to life.

"Thank Amphitrite I found you.." Sighed Coral. "You two are a sight."

"How do we get out?" Asked Ripple.

"We'll have to swim."

"But.. we can't. I lost my oxygen mask and Mira is too injured."

Coral looked at Mira. She was still bleeding.

"We.. We have to find a way." She said. "There has to be a way.

She turned around and looked up the pipe. Ripple looked at Coral's long tail, and had an idea.

"What if we hold onto your tail and you crawl out with us?" She suggested.

"The pipe's too long." Replied Coral. "We'd never make it. Especially with you not having any air."

"We have to try. Even if you can't save me, you can try to save Mira.. please.."

Coral nodded.

"Alright.." She said. "Grab hold of my tail."

Mira and Ripple held onto Coral's tail, and Coral began crawling through the pipe. Once she made it to water it was easier for her, but she could tell she had a long way to go. She crawled for what felt like hours, straining herself to the point of nearly blacking out. Eventually she hit a wall. She looked up and saw that there was a turn, and she now had to go up. She sighed, and awkwardly swam up, trying her best to use her arms in the tight space she was in.

"H-Hurry.." Groaned Mira.

She could see the end of the pipe. She was almost there she looked down to see Ripple and Mira were losing strength.

"Hold on.." Groaned Coral.

She put her arms against the sides of the pipe, and tried crawling up. Gravity was pulling her down. Her arms began to feel weak as she began to slip. She couldn't go any further. She closed her eyes and began to cry, knowing she had failed.

*SPLASH*

She looked up to see Grace swimming towards her with a rope around her waste. She swam down into the pipe, grabbed Coral's hands and then pulled her to safety. Ripple and Mira were lifted out of the water first. Grace helped Ripple into dry land, where she could then help Mira. The two were so exhausted that they laid down and passed out.

"Mermaids?" Asked Tina.

"It's a long story." Replied Grace. "Thanks for helping me dive in."

Tina helped Grace take her oxygen mask off.

"I'm glad I came to check on you." She said. "If I didn't then you all might've been done for."

Tina reached into the water and helped Coral out. She looked exhausted.

"You saved me.." She panted.

"Well, you saved them." Said Grace.

"Y-You.. You saved.. me.."

Grace immediately began looking at Mira's throat.

"She needs stitches. Tina, get me a first aid kit!"

Tina nodded and rushed out of the room.

Meanwhile, Rocky and Citrus were running down the hallway as fast as they possibly could, with the two protogens following behind them.

"Where are we running to?" Said Citrus.

"The pool." Replied Rocky quietly.

Rocky grabbed Citrus' wrist, and bolted away with her, leaving the two protogens in the dust. The two made it to the pool, and looked back down the hallway.

"What do we do?" Asked Citrus.

"Hide!" Replied Rocky.

The bots ran into the pool room and looked around. It was empty. They began slowly walking towards the water, and peered in. Rocky and Citrus stared at the bots from behind a plastic pool chair.

"When I give the signal, we jump out and push them into the water." Whispered Rocky.

"Nah." Replied Citrus. "Cover your head."

She stood up, picked up the plastic table, and hurled it at the two bots.

*CRACK!*

They were knocked into the pool, and the water immediately began sparking and bubbling. Rocky and Citrus stood and watched the display in absolute shock.

"Well.. that went well." Said Rocky.

The two left the pool room, and started walking down the hallway.

"How come hotel pools are always empty until you want to swim and then they're packed?" Asked Citrus.

"Not a good time." Replied Rocky. "We gotta find the others."