JELLYFISH

DOOR 017

There was another set of stairs on the other side of the upper level, and then another set of stairs going down to a gate below the deck. It led to a set of gates that opened upon Emil's investigation, startling the two that still lingered above on the deck.

"If anything didn't know we were here before... They know now," Oz joked darkly, which nobody laughed at. [name] had already gone through a lot to know that most creatures within Hadal Blacksite had a pretty good idea that humans were intruding on their territory. That brought [name] to the question though... How did these creatures come here in the first place? Surely Urbanshade wasn't stupid enough to actually try and capture these things. Right?

It was kind of insane to think about in the first place. Originally, [name] didn't care. They focused on getting through this and avoiding the creatures that killed them over and over again; but now, there was some strange force drawing them closer. Closer to what? Why did some internal thing want them to investigate further?

"I still can't believe it.." Vanessa muttered nearby, [name], Evelyn, and Ezekiel the only ones close enough to hear her. Evelyn looked beyond horrified at the sight of the open blue outside the window.

Emil, Vanessa, Ezekiel, Oz, and [name] stood by the steps that led down toward the airlock, Kei, and Aisha somewhere above or searching through the office-like arrangement while Evelyn stood at the top of the stairs, psyching herself up and down them from time to time. It took a little more from Emil urging her forward to [name] guiding her by hand to get her to join them below. Aisha and Kei came scrambling down a few minutes later, arguing quietly over a lantern.

They entered the airlock, the black, chain under their feet a bit slick and had a reflective sheen to them. [name] shivered, not because of the cold that clung to their jumpsuit, but the idea of what they could encounter outside.

"Ready?" Emil asked the others, Ezekiel's hand hovering over the level that was attached to a small device in the wall. A few of them murmured in agreement, others giving unsure nods, and then Emil nodded to Ezekiel, who pulled it downward.

The gates behind them shifted, groaning as they closed and locked tight. They sealed the eight of them in, the metal wheels squeaking and locking tight in place. Then, there was the sound of running water as it collected by their feet.

A few of them were startled, somehow forgetting that this was an airlock. It was not usual for them to go swimming in the open sea, so they were unsuspecting. [name] too scrambled to put on their masks, but managed to before the seawater became waist-level. Thankfully the others were just as successful, diving gear masking their features.

Soon, they were submerged in cold water and the muffled sound of gears turning once more met their ears as the gates in front of them began to open slowly. A wave of somewhat warmer water washed underneath [name]'s jumpsuit, sending goosebumps running up their arms and legs.

There was a green light positioned on a metal stick just a few feet away from the platform that stretched out beyond the second gate. [name] swam to the edge first, keeping their breathing steady as their heart pounded in faster rhythm.

Something moved out in the depths, bigger, much bigger. None of them had really taken in their surroundings until it made itself apparent many football fields away. It created a creaking sound in the thick water, just barely reaching their ears before the ground and water rumbled, shaking [name] to the core.

Then, one of the prisoners swam up next to [name], then passed them. They swam in the dimness of the dark and appeared hovering right over the beacon that sat planted on the sea floor. They waved, weighted by the water, signaling the others to come closer.