In The Depths Of The Sea

Descending down the Abyss

"Alright guys, get you gear and let's get going", said Fernando in a comandeering voice. He pulled and secured his oxygen tanks on his back and moved out of the way that led to the gear room.

"We've been ready for the past ten minutes chief", Martha fixed up the glove on her suit, "You're the one who's been taking too long. We're diving down, not going to prom, isn't that right Grace?"

Grace was startled by the sudden mention of her name. She had allowed her eyes to get lost in the deep blue of the lurking abyss that lay bellow the "Galata", leaving the conversation merge with the background sound of the seagulls flying over them and the waves crushing on the side of their ship. Before she could respond, she felt Martha's hand shaking her right shoulder.

"Are you sure you're up for this?", Martha asked.

Grace nodded reassuringly. "Yes, I've been looking forward to it", she explained, "I suppose I'm just a little nervous that we're finally here"

"If that's the case I suggest you get over it", Grace caught Fernando closing in with the corner of her eye, "we can delay for an hour if you like, but once we do dive we all need to be calm. Panic and stress are a diver's worst enemy"

"I'm alright", Grace said again, giving her two companions a slight smile to support her claim. "As I said, I'm only excited"

Fernando sighed. Grace felt both his and Martha's eyes scan her face and body until they were convinced she was indeed ready for the dive, or at least they had observed enough concentration on her to agree on proceeding. Martha peaked into the captain's cabin and informed him so.

They sat on the back of the boat and put on their masks and their breathers. A sea turtle surfed the sea foam a few meters to their left; Grace followed her with her violet eyes as she dove down and was swallowed by the darkness that reigns on deep waters.  She heard Martha and Fernando splash down the watery well. Something iridescent shown a little further away. Could it had been one of their flippers? They were both excellent divers after all. She followed them soon after.

The water burned cold down her body, like millions of tiny needles had just pierced her skin. She never liked how silly her diving get-up looked, but this piercing pain reminded her each time of how important it was. She moved her hands and legs about until she felt her body naturalizing to the new temperature and then she swam down a few meters to join her two friends.

Martha gestured with her hand; from the movement Grace understood she was asking if she was okay again. A little annoyed, she put a thumbs up and  dove deeper, eager to explore the bottom of the well that rested somwhere under the veil of darkness that stretched below. Grace swam between the shoals of colorful fish, their fins tickling her underarms and belly. She saw her optical view shorten and shorten as the light dimmed out, failing to reach so far down the ocean.

Fernando caught up with her and held her hand until she stopped. Martha swam down to their level a few moments later. They waited a little to adapt to the increased preassure as Fernando unhooked the flashlight off his belt and tied it with it with a string, allowing him a more generous movement. He pointed the small source of light around the rocks that enclosed the well. If Cousteau was right, the entrance should be somewhere nearby.

Grace and Martga followed Fernando deeper down the abyss, their flashlights covering the places Fernando's didn't. Grace trailed over with it a shadow on the rocks. She returned to it but the shadow had dissapeared. She felt Martha's hand on her arm once more. She saw her gently touch Fernando's arm as well, drawing his attention towards her, and then pointed at the wall on Grace's right; There was undoubtedly something there.

They swam to were Martha had pointed towards and that's when they finally saw the tunnel that was drilled on the earth. Fernando touched the side with his hands and nodded to his friends, small bubbles escaping the sudes of his breather as he exhaled. That was it, they all agreed.

They unrolled a little the cord each of them had brought with them and nailed it to the edge of the tunnel. Cousteau had written that within laid a network of tunnels and caves, many of them unexplored and so easy to get lost into that had temoted countless trained and untrained divers over the years to their untimely deaths. Adrenaline and adventure had never been what Grace considered worthy enough to trade her security. But the archaeoligical treasure that hid in that underwater maze was a dream that made taking a risk of little importance.

Nevertheless, Martha opened a clasp on her wrist and took out a pen to write on the waterproof screen under it. They all had the same utensil fit to their uniforms, but they would not use it unless they got separated, so they would be able to move and climb and lift easier, should it be needed. Not being seperated was their number one priority, but they had discussed and agreed upon backups of backup plans during the past three nights. They checked on each other and entered the tunnel.