Drowning in Dread

089/365

Short story inspired by my very real, totally justified, phobia of fish in deep waters…
-VQ

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I opened my eyes only to be submerged in total darkness. My senses heightened as I tensed; ready for everything and anything that would dare interrupt the seemingly impenetrable cloak of shadow that lie thick before my sightless eyes. The deafening silence, the blinding blackness, and the odorless stench of pure foul fear only added to the feeling of impending doom. A scent that I wreaked of, absolutely drenched in dread. In an act of complete desperation, I lunged forward realizing at once that I was not alone. I stopped as abruptly as I had begun standing wide eyed and breathless. Eyes glued straight ahead of me in the thickness: not on anything concrete but focused, instead, on the slipping sound I had heard in front of me. My adrenaline pumped faster and faster with my heart racing along beside it.

A deep tranquilizing blue light slowly flickered on beside me as I jumped sharply to my right to gape at the glowing spectacle. More than twenty glass tanks lay stacked atop of one another in rows of four: all void of life but filled with water still. I swallowed hard and winced at the sight. No, I thought alarmed. Not one of these again. I shook my head pleadingly knowing all too well what was about to come. Blue lights began to flicker on all around me, shock sending me flying backwards on my feet. The presence I had felt in the room moments before stood mere feet away from me floating grotesquely in the enormous murky tank ahead.

I gawked at it for a couple of seconds. Monstrous in its proportions and hideousness, its scales were solid with crust and grime, and its narrow-pointed teeth could not fit within its undersized yet threatening jaws. Menacing glazed-over yellow eyes stared intimidating me; understanding my horror. It glided eerily towards the edge of the uncovered tank. A massive body dominating the space coming closer and closer where it could almost stretch out its slimy head and touch—and with that, I was gone. Without even finishing my thought I dipped hard to the left running towards the familiar voices that had reached my ears from some distance away. All I had to do was follow the bright light that had shown from the other side of the luminous tunnel I was running down. I immediately froze in place.

The tunnel, I realized, was comprised solely of glass. The walls, the ceiling, and even the floor upon which I so frighteningly stood was made up of glass, and everything around me was moving. Everywhere I looked there was life. Ugly deformed creatures of assorted shapes, sizes, and ferociousness swam tauntingly in circles. Mocking my fear. Terror shot painfully through my body. I dropped to my knees in agony instantly regretting my cowardice. Tiny cracks began to form below me from the impact and then rapidly spread up to the ceiling of the tunnel. Panic set in as I rose to my feet and started sprinting towards my mothers beckoning voice; faster and faster I ran glass shattering loudly behind me as I—

“Missy! Missy! Wake up already, lets gooooo!” My little sister whined impatiently as she shook my sleeping body.

I jumped up a sweaty nervous wreck. My hands were cold and clammy, and my hair stood plastered to my face and forehead. I swiped back the stray strands and breathed deeply. She looked on half annoyed, half amused.

“Nightmares again?” she asked knowingly.

I nodded, apparently shaken up.

She frowned, disappointed, “This doesn’t mean you changed your mind does it? Coz you said you’d come with me Missy, you promised!”

“I know,” I grumbled as I climbed out of bed.

“You know how much this means to me.”

“Yeah, yeah you’ve only told me that about a million times before.”

“Well good…. Who’s scared of fish anyway??? That’s the stupidest thing I have ever heard….”

I walked into the bathroom to brush my teeth and get ready as she went on and on in the other room about how fish were practically harmless and how, if anything, we should fear us because we’re the murderers going into their homes and snatching up dolphin babies for food. I rolled my eyes. This was typical. No one seemed to be able to understand my overwhelming fear of fish and the ocean. I mean, with a Marine for a father, a marine biologist for a mother, and an aspiring fisher woman for a little sister their lack of comprehension was no wonder. I gulped hard regretting my promise to accompany her on one of her rendezvous with Lake Tawee. On her last visit she hooked what she claimed to be a 15-pounder channel catfish; a prize-winning baby she was just not willing to let pass her by. Her mission was to revisit her fishing point to see if she could recapture and hook the beast once and for all. I was definitely having my doubts about taking that boat ride out into the middle of those dark waters.

She pranced in excitedly and stood waiting with her arms crossed in front of her. I hurried along knowing there was no way out of it. Hesitantly, I got dressed and packed lunch for the both of us. Outside the weather was cool and calm; not a single cloud in the sky. She looked up and winked at me.

“Perfect,” she said.

I groaned. The ride over to Lake Tawee was a nerve-wrecking one. So much so, that as soon as we pulled up in sight of the sandy banks, I jumped out of the car and emptied my stomach all over the parking lot pavement. My sister giggled nervously, she didn’t want to take the trip alone. This would be one of the most important days of her life if she succeeded and she wanted me to share the glory with her. I couldn’t let her down. I just couldn’t. Once I was done puking I swallowed some water to soothe my burning throat and strolled on over to the dock.

She hastily packed the small boat with the food and equipment and proceeded to hop inside taking her seat comfortably in the middle. She glanced up at me unsure of my next move. I took one long last look at the solid ground beneath me before I stepped into the swaying boat. She left no time for second thoughts. As soon as both of my feet hit the interior she cranked the motor and off we set into the creepy atmosphere of the lake. I inhaled and exhaled uncontrollably, long after we stopped, my sister constantly reminding me that everything would be ok. I relaxed, only a little, as she threw in her line and waited for the big catch.

It wasn’t long before her rod began to shake viciously. She tensed, hand snapping sharply reflexes kicking in and catching the pole before it disappeared into the water. I sat transfixed on the ripples forming a few feet away. Bigger and bigger they grew. That means its coming closer. Oh my God. What if it tips the boat over? Could it? Is it possible? Oh, my goodness there it is. I see a head. Ewww its so ugly…how in the world does she--

“Umph!”

I snapped back into reality as my sister’s body lurched forward and then dropped into the iciness beneath us. I had a split second to think and another to react. I knew that thing was somewhere down in the dim dirty water. I knew it and the thought tortured me. There it would be swimming around in its familiar home while we intruders splashed around awkwardly within its depths. But I had to. I had to jump in, my little sister was in there for God’s sake! Without wasting a moment more I dived in. The frigid water wrapped itself tightly around my shivering body as I begged for warmth. I turned abruptly, floating in the water, seeing my sister’s rod and rapidly doggy-paddling on over to it. I quickly pulled her sinking body above the surface with my right hand and then proceeded to unravel the wire from around her snagged foot, with the other. Something cold and slimy brushed against my leg and I freaked out almost dropping her. I quickly regained my senses and swallowed my fear. Her body was limp and heavy; I struggled to get her back on the boat. Mustering up one final heave she landed in its interior with a loud thud. Terrified, I scrambled inside after her.

She coughed wildly spewing water onto the floor. I watched on panic-stricken. Finally, she sat up and shook her head; dazed and utterly confused. This had NEVER happened to her before.

To my surprise she smiled a crooked smile and said, “Either you’re extremely bad luck or you might have been right about those freaking fish man. That was scary”.

I laughed nervously. Breathing a sigh of relief that she was ok. “Told ya so!”

“Yo, you were brave though! You actually dived in that was incredible! Oh my God, I love you!” She gave me a big wet hug.

“Yeah well, I must love you too because I would NEVER EVER in my life do that for anyone! This better be the last time you almost die Katrina. I’m so serious…. I don’t think my heart can handle another one of these!”

She chuckled affectionately. “Ok, big sis. Let’s get out of here.”

She cranked the motor and we were gone leaving the deep, shadowy world of the frightening unknown behind us. I prayed passionately until we hit land again and then I ran. In no particular direction, but far away from there, just grateful we were alive. Never again, I thought. NEVER AGAIN!