Lost World - Sci-Fi Short Story

A form with mechanical aspect crosses the mass of water leaving a trail of bubbles in its path. The various fish and crustaceans abundant in the surroundings are exalted while the machine deploys hooks wired from the front to the floor of the seabed.

"Grandpa Terry, what's that?" A boy with slanted eyes says while showing a vivid curiosity pointing something through the front glass.

"Well, my dear Genji, that is... A Jinja, a Shinto temple of yesteryear. It was a place of worship a long time ago," Terry says, frowning as soon as he finishes his explanation. "Now, as I promised you on your fifth birthday... Since you’re already old enough I will take you to the land of your father's ancestors,” The old man says with a rather pronounced smile.

Genji nods slightly while holding a silver wristwatch.

They both go to a compartment in the back of the submarine. They begin to wear tight suits of a material that looks like very glossy latex and a stylized helmet with small lanterns sticking out at the sides. Terry approaches the hatch and begins to open it without hurry, the water begins to filter and Genji lets out a little gasp.

After a strong rough sound, the gate opens completely and the water entered between torrents. They both dive and swim out of the hatch. After closing the hatch, they pressed a button on a panel on the forearm of their respective suits; the small lanterns on his helmet light up, illuminating the marine environment. They can see dilapidated buildings and battered electrical lines as they descend slowly into the water.

“What's all this Grandpa Terry?” Genji asks through his inter-communicative helmet.

"This is what in the remnant Earth we call the lost world."

They step forward slowly through the streets of what was once Tokyo, now it is completely covered with some kind of seaweed. Genji gets amazed by everything around him, pointing and commenting on everything he observes with enthusiasm. This grows the feeling of some kind of pleasant warmth in Terry's chest.

They continue to explore a few meters more from the place where the submersible is, but promptly something catches Terry's attention. A figure or at least that’s what he thinks he saw from the corner of his eye. He quickly uncouples a harpoon on the back of his suit and goes on alert.

"Genji, we have to go back. There's something else here with us," Terry says with a protective tone in his voice.

"What's wrong Grandpa Terry... I thought you’ve told me that nothing dangerous inhabited these waters."

Something is coming towards them. It moves quickly and gracefully as if it were a dolphin. But the more it approaches, the more it overwhelms Terry’s mind. He has never seen anything like this in his entire life, and considering that he has spent much of his life running many excursions in the depths of the sea, that's saying a lot.

When he gets close enough to recognize the form of the creature, Terry is surprised that it is humanoid in shape and puts himself in a state of greater alarm. He shoots the harpoon. The creature easily dodges it. He wasn't even close to hitting it. The creature shortens the remaining distance between them and brakes sharply to inches in front of Terry.

Terry watches in disbelief between the creature and the wake it has left in its path. What his eyes witness is something similar to an organic torpedo in motion. Now his priority is to keep Genji safe and sound. That’s all he knows. His years of service in TAERL (The Abysmal Expedition of the Remnant Earth) have served him to gain experience in combat against different types of marine specimens. It’s time to put all of that back into practice.

The creature looks as if it were alternating between an expression of disdain and curiosity in short lapses that completely disconcert the veteran sailor. His menacing gaze roams over Terry and Genji focusing a little longer on the latter.

"Genji, please return to the submersible!" Terry shouts as he concludes that thing has a particular interest in the child. He takes out a knife of considerable length and begins to lash out at the creature with a desperate burst of slashes. The creature dodges them easily as if it were just a funny game, its expression of disdain is settling even more on her face, highlighting what seems to be gills on her cheeks.

The boy desperately runs back to the submersible, panting heavily for breathing. He reaches to where a hooked rope is deployed from the submarine. With his shaking hands, he tries to hook it to his suit. He finally manages to hook it and without noticing it, he accidentally presses a button on the panel of his arm. Then the cable starts to disengage again.

When he is halfway there, he has calmed down his breathing a little. Now the only thing that occupied his mind is the situation of his grandfather. –I have to ask for help on the radio to the abysmal expeditionary army –He thinks at the moment. He forced himself to think that everything would be fine, his adopted grandfather Terry is a veteran sailor who was like a mentor in the trade for his father. –It will be ok –He told himself.

When he is halfway to the submersible, a figure passes with vertiginous speed to its right, he barely manages to see it. With his attention turned to the right, the figure attacks him on his left and cuts the rope in the process. The impact overwhelms his mind. He loses his consciousness.

He wakes up and he finds himself in a small chamber. His grandfather is in a corner with a confused expression.

"Oh, my dear Genji. You've finally awakened! I don’t know where we are, but I'm sure of something, we're still at the bottom of the sea. Don’t worry because as long as I breathe I will protect you. I'll somehow get you out of here." A gate opens on the wall where Terry is lying on. One of those creatures emerges from it.

"Come with me, visitors," The amphibian says.

–It can speak our language –Terry thinks while showing some astonishment on his face. He gives a nod of approval to Genji and then he imitates him in response.

When they go abroad; the biggest surprise to them isn’t the amount of those creatures in their surroundings, nor the underwater metropolis they are in, it’s the fact that they're breathing underwater. Although it‘s not entirely true, something that looks like an invisible membrane separates the liquid from their bodies and provides them with oxygen.

“Grandpa... Are you seeing the same thing as me... Is this a-actually real?” Genji says astonished.

"Visitors. Now you are my guests. Welcome to New Atlantis. Please, feel comfortable cousins."

"Cousins?" Terry asks confused.

Then, the self-proclaimed Atlantian, proceeds to explain that his race is the product of a natural adaptation of a considerable group of humans who had been trapped in a kind of bunker during floods caused by mega tsunamis years ago. Their bodies over time had no alternative but to evolve and adapt to their immediate surroundings. For centuries they have prospered in the depths, adapting and developing the technology of the failed civilization.

"What you're telling us is unbelievable," Terry says, holding in his hands some kind of exotic souvenir.

"Grandpa, I want to stay here for a while, I want to learn more about these people,” Genji says.

Terry looks at his new amphibious friend and he makes a slow gesture of approval with his head.

“Very well, we will have an indefinite vacation in this place,” Terry says while releasing an energetic laugh, and then he shakes the Atlantian's hand. This one accepts the gesture, and he shakes his hand gladly.

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This is my entry to @mctiller's 24 hours short story contest. Here you can read more about it: Contest

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