I didn't know how long it had been as we were scraping this gunk off for a while, 20 minutes? 30 minutes? An hour? Or maybe even more, Evelyn was silent so was I as we continued scraping the gunk
Scrape Scrape
"You know I've heard some people have a fetish Hhhh—Kshhhhh of these things"
[Is that so?]
Scrape Scrape
"I don't get it though, what's the fun of Hhhh—Kshhhhh being completely enclosed, it's hot, sweaty, Hhhh—Kshhhhh, sticky, and claustrophobic…"
[Well I guess it's something like this?] Evelyn as she gestured for me to get closer which I did.
Clunk—Click
"What did you Hhhh—Hmm?" Nothing , there was no Kshhh sound that I would've heard, instead there was silence,
Thud
yet before I could think much Evelyn bonk the edge of my helmet, shifting my focus onto her
[Your turn,] She said as she turned her back to me [Same place, Here, twist the valve, same way I did] she said as she pointed at the valve , without much thought I did as she say
Clunk—Click
"And what was that for ?"
[Well just wait and see~]
"I don't get it?"
[Well it's the feeling of being enclosed like a second skin, though we are using a drysuit, it's different when you're using a wetsuit , using a wetsuit feels like a second skin? You're body wrapped tightly,]
"Uh huh-?"
[it's because you're closed off from the world, especially when used with SCBA, some find it arousing, some think it feels like meditating, others just like the sound of the gear and others just like to suffocate themselves?]
"You seem… very knowledgeable about this, do you—do this?"
[I guess? Also you should be feeling it right now]
"Feel w—"
BA DUMP BA DUMP BA DUMP
[Oh there it is, that took a while, you should've noticed that the air your breathing was getting thinner~]
"HKHH—KHHH—!!!"
My thoughts came to a blur, my vision flickering as I panicked and flailed my arms, my lungs were burning, adrenaline flowing through my veins as I scrambled trying to take a deep breath yet each inhale was thinner than the last,
HSSSSSSSSS
The sound of fresh air flowing through my helmet could be heard as Evelyn twisted my valve, but for a while I was in a panicked state.
"HAAAAHH—Hhhh—Kshhhhh HAHHhhh—Kshhhhh—HAAH Hhhh—Kshhhhh HAAAAHH—Hhhh—Kshhhhh HAHHhhh—Kshhhh "
It took me several minutes to readjust my breathing, I could've sworn I lost at least 30 minutes worth of air from that alone, on the other hand Evelyn was just laughing…
[Ahahahah—Okay, okay calm down now, the human brain can last at least 5 minutes without oxygen before permanent damage starts, though in a situation like this panic usually kills faster]
"That was Hhhh—Kshhhhh mean…"
[Alright alright, now help me turn mine back on] She said as she gestured to the valve on her back, of course if I wanted to be a gentleman I would've done it instantly but honestly… I'm feeling a little petty
"No~" I said mimicking the tone she usually use as I pushed her
[Hey—Wait Cael—]
SHOVE
"HeH—How does it feel to be—"
[HKHH—CAEL—HKHH—KHHH—KHHH—]
"Evelyn? Hhhh—Kshhhhh EVELYN? EVELYN SAY SOMETHING Hhhh—Kshhhhh"
[…]
I panicked before swimming to the direction I shoved her to , trying to find her. Panic filled my mind as I saw her floating there, her eyes were rolled back , my mind went blank for a moment before a greater sense of urgency filled me.
"EVELYN? EVELYN?! Hhhh—Kshhhhh WAKE UP PLEASE…" I scrambled to turn her back and shook her yet Evelyn didn't respond Did I just—
[Just Kidding~] Her voice crackling through the radio as Evelyn gave me a V-sign. I could've sworn I felt my heart skip a beat as I looked at her, my mouth gaping.
[I'm flexible enough to do it on my own~ ] She said while giving me a V sign
"Wait so that was Hhhh—Kshhhhh a prank-?!?!"
[No, it's difficult to reach it, and it's starting to get hard to breathe… turn it on now please…] She said as she showed me her back, this time without hesitation I twisted her valve
Clunk—Click
HSSSSSSSSS
[Hhhh—Kshhhhh Ahhhhh~ much better, give me a few minutes]
"Okay…"
—
[Hhhh—Kshhhhh alright turn it off again, I want you to hear it from the outside]
Clunk—Click
It was weird, I could hear the Hhhh—Kshhhhh-ing sound from my helmet yet there was only silence from hers, for what felt like a long suspended moment only my own Hhhh—Kshhhhh could be heard
She then gave a thumbs up as she turned her back again before I twisted her valve back , the same Clunk—Click noise followed by a HSSSSSSSSS as she gave me a slight smile
[You hear that? Hhhh—Kshhhhh that's the sound of you keeping me alive and me keeping you alive, we're in this together Cael, don't forget it] she said as she swam back towards the mucus-crusted wall as if nothing happened
[Now stop slacking and help me clean the gunk, it's not going to clean itself you know~]
—
TSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSST
As the hose was spraying high pressure water cleaning the thick gunk that's been sticking to the filters and walls, I was ensuring the water flowed while Evelyn was holding the nuzzle as she directed the hose to the gunk.
"Say Hhhh—Kshhhhh How long has it been?" A mix of anxiety and curiosity filled me, after all Evelyn did say the sedation would last for 3 hours and we'd be out by 2,
[Probably around 2 hours now] she said without batting an eye, her hands still focused on stirring the nozzle ensuring it didn't spew randomly and end up cracking the tank glass or our LAMA helmets…
The visibility was poor, I couldn't see anything as the gunk clouded my entire vision, the only thing reminding me that I wasn't alone was Evelyn's consistent regulator noise going Hhhh—Kshhhhh
"Do you usually do this Hhhh—Kshhhhh solo?"
[Depends. Hhhh—Kshhhhh When the other members are here they help me, but most of the time Hhhh—Kshhhhh I do this solo]
"Is it not Hhhh—Kshhhhh dangerous?"
[Well, what can I do about it? I am the leader after all Hhhh—Kshhhhh besides, I am quite experienced and so far no accidents has ever happened so it'll probably Hhhh—Kshhhhh be fine~]
"Is that—"
[WARNING : The "Gill-Man" has awoken, avoid making loud noises] it went before going to [1] my words froze for a moment, I could've sworn my eyes were wide open as I saw that notification.
[—!!! —!!! CA—!!! CAEL!!! Hhhh—Kshhhhh SNAP OUT OF IT] Evelyn's voice snapped me out of reality as she swung me back and forth, my thoughts recollected itself, she gave me a look before spinning me and turned off my valve
Clunk—Click
The familiar noise of the valve being turned off could be heard, as Evelyn quickly spun me back before also turning her back to me, yet my mind, still slightly dazed, didn't catch what she meant.
[Hhhh—Kshhhhh Turn mine off, now] Her voice was serious, different from her usual playful voice and gestures she uses. My mind, while still dazed, did what she said with no hesitation.
Clunk—Click
The same familiar sound could be heard as both our radios went silent, our light turned off, there was no 'Hhhh—Kshhhhh' that would've come from the regulator was now silent, complete silence.
only the sound of my own heartbeat could be slightly heard and the hose that had turned silent. Evelyn was completely silent, I couldn't speak, the shock coming from the system's message still paralyzing me as—
KRRRRRRRR
A distinct, distorted high-pitched shriek could be heard as I looked at the creature in front of my eyes, it's large dark eyes, its webbed hands and feet with sharp claws, the fish-like gills on its necks and its lipless mouth
The Gill-Man, the monster coming from the 1954 film known as the Creature from the Black Lagoon, I froze completely as it swam past me and straight to where Evelyn was, Evelyn was also silent making no sudden movement
Yet she was shoved by the Gill-Man, whether by accident or not as Evelyn's body collided with the tank's walls
THUD Tap Tap
A low thudding noise could be heard as the creature itself returned to Evelyn, its eyes looking at her with curiosity, like a baby who found a new toy as it looked at her, its razor claws tapping at her helmet before losing interest.
Swsh Tap Tap
It went right to me, observing me like a toy, tapping my helmet, I was silent, I was scared, it was getting increasingly harder to breath, each inhale thinner than the last, the air turning stale
It felt like forever as it fiddled with me, tapped my helmet and even fiddled with the air hose before finally leaving me alone. I wanted to breathe a sigh of relief but the increasingly stale air made me think twice to conserve more air.
As it finally left us, I could see Evelyn again, still not moving, yet something was different, she looked tired, haggard but it was still the Evelyn I saw, still moving, still breathing?
Something was wrong, very wrong, it took me a while to notice what was actually wrong, air bubbles, air bubbles were leaking through her helmet, small cracks, how? Why?
A realization dawned upon me, why did the creature move directly into her while ignoring me? I didn't know, I could ask the system why, but right now that would be a waste of a question
I wanted to panic, I wanted to ask her what happened, but her eyes were resolute as they looked at me, even as sweat formed in her forehead, like a leader, telling me to stay calm
My breath had stopped being breaths, they had turned shallow. My mind, while still filled with anxiety, asked the system a question, how do we escape this predicament? And the system answered.
[Distract it] before turning to [0] I wanted to scream, I wanted to say WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN DISTRACT IT? But the increasingly stale air made me stop, getting made would waste even more precious air.
Evelyn gave me a look her hands were trembling, not from fear, from Oxygen Deprivation. Her breaths had stopped being breaths and turned into shallow reflexive spasms.
Her chest barely moving inside the suit as more and more tiny streams of bubbles leaked through the growing crack in her helmet, The Gill-man nowhere to be seen, but it was there watching, waiting.
My lungs burned, my instincts screaming, telling me to take a deep breath, Evelyn looked at me then towards the hose control, then back at me again, a Gamble, a terrible one, but the only one we currently have.
Slowly—very slowly—She reached behind me
Clunk—Click
The sound of the valve turned on as fresh air surged through my helmet, yet the air still tasted metallic like hot humid recycled air, it wasn't enough, not immediately but enough to stop the dizziness, as I turned Evelyn's valve on next.
Clunk—Click
HSSSSSSSSS
And the moment her valve was turned on, even more tiny streams of bubbles escaped appeared as the crack continued growing from her helmet, and the moment those streams of bubbles escaped.
The creature made its move.