Chapter 3 In Good Faith

"The ocean.  Again."

"Yes Reader.  The ocean.  Again."

They were in a little rowboat in the middle of the ocean.  The pleasant sound of lapping water filled that distinct silence.  Somewhere off in the distance and out of sight was the call of a seagull.  No island on the horizon.  Burning sun overhead.  Ernest wiped the sweat from his brow and put on the wide brim hat he was provided.  Reader frowned at only having a bandana. 

"It's hot."

"That it is Reader."

"What are we doing here?"

"Homework."

"Are these things based off of topics?"
"I suppose."
"Then what's today's topic?  Being stranded in the middle of the ocean to die?!"

"You don't have to yell Reader.  I didn't put you in the boat."
"Wha-You- What are you looking at?  What was over my shoulder?  I don't see anything there.  Is it more ninja's?! Did the boat just get bumped by something?"
"I think I figured it out."
"What bumped our boat?"
"No, what we're supposed to do."

Ernest looked over the side and grimaced. 

"Just not here." He muttered.  Grabbing the worn oars he rowed them across the ocean's surface.  Humming a pirate tune, Ernest continued to watch the side of the boat, looking for who knows what.  After a while the humming stopped and he began to talk as if to himself.

"I started playing the Locker's games earlier in the year.  Those lockers in the hall...  They looked weird right?  The walls in the hall became like telephone booths, drawers, closets... a bunch of stuff out of place - like a collage rammed into life that was put back together.  Maybe you're thinking it's like a wonderland of the mind - some rabbit hole you fell into.  Right?  Lost your sanity.  Fighting gravity.  Maybe.  Who knows.  These 'Games' we're playing.  I'd like to think that there's more to these homework assignments then just some malevolent being making our lives miserable for its personal enjoyment."

After an hour  of rowing he seemed satisfied. 

"You wanted the hat?  Here take it."  Ernest handed over the hat and began to roll up his sleeves. Reader took it and quickly put it on.  It felt like the temperature dropped ten degrees.  And that was a nice breeze hitting them now. 

"What do you plan on doing Ernest?" 

Now with that breeze and this hat... I just need a drink and this wouldn't be so bad. 

Ernest dived into the water.

It is hot.  A swim doesn't sound too bad. 
Hmm....
How long is he going to stay under?
One minuet... No must be near three minuets now.
Do I even want to know?

Reader looked over the side of the boat.  Crystal clear water showed nothing in return.  Just endless blue devouring the light.  The ocean itself was still now.  No waves.  No breeze.  Just hot air and humidity. 

What just nudged the boat?  Nothing on this side.  Nothing on that side.  There it is again.

"Aaahh...  To go in or not to go...  How about I just dunk my head in and see what's under there."

So Reader dunked face first into that crystal water. 

Hey something is coming up.  It's coming up Fast.  Oh it's Ernest.  And..!?!??!!

Chaos exploded through the water surface.  That once crystal clear and motionless water shattered into thousands of incandescent fragments.  Tentacles were rising from the storming abyss.  And riding that storm was Ernest.  He was yelling, trying to get free from being caught in the coiled muscles.  The row boat was getting battered, an unfortunate victim.  It didn't bode well to be a bystander in this. 

Reader tried to hold on desperately, smacking at whatever thankfully small tentacles came that way.  The ocean beneath the boat was nothing like the calm sea around them.  Spinning in the dizzying array of clinging doom, Reader caught glimpses of Ernest clawing his way through sea appendages.

A shudder felt from the water.

Ernest landed in the boat, the remains of a trunk sized part tossed aside.  He turned to speak then was dragged back under.  Surfacing now and then amongst ear splitting screeches of an unhappy predator. 

Don't tell me the topic was Giant Squid Hunting...

Vile disgusting ink sprayed from the ocean like a geyser.  The thick curd jelly pelting the boat in an abhorrent form of rain. 

Great.

A black hand grabbed the side of the boat. 

Oh no is that a ninja?  The boat it's nearly tipping.  An oar. An oar.  I should smack it- oh it's just Ernest.

Gasping he clung to the boat.  Near death fear evident in his eyes. 

"What, are you laughing at Reader?  Do I look that funny covered in this filth?  Take a look at yourself.  But first, help me in."

After a brief struggle Ernest was back in the boat trying to wipe as much gunk off him as possible.  He took a few breaths and looked to the sky as if asking, "Why this?" Turning towards Reader his face contorted, trying to find a way to explain. 

"That thing is going to come back.  If you don't want to be a part of its tentacle embrace, I suggest we hurry up and finish this assignment.  What is the assignment?  It's uh...  It's.  No I know what it is, just the words are coming out wrong.  It's -It's - It is...  "Mysteries of the Deep" -   That sounds about right.  Now then, stand up yes.  Oh you missed a spot on your shoulder, no I got it.  Okay good.  Now look deep at the murky surface here and tell me what you see Reader."

Reader peered at the black ocean water and saw just that.  Black.

"I see the ink from ... whatever that was."

Ernest made a hard to distinguish expression and said, "Yes?  And what else?"

"I just see black water."

"Look closer Reader.  Look Deeper.  It should become very clear to you with a little bit of focus."

Reader leaned forward a bit.

Ernest kicked Reader into the water.

One might think that the first concern in such a situation is, "Can I or can I not swim?"  But this is incorrect.  The first concern that should be in the mind is, "Why is the ink coming to life and pulling me under?" 

With blackness enveloping all sight, blotting out the clear blue sky, Ernest's words reached the hearing ear, "Mysteries of the Deep means we go into the water Reader!  It wouldn't be much of a mystery if you stayed up on the surface." 

Ernest watched Reader struggle.  Instinct alone would drive a person to fight against being pulled under.  When it was apparent that Reader wouldn't go down willingly, Ernest dived into the murk.  Not to pull Reader out and back to the row boat.  No.  He pushed Reader under the surface and followed.

*

It's always dark in here.  Just me in the void.  Is this really any better...

*

Black. It's so dark and compressed. Are we returning? Still feel like I'm sinking...

The ink finally gave way.  Blue.  Not of the sky.  But of the ocean.  Bright light lanced from the surface, turning into rays of sunshine highlighting the under-ocean.  Above the ink continued to disperse.  Ernest broke though next.

Something is wrong.  It looks like he's falling not sinking.  He's going to collide with - "Umph!"

Bubbles burst out of Reader's mouth. 

No.  We're still under water! My precious air!

They accelerated further into the deep.  The rays of light from above, turning into hazy fading things.  Reader struggled in Ernest's iron grip, but he held on.  They were falling for a long while.  It got harder to hold onto the air.  Panic is coming.

"Reader, just breathe."

?!

"Reader just breathe look at me, see? I'm breathing."

But we're under water.

"You have to trust me."

You kicked me into this and then dragged me down, gurk... everything's getting so hard to focus on.

"Breathe!"

Ernest tried tickling, when that didn't work he just punched Reader in the gut. 

Those last few precious bubbles.

I'm going to drown ;o;

Here it comes.  The big gulp of water.  HEUUUUUH.

...

?

"Oh good.  You're finally breathing.  Good job Reader, I knew you could do it.  Had plenty of faith."

"You punched me!  I can't believe this Ernest!  You kicked me off the boat and then I was drowning, and now I'm breathing in water - what kind of"

"Hey hey you can be mad later.  We only have so much time before it or they come along.  So come on.  Think of it like flying through the air.  Just that it is swimming.  And try not to hold your breath so much."

Ernest floated, swam, flew - he moved further down, turning on his flash light.  There was something blurry in the distance that he was moving towards.  Words floated back to Reader as Ernest swam further.  

"The mysteries will be revealed Reader."

Reader called back.  "You'll answer my questions?" 

"I promise."