Breathe
"Don't."
I couldn't help myself. This was the only option I saw left as she stared back at me, eyes full of fear and pleading not to go through with what I already had in mind. Above us, the metal began to groan feircely due to the pressure it had tried so hard to withstand. It had done it's job for the past 76 hours...it earned its chance now to give way to its heavy burden...
That's why, as I looked back at her, she began to shake her head. Her hair was wavy, in a gentle shade of chestnut brown. Her eyes, though wide with worry, terror and fear still kept its colour of unusual blue. They were deep and bright, like the sea. And she knew as well as I did that only one of us would live through this ordeal.
And I had already decided it would be her.
"Arnon...!" She spoke my name out of love and fear; she would have wanted to die with me. But I pulled myself away from those eyes, and under my breath gave her my apology before shoving her into the escape pod. It could only support one person. And we couldn't afford to wait any longer. The pressure in the room was already building...and it was slowly becoming harder and harder to breath. Soon it would reach a point where, like the rooms and the people from the floors above, everything would implode within itself. Even me.
Quickly, I pushed the pod's hatch closed. She'd be safe in there. The hatch itself locked from both sides, yet its safety feature made the pod unable to be opened from inside when locked from the outside. I put an effort into turning the wheel of the lock, not stopping until I heard a satisfactory in the lock itself. This is probably the most good the Compound had ever done to save lives so far. And the only life it would be able to save now would be hers.
"I'm sorry..." I muttered, my forehead resting on the door's cold surface. I could hear her hands pounding dully against the heavy door. A feeble attempt on her part. Her eyes kept staring at me through the door's window, screaming words that I could barely hear above the room's heavy groaning. The metal walls on all sides were beginning to bend inwards. The rushing sound of water also become louder and louder, drowning out the pounding of my heartbeat in my ears.
God, if you're here...please protect her. It was strange to find that even after all my years of believing in nothing but science, I had the audacity to pray to God at a time like this. But I hoped he would hear me because...
...I wanted her safe. I wanted her to stay alive; to survive for the brighter tomorrow she always kept bothering me about even before this all happened. She didn't seem to want it now though when I finally found enough courage to look her in the eyes again.
"...I'm sorry," It was hard to speak. The pressure was already too much...it was starting to crush me. I winced as the pain slurred my senses. Yet, I looked at her and smiled. "I would have...wanted to...see that future you..."
I couldn't go on. I was starting to feel lightheaded, my bones crying out like the walls from too much building pressure. Feeling weak I leaned against the hatch, but kept the smile on my face.
Breathe, Arnon. Breathe...
"...I wanted to see...that future you wanted..." I managed out; unfortunately it was a bare, hoarse whisper. She would never hear me again. Not after this.
It's a shame that the pod's heavy casing blocked our words from ever getting through to each other...though I couldn't help but wonder what she was saying to me...
Her eyes traced a fine line of tears down her cheeks; they were pale, flushed red from her crying. It broke my heart to see her in such a way, when my memory only knew her as a happy, smiling person. Looking at her now made me want to hold her.
I wish I could hold her. I wish I could tel her that everything was going to be okay. I wish...
...I wish I could have spent more time with her, more than these last 76 hours would have allowed...
And finally it happened. The metal finally burst, giving access to the raging current that had chased us through so many levels of the Compound. The sudden burst of pressure stabbed my innards and I screamed in agony. Everything inside me was bursting, I could feel it. The only thing keeping me alive was knowing that she would be safe. She had to be.
She was screaming at me more now though; probably because she saw the blood dripping from my mouth. The water was rising fast, so there wasn't much time left to say anything else. Glancing around, I found the escape pod's release lever. Weakly, I stretched out my hand, struggling to grasp the wooden tool and pulling it down.
That did it. While still holding onto the hatch's wheel, the pod released and shot itself from the Compound's inner walls. I kept my grip on it though even as it jetted, from the bottom of the ocean, rising higher and higher to the far away surface.
This was it for me. My lungs, probably the only thing left of my insides were already burning, screaming for air that would never come. My body had grown numb for some reason and it's probably due to the pressure, so I wouldn't know what I've already lost. Even my mind was completely drained of all awareness.
But I knew one thing...
She was safe. The pod would keep her protected from the ocean's pressure, and will rise no matter what, all the way to the surface. And that beacon installed in it should also attract any passing by ships or planes. That's a good thing...I hope.
The world had grown oddly dark now. And it was quiet. No longer could I hear the rush of the currents or the groaning of dying metal. The pressure I had felt at the bottom of the ocean where the Compund had been seemed to dissappear. So everything was...in a sense, peaceful...
Opening my eyes, I searched past what I could see. Past the pod's round body and far up to a shining surface. It was still so far away. But it was beautiful to look at, where the sun kissed the waves and sent it's rays down to give light to the ocean's dark world.
I smiled to myself. That was kind of poetic.
She would have loved to hear that. And speaking of her, I looked again to see her face in the hatch's anti-pressure window. Her eyes could see me, and they were full of tears. She seemed to be talking to me again...
I wonder what she's saying...?
Can you breath, Arnon? Breathe, don't die...
I could imagine that that would be what she was saying right now...but that was impossible. It's a known fact....you can't breathe underwater...
Silly girl...
I concentrated in her lips, cursing my own eyes because they wouldn't focus on anything.
I...
...love
...you...
My eyes burned. Was it because of the salt in the ocean's water? Or something else...? The surface was still so far away...and my hand won't let go of the hatch...
'I love you.' That's what she's saying...over and over again...
I sighed. My lungs were already filling with water, the air leaving me in little tiny bubbles. My vision was blurring, but a smile crawled onto my face.
"How funny," I mouthed to her, and she blinked and stared at me. "I think I loved you too..."
Breathe Arnon...it's not over yet...
Yes it is.
I closed my eyes for a second, feeling my grip on the hatch loosening. It loosened and loosened until finally I opened my eyes, and saw that the pod was floating away from me. Slowly, it floated up into the sunlight, while I remained in the stillness of the ocean's grasp.
It was nice of the sun to send it's rays so far down. It was so warm. It made me sleepy, so I closed my eyes again, feeling myself sinking.
Breathe...
I can't breathe anymore. The surface is too far away...but looking at it...it's beautiful.
I wish I could have had a brighter future with you...
------
*insert coin to continue*
Fri May 27, 2011 9:14 am
