Out of Charybdis, into the Storm

All was quiet in the patient ward as night crept through the tiny window perched high on the far wall. A strange Octoling sat huddled on his bed, tentacle arms wrapped around his knees. He couldn’t help but find the normal silence disconcerting as he tried to wait patiently for a knock on the door. He watched it with extreme care, straining his short ears for some sort of cue that someone was passing by… Now and again he’d hear the heavy footsteps of a guard, getting his hopes up.

He thought back over the events of the day. It felt like a complete whirlwind, rife with startling news and plans for escape. Though he had lived his entire life in this laboratory he could hardly call it a “home,” as he was nothing more than a test subject, and a failed one at that. He had outlived his usefulness, but rather than releasing him to Octo Valley or something of the like, there was something vile stirring under the surface. 

Malintent was conspiring within the head scientist’s mind. The tests to augment DNA and advance creatures to their next stage of development wasn’t enough for her. She wanted more, she wanted to create fascinating and powerful creatures that had never been seen. And to do that, she needed all of her eggs in a basket. Security was locked down, guards now stalked the halls, and cameras were being installed everywhere, not just in testing chambers. Test subjects had gone missing, replaced with… Something new.

One scientist, a frilled jellyfish who went by the name Jellsica, knew she couldn’t stop it, but hoped she could save a few poor, unfortunate souls before they fell to the same fate. She had conspired an escape plan with a few subjects while the head scientist was out, and now the strange Octoling was waiting for his cue…

There was a gentle knock at the door, which jolted him upright. A beat later and he could hear the door unlock. Immediately to his feet he nearly flew to the door, met with a pair of weary eyes through the cracked opening. 

“Qu-quickly, now!” came the jellyfish’s voice. She spoke in a low whisper, beckoning for him to slip out the door with one arm.

He squeezed through the door, but his heart skipped a beat when he saw a few of the guards standing around a number of Salmonlings, Octarians, crustaceans and jellyfish. He started back for his room, but was quickly stopped when the door shut on his back. A gentle arm touched his.

“Don’t worry,” Jellsica whispered, “They’re patients dressed as guards. This is the easiest way to get everyone out without drawing too much attention.” she guided him to a spot between a guard and a towering Salmonling, who had a sleepy look in her eyes, “You’ll be taken into the courtyard for some enrichment.” the jellyfish winked.

The lineup started moving. As they walked the Salmonling behind him leaned over and started whispering, “Hey, y’ ready t’ get outta here?” despite her large size, she had a surprisingly calm voice.

The Octoling was too nervous to vocalize, fearing that his broken voice would be too loud. But he glanced over his shoulder and smiled with an eager nod. Now he realized that he couldn’t see the edges of this Salmonling’s mouth–it was so large, and her dusty blonde locks covered her cheeks like curtains. Even still, he could see her forming a smile.

“I admit,” she continued in a low voice, “I’m a bit nervous. Dunno who y’ can trust out there now… But it oughta beat bein’ in here. Gonna see if I can’t find my ol’ homestead ‘n make it there.”

With a furrowed brow the Octoling looked to the white halls ahead. So she wasn’t here her whole life… That must have been awful, being ripped away from friends and family. But he couldn’t fully imagine it; he didn’t have anywhere to go himself, no one to return to. He wondered… Could he tag along with her? When they stopped at the courtyard door, he quickly turned to her and pointed at his own chest, then to her’s with a hopeful look in his eye.

“Hm?” she blinked slowly, “Oh, y’all wanna come with me?” she smiled sincerely, “Sho’, I don’t see why not.”

The courtyard door was opened, and the patients spilled into the fenced enclosure. The night air was cool, and the larger ones took to stretching in the open. The disguised patients started stripping off the guard armor. They started to mill about in mild confusion, looking this way and that as they tried to figure out what exactly was going to happen next. A few started to mutter bitterly to each other, thinking that Jellsica had lead them into a trap of some kind… 

As if summoned the jellyfish quickly darted to the head of the group, her legs working overtime. Stopping at the wall where a dark brown tarp rested, she checked a small device with a glowing screen before tossing the tarp aside.

“Hurry, now!” she called. Her face screamed a level of anxiety, “Through this hole!” indeed, there was a wide hole that bore under the thick cinder block wall, “My cousin will meet you on the other side and lead you to his boat. Board it, and you’ll make it out.”

The patients complied, filing one after another to slip through the hole–the larger individuals had to squeeze through, but much to Jellsica’s relief nobody got stuck. Once everyone was through, she started filling the hole. It was safer to have to re-dig it, instead of leaving an obvious hole where the head Scientist could find it…

“Oh?” the tall Salmonling glanced back at the wall, “S’ppose Jellsica ain’t comin’. I even helped her dig that hole…”

Another frilled Jellyfish wearing a sailor’s uniform emerged from behind a rock, “She isn’t! She thought it’d be safer for her to stay behind and cover it up. She’d like to bring more patients out, you know!” he stretched an arm high into the air and waved a little pennant flag about to get everyone’s attention, “This way, now! We don’t have much time!”

He lead them some distance away, through trees and tall unkempt grass to the open water. Even as thunder rumbled in the distance the patients couldn’t help but bask in the fresh air, reaching out to touch the bark of the trees and tug on the grasses. It was difficult to hold their excitement at the prospect of freedom.

A large, sleek black boat rested at the shore–that must have been their ticket out of here. The Jellyfish used his arms to pull himself on board, lowering a rope ladder for the others to follow.

“Climb aboard! If you see someone that can’t get on, help them up!” he called down. Looking to the horizon, he sighed, “Blast… I had hoped that storm would hold of… Ink-based individuals best stay below deck if we can’t avoid that storm!” he silently wished they could wait, but there was little he could do… He had to get these patients to safety, and soon. Once the head scientist returned, a search would start, surely.

Once everyone had boarded the boat shoved off. The strange Octoling found himself sticking close to the tall Salmonling. She didn’t seem to mind very much, even when he wrapped a tentacle around her webbed hand. The boat was hardly quiet, as the others were discussing what they’d do once they got to safety. But there was little talking between the Ocotling and Salmonling. They seemed to just enjoy the company of another person.

The rumble of thunder grew in volume, and a light rain started to fall over the passengers. 

“Brace yourselves,” the Jellyfish called, “We should be able to avoid the worst of it, but please be careful and head below deck!”

Upon the call, a number of Octarians went below deck. The strange Octoling stuck beside his new friend’s side, however. He didn’t really know much better. He huddled closer to her when the winds started to pick up, and yelped when rain started hitting his face. It didn’t hurt, but it sure felt weird!

“Maybe y’ should head downstairs,” the Salmonling spoke up, “Y’all ain’t so good at dealin’ with water, y’know.” she looked down to him with a smile, giving him a gentle nudge towards the stairs. When the Octoling shook his head briskly, she gave a simple shrug, “Alrighty then, just stay next t’ me. I’ll protect y’ from th’ rain.”

He found security huddled beside her, even as the roar of thunder grew louder and louder with each flash. The wind whipped around them, and the boat started to rock at a far more violent rate. The sea was always changing, and never forgiving–even to those familiar with it. The storm had arrived quicker than anticipated. Concern growing, the Salmonling started to push the Octoling away.

“Y’ should really head below. I’ll go too, alrigh’?” she suggested. The rain became a downpour, and water was starting to puddle on the deck. The wind was now pushing the smaller passengers about, their feet slipping on the slick metal floor.

“The storm came to us!” the jellyfish’s voice came through a speaker, “Get below deck, now! I’ll try to steer us out of this safely!”

The boat lurched as a massive wave passed by and there was a cry for help. Suddenly the Octoling was all on his own, exposed completely to the elements. Ink started to drip from his tentacles, but he ignored that as he searched for his friend–she was leaning over the side of the boat, as if holding onto something or someone that had fallen over the edge. He called out to her, bit his broken voice could barely be heard over the rain and roaring sea. 

“She’s helping someone who fell!” a voice suddenly called. A claw carefully hooked one of his arms, “Come on, you’ll melt at this rate!” before he knew it he was surrounded by dozens of bodies trying to seek shelter below.

“Hold tight, I gotcha!!” he could hear his friend’s voice call.

As he was pushed below deck, he watched in horror as his friend tried to pull the other person back on board. Half her body was over the edge now, her tail sticking in the air as her webbed feet had a difficult time finding traction on the soaked deck. He pushed against the others, wanting to help her, but he was too small to make it through. The boat lurched again, and he felt the weight of a number of bodies press against him. There was a shout from above, barely heard above the drumming of the rain…

When he finally could see the deck again, his friend was gone. 

—–

The strange Octoling felt so alone. He rubbed at his face, feeling pressure behind his eyes. Even as other passengers tried to console him, nothing seemed to register–he had gotten so attached to that nice fish, and now she was gone before she could even get home! What if something were to happen to a new friend he made here? 

He kept to himself for the rest of the voyage. When the boat seemed to stop move, the Jellyfish came below deck to tell everyone that they had made it to land. He folded his arms together in a regretful way, bowing his head low as he apologized deeply for pushing them through the storm, and that two passengers had fallen overboard.

The words of the jellyfish gave him little ease on the mind. He had hoped that maybe, somehow, his friend and the person she had tried to save were okay. That the captain had found them and pulled them back on board… But no such luck. He stood in the same spot, staring blankly at the floor. Where was he to go now…? Could he go out and find her himself? He didn’t know how to sail a boat, and his time in the rain showed him that he was hardly fit to deal with the open water.

There was a gentle push at his side. The jellyfish captain glanced up to him with a worried look in his eye, “I’m sorry, little one.” the Octoling rose an eyebrow–he was taller than the jellyfish was… “It’s going to be ok, I promise. Salmonids are strong, the two could be fine.” the Octoling didn’t respond, “Maybe the other Octarians can help you out for now. There are plenty, and I’m sure you’ll fit in fine, there!”

The strange Octoling blinked silently, but eventually made his way for the stairs. He shielded his eyes from the bright sun, blinking furiously. So bright, after such a dark storm…! If the storm could clear up, maybe there was hope that the tall Salmonling was still out there… He wondered, should he stay with the Salmonlings, or go with the Octarians? 

His question was quickly answered when an Octoling that had been put through similar tests came over. They smiled at him brightly, welcoming him along. He’d stay with them for a time, yes… But then he would go looking for his Salmonid friend when he was older and stronger.