Secrets of the Underwater Dome

Chapter 2: The underwater iridescent orbe

It felt like hours had passed because unlike a speedboat the plank of wood they were all sitting on was dragged like a snail across the waves. Silence. A silence they didn't want. So instead of the haunting silence that they all dread, they all talk. They talked about school, friends, pets, and books. They got to know each other, but again not without a fight. But this time between Nate and Waylan. "It smells like fish" Waylan pointed out "I wonder why" Annalise answered not glancing up from a soggy book. "Why do you even have a book with you, we almost died and you're reading," Waylan said sarcastically. "Why do you always have to pick on people?" Nate cut in "I don't". "You do, and don't lie" "I'm not lying!". The conversation got heated so Annalise looked up from her book. "Will you stop I'm trying to read!" She said glaring at them both. "What book?" Nate replied "The Wonder Train, it's really good you should read it".

After a while, Barry emerged from the water saying "Nearly there we are" which got them all excited. Eventually, they came to a stop, the waves still rolling beneath them, and by now they were all starving. They didn't say anything to each other because they were all waiting anxiously to say how Barry and Barney had saved them. Because they still didn't know where Barry and Barney were bringing them or even what type of magic species they were. Barry and Barney emerged again only to tell them to hold their breaths, and so did Annalise and Nate, but Waylan still didn't believe them. Barney emerged again to add " You can all swim right?", all three of them nodded, "Alrighty then, jump in!" While Barney dived back down beneath the blanket of water, Annalise, Nate, and Waylan all looked at each other panic rising in them, but they didn't have long to sit there and procrastinate, instead the plank of wood vanished from beneath and they all sank like anchors down into the depths. The seawater was chilly and salty, it frosted their wounds, and the water droplets clung to their hair. As they swam deeper and deeper it got darker and darker eventually going pitch black. They swam in the darkness "Hey ow!" Nate shouted as Waylan accidentally kicked him in the face " Sorry-" Waylan's voice drifted off as shock replaced it. It was no longer pitch black but an iridescent glow replaced it. The glow bounced off everyone's faces leaving them looking phosphorescent. "On we shall continue" Barney said. "How can you speak!" spluttered Waylan, not yet realising that he was talking perfectly normally as well. But this didn't matter, Annalise wanted to find out what that glimmer was so, while everyone else stopped to talk she continued. As she got closer she realised that it wasn't just a small sphere of light but a missive dome that stretched so far that Annalise couldn't even see the end. She trod water as she came to a halt right outside the sphere staring at it she could see her eyes staring back. Eventually, Barney and Barry, Waylan, and Nate came to tread water next to her, most amazed just like she. Annalise couldn't resist and so she stretched out her hand to touch the floating orb. "Stop!" " Don't!" came the two voices from next to her. Annalise turned her head to see Waylan and Nate both staring back at her frightened. Annalise was slightly alarmed at how they reacted. Didn't they want to know what it was? Part of her couldn't help but be kind of touched that they cared for her safety but on the other hand, she thought about the longing inside of her which was aching to be released. "What do you think you are doing?" Nate said fearfully. "Don't you want to know what it is too?" Annalise answered the yearning in her eyes as visible as a hot pink panther. "No" Both Waylan and Nate replied, shaking their heads slowly. "Well then, you two are cowards." And so Annalise reached out her hand, ignoring the two fearful boys yelling at her to stop. Her hand reached to it slowly and carefully, and finally, the tip of her index finger touched the outer shell of the luminescent thing and bounced back. Annalise was taken aback at hope her finger had barely touched the orb and yet it was so insistent not to be touched. Both Waylan and Nate laughed thinking that Annalise had chickened out and pulled her finger back. "You both can laugh but at least I wasn't so scared to at least try." Annalise snapped. Annalise tried swimming around it and tried poking it again, but like before her finger just rebound. Waylan and Nate continued to laugh, clutching their sides. Annalise quickly getting annoyed let her temper get the better of her. "You two are such scaredy-cats, you stand there and laugh at me, but at least I tried now one of you gave me your hands." They both went silent until Waylan interrupted and said "We're not standing, we are in the sea", Nate sniggered and both fell back laughing again. Barney and Barry through this whole thing were on top of rocks sat identically crossed-legged leaning on their palms. "Oooh" Barney said "She wants one of their hands" "Ooh". Annalise ignored them and swam off in the other direction away from the orb, muttering to herself how idiotic and thoughtless the boys were. "Annalise!" "Where are you going?" shouted Nate. Annalise didn't reply and continued swimming. Ultimately Nate caught up with her and grabbed her wrist. "Why are you ignoring me?" He said looking seriously concerned. "Why were you laughing and making fun of me?" She replied coldly, looking at him straight in the eye. Nate's eyes were a soft turquoise, Analise hadn't noticed that. "I'm...sorry" He replied guilty, looking down at his feet. They didn't have to say anything after that, they swam back to the other side by side, not talking. When they reached Barry and Barney, Annalise saw Waylan hovering awkwardly next to Barry and Barney and after an uncomfortable exchange of hi's, they got back on track.

"Take you, us one at a time," Barney said "We will take you one by one through the dome and the others will wait patiently outside until one of us comes back. Barry sounded so teacher-like, it dumbfounded them all. Nate volunteered to stay outside and wait while Annalise and Waylan went through the dome with Barry and Barney. As Annalise gave Barney her finger to grip onto she spotted something. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a dark figure swim quickly into the shadow of the rocks. But before Annalise could investigate any further Barney pulled her through the dome past the shining barrier into an underwater world of magic and Mystery. As soon as Annalise and Waylan had entered the dome, Barney let go and swam back through the barrier to collect Nate. Annalise could see Waylan's finger slowly turning purple as Barry didn't let go, if Annalise had to guess, she'd think he was afraid. Nate came through the barrier a second later and Barry released Waylan's finger and darted toward his brother. Annalise turned around and stared down. Her mouth dropped open and the salt water didn't fill it. They were standing on dry ground. Just like they had entered a building. Bright lights were radiating off the sides of the dome, coral bushes in every colour plastered the bottom of the dome surrounding them. A high gold arch, towered above them as the doorway into this realm. They all stood in their tracks and subconsciously they walked, being dragged along by Barry and Barney.