Fathoms Below

Chapter 3: Deception

Despite her misgivings, Adelaide drifted off to sleep, plagued by nightmares of UnKepts in tanks, rolling into the ocean and dragging her down with them. The dream shifted once she plunged into the depths. She discovered she could breathe underwater, and she attacked the UnKept tank until they shot her with a spear and she died.

Eyes fluttering open, Adelaide tensed. She'd heard something, and her thoughts immediately flew to the tank upon them, Seymour having misjudged the timing.

Frozen, Adelaide assessed her surroundings, realizing the thrum of the machine had stopped. The creaking of plastic had woken her, and Adelaide rolled over to see Seymour's mat empty. The sheet covering the door fluttered inward, allowing the waning light of day in. With a yawn, Adelaide got to her feet, shuffling to the door in search of Seymour, likely out to relieve himself. She wanted him to hear her dream – to tell him about the song – and make him see the ocean was their only chance.

As she brushed the thin sheet away from the door, she spotted Seymour. He shuffled along in the distance, crouched low the way he did when he was on a scrounge.

The flitting feeling of fatigue disappeared, replaced by frustration and rejection.

So I made a mistake! That doesn't mean you can leave me home. Adelaide tore out of the shack, determined to catch up to Seymour and make him take her with. She momentarily remembered her missing pollution mask, but dismissed it – she'd hold her breath like before.

Seymour had a substantial lead, and he moved quickly through the desert as it shifted into the abandoned town, buildings casting ominous shadows in the setting sun. Adelaide couldn't run fast enough to keep up with him – she'd never had strong lungs.

When it came time for Seymour to head right toward the UnKept's base, however, he shifted left. Surprised, Adelaide followed, wondering if he'd thought of a new area to inspect for food. It didn't take long for her to realize something was very, very wrong.

Adelaide watched in mingled horror and confusion as Seymour approached the barbwire fence blocking entry to the ocean. She'd once asked why there needed to be a fence, and Seymour had said it was to protect people from the dangerous water.

She ducked behind a rickety wooden building, surprised it was still standing, and peered around as Seymour drew closer to the fence. He stopped just as he reached it, glancing back over his shoulder to see if anyone saw him. She pulled back, heart hammering. After several agonizing seconds, Adelaide peeked out from behind the wall, moving at a snail's pace. Seymour pushed a section of the fence, revealing a split hidden by the tangled wires, and slipped inside. Adelaide's mouth dropped open.

Seymour broke his second rule.

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