Amazing. That's the only word for this place. Well maybe there are other words, but right now I'm in awe. The city is still standing. I mean we expected to find something, but not intact buildings. This will be huge for the academic community.
My heart is beating a tattoo on the inside of my chest when my feet touch semi solid ground. As I climb the slope to dry land currents of electricity charge the air. I know it should be impossible since the cavern has been buried for almost two centuries, but I can almost taste the anxiety and excitement on a breeze drifting through the air. Oddly enough it almost tastes like vanilla and cinnamon.
I start to walk out of the water, unable to draw my eyes from the structures before me. This is what I've spent the last three years working on. This is what saved me from the damage my so called family caused. This is the reason the water calls to me. I can feel it in my chest. Something about this lost city welcomes me like one of Phil's hugs.
"Sang, Sang! Are you with us?" Speaking of Phil, there he is. He probably asked me a question.
I shake myself out of my trance and look down at my feet to watch where I'm stepping. Dust catches in my headlamp and the water sparkles around my feet. Remembering that I'm standing in open air I check my oxygen analyzer. "Yeah Phil. I'm here. But hold on a minute. Do you see this? Surprisingly, the air is clear here. And the pressure isn't even that bad."
Phil chuckles. "That's what I was asking, space case. Good to know your subconscious is still listening."
Fighting the urge to stick my tongue out I grumble as I step fully onto dry land. Rivulets of water run from my suit, darkening the ground beneath me. I check the monitor one more time before pulling off my mask. The tension increases in the space around me and I'm sure it's my own anxiousness about being able to breath in such a space. I am the only one here after all.
Once my mask is off, I take the hood off as well and shake out my hair. I lift the mask once more to speak to Phil. "The air seems to be fine. Fresh almost for being down here for centuries. I wonder if there's a tunnel system feeding it fresh air."
"Maybe. We'll have to explore later though. I want to bring extra oxygen tanks just in case. We aren't certain how long that air would last with all of us there." I listen to Phil as I begin to unclasp my heavy vest. Laying it next to the Squid, I stretch as I stand back up. The eerie feeling of being watched tickles the back of my neck, but I brush it off as being the first to set foot in such a place. Ghosts of what use to be must haunt the long dead city.
The mask is still in my hand and unfortunately I'll have to wear it if I want the boat to see what I see. I glance around and grin as I recognize the carved writing for a shoe shop. Another sign advertising clothing hangs loosely from a single hook.
“Phil, you aren't going to believe this. Actually maybe you can, but you need to get down here.” Seconds after I speak I feel the air shift and jerk my head in that direction. I know there's nothing here, I can see that nothing is there, but I swear I heard something like a shoe scuffling against the ground.
"Well maybe I could if you put the mask back on, woman." I drag my eyes from the sound and start to replace my mask. "Geez, it's like you're purposely teasing us." I know he's only joking, but I can hear Jay in the background yelling at me to "Put the d*mn helmet on".
With a huff, I adjust the mask so that the camera can focus. That feeling of being watched is back and I glance back at where I thought I heard the sound. I also look to my opposite side in search of another pair of eyes, but shrug it off again. It's because I'm alone in a dark place, that's all. Too many memories trying to push through.
"Better? And can you tell Jay to stop yelling. I can hear him from here." Phil snorts and I start to walk deeper into the city. Dust scatters from my feet, but my small steps keep it from obscuring my view of my surroundings. "Do you see that? The signs are still intact. Maybe there are articles of clothing still intact? I wonder what kind of fibers they used."
"Sang calm down. We'll go down with the right gear to protect everything." I can hear him chuckle and I grin. He would be just as bad if he were physically here. "Just walk the streets and head back. Maybe get some radar scans of area by the water. We'll see if there's a good place to set up a lab."
I know it's a good idea. In fact it's a great idea. Now that we know this is here I can come back down with Jay for a more intensive search, but I really really want to stay. Really bad."Can I at least pick up more coins? I need to do something besides just walk around. My archaeologist senses are tingling."
My earpiece is silent for a moment and I know he's thinking it over. He may even be trying to find something else for me to do since he knows I'll be distracted otherwise. "Fine, collect the coins, but don't touch anything else. We don't know how fragile anything is. We don't want to destroy any written articles."
"I know, old man. I know. Don't worry." I grin and rush back to my vest only to skid to a stop when I pass the strong scent of vanilla.
"Phil. Something is down here. Vanilla should not be found here." I whisper as I scan the area around me. I can't hear or see anything, but the air isn't as stale here. My heart starts to flutter faster as nothing shows up in my search
"Calm down Sang." Phil says in a steady voice, trying to reassure me. "Do you need to come back up? Maybe the air isn't as safe as you thought." His voice sounds far away and my breathing becomes shorter. The faded gray of the buildings begins to blur until I hear Phil start to count. "In two three four, out two three four. That's it Sang. In two three four, out two three four."
Finally the world is sharp again and I can finally breath. "Thanks Phil. I'm okay. Really." I take a few deep breaths and I realize I was overreacting. "I'm sorry. Will you let me walk through one of the stores before I come back up? I promise I'm alright."
Again the other side is silent. This time he's fighting with his worry for me and his desire to have more to study. Finally he sighs, "Alright. Walk down the water line, then you can explore ONE shop. I don't want you down there for too long."
I nod my head and grin. I wouldn't stay much longer anyway. This place needs to be seen by my whole team. "You've got it boss." With another glace towards the place I smelt vanilla, I shrug and return to my vest to grab some latex gloves and baggies. The light blinks on the scanner and I pick that up too.
Walking along the water I pause every street entrance to take a picture. Occasionally I have to walk around a half sunk building, or swim around a fence. Phil, Jay, and Karen discuss the buildings and scans as they show up on the boat. I collect the few coins I come across until I reach the end of the cave. A tunnel is attached to the large cavern and I stand at the opening of it for a scan. That pull I normally get for the water tugs at my chest to go forward, but the air brushes past me and cinnamon carries itself to my nose. I turn around and try to follow the scent, but it disappears as quickly as it came.
"Phil, something must be here. It might be an animal, but I haven't found any nests. We'll have to be careful when we come back down."
"Understood. If we need to we can section off the area to keep them safe." Phil says over Jay's voice in the background. "Hey, Jay says there's an open area three streets up and a block down. Head over there and see if it would be good for a lab, then you can explore."
I gaze again towards the cinnamon smell and find nothing, just like the vanilla. With a shrug I walk back to the street Jay was talking about. The air again feels like it's been disturbed and vanilla tickles my nose. At this point I'm just going to pretend that this creature is the nicest smelling animal I've ever come across.
The walk down the block passes quickly but I freeze when I step into to clearing. What was obviously a children's playground lays in disarray before me. Peeling paintings decorated the walls surrounding the clearing depicting children playing. A board with a hoop had fallen to the ground and was now resting against its pole. What would have been a see-saw was now a fallen board between two poles.
"Phil," I choke a little on the words as I try to ignore the burning behind my eyes. "This should be fine for a lab. I just... Can we get screens for the tents? I don't think, I don't think I can look at the paintings every day."
"That's fine Sang." Phil says softly. "We can do that." Both Jay and Karen are silent too and I know we are all feeling the impact of the lost city. This once was someone's home and it deserves all the respect we are able to give. "Are you ready to come back? You can explore tomorrow, we have plenty of time."
I nod my head, unable to give sound to the words. The area, lit so dimly by my headlamp, looks so forgotten. The tears clouding my vision spill hotly against my cheeks and I lift the mask to wipe them. I can feel the air move around me as cinnamon and vanilla grow stronger. It almost feels like someone is reaching out to me, but that's impossible.
“Sang, it's time to come back.” Phil says gently.
I nod again and turn back the way I came. The line is silent as we all think over our new discovery. Jay will probably call Rocky as soon as I leave the cave. Karen will be making sure all of the data is saved. Phil will probably keep talking to me to keep my mind focused on my return to the surface. Then we will all plan the dive for tomorrow.
When I reach my gear I zip up the coins I'd found before pulling on the vest. Once my oxygen is hooked back up I step into my flippers and take one last look at the ruins around me. That absurd breeze brushes against my bare hands and breaks the surface of the water. Even though I can't smell anything with my tank hooked up I know it carried cinnamon and vanilla. Another whisper wraps around me as a farewell and I struggle with feeling like I'm leaving something important behind. Something I've never had before.
Something suspiciously like my home.
*****
Hey!
So I really hope you like this chapter. It wasn't what I was planning, but I'm proud of it anyway.
She still hasn't met the boys, but it's happening! Anyone else excited? I am!
Till next time,
BijinMum.