People thought the future was going to be bright, full of endless possibilities and people. Perhaps people thought that we would have spaceships and discover new planets and galaxies or travel in time and see our past. Never would we have thought that everyone would end up like this.
In the year 2090 our world was dying. Over-population, pollution, and the over-use of all of our natural resources nearly made the human race go extinct. Thousands of political and nuclear conflicts broke out, causing copious deaths. Cities turned to dust and once fertile lands became sterile. There seemed to be no hope for us. That’s how it stayed…until ‘They’ came.
An organization, a peace corporation, and the saviors were some of the names for it. A group of engineers, scientists, and politicians from all ethnic backgrounds, who all put their differences aside and made something seemingly impossible, an underwater city. A utopia where they would send families to be safe from the dangers of radiation poisoning and harmful people. They called it ‘Serenity.’  They made a total of seven, scattered around the world. Only specific people were chosen to go. They couldn’t afford to have unnecessary people who would just take up space. So first high ranking officers and politicians, then came skilled carpenters, doctors, and so many more. Then these people contacted their families and close friends and those close friends and families contacted others. Soon it was out and thousands of refugees started the long journey to the Pacific Ocean where the closest to the United States or what was left of the United States was located, including me and my family. I don’t think that anyone was expecting much, just something… something to give us hope that their was a future for us.
The journey was long and harsh with bandits and criminals around every turn. But, we made it…at least most of us. We traveled along a river that no longer even had a name, we also found an old boat that was riddled with holes but we made do, but once we arrived it was chaos.  The officials and military took advantage of the situation and decided that they would pick the most ‘desired’ people to put into the city. That included young children and women free of any illness or ‘undesirable’ aspects. The elderly and sick were left to fend for themselves while the few who were quick and lucky enough were allowed to enter. My family and I were some of the first to arrive.
We traveled with a couple from California, they were kind, something that was now a rare occurrence. One of them was named Jane I think, they were thrown out before they even got close to the city, her husband had a heart disease and they were hoping for a doctor. All they got was a harsh shove and a gun to their face until they turned around and left.
My mother and father got separated from us, so me and my brother looked for them for hours then thinking that they must have gone ahead pushed through until we got to the elevator. They made a make-shift bridge towards the middle of the ocean where it was deep, specifically in the Murray Deep. When we got through the crowd, we saw it. The stainless steel almond-like shaped elevator blinded us with the sun’s reflection. The closer we got to it the more chaotic the people around us were, then we heard gunshots. Everyone started to push towards it with renewed vigor, 4,000 men, women, and children all shoved themselves and a couple fell into the dark ocean. I don’t remember much else, just my brother’s hand clasped to mine as we dragged ourselves towards it.
Eventually we got there, how I wish we could have brought our parents but their just wasn’t enough time. Maybe now they are thinking of us somewhere on the surface, but for now we are done here and never before have I felt so trapped.
The city was grand and bright just like we imagined it in our dreams. It was separated into three areas, one for the civilians, one for agricultural purposes, and the other for military personal, scientists, and other important people who will need to work to keep us going. Not that we didn’t work, each civilian was given a job and a small pass that allowed us to have our rations but also restricted many doors and buildings. I was one year too young to get a job but my brother did, he worked at a power plant that cleaned the salty ocean water into drinkable water that can be given as a part of our rations. We also had people who collected food, the agricultural area where they had artificial sunlight to grow plants and animals that they took care of. After a couple of months things were starting to look up from the terrors of the outside, and after a couple of years we had nearly forgotten. I got a job, taking care of a portion of crops, it was hard work but satisfying none-the-less. My brother didn’t have to work so hard anymore getting a better position. We were completely self-sustaining just like they had planned, but sometimes when no one was around I would look up through the dark ocean and wonder if there is anyone left on the surface.
I have been in Serenity three for a total of eight years. I have received a high ranking position as part of the agriculture department . There has been many rumors of what is happening on the surface, some stories of mutated beasts and monsters that roamed the land or just a wasteland with bones that cover the ground, but me…I knew the truth…that we left the rest of humanity to fight for themselves. I held no resentment because this was the only way, or that’s what I keep telling myself.
“What’s your status on the new batch of crops?” asked some official named something that started with a J.
“We will need a couple of more weeks to pick and prepare them to add them to the rations.” I answered.
He mumbled something akin to ‘…she’s dang young…need to retire…’ before head of operations told us of a mission to explore a crater that they have been researching. Apparently, the sensors couldn’t seem the detect the bottom. It was rare for anyone to go outside the city, no one has attempted to try to go to the surface because really I don’t think anyone really wants to.
We stayed in contact with the other six cities and they seem to be doing well enough. Everyone has assumed that the world was dead and these cities were the only thing keeping us from the unknown. After my thoughts, I headed back to my small dorm-like home and saw that my brother was packing to go on some type of a trip.
“Are you leaving?” I asked
“Yes, I’m sure you’ve heard of the mission to go to that crater, right?” He answered.
“Yeah I’ve heard of it, are you going?”
“Yep, Officer Evans is leading the mission, we are expected to implant some more sensors so we can detect the bottom.”
“All right, be careful you don’t know what’s down there.”
“Well, that’s the point isn’t it?” He said with a small grin.
I hit him on the shoulder before saying, “Oh be quiet, I know.”
“I’ll see you in a couple of weeks, okay?”
“See you.”
He waved one last time before throwing a duffle bag over his shoulder and leaving. It would be fine, all the dangers of the world are on land not under the sea, that’s why we escaped here. Then why did I feel this dread?
It was only supposed to be a few days, a week at best, but a days passed, then weeks, then finally months. I was worried, constantly calling for search parties and rescue missions until it was nearly hopeless. We waited and waited then it came back. Their submarine's lights and power were off so we didn’t detect them until they drifted right in front of the city. By then I had already got on with a team and went to go help. The pilot of the submarine docked so we could attach to them and get them onto our submarine. We waited for the doors to open and we got on. It was dark, with the exception of a few lights flickering. We got our flashlights and went to work. We searched and searched until we found Captain Evans or what was left of her. She was sprawled out on the ground with a piece of metal impaled in her chest. Multiple stab wounds covered her body causing a pool of blood. I felt bile in my throat as I turned around and yelled for help. The others came running and had similar reactions.
“Who…who would?” asked someone, I was to shocked to even tell who though.
“Who…who the heck would be capable of this?” said another.
“We need to find if there are any survivors or if we can find who did this. Everyone get out your weapons and get a partner to be with you at all times, this is now a dangerous situation,” the captain ordered.
I brought out a small knife and proceeded to check the rest of the submarine with another guy. Then we found someone.
One of the crew members that was hiding in the bathroom. Curled up in a ball with cuts and bruises that covered him, mumbling and squeezing his hands together so the blood on them squished to make a disgusting suction noise. 
We were on our guard, but apparently he was a close friend to my partner with me, I think his name is Bill. He cautiously walked up to him and tried to talk.
“Hey…hey Tanner, you okay? We’ve been looking for you for a while now.”
If Tanner heard he didn’t react…until Bill lightly touched his shoulder. He whipped around so fast that he didn’t even have time to scream until the sharp piece of metal tried to impale itself in his vest. We were all issued a bullet proof vest whenever we had to leave the city. We all thought it was useless, unless the fish had weapons to shoot with. Never before have I felt so grateful. Bill seemed to be in a state of shock as he was knocked off his feet and Tanner proceeded to try to impale him through his vest. I pulled out my pistol that was strapped to my belt and aimed for his thigh. It was risky with an ally so close but if I don’t do something Bill was going to get impaled.
BAM! The sound resonated throughout the submarine and caused my ears to ring. There was a strangled cry then Tanner rolled off Bill and tried to flee. The gun shot caused the others to come to our location and just in time too. The captain tackled Tanner and wrapped wire around his hands behind him.
It was too much…just too much. What could have caused this? Tanner was a good guy, I met him a couple of times briefly, head of communications it was a major loss when we couldn’t find him but now…
He started to struggle causing me and someone else to help restrain him. He struggled and kicked until he just went limp.
“Is he okay?”
“The crater! It was dark very very dark.” He sounded frantic.
“What is he talking about?”
“Be quiet! What was in the crater Tanner? What made you act like this?” I asked needing to know. He just looked right up and looked at me with an ominous smile on his face. “When you look into the abyss, the abyss looks at you,” he whispered “They are already there better run…yes run, because if you don’t…you’ll get caught. No no no no” He continuously whispered.
“They are already?” I repeated before my eyes widened and I whipped around.
“There is something at Serenity I don’t know what but it can’t be good.”
“All right, secure this sub we’ll have to drag it back with us.”
We got onto the sub and went back as fast as we could. We docked but there was nothing. Empty. Alone. Nothing. We searched deeper in the city and we heard some commotion. We ran towards it like our life depended on it. A small group of military operatives were in a corner fighting off…something. It really didn’t look like anything, just a silhouette. Long tentacle-like arms that had a wicked edge and some noise was coming from it every time it moved like a screeching metal on metal. It rolled forming and re-forming more tentacles to grab any victims.   Tanner shot off running off to who knows where but we didn’t have time to chase him. We shoot at the thing but it didn’t seem to react. It grabbed Bill next to me and he yelled before being swallowed into it’s strange gelatin-like body. More of us were disappearing until one of the military operatives grabbed my arm in a panic and ran. He didn’t get far with me struggling and trying to get free.
He spoke to me in a rapid panicked voice, “Listen to me kid, this place is doomed…they came out of no where right after you left and we tried everything to destroy them but they are resilient to anything fire, poison you name it we’ve tried it. We’ve tried communications to the other cities but they are all in the same boat. This…this is our punishment for all our sins…abandonment of humanity and forgetting what we have done! Unforgivable! But we must survive no matter what you must survive!”
He grabbed my wrist and threw me back into the sub. I didn’t even realize what had happened until he threw me inside. I heard the screeching approaching and my eyes widened in horror as the man was lifted from the ground.
The sub doors closed and the engines started, it was on auto pilot. I stared at the door for who knows how long, drifting aimlessly through nothing. I forced myself to eat occasionally, having no sense of time. I thought about my brother and how I never really found him. He wasn’t on the ship, so he must have been at Serenity.
When you look into the abyss, the abyss looks at you. Then I got up and started to steer closer and closer. The fading lights of Serenity getting smaller and smaller. Then, all around me was pitch darkness and I looked down.
I then see it and it sees me.