#i feel like im naked in the middle of a bustling city

[leoisstillalive]

WHY ARE NETFLIX SHOWING LEE JUNGJAE 457 EDITS??????

[cottoncandyforbunnies]

Atlantis; A call for tomorrow

foreword : google docs says this was 2017. Typical Atlantis story. I had a better backbone for this, i don’t know why i went with this scenario. This feels like one of those burner stories. Where you have an idea and write it down in one sitting. google docs says the last edit was 2017 too. Im touching it now to be a little cleaner.

I didn't know why i was going back home. It has been years since i've went back.. 6 years back when my father died and another 4 years when he was followed by mum. After those two, i never really had a reason to go back. I lived in the city already, everyone i knew did. The province seemed too far, too inconvenient.  The drive seemed too taxing. The destination a hovering look into the past, only now without my parents it had nothing to anchor to. My own memories only a reminder of who i spent it with. I would not have had a reason to go back. This, if anything, was not something I would have done. But i woke up one day and found myself packing a bag of clothes and necessities, starting my car, and heading to where i only know ended to where home was.

It was a dark morning, heavy clouds covered the whole sky painting everything on the road ahead and what resides beside it the shade of gray. The radio hummed tunes and news about the weather. The ride, I remember, used to be long or maybe it was my perception of time as a child that seemed long. Confined within the backseat of a car, looking at the fields and trees i felt so free to run around at turn into walls and busy people. The city to me before was a labyrinth, nothing but corners leading you only closer to its center, never away from it. And so the ride i didn’t enjoy much, as it felt like home was being taken away slowly. Now 25 years old and working on an 8am-6pm shift job, time seems to forever stay in that trudging trickle of a pace. The ride, however, didn't. The vast similar walls of skyscrapers, food stalls, bustling people, and open window stores soon began to fade and, by and by, be replaced by open fields with sparse small houses or convenience stores (all still painted gray for the weather report on the radio tells of a typhoon coming). It was shortly after that i see the seaside, so close as though I could hear its waves already. Shorter still, that I find myself in front of our house.

It looked the same as it always did. Only smaller, the memories that remind me of the place calls forth how far it took me to run around it or how my parents needed to shout in order for me to hear them outside. It seemed old too, dusty, every step i took made creaks on the wooden steps leading up to the door. The door seemed smaller too. I avoid looking at whatever is left around the house and head straight to my room. I drop my items and change to my shorts and a t-shirt. I look for a pair of slippers inside my closet. I still hear the sea. The air smelled of seawater. If i started this narrative not knowing what i hoped to come back to, now i do. I found the pair of slippers and head to the beach.

My mother loved the beach, this is why dad bought the house. Even if it was somewhat far from where he worked, he always told me that seeing my mother happy made the trip worth going home to. My earliest memories were made here. Making sand castles, burying mum in the sand, having dad dust off the sand from my hair. We used to stroll here every morning. Mum would hold my hand bringing me to the shore and pointed at objects she sees, usually seagulls and ships. Here was where i learned how to swim. I used to be afraid of the water (i was mostly fond of the sand as a child) and would not go wading into it. I would run from the waves. I would only be in the water if carried by my mother or father. The sea was frightening. The waves, as a child, i found loud as they crashed to the sand. Now more so, for the sun has sunk and the moonlight glazed over the dark waters. I didn't know how far i've walked. I didn't know what time it was either, only that the moon is up on the sky. I didn't seem to mind.

I almost drowned when i was a child, or i thought i did. My parents were only smiling when they pulled me back to the sand telling me i had nothing to fear. I told them the waves were pulling me. Mother told me the sea doesn't pull, it only pushes you back to the shore. I didn't believe her at first but after learning to swim, the waves did always push me back ashore.

I wanted to feel the waves on my feet. It seemed to be calling. The sea looked frightening still, the waves a glinting black swaying to and fro. The saltwater lapped at my feet. I stood there at awe. The moon standing still on the sky. A couple of stars beside it and below the obsidian sea. The saltwater was cold and it harshly tugged at my feet. I keep in mind what my mother said. The sea does otherwise, it seemed to pull harder. I start to head back to shore only to feel hands grasp my feet making me fall face forward. I take a lungful of air as they pull me back deeper to the waters.

At first i thought i only imagined the hands, that it was just a strong current that pulled me but i felt hands firmly grasping my ankles and all i could muster was to grasp and claw at the sand hoping to hold on to a rock or a coral i could use to hold myself to. They pull me deeper and after a few more times of trying to find something to hold on to, i let go. They continued to drag me deeper to the sea. I told myself i was going to die, that i was going to drown. That i was going to float as a body somewhere bloated and unrecognizable.

I didn't know how long i've been pulled already. I also don't know when the pain in my chest faded or how long I have not been breathing. I didn't seem to need to anymore. I open my eyes expecting the sting of saltwater but i didn't feel any. Instead, i see the moon on top of me. It looked far, very far. We must've been very deep already. I look around and see that the sea is nothing but black on all sides. I see nothing but darkness. I look to my feet and see two persons. They looked human, i couldn't see their faces. They had arms and legs. Webbed feet. Their skin looked like how a frog's would underwater. They were naked and i could see their buttocks. They were like human eels. They didn't seem to mind me, just continued on to dragging me deeper.

My only measure of time or distance as i go deeper is the moon's size. It is no bigger than a dot now. I passed by a couple school of fishes and a whale. They seemed far too for they looked small on top of me. The sea is vast, but never did it cross me how much so until iv'e been dragged for so long already. Another hour or so past by (i think?) and, finally, i see the sea bed beneath me.

The sea floor was breathtaking (if not for the fact that i am already breathless). The sand beneath was black, like soot. It covered the alleyways and streets. It was a city, a crumbled one. The houses and buildings cracked. The roads empty. The statues and (what seemed to be) lamplights eroded. Even in it's time ridden shape, the city looked prominent. A shadow of the glorious civilization it used to house. Beneath here in the sea, it looked encapsulated. Frozen in a state of almost not existing, a reminder that it used to.

But more so, was that it was illuminated by light. Every wall, every statue, every street and lamplight was covered by what looked to be bioluminiscent algae? Moss?. It covered the city with a dim light. Enough to leave darkness inside the empty windows. Enough to leave your eyes straining to see the intricate designs the houses had. But also, enough for you to see that it was a beautiful city.

They dragged me to a street leading to what i think was the plaza. A fountain was in the middle of it and it was large and circular. There was a 10-12ft statue of Neptune holding his trident in the middle of it, covered in glowing algae. It looked alive. Behind it, having 1/4 of the circumference of the plaza, were very wide steps which lead up to the castle or home of whoever ruled or owned this magnificent city. I assumed it led up to such, for the stairs length leads up to a position where a castle would sit, in front of the large plaza surrounded by the city. Only i see nothing but darkness at the end of it. They stopped dragging me and let me stand (or float for the water carried me and my feet would only briefly touch the ground to push me forward when i walk ). They held my hands and guided me towards the end of the stairs.

The city was not so empty after all. Looking around, i saw several people (or eel men, i feel it is rude to call them such) hiding behind buildings, swimming from a corner to another, or within the windows their black eyes reflecting the light from the algaes. There were some floating around 10 paces behind me following us to the top.

There was no castle. There was, however, remnants of it. Two large pillars were at my left and right and the floor here was elevated and made of polished marble. What used to be a castle is now a cliff. The castle could've fallen below it. I do not know, but it is certainly big enough for a castle to fall into it. An abyss of darkness with a depth I can no longer imagine. I felt fear for i thought they would drag me deeper still into it. I see no other land ahead, how wide and how far this abyss is is shrouded by the water's darkness.

They left me alone at the edge of the cliff. I did not know what to do. They ran (swam fast?) away from me back into the city. I was left waiting for something i do not know of. The thoughts running through my head was if i really was here, or if i was asleep, or if this is where those who die at sea would end up to. Will i turn to something like them? I looked back to the abyss and thought how many people must be below if this is indeed where they end up in.

" Those taken by the sea do not end up here. "

I hear a voice then. Only it wasn't a voice for it did not reach my ears. The ground began to shake and black sand scattered while the ground seemed to vibrate. The shaking seemed to be coming from below. I looked down and saw nothing but darkness but i knew that something was there and that it was climbing up. I hear loud thuds that shake the ground as though whatever it is is grasping the cliff to get up.

I shouldve ran. I wouldve ran but i didnt. I stood there waiting knowing that this was the reason i was dragged down here from the sea. That this was the reason i felt the urge to go home. It was coming closer, and only now hearing how loud and seeing how strong the ground shook have i realized just how far it was awhile ago. The city seemed to be moving in inches everytime the ground shaked. I looked down and still saw nothing but darkness. To my far left, a black skyscraper grabbed the ridge. I soon realized it was a very large tentacle. Another one went up and grabbed the ridge at my right. More thuds followed, seeming to grab a different part of the cliff, but i am unable to see where it is anymore. The tentacles strained then to pull up a humongous oblong body that emerged from the deep abyss infront of me. I do not know how big it was, imagine standing on the shore of the ocean and straining to see the end of each side, the size of it i can only estimate by how far i can see. It had large human-like eyes. It had eyelids and a thick brush for the lashes. I counted four from where i stood but i imagine it had more around the expanse of its body. If it had a mouth i could not see it. Its skin was covered by the algae too, and this one i knew was alive. It opened its eyes, and looked around until it saw me. The other eyes closed and only the one infront of me was open now. It glowed dimly. Its iris focused intently on me.

" Greetings, son of Apollo. "

I stood there confused. I haven't opened my mouth for fear of drowning. I only realized it now when i tried to speak that i was firmly keeping my mouth closed. But it (he? or she? does it even have a gender? does it even need one?) was wrong, and i felt like i needed to tell the truth.

" My father's name was Fred. " I said.

It, too, was confused then. I didnt know how i knew. It didn't have facial expressions. Ofcourse it didn't, it didn't have a face. But i knew that it was confused and that after the confusion it laughed (which here was another hard thing to explain for i didn't exactly hear it laughing but more of what it did if it found something humorous, which again, i just seemed to know). It looked at me happily after, seeming to mock my existence, or what little and insignificant it was compared to its kind.

" All prophets are sons and daughters of Apollo. But if it makes you feel any better you are a son of Fred too. Have you met the others? "

I said i haven't. It seemed surprised then, thinking deeply after.

" Nevermind, I always thought I'd go up last. It seemed fitting for the people of the waters to come up last. Do you know why you're here? "

I said I didn't.

" Well seeing that you’re the son of Apollo, i'm sure you're here to either get or give news. Seeing that you’re not the latter, it must be time for us to go back up then. For you to tell the people above that Atlantis is rising. It must be, the last prophet told me that if ever another comes not knowing anything, it would be to spread news of the coming of the end. Incredulous Apollo! Can't even give and receive news properly. This is why i favored Neptune. Great guy. Appreciated the sea far more than what was above. I mean who wouldn't? The land is small to house us. I don't even know why some of us tried to. "

It continued to tell more about why the sea was better. I didn't want to interrupt so i listened intently even if my mind seemed to wander how a city would rise. It seemed fitting to ask.

" How would the city rise? " i asked. It stopped it's bickering and laughed again.

" Stupid boy. This city is in ruins. There would be no need for it to rise. I told Neptune to leave it at land for a city is not fit to house people of the sea. You see, the sea is always meant to be open. Never confined within building walls or roofs. Said he favored it though, dragged a couple million of land people to their deaths bringing it down. Neptune built his kingdom here afterwards. The sea people grew to love it after awhile. It flourished for a few short centuries. Didn't last long though, the war broke up afterwards and now this has been left standing here for a hundred or more centuries. I lost count. You live as long as me and a hundred years feels like the time you spent getting here."

" It's not the city itself that would rise boy. It's the people. "

It looked up and seemed to reminisce. Remembering what it was like before. I could only imagine.

" The sun is almost up. I'm afraid i cannot keep you here any longer. I need you to tell of us. To tell of our coming. "

I looked up to see if the evening was indeed over. I couldn't see the sun, but the sky seemed less darker. It looked at me one last time, then descended back to the abyss. I had so many questions left to ask. On what he meant that the end is coming. On who he was (although there is this thought behind the back of my head that thinks i know its name, but found it unbelievable.) I tried to call it back but there was a stabbing pain on my chest suddenly. My lungs felt like they would burst. I felt the painful need to breath. I opened my mouth. I felt the water filling my lungs and my vision clouding. I struggled to keep myself from gulping down more seawater, but i couldn't. I felt it stinging my eyes. My stomach was full of it. The last image i saw was of the two eel people who dragged me down approaching me. Then a final look at the bioluminescent city and everything went black.