#underwater library

[voca-song-a-day]

Today's featured song is: "The Library in the Sea" by Poi feat. Kizuna Akari!

(Also, today is the 6th anniversary of Akari's release!)

[salamispots]

hi! I don't really know if you can awnser this, but I really like fish.... but I don't know anything about them. I want to learn about them and stuff, but it seems so overwhelming!! do you have a starting point or any tips? tysm!!!!

hello fellow fish enjoyer :0 and honestly seeing a fish you like/ are curious about and researching about it (videos, articles, wiki, etc) is a good way to start!

this wiki article is another possible route/starting point I guess if you want more background; there's a few sections that talk about the different groups of fish/sea creatures (like are you interested in invertebrates or fish only, saltwater or freshwater, deep sea or coral reef fish, etc haha)

there's also museums and aquariums if you have access to them! aquarium websites will also usually have a section with what animals they have and little info blurbs about them.

blue planet 1 + 2 documentary series is also a neat watch/start as well if you don't feel like reading a lot at first!

(..actually thinking about it blue planet might've reinforced or started my deep sea fish obsession haha when I first saw it as a kid)

[hatefulbread]

our wives under the sea by julia armfield

3.75/5 stars.

***some spoilers in describing the end plot! read with caution.

i wanted and still want to give this book 5 stars, and perhaps i will come back and do just that after the ending digests a little more.

notable quotes that i'm still ruminating on;

"...the error in my reasoning was to assume that alone was somewhere you could go, rather than somewhere you had to be left."

"standing on the edge, i could feel it. the chill of the air, aching to become something else."

"when you stop underreacting, the horror is unique because it is, unfortunately, endless."

"...most things we believe will turn out to be ridiculous in the end."

our two narrators are miri and leah, a married (wlw!!! <3) couple who seem to live a very normal life. miri deals with a job that's unfulfilling and leaves her bored, leah struggles with cleaning up after herself, they have inconsiderate upstairs neighbors who blast game show TV at ungodly hours in the morning... this norm changes when leah, a marine biologist, is assigned to go on a 3-week-long research trip into the depths of the ocean. neither miri nor leah bat an eye at this, as leah often goes on trips for semi-long periods of time. but after 3 weeks and no leah, miri starts to spiral into numbness without her. after 5 months and no leah, miri starts to believe leah is dead. after 6 months, leah finally returns, horrifically changed and reluctant to talk. she spends her days soaking in the bath, craving copious amounts of salt, and not leaving the apartment. eventually, grotesque things start happening to leah's body, but she refuses to seek help. miri is jolted into even more loneliness with leah back than when she was gone. trying to piece together what happened to leah in those 6 months of being stranded in that submarine, we watch leah succumb to her unknown experience, and miri accept that the woman she loves has become a completely different person.

this book is painstakingly beautiful. the writing is unmatched. i've never been left sobbing by so many chapter closings. the way armfield writes the two narrators differing perspectives per chapter is so exact; it's still armfield in her gorgeous, poetic capture of grief-- but it's also miri... and it's also leah. she so wonderfully executes the way these two describe their experiences, every little difference they have is so obvious. miri's voice is miri's voice, leah's is so completely leah's. many author's struggle to capture the difference in character voice when writing in such a way, but armfield has mastered it.

for all the shivering prose this book brought, i felt unsatisfied with the ending. i understood why miri was led to do what she did (trying not to spoil too much), that was very clear and well justified. but i wanted to know EXACTLY!!! what happened to leah in that submarine in this way-> WHY was she physically changing, did miri and juna ever find out, where did the centre go, what happened to matteo? there were a lot of loose ends i think should have been tied up before closing this story out, and that is the ONLY thing i didn't love.

feelings;// heartbreak, loneliness, isolation, reluctance, acceptance.

[abustoslife]

[fataviola]

When the cover finally makes sense!

Chapter 5 is online, the moment where Herera and part of her crew visit...

The underwater world...

[aquaramelia]

[defness]

Sea but Minecraft™

[ruffled-serpent]

Me, adding locations to my lair: the plaguelings can have a bone pile, as a treat

[nevinslibrary]

Comic Book Saturday

This was weird, so weird. On the other hand, I didn’t even notice as it sucked me in so very fast, and I finished the book in 20 minutes.

It's about Iggie, a kid who moves to Peculiar Woods because his family situation has changed (and from what’s in this volume is definitely complicated). In Peculiar Woods there may be ghosts, and there is definitely a flooded city. As Iggie and his new friends go on an adventure to find the Ancient Underwater City (oh, that reveal was just perfect), we also learn much more about the flooded city too, but, not too much, since this seems to be just the first volume. I hope there will be more to the story for sure.

You may like this book If you Liked: Mellybean and the Giant Monster by Mike White, Housecat Trouble by Mason Dickerson, or Bug Scouts by Mike Lowery

Peculiar Woods: The Ancient Underwater City by Andrés J. Colmenares

[monkeyssalad-blog]

Underwater Thanksgiving at Rainbow Springs, Florida by Florida Memory Via Flickr: Persistent URL: floridamemory.com/items/show/48240 Local call number: SL3187F Title: Underwater Thanksgiving at Rainbow Springs, Florida Date: 1953 Physical descrip: 1 photoprint - b&w - 7 x 5 in. Series Title: Slade Collection Repository: State Library and Archives of Florida 500 S. Bronough St., Tallahassee, FL, 32399-0250 USA, Contact: 850.245.6700, Archives@dos.myflorida.com

[chiaperfectlysp00ky]

Sand piranhas

As our research team ventured deeper into the underwater cave system, our initial excitement stemmed from our primary mission: to study the elusive octopus colony rumored to inhabit these uncharted depths. Dr. Sarah Martinez, our esteemed leader, led the expedition with unwavering determination, eager to unlock the secrets of these intelligent cephalopods. As we pressed further into the cavern, our curiosity would lead us to a terrifying discovery - one that would forever alter the course of our expedition and plunge us into a nightmare from which there would be no escape.

As we explored the caverns, our fascination with the octopus colony grew with each passing moment. We marveled at the intricate network of dens and hiding spots they had fashioned within the rocky crevices, their elusive presence adding to the mystique of the underwater world.

But it was not just the octopuses that captured our attention. At first, we were mesmerized by the sight of these creatures, observing their behavior with keen interest. Their sleek bodies darted through the water with graceful precision, their movements synchronized in a mesmerizing dance. It was a sight to behold, a testament to the intricate balance of life in the underwater world. As we ventured deeper into the cave system, our excitement was palpable. The walls shimmered with bioluminescent algae, casting an otherworldly glow upon the rocky surfaces.

To our amazement, we discovered that the cave system was teeming with Excirolana chilton, the enigmatic sand piranhas of the ocean floor. Their sheer numbers were staggering, far exceeding anything we had encountered in our previous research expeditions.

But amidst our awe, we couldn't help but notice the abundance of Excirolana chilton, the elusive sand piranhas of the ocean floor, skittering among the crevices in unprecedented numbers.The abundance of Excirolana chilton hinted at something darker lurking beneath the surface, a hidden threat that we had yet to comprehend. Despite their menacing appearance, we were captivated by the creatures' behavior, documenting their movements with keen interest.

But as our amazement turned to unease, we realized the true extent of the danger we were in. Little did we know that our curiosity would soon lead us into a nightmare from which there would be no escape.

A mishap occurred when one of our team members accidentally cut themselves on a jagged rock, releasing the scent of blood into the water. In an instant, the tranquil depths erupted into chaos as the sand piranhas, emboldened by the scent of fresh prey, surged towards us with terrifying speed.

Panic-stricken, we fought desperately to fend off the relentless onslaught, but the creatures were relentless in their pursuit. With each passing moment, more of my colleagues fell victim to the frenzied predators, their screams echoing through the cavernous chamber.

As the last of us succumbed to the merciless assault, the once serene underwater world was transformed into a battleground of survival, stained crimson with blood. I was so close to escape as I reached the underwater caves entrance but I felt too tired to keep going...And as darkness closed in around me, we realized with horror that our expedition into the depths had ended in tragedy, our curiosity leading us to a fate worse than we could have ever imagined.

As consciousness slowly returned, I found myself in a sterile hospital room, surrounded by the soft hum of medical equipment. Confusion clouded my thoughts as I struggled to piece together the events that had led me here. Memories of the underwater cave system and the relentless attack of the sand piranhas flooded back with terrifying clarity.

As I attempted to sit up, a wave of searing pain shot through my body, and I recoiled in agony. It was then that I noticed the absence of three of my limbs, replaced by bandages and the cold metal of prosthetics. My heart sank as the reality of what had happened washed over me, a cruel reminder of the horrors I had faced in the depths of the ocean.

It was not long before a doctor entered the room, his expression grave as he explained how a passing boat had discovered me floating adrift in the middle of nowhere, my mutilated body a testament to the brutality of the ocean's depths. The rescue team had managed to pull me from the water just in time, but the damage had already been done.

As the doctor spoke of my injuries and the long road to recovery that lay ahead, a sense of overwhelming dread washed over me. The ocean, once a source of wonder and fascination, now filled me with an everlasting fear, its depths concealing horrors beyond imagining.

In the days and weeks that followed, I struggled to come to terms with the trauma that had forever changed my life. The memories of that fateful expedition haunted my dreams, a constant reminder of the dangers that lurked beneath the surface of the sea. The rest of my team was found. Some drowned in the, others died from blood loss and I wish I never survived.

And though I may never fully recover from the physical and emotional scars left behind by that harrowing ordeal, I carry with me a newfound respect for the power of the ocean and the creatures that call it home. For in the end, it is not just the depths of the sea that hold darkness, but the depths of our own fears as well.

[abustoslife]

[mylifeinfiction]

The Underwater Welder by Jeff Lemire

"I wasted so much time looking back that I haven't let myself look forword..."

A story about the fear of fatherhood told with a Twilight Zone inspired approach and a poignant understanding of the crushing pressure our main character is going up against. Lemire writes this type of small-town average Joe so incredibly well, compassionately bringing to life their complex simplicity, their doubts and fears, their hopes and dreams. And his premise here is brought to life with such quiet candor and genuine desperation that all of the book's themes hit home with a familiar unease.

Also, once again I'm rather taken with Lemire's artwork. When I started researching more of his work after reading his Moon Knight run, one of the major complaints I kept seeing were people disliking his artwork. I get where they're coming from, but for the types of stories and characters he's delivering (at least the ones I've read), his style really helps to bring them to life more authentically.

8/10

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

Note: Yes, I am aware that 'forward' is spelled incorrectly in the quote, but that's how it's written in the book, so... ::shrugs::

[libraryofbaxobab]

October 10, 2023:

My library due date was coming up, so I had to read this one fast. No pressure. Ha ha, get it? I was mildly surprised to find this to be a monster story rather than the natural disaster I was promised. Like the whole thing hinges on a rift opening under the sea but that just becomes a background threat to the more pressing issue of there being A Creature™️. That's fine, just know you're not getting the ecological catastrophe you signed up for. I was also mildly surprised about how few of the scares come from actually diving (it's there, certainly, just not as much as I thought!), considering that is a horrifying activity. I like to listen to caving & diving accidents on YouTube and that shit is spine-chilling even when they have all the equipment and nothing is chasing them. This is free-diving, so it's all on a breath hold. I would have loved more of that at the expense of less time with Shady Organization Inc. Because of that, I don't even consider this horror, it's more of an action-adventure. This would be great for active fans of James Rollins; there's a bunch of chase scenes, scientific discoveries, betrayals, bad guys with guns. Oh and also a fucking pirates-style Kraken attack. It's not terribly deep (ha ha, get it?) or complex, just some decent turn-off-your-brain entertainment.

5/10 #WhatsKenyaReading

[tenth-sentence]

I speak from the MS. charts that were in the library of the Nautilus – charts evidently due to the hand of Captain Nemo, and drawn up from his personal observation.

"20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" - Jules Verne

[pretty-little-mind33]

James Potter x best friend!fem!reader

Summary: James panics when he sees what his boggart is.

Genre: hurt and comfort

Warnings: mentions/descriptions of reader's death, crying, panic attacks, swearing

~ anon, this idea was amazing! thank you ☺️ ~

JAMES POTTER MASTERLIST

James's arrogance is his Achilles's Heel.

He truly can't help it sometimes—especially now when that arrogance is accompanied by his friends' laughter as he teases everyone about their stupid boggarts. Emma Johnstons' was a spider, which scared Peter, but had Sirius and James in tears at the back of the classroom.

"Wait until it's your turn, Potter," an annoyed Emma hisses as she walks by them, still pale from fright and embarrassment. She sends James a murderous look and continues, "Then we'll see who's laughing in the end."

James's grin only widens and he sees her words as a challenge. His hand shoots up in the air and he bounces on his heels. "Oi! Professor?! Can I be next?!" 

Professor Windward looks at him behind his small glasses, already exhausted by James's antics but he allows him to walk up to the front of the classroom anyway. James sends his best friends an obnoxiously confident wink and struts up to the front of the line.

James isn't in any way prepared for his boggart. 

He's expected something mundane—like an animal, or even death eater—or maybe some scary creature he'd read about in library books. What he didn't expect was to see you, dressed in your uniform and robe, your shiny hair sprawled across the wooden floor-board as blood slowly dripped from your mouth.

Your eyes are round but they're lifeless and your clothes are soaked in crimson liquid. You aren't moving and it looks too real that, for a moment, James is completely frozen. 

He hears the whispers of his classmates—whispers of your name and reminders of your relationship with James. Friends, the word rings around the classroom just as James's mind breaks and he completely panics at your body on the ground in front of him. 

He drops his wand, breaking into an awkward run to where you lay, entirely prepared to skid across the floor and hold you in his arms, but Professor Windward is quicker. He grabs James by his collar and pulls him back, his arms encasing around James's shoulders as he makes the boggart disappear with another spell. 

It seemed too cruel to turn the image of your dead body into something ridiculous. 

No one in the room is laughing, not even Emma Johnston, as James makes a pained sound and attempts to shove past Professor Windward and hold you like he'd planned. His mind is racing and he's panicked as the sounds around him make him feel like he's trapped underwater.

"Son, it's a boggart. It cannot hurt you. It's not real," Professor Windward explains, his grip on James firm, but James doesn't seem to understand him. Sirius, Remus, and Peter are beside James in an instant, holding him up and comforting him. 

Without much convincing, Professor Windward lets them lead him outside into the corridor and down the stairs. James is a mess and he keeps looking around for danger or you. His mind screams at him that he's being unreasonable, that it wasn't real and he knows this, but his heart is in a complete panic. 

"Prongs, hey, it's okay," Remus tries to explain as James's hand tightens in Sirius's. "She's probably in her dorm—she's okay."

"Should we take him to her?" Peter squeaks, looking between his friends with concern. 

"No–"

"Yes–" James interrupts Remus's answer and he turns to Sirius, his eyes round and desperate. "I wanna see her. Please. I wanna see her now. I need to know she's okay!" Remus doesn't think it's smart to bring James to see you when he's like this but Sirius can never deny James what he wants so all the boys pile into the door to the Common Room and then quite obnoxiously, James and Sirius start to scream your name as Peter rushes up to their dorm to find the map. 

A moment later, when you still haven't answered, Peter scampers back down from their dorm and holds up the map. "She's in the library," he says breathlessly. Sirius jumps up, snatching the map from Peter's hands.

"Onwards," he shouts in an attempt to lighten the mood but that only earns him a sniffle from James and a glare from Remus. 

* * * 

You're peacefully unaware of the chaos that's about to ensue as you're curled up in an armchair, a book in your lap. You absentmindedly chew on your lower lip as you concentrate. 

"Y/n!" a familiar boy screams your name and you look up, sitting normally in the armchair as your four very anxious looking friends stumble in front of you. "Look, she's okay," Peter points, sounding relieved as well as he moves aside to reveal a very distressed looking James Potter. 

You stand up, dusting your uniform and your eyebrows crease. "What's happened?" you ask seriously and then you feel James's arms wrap around your shoulders as he pulls you into him. His lips find the exposed skin of your collarbone as he inhales your scent and almost crushes you closer to him. 

James's always been an affectionate person. Since you can remember, he's never not taken an opportunity to kiss your cheek, wrap his arms around you, or even hold your hand, but this is extreme even for him. You glance at the other boys, confusion evident on your expression, and they send you sympathetic looks. 

"Jamie," you whisper and hug him back, your hand hesitating but ultimately finding his hair. 

You hear a choked cry and you realize he's almost in tears. Concern overwhelms your senses and you pull away only to have James's hand find yours. His eyes are shiny with tears and, as if he's reminding himself, he mutters, "You're alive." His thumb caresses your palm. 

"You two should talk," Remus interrupts bluntly and sends Sirius, who seems entertained by the scene in front of him, a sharp glare, "Alone." Remus pulls Sirius away, ignoring the latter's hump of protest as Peter trails behind them.  

James doesn't seem to care as he stares at you, he looks much calmer now. 

"What do you mean? Of course I'm alive." you ask gently, pressing your palm to his cheek. 

He leans into your touch. "I saw you dead. In Defense Against The Dark Arts. Professor Windward was showing us boggarts and it was funny until it was my turn and that dreadful thing turned into your lifeless body, right there in front of me, and—and I didn't know what to do because I realized if you died, I would just have to die too," James explains, sounding like he's made up his mind if the scenario ever comes up. 

Boggarts? James's biggest fear was your death? You can hear the sincerity in his voice and you can't help the way your heart jumps for his. 

"Does that make you the Romeo to my Juliet?"

James frowns and asks, "Who?" which reminds you that James hadn't heard of some muggle writer like Shakspeare and that even if he had taken Muggle Studies last year, like he was supposed to, he wouldn't have listened that intently anyway.  

"Star-crossed lovers," you shrug, ignoring how warm your cheeks have become. 

James's shoulders relax and he chuckles. "So, you're saying we're star-crossed lovers now?"

You like that your little quip has lightened the mood successfully so you shrug again, deciding to tease him. "Never said that. Why? D'you want to be star-crossed lovers?"

"No. Because I don't want our relationship to be doomed," James deadpans and he runs a hand in his curly hair nervously. He looks behind you through the stained glass window of the library and hears the soft patterns of afternoon rain. "It's raining," he says and he moves closer, his hand finding yours again as he fiddles with your fingers.

"It appears so," you answer in a whisper. You look at him, trying to read him. You squeeze his hand. "I'm right here, James. 'M not going anywhere."

A moment of comfortable silence passes and James looks so serious as he stares into your eyes, his breathing becoming harsh again. He leans in and he's wearing the same look on his face every man does before he kisses someone—only James Potter wears it well. Your breath hitches and your eyes flutter shut, nerves bubbling in your stomach.  

When his lips touch yours they're accompanied by his hands around your jaw. He's gentle with you, kissing you like he's savoring your touch. He pulls away only to press his forehead on yours.

"Merlin's beard, I've wanted to do that for so long. You're intoxicating, Y/n," he whispers as if he's just made a revelation and he takes your chin in between his thumb and index, smiling like the love-sick fool he's always been. 

"I really like you."

Your eyes widen. "You do?"

James's smile turns into a smirk. "Yeah, 'course I do. Was that kiss not enough confirmation?" He raises an eyebrow and leans in again, this time peppering open mouth kisses across my entire face, "Here. I really really really like you," he mumbles and enjoys the sound of your giggles as you shy away from his kisses. 

"I really like you too," you say, finally escaping his kisses as James pulls away. He looks over the moon happy.

"The boys are never gonna believe this," James mutters, completely unaware that unlike him, it hadn't taken Sirius, Peter, and Remus this incident for them to realize James is madly in love with you. They'd known from the first time James had uttered your name. 

"Shit, you're already the best girlfriend I've ever had—not that I've had many," James says, almost to himself as he tucks some hair behind your ear. 

You laugh, wrapping your arms around his neck. "Woah, slow down there. Take me on a date first, then we'll talk about labels," you joke, knowing damn well that by the end of the date James would be proclaiming his love for you to everyone who would listen and you don't mind one bit. 

James's eyes shimmer at the opportunity to spoil you. "You have a deal, m'lady."

You laugh. "Merlin, you're so cringe, James." You take his arm and pull him towards the window where a bunch of pillows are laid out on the edge and you plop down, momentarily looking out the window at the rain.

James follows your lead and when he leans against the wall, you lay your head on his chest and rest in between his legs. 

"Stay with me for a bit?" you ask.

His heart feels like it's fluttering at your closeness and he's completely calm—the memory of your dead body completely distant now. It's now a memory he'll only remember in the dead of night, when he'll have you to hold him and kiss all his worries away. 

James nods and then he leans his head on the wall and looks outside, his hand playing with your hair as you hum and continue to read your book. The soft sound of rain is like a piano melody as he watches the droplets fall down the glass. They're racing in his mind like they would when he was a child and he smiles. 

He kisses the top of your head, earning him a giggle as he mouths, "I love you," into your hair. 

One day soon he'll say the words out loud, just not now.

Today, he's happy just being near you and knowing that he finally has you in some significant way—in a way he'd denied himself for way too long. 

You nuzzle in him and turn your page, your gaze so focused, and his heart swells. 

I love you, he thinks again. I love you so damn much.