it would have me dead. This was the only cylinder left, and I had to use it prudently. I took oxygen into my mouth - puffing my cheeks, circulated the oxygen in my mouth, I tried to consume it as less as I could.
I leaned against the compartment side, closed my eyes and occasionally inhaled by turning the knob on and off. I was too exhausted to put in any effort to find my way out.
Time passed by, quite a long time indeed. I realized that no rescue team would be coming my way and in a few minutes, the oxygen cylinder would fail me with its death So, I went up to Prathap's body in the second compartment and placed the letter back into his pocket.
I was so desperately moving in from one compartment to another compartment that I finally gave up and decided to be in navigational room - relax till the oxygen in the cylinder is empty. I was welcoming my own death.
As I was resting my back against the room’s wall and inhaling in oxygen from the cylinder, with the aid of a sharp broken piece I began to engrave my name on to the side of the compartment. Even though I was feeling tired, I continued letter by letter until the end.
I was drifting towards unconsciousness. I forced my eyes to be open and kept waiting and waiting, hoping that something will come up. I kept gazing at the broken hatch of the third compartment hopefully.
I was not let down; I was hit with strong rays of light. The lights were so strong that I had to frown my injured forehead so that my eyes will save themselves some warm darkness. As I looked up, the face I had been trying to recall all these years floated past. I knew that this was just my illusion, but I didn't want to let it go, I didn't want to close my eyes. After all it was a moment for which I kept dreaming on - to see her face.
I raised myself, stretching my hand towards her - she was like a goddess standing in front of me - illuminated by a white light. As I tried to touch her, the moment my hand went near her, she disappeared into darkness. The water was rippling, because of my hand movements. My eyes were looking out into the dark. I blinked, hoping to see the magic to repeat itself she was no longer there.
I immediately went towards the periscope and looked through it, hoping to see something out there. It was still the same old sand and dusty rocks.
I turned around and surprisingly looked at a fish, blue in color, moving in the space within the compartment. Standing over there, I was simply amazed by its beauty, poise and freedom and so I kept staring at it in my bewilderment. Then it struck me that if a fish could swim in, there has to be an opening. The hunt had begun. I did not want this opportunity to go by. So, I picked up the flickering torchlight and kept pointing it towards the fish as it moved in the space. Without even blinking my eyes, I kept following its movements. As time passed by, the blue fish enters into the fourth compartment, it makes its way into the cabin and it disappears. I entered into the cabin, clearing all the debris over there and as I pointed my torchlight to the bottom, I found a hole that gets directly into the sea.
I felt energetic, hope reborn within me. I immediately got hold of the life suit and quickly wore it. As I pulled the strings on it, the life suite inflated and it slammed me to the top of the compartment. I pulled myself inch by inch, dragging over the top towards the hole and rose just above it.
Suddenly I remembered something; I had to go back towards the second compartment. Holding pipes and vaults, I dragged myself towards the second compartment; I picked up the letter from Prathap's pocket and turned back towards the hole.
I pulled myself through the hole, with half of my body inside the compartment, and the other half dangling in the sea. I was stuck in the middle. Not giving up, just one stroke with my hands - pushing myself outwards, I set myself out of 'S21'.
The inflated life suit drifted towards me towards sea’s surface. I
I leaned against the compartment side, closed my eyes and occasionally inhaled by turning the knob on and off. I was too exhausted to put in any effort to find my way out.
Time passed by, quite a long time indeed. I realized that no rescue team would be coming my way and in a few minutes, the oxygen cylinder would fail me with its death So, I went up to Prathap's body in the second compartment and placed the letter back into his pocket.
I was so desperately moving in from one compartment to another compartment that I finally gave up and decided to be in navigational room - relax till the oxygen in the cylinder is empty. I was welcoming my own death.
As I was resting my back against the room’s wall and inhaling in oxygen from the cylinder, with the aid of a sharp broken piece I began to engrave my name on to the side of the compartment. Even though I was feeling tired, I continued letter by letter until the end.
I was drifting towards unconsciousness. I forced my eyes to be open and kept waiting and waiting, hoping that something will come up. I kept gazing at the broken hatch of the third compartment hopefully.
I was not let down; I was hit with strong rays of light. The lights were so strong that I had to frown my injured forehead so that my eyes will save themselves some warm darkness. As I looked up, the face I had been trying to recall all these years floated past. I knew that this was just my illusion, but I didn't want to let it go, I didn't want to close my eyes. After all it was a moment for which I kept dreaming on - to see her face.
I raised myself, stretching my hand towards her - she was like a goddess standing in front of me - illuminated by a white light. As I tried to touch her, the moment my hand went near her, she disappeared into darkness. The water was rippling, because of my hand movements. My eyes were looking out into the dark. I blinked, hoping to see the magic to repeat itself she was no longer there.
I immediately went towards the periscope and looked through it, hoping to see something out there. It was still the same old sand and dusty rocks.
I turned around and surprisingly looked at a fish, blue in color, moving in the space within the compartment. Standing over there, I was simply amazed by its beauty, poise and freedom and so I kept staring at it in my bewilderment. Then it struck me that if a fish could swim in, there has to be an opening. The hunt had begun. I did not want this opportunity to go by. So, I picked up the flickering torchlight and kept pointing it towards the fish as it moved in the space. Without even blinking my eyes, I kept following its movements. As time passed by, the blue fish enters into the fourth compartment, it makes its way into the cabin and it disappears. I entered into the cabin, clearing all the debris over there and as I pointed my torchlight to the bottom, I found a hole that gets directly into the sea.
I felt energetic, hope reborn within me. I immediately got hold of the life suit and quickly wore it. As I pulled the strings on it, the life suite inflated and it slammed me to the top of the compartment. I pulled myself inch by inch, dragging over the top towards the hole and rose just above it.
Suddenly I remembered something; I had to go back towards the second compartment. Holding pipes and vaults, I dragged myself towards the second compartment; I picked up the letter from Prathap's pocket and turned back towards the hole.
I pulled myself through the hole, with half of my body inside the compartment, and the other half dangling in the sea. I was stuck in the middle. Not giving up, just one stroke with my hands - pushing myself outwards, I set myself out of 'S21'.
The inflated life suit drifted towards me towards sea’s surface. I
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