The Creative Competitor

Diving Fiction Competition

1st Prize: £100 – Sue Parks
2nd Prize: £75 – L. Carlton
3rd Prize: £50 – Sue Timms

The Mission.

by Sue Parks

Elaina was sure the instructor could hear the heavy hammering of her heart underneath the tightly fitting scuba diving gear but if he could, he didn’t say anything just merely smiled as he walked past after checking everyone in the group was ok. She swallowed hard. No one could have any idea of how much courage she was having to summon just to stay here let alone take that first dive into the depths…She needed to though if she was going to beat her fears and achieve her goal.

Stood on the boat waiting to plunge into the murky depths, Elaina felt the swell of the water lurch her ungainly for a moment before regaining her balance. She focussed on the grey horizon where sky blended with sea, trying not to think of the deep scary depths beneath the boat.

She had always enjoyed watching deep sea documentaries marvelling at the myriad of colours that flitted in and out of the coral reefs, playful, elegant but forever watchful of the grey shadows patrolling the reef, forever hungry predators on the prowl. Elaina had never once thought she would be here contemplating diving into unknown territory especially when she had been here a year before enjoying a peaceful vacation with her husband. Little had she known when they hired the luxury yacht that he was having an affair and how his gambolling lifestyle had got them into so much debt that they would eventually lose their house. It was only through over-hearing a conversation Gerard had made to his banker whilst on the boat that light had eventually dawned on the man she had married and she had seen through his affluent veneer and realised her beloved husband was a complete fake.

What a fool.

Now she was returning to the spot where she had made her discovery and was facing the worst fears of her life, but she had to do this…..her future depended on it. Finally the moment came and she sank deep into the ocean depths, carefully remembering all of the signals and safety precautions that she had been taught during her lessons. She calmed herself and focussed only on her mission before swimming deeper towards the reef, carefully watching for any sign of movements from the shadows….

Time was limited and she felt the pressure bearing down on her…she had to succeed…gain her bearings and swim as if her life depended on it….time seemed to race by as Elaina rummaged on the sea bed…….desperately searching.

Finally her efforts paid off and she sighed in relief as she spotted the object that had laid almost hidden for a year…..the weighted jewellery box that she had thrown at her husband on over-hearing that he had lost all of their money. Fury had overwhelmed her and she had lost control. Having knocked him unconscious, the box had bounced over-board and had disappeared from site, uncaring as assuming the jewels were mere fakes, Elaina had rolled Gerard overboard to pay his penance for all his lies. It was only some months later that she had discovered that the jewels had been real and were the only items of value that Gerard had left. Sadly, the small fortune was sat waiting at the bottom of the ocean but she had to learn how to dive before getting her hands on the gems.

The fact that his fat, over-bloated body was also hidden away down here somewhere made her shudder but she didn’t regret rolling him off the boat that day. He lied and had cheated and he deserved to be made into a meal for any passing sharks.

Clutching the jewels tightly, she made her way back up to the surface, the sunlight heralding the way, now having pierced through the grey overcast sky, sending shimmering rays of light through the water.

Sheer joy surged through her as she realised that she had faced her worst fears, not swimming, not diving or even the fear of sharks, but the thought of encountering the fat, blubbery ghost of Gerard who would have been watching over his beloved gold but who had failed due to the perseverance and determination of his beloved widow.