"Howling in the Water" by Don Anelli

Howling in the Water

by Don Anelli

Thomas had spent his whole life waiting for this moment. Ever since he was a kid, he had heard the stories his father had told his colleagues about the mysterious waters nearby. Stories that mentioned the area as home to massive, dinosaur-like sea creatures that had escaped extinction and were still alive in the depths off the coast of Victorville, Oregon.

It was a point his dad would bring up to anyone and everyone who would listen, claiming that thought-dead monsters and other creatures lived in the endless depths of the ocean. He had been drummed out of every oceanic institute that would take him because of his claims that the stories were true, and if he had enough funds, he could prove it.

He never got that chance, unfortunately, having died just three years ago.

But now was the chance Thomas had to prove his father right.

The recent series of sightings and reports wasn't just a coincidence, he thought. It had to lead somewhere, and his team of divers, Catherine, Max, and Eduardo, would be with him as he made his trip through the fading dusk light.

He pulled their boat up to the point of the cove where his father’s research had led him to believe the Wollybang was thought to be located. His dad had discovered it just before he died and had drawn up enough details that it would be easy to find again, and the discovery that it was still alive would belong to him and his team. To bring respect and honor to his family name.

Rereading the notes one more time, checking his instruments to confirm he was in the right area, and gulping fresh seawater air, Thomas grabbed a wetsuit and prepared to dive. It would probably be sleeping in its underwater cave home, but that would be easy enough to sneak into the area and take the pictures he needed to prove everything about it. Max stayed behind for safety, letting the other three head down below.

Breaking the surface of the water and plunging into the waters beneath, he ran through everything about the Wollybang that he could from his father’s notes. It was first sighted by a local Indian tribe in the 1820s, despite oral stories of the creature dating back decades earlier. According to their reports, it was a large, egg-shaped fish that would now be described as having a torpedo-shaped body, four short, stubby legs that propelled it along, a long, fan-like tail, and a short, shark-like mouth full of razor-sharp teeth at the end of a long, tapering neck. Dark, reddish-black and solid red scales, a maximum length of twenty feet, and a violent, aggressive temper.

A creature so hideous, so cruel and powerful, no one would lay eyes on it and live to tell the tale. Lying eyes on it would be akin to setting your soul on fire, to freeze your blood to the point of immobility, rendering you perfect prey for this creature.

At least, according to the surviving reports.

Relaying signals through his headpiece to Catherine and Eduardo, the three head underwater and begin their search. The low-level light from the environment and their searchlights illuminate things somewhat, but it’s still only about a twenty-to-thirty-foot area in front of them that they’re clearly able to see. Fish dart away, naturally scared of something that much bigger than them, disappearing into the blackness of the depths surrounding them.

After several minutes being by himself, Max tries to check on Thomas and the others just for something to do when an unearthly, droning howl emerges from the depths. Low but bone-shattering deep, like the siren howl from a lighthouse foghorn, but guttural and primal.

Something massive, and definitely not human.

It’s enough to freeze Max dead in his tracks and forget about the radio.

Beneath him, a single reptilian eye springs to life, which Max is completely unaware of. It stares up straight at the boat before disappearing as its owner descends into the depths.

Back underwater, Thomas, Catherine, and Eduardo make their way to the bottom of the cove, barely more than fifty feet below the surface. With their externalization suits working to prevent the pressure from getting to them, they begin checking out the current patterns on the sandy bottom and head into slightly deeper water. Warning everyone that their suits aren’t rated for anything over 10 fathoms, Thomas says to check the area carefully and make sure your readings stay under that marker as they split up to investigate further.

No sooner than he gives that warning, Catherine turns to the left, where she gets swept along in a swift splash of foam and bubbles, completely disappearing from view. Both Thomas and Eduardo are unaware of the disappearance, and with no help sent out, no one knows what happened to her.

Eduardo goes off to Thomas’ right side, the incident with Catherine happening directly behind him. Continuing forward, he too is soon enveloped in a cloud of foam and bloody water, only his cracked mask and bent rebreather evidence of his presence.

Unknowingly left all alone, Thomas continues swimming along when he decides to check in on Alex on the ship. Informed about the eerie howling he heard and where it came from, Thomas tries to call on Catherine and Eduardo about what they want to do.

No answer. Not even static.

Checking to see if they're out of range, he calls again, but gets static. Turning back to check on them, the evidence about their attacks is present with the broken diving equipment and the foamy, bloodied water. Realizing something’s in the water with him, he heads for the surface.

The eyes of the creature zero in, and turning around in the water, it begins chasing Thomas back to the surface. Swimming close enough to grab him, it brings him screaming back to its underwater cave to digest the meal.