Brad lives in Central Texas with his wife and four teenagers. During the day, he works as an Account Manager for a software company, but in the early morning hours, loves to write down what the voices in his head whisper to him. He enjoys writing and telling scary stories. His house is the favorite in the neighborhood during October. Brad’s debut novel is set to be released in 2024 by Wicked House Publishing.
DOUBTING WITH THOMAS
by
Brad Ricks
“I just got the notification. The latest episode just dropped,” Luke told his friends as they played Xbox.
“Sweet,” Jeremy said. “Pull it up.”
Luke switched over to YouTube. The show he wanted was in his favorites so no need to search for it. He clicked “PLAY”.
“Hello, Fellow Doubters,” the host began in the typical podcaster show voice. “I’m Thomas, and you’re watching the 100th episode of Doubting with Thomas, where I take myths, legends, conspiracy theories, and even facts and look at them through a doubting eye.”
The camera showed Thomas on the deck of a ship. Bright white glaciers and deep blue ocean displayed prominently behind him.
“For the 100th episode, I wanted to do something big for you which is why I’ve been off the coast of Alaska for the past two weeks on a fishing ship called the Archimedes. I received multiple emails about a creature the locals call a kraken. Yes, a kraken. I thought the legend had already been solved when we discovered the giant squid, but alas, for you my faithful doubters, we are examining this beast again.”
A quick cut later, and Thomas held his phone which he used to record in front of a sailor for an interview.
“You’ve seen this beast?”
“Yes, I was on the deck here and looked out across the horizon. I saw another fishing boat about two hundred yards away. Then, just like that, it was gone.” He snapped his fingers.
“I see. Sounds like solid evidence to me.” Thomas turned the camera to his face and shook his head.
The next cut showed a series of drawings laid out across a table. “These are some of the drawings I was sent which led me to come here. This one,” he said and grabbed the picture, “looks like someone has read some Lovecraft. Cthulhu anyone?” Thomas chuckled into the camera. The image showed a large monster standing on two legs out of the water. Its head looked like a squid sat on top of it. Arms with squid like fingers dangled at its side.
“I’m not sure what the locals like to smoke here, but I think they’ve been doing too much of it.”
The camera cut away. In the next shot, the sunset hit the horizon of the water and sent rays of reds and oranges cascading across the surface. The sound of waves crashed against the side of the boat.
“There is a lot about the oceans we still don’t know. Some species we thought were extinct have been rediscovered. Sailors told stories of sea creatures for centuries, but all of them have answers rooted in science. Most believe the sea serpent was actually an oarfish, and the manatee became a mermaid. Literature has given us even more. Jules Vernes gave us the Nautilus and his giant squid. Melville and his whale. Will this ocean give us anything different? What legends will these Alaskan shores give us?”
The camera cut again, but when it came back on, the shot wasn’t as smooth as the previous ones. The camera bounced up and down as Thomas raced from one side of the ship to another.
“Sorry for the shaky footage,” he said breathlessly. “I heard someone shout of unusual behavior in the waters, so I abandoned my breakfast to run over and see what was happening.”
The shot grew closer and closer to the edge of the ship where another sailor stood watching.
“What are we seeing?” Thomas asked as the camera panned over the water.
“Whales.”
“Whales?” Thomas asked. “I’m not here as a sightseeing tourist doing whale watching. I’m paying you to find me a kraken.” Thomas’s frustration filtered into his voice.
“This isn’t typical whale behavior,” the sailor said. “Whales are migratory mammals. This direction is wrong. Something has them spooked.”
“A shark?”
“Look out there,” he said and pointed.
The camera panned up and zoomed in. Before the focus set, Thomas said, “Holy shit.”
Dozens of whales moved in unison just under the surface. Mixed in amongst the whales, the camera picked up dolphin tails batting the water. Also poking just above the surface, shark fins skimmed across the view. The sharks moved faster than most of the whales.
“If the sharks were hunting the whales…” Thomas started to say.
“They wouldn’t be trying to swim faster,” the sailor finished.
The camera footage faded away.
When it resumed, it was a close-up of Thomas’s face sitting in his bunk. His eyes sat huge in his head, and he rocked back and forth.
“This was a mistake,” his voice shook into the camera.
From behind him, knocking and banging on the hull echoed throughout the ship.
“They came out of the water. From both sides, they shot out. People on top were just gone. One was pulled straight out of his shoes. He was there then gone.
“Holy shit. It’s trying to get in. Do you hear it? Do you hear it knocking?”
Streams of water broke in from behind Thomas. Boards splintered in the wall.
“Please. Help.”
The wall caved in behind him and water rushed in. The camera’s view changed as it floated to the bottom of the ship. Just before it cut off, the image of a tentacle shot into view.
The video froze on that image. After a few seconds a message appeared on the screen.
The previous footage was the last uploaded from Thomas Murphy. The producers only aired it at the behest of his family. Our condolences go out to them and the crew of the Archimedes. All were lost.
Jeremy turned away from the screen. “Go back to Madden. Thomas’s shit is so fake.”