I feel a little silly doing this, but I feel like if I don’t, it will be a waste. I’m on the voyage of a lifetime. Every day, I am seeing things that people can’t even imagine, so even if I feel silly, I need to make a record of it.
One day, I’ll tell my grandkids about how I was one of the crew who searched the depths of the sea for the Megalodon. Perhaps I won’t tell them that I was a kitchen assistant, but I’ll tell them that I was here.
I couldn’t believe it when I went for the job interview. They asked if I would be comfortable working in a unique and challenging environment, and I thought they meant a high paced, busy kitchen or something. I never could have imagined that they meant hundreds and thousands of feet underwater!
The pay is great too, so not only do I get the opportunity to see so many amazing sights, I will also have enough for a house deposit when I get back.
How crazy is that?
How lucky am I?
I was saying about it to Doctor Judy last night. This job is going to change my whole life. She just smiled and nodded, gazing out of the viewing window, waiting for our finned friend to make an appearance.
She really believes that the megalodon is out there, you know. Her whole life has been devoted to it. She’s been looking for it for her entire career. I’m not sure what I think, but I’m just here to keep everyone fed and watered, so whatever happens, it’s been a worthwhile trip for me.
I was surprised by how big the lab was. A whole facility of complex equipment, cozy bedrooms and windows. There are LOTS of windows. I couldn’t believe my eyes when we came down in the submarine. It just didn’t seem possible.
It’s the only one of its kind, and it cost an absolute bomb. Doctor Judy says that her investors were happy to pitch in, for the chance to be part of the discovery, but they really spared no expense. It isn’t the Ritz, but it’s pretty bloody fancy for an underwater lab.
There’s me and Liv in the kitchen. She’s in charge, and I’m her right hand woman. Doctor Judy is in charge of everything, and she’s got a team of ten divers who go outside every now and again.
There’s also Doctor Shannon, who is a different kind of doctor. She does medical stuff, you see, with her trusty nursebot, Beatrice. She hasn’t had much to do, apart from quick check ups on divers when they get back to the lab, but it’s better to be safe than sorry, right?
I’ve got to get going, because everyone will be wanting food, and it’s up to me and Liv to sort them out.
Doctor Judy sent some of the divers out to collect some data and photographs, but they aren’t back yet, so I’ll have to remember to put some dinner aside for them.
I hope they like pasta bake!
-x-
Personal Log – Grace Robinson – 12th April 2027
Hi again!
Doctor Judy says that I mustn’t feel silly for recording my little logs. She says that one day they might be historical artefacts. Kids might study them in school, when they cover our discovery of the megalodon in history.
I doubt they’ll care what I have to say, but you never know!
Today was a bit of a weird one. The divers are back now, but they were very late. They got back at about two in the morning. I was fast asleep, but I soon heard about it.
Rick was screaming. Nobody could calm him down. He just… screamed, thrashing about and trying to get to the communication desk. I couldn’t make out what he was saying amidst all the chaos, but he was really worked up about something. He’s the most senior diver, and he’s always been so cool and calm, so it was strange to see him like that.
Nursebot Beatrice examined him, after Doctor Shannon managed to sedate him, and he was completely fine. There’s no real explanation of why he was so upset. Maybe he was just tired? They were out there for a long time.
He’s been sleeping most of the day. I took him some breakfast, but he didn’t touch it. I’ve just dropped off his lunch, and he looked fine, just… tired, I guess.
I hope he’ll be okay.
I’m going to have a little nap before I get back to the kitchen for dinner. I’m feeling a little tired myself.
-x-
Personal Log – Grace Robinson – 13th April 2027
Rick has been having strange dreams.
He says that the megalodon holds a dark secret. He told me all about it when I took him his dinner last night. He hadn’t eaten his lunch, and I suspected his dinner would go untouched too, but I thought I’d take it to him anyway.
He was quiet when I got there, staring up at the ceiling without a word, and he stayed that way as I placed the tray down beside him with a smile. As I went to leave, he gripped my hand in his own, hard, and urgent. His nails dug into my palms and I winced, turning back to him, and his tear filled eyes as he begged me to stay.
I wasn’t sure what to do. Rick seems nice, but we haven’t ever really talked much. I don’t really know him, beyond knowing that he ranks much higher than a lowly kitchen girl, so I was a little unsure of what help I could be, but I thought I should try.
He told me about the dreams. He could barely breathe as he spoke, as if he’d been bottling it all up until he found the right person. It all came out at once. He had gotten lost, starting to struggle as the water clouded before him. The ocean around him seemed to sink into darkness, and when he looked around, the rest of the group were gone. He got turned around and confused, and then… teeth. Lots and lots of teeth! Bigger than he’d ever seen, in front of him like a blood stained brick wall.
He swam back, shaking as his eyes fell upon a sight that he’d never forget. He could barely believe it, and he didn’t want to believe it, but his eyes insisted that it must be so.
The megalodon.
A gargantuan grey spectre that seemed larger with every second. Big, beady black eyes surveyed him, as he dashed away, swimming as fast as he could, but always looking back, his heart pounding as the dark eyes watched him.
He says that he saw it for real, when he was out in the water the other day, and that since he’d seen it, he had dreamed of it as he fell in and out of restless sleep. He was chased through the dark waves by the huge eyes and titanic teeth of the beast, surrounded by hurried whispers.
He said that the megalodon wanted to be followed, but that he was afraid.
Followed to where? I can’t tell you, because he clammed up after that. He says that he saw it in the distance, when he was dreaming, but it was simply too terrible.
I didn’t know what to make of his stories, to be honest. The sensors that have been placed around the lab can pick stuff up that is miles away, and nobody else saw it. He seemed to really believe it, though. I could see in his tired, teary eyes that something scared the shit out of him.
I think that this is all a bit above my paygrade, so I talked to Doctor Judy about it, to see what she thought. She said the weirdest thing, actually. She started whispering about a cave… I don’t know what she means. From the sounds of it, the big guy is far too big to fit inside a cave, so I don’t know where that came from.
She didn’t even look excited that he (or she) had possibly been sighted. She furrowed her brow and bit her lip, shooing me out of her office, without another word, and that was it.
I don’t really have too much time to think about all this, because I’ve got a massive pile of washing up to do, and Liv has been called away by Doctor Judy on urgent business, so I’d better get on with it.
Weird, though, right?
-x-
Personal Log – Grace Robinson – 14th April 2027
We’re having a party tonight, on Doctor Judy’s orders. That was definitely not something I expected. Liv and I have been working all day to get food and decorations ready. That was what Liv was pulled away for, I suppose.
We’ve decorated the dining room, and made lots of cakes and sandwiches. Liv says that she’s working on something special for the party, so I’ve been sent off to my room while she sorts that out. She got out a massive pot, with loads of herbs ans spices. She needed an awful lot of salt for it. Almost used up the whole store, actually. Still, I suppose we could just sieve some of the saltwater all around us if the need arises…
I’m sure that whatever it is will be yummy, anyway.
I dropped in to visit Rick earlier, but he wasn’t in the medical bay anymore. I suppose he’s feeling a bit better, which is good news. I’ll drop by his quarters later and check on him.
I don’t know why, but everyone’s been a bit weird. I heard some of the divers whispering about Rick, and… well, this is the thing, they were saying that they don’t want to go back outside. These are all experienced, professional divers. Nothing spooks them, or at least so I thought.
Liv has been quiet all day, even though we’re planning a party. She doesn’t even seem excited. She’s been going on about how bored she is for weeks, so I thought a party would be right up her street, but apparently not.
Everyone is walking around with frowns, whispering behind their hands. Strange stuff. I guess what happened with Rick has really shaken everyone up, but I didn’t think it would be this bad.
The only normal one seems to be Beatrice. She is as cheery as ever, but she is also a robot, so I suppose it must be hard to get her down.
I tried to talk to Doctor Judy, but I think she’s avoiding me. Hopefully I didn’t upset her when I told her about Rick’s dreams.
Maybe she thought I was making fun of her and her research? I hope not. I’m not sure that I really believe we will find the megalodon, but I certainly don’t think that it’s silly to try.
The party should loosen everyone up a bit. There’s a lot of tension around the lab, so maybe a celebration will give us all a chance to relax?
I hope so.
-x-
Personal Log – Grace Robinson – 16th April 2027
I missed my log yesterday, because I just didn’t know what to say.
Something isn’t right here. I’m trying to figure it out but my head is a mess.
I don’t know but I think I might be in trouble. I’m probably making it worse by recording this, but it will help me get it all straight in my head.
It all started with the party.
Doctor Judy had just got back from being outside. It was quite weird actually, she had been working on some data for hours, and then she suddenly got into her diving gear and headed out to the water without a word.
As she left, Liv grabbed her arm and tried to stop her, but Doctor Judy just brushed her off and carried on. We all got on with our work, until she burst back in with a relieved sigh and a big smile, calling us all to the dining area for celebrations.
The dining area looked great, and we had lots of food and drinks ready for everyone but the mood didn’t really lift. Everyone was still half asleep and miserable.
Liv seemed really down. I tried talking to her but she just wouldn’t respond. She stared daggers at Doctor Judy the whole night, so perhaps they’ve fallen out?
Most of the food was alright, apart from this weird stew thing. It was a bit grim, truth be told. Really lumpy, very salty and far too spicy. I don’t mean to speak out of turn, but it was not Liv’s best work. Everyone seemed to hate it, apart from Doctor Judy, who was also the only one who seemed to be enjoying themselves. Well, Beatrice did as well, but then again, Beatrice is programmed to have a positive attitude at all times, bless her.
At first, I thought it was that people were worried about Rick, which made no sense, because he was out of the medical bay. I didn’t want to pry, but I needed answers.
I asked Doctor Shannon if she was enjoying the party and she burst into tears. She grabbed onto me, weeping and wailing, her whole body shaking as if grief had claimed each one of her bones. I couldn’t speak, staring back at her as she gripped my shoulders hard and howled. Doctor Judy leapt to her feet and pulled us apart, while Beatrice checked me over for any injuries.
I was fine, obviously, but as Beatrice gave me the once over, Doctor Shannon’s eyes never left me. Doctor Judy was pulling her away, whispering into her ear, but Doctor Shannon kept me locked in her sights, spluttering a few, confusing words as she was pulled from the room.
“He shouldn’t be dead! She’s a lying, selfish cow!”
I just asked if she was enjoying the party, so I’m not sure what triggered the outburst, but it was triggered and now I can’t stop thinking about it.
Am I the lying, selfish cow?
Or does she mean someone else?
Maybe she really is unwell, like everyone is saying. It’s not good though, is it, an unwell doctor. The only medical doctor we technically have.
Beatrice has taken over the medical bay while Doctor Shannon has a few days of bed rest, and while the current nursebot model is pretty good, it can’t quite replace a doctor just yet, so hopefully Doctor Shannon will be on the mend soon.
The thing is… I don’t think she is unwell. I think she’s in a bad way, sure, but I don’t think it’s medical. I think she knows something. I think something is really wrong and she knows. It’s tearing her up. She tried to tell me but she couldn’t…
What is it?
And if I find out what it is, will I suddenly disappear for “bed rest” too?
Listen, this will sound silly, but I still haven’t seen Rick since he was in medical. They said he was better, but he hasn’t been at any meal times. He wasn’t at the party. He hasn’t been in the common room, and I went to his quarters to check on him but it was empty.
I don’t just mean that he wasn’t there, I mean that all of his things were gone. It was like he’d never been there. All his pictures of his husband and kids were gone, and all of his clothes. It was just empty.
I thought I might ask Doctor Judy but every time I see her, she’s busy with something.
Instead, I’m just thinking it all over now and driving myself mad.
It is pretty weird, isn’t it? That rich people, who are notoriously stingy would fork over billions to build this place, with enough cash leftover to pay someone like me so much, all in the name of finding some ancient dinosaur shark thing.
We haven’t seen a bloody thing since we’ve been down here, but there’s no pressure on us from our wealthy benefactors to make sure that they get their money’s worth…
I don’t know. Pardon the pun, but something seems… fishy.
I should go and help Liv with lunch though. Maybe everything will make more sense on a full stomach.
-x-
Personal Log – Grace Robinson – 17th April 2027
If I was speechless yesterday, I don’t even know what I am today.
No sign of Doctor Shannon. Her room is empty too, and everyone is getting into arguments. It’s like there is a bomb waiting to go off, and nobody knows what to do. Two of the divers got into an actual fist fight at dinner last night. Screaming and scrapping like maniacs.
I’ve had no work to do today. I went down to the kitchen as usual to make a start on breakfast, and Liv went absolutely mental at me. She forced me out of the kitchen, as in, physically forced me. She pushed me and everything, screaming that I should just go back to bed.
What I saw of the kitchen was messy. It was an absolute tip, with pots, pans and half empty jars of herbs all over the place. I didn’t dare go back at lunch, and she came and found me to tell me not to bother with dinner.
We had that weird, salty, spicy thing for tea again. I tried to give it a chance, because I was absolutely starving, but I couldn’t manage more than a few bites. Doctor Judy seemed to enjoy every bite at least, smacking her lips, like last time. I can’t wait to get back into the kitchen so I can make some decent food.
Things keep getting weirder, and nobody will talk about it.
-x-
Personal Log – Grace Robinson – 18th April 2027
I am once again at a loss for words, with a racing brain. Today, that is the fault of Tom. He’s one of the divers and he cornered me after lunch, and dragged me into a storage room. I pushed and pulled to try and get away, squirming in his arms as he bundled me inside and slammed the door behind us.
He shoved one of his huge hands over my mouth and began hurriedly whispering.
“They fed Rick and Shannon to that thing, and we’ll all be next if you don’t help me.”
I just stared blankly at him, unsure of what he was saying. It couldn’t have been real, right? That thing that Rick saw wasn’t real. It couldn’t have been. Rick had just had a bad dream after the shock… but the shock of what? Well, that was something I’d never really thought about. I hadn’t dared to consider that any of it had been true.
I couldn’t believe it, but as I looked around the storage room and saw Rick’s scattered belongings and Tom’s haunted grimace, I at least had to consider it. As I looked around the room, I saw some of Doctor Shannon’s things to, and as much as I didn’t want to let my mind wander to horrible possibilities, it did.
Rick really had seen it, and he’d paid a heavy price.
“The meglodon is real, but that isn’t even our biggest problem.” Tom’s hand slipped from my face and he fell back against the door, with a defeated sigh. “It’s what that thing is guarding.”
He cupped my face softly in his hands, his tired, frightened eyes boring into mine as tears formed and fell.
“They gave us the scraps.” My stomach dropped as I tried with everything I had to think of another explanation for what he had just said. It couldn’t be true. It simply couldn’t be true. The stew. Oh my God. The stew. I could feel my stomach churning and my heart thundering as he spoke. “We’re all part of some sick ritual, some sick game, but…” He trailled off, releasing me from his grasp and turning away towards the door. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this. She didn’t mention the sacrifices.”
They had known? They willingly came here, knowing that they’d actually find the bloody thing, and worse, that it was all some kind of crazy, dark magic mystery?
I ran. I couldn’t hear anymore. I just ran back to my room and locked the door, desperately trying to convince myself that it couldn’t be true.
Nothing could be worth all this, surely?
It made no sense to me.
Tom came to my room later that day, banging on the door like a mad man, and as much as I wanted to be alone, I let him in. He had a bunch of papers that he’d been able to steal from Doctor Judy’s office to prove everything to me.
As I went through each page, I felt more and more sick.
It really hadn’t been some kind of altruistic mission of scientific discovery. Doctor Judy is absolutely insane. She believes that the megalodon is not only real, but is the beloved pet of some ocean deity called Llyr. She has this theory that pleasing the megalodon, presumably through sacrificing perfectly nice people to it will convince it to lead you to Llyr, who will grant any wish that you desire.
It all comes down to selfishness. She has dragged us all down here, and killed two people, for the sake of her selfish wishes.
Poor Doctor Shannon was right.
My God. She’s really dead, isn’t she? And I… I mean, I didn’t mean to. I didn’t even know, but… I… I can’t even think about it.
Will I be next? Are any of us safe? I just don’t know.
This isn’t what I signed up for. It isn’t what I want. I just want to go home. They can keep their money. I don’t want any part of this.
The trouble is… I can’t go home. The megalodon doesn’t want us to leave. It has shown its face around the lab. It’s just circling us, again and again, round and round, baring its big teeth and waiting for us to follow.
Doctor Judy is eager, but none of the divers will go, probably afraid that she’ll sacrifice them too.
Tom says that we have to finish it. The ritual, I mean. He says that if we follow the megalodon, maybe we can make things better and get the rest of the crew home with their lives.
Following the megalodon, just like Rick had said.
I guess that Rick really had seen it, and perhaps it really did have something to tell him, something to show him even. Maybe all those wealthy benefactors were interested in what the megalodon knew, rather than just the sight of it.
Doctor Shannon had tried to tell me, as best as she could, and I had been too late to save her. I don’t know how I would have done that, but as I saw the mementos she had kept so close in her bedroom, littering the lonely, echoing storage room, I felt a pang of guilt.
As mad as Tom’s plan was, I had no choice but to say yes. He says that if we take the submersible, we can get there before that thing has a chance to kill us. I’m not too sure that he’s right, but what choice do I have?
People have died. Lives had been changed, and as much as I didn’t want to admit it, if this Llyr is real, perhaps he could call off his pet and let us go home. I know it might seem like a wasted wish, but I’d much rather that than money and fame.
-x-
Post Mortem Report – Grace Robinson – 23rd May 2027
Name Of Deceased: Grace Joanna Robinson
Date Of Birth: 12th February 2008
Date Of Death: 19th May 2027 (Estimated)
Age At Death: 19 Years Old
Cause Of Death: Intrathoracic Bleeding and Organ Damage
Manner Of Death: Death by Misadventure
The body of Grace Joanna Robinson was one of two found among the debris of the small submersion vessel, that was located west of the wreckage of the Oceania Ambition research laboratory.
The submersible was destroyed, and the bodies were found in a state of disrepair. Robinson’s body was missing the left arm and leg, and there was a large bite mark, spanning from her waist to her shoulder. The majority of her left shoulder was also missing.
I have been unable to identify the creature responsible for the bite marks, but they are similar to those found on the other body located with Robinson, as well as many of the bodies found in the wreckage of the research facility.
Personal log recordings have been recovered from the research facility in which Robinson discusses a creature that she describes as a “Megalodon” but this seems an unlikely answer to what caused her injuries and eventual death, as it cannot possibly be real.
According to the logs, Robinson and one of her colleagues followed a megalodon to a cave to speak with a God about a wish. I have suspicions about drug use that may have placed these ideas into their heads, but the toxicology screening was clear.
The only survivor of the tragedy, Doctor Judy Mason has been questioned, but has offered no further explanation.
It is my theory that the attack was perhaps carried out by several sharks, possibly great white in breed, or tiger sharks. Perhaps even an orca whale. I am still unsure of how they had the bite span to inflict such injuries, but it is hypothetically possible that there may have been additional damage from debris.
With this in mind, I am giving a cause of death of Intrathoracic Bleeding and Organ Damage, obtained through misadventure.
Sincerely, Jennifer x 