Frac - An Interactive Saga

FRAC scroll 5
by John Gnotek

"Cya in a moment Raz," Frac said, and swam over to where the ceiling dips into the water, looked around above and below the water, seen the shadow near the corner where the others went around the corner, but this time the diffused silhouette didn't flee--it seemed to move closer. Frac kicked off and dove underwater, easily passing the first dip, but the buoyancy of the air bubble began to lift Frac, who then had to expend extra energy to stay below the submerged ceiling. The ambient light diminished a great deal after the first and second curve. After the third curve it was as if the dark shadow had overtaken and swallowed Frac. The darkness was disorienting and after awhile, due to the cowhide air bubble, Frac began swimming into the underwater cavern walls and ceiling, which at times was as unforgiving as scraping coral in the great, salty lake. Even within the now total darkness, Frac seen, rather felt, the fleeing shadow as had near Forneus's asylum.

After a few minutes, Frac took a sip of air from the cowhide--the buoyancy didn't seem to go down any. While trying to tuck the air bubble under arm, Frac smashed face first into a wall, or the ceiling. It stunned Frac and displayed a blaze of stars. Frac could taste blood and it felt as if it was spreading across face and neck. The cowhide air bubble lifted Frac to the ceiling. Now uncertain--actually having no idea--as to which way to go, Frac noticed a faint glow of light against a hard edge and headed for a curve, swiftly turning it. It was as if the dark shadow had spit Frac out. Frac could see again and took another sip from the air bubble--which seemed more deflated than it should be and noticed it was leaking a steady stream of bubbles. Frac turned another curve and the ambient light grew--how good to see. Frac took a last sip of air before it was exhausted, turned another corner and could see the silhouette of Raziel waiting in the distance. Funny, the light seemed to be coming from no one spot in particular, as it was in the underwater cavern.

The ceiling rose out of the water and Frac surfaced. A feeling as getting the wind knocked out of you--Frac realized it wasn't Raziel waiting ahead, it was Forneus--standing right where the reeds had dropped into the water. Off to the left were Tau and Olivier. Sitting in the crevice of Forneus's asylum was Dagon. Frac tried to untie the cord around the reed of the air bubble, but it was too tight, or the water had swelled the knot. The cowhide bubble still had some air in it, but probably no more than a breath and a half.

"Get Frac!" Dagon commanded.

Frac turned, gulped a lung-full of air and dove back under, swimming back toward the lake. Swimming frantically, Frac expended that breath of air rather quickly and took a sip from the air bubble while passing the second curve. Frac looked back quickly and registered being chased by five shadows. "Another curve and I'll be in total darkness again," Frac pondered. As Frac was rounding the third curve a dark shadow emerged out of the darkness ahead, passed right by Frac, quickly heading the direction Frac had just retreated from. Hearing a commotion behind, Frac dove back into the umbra around the third curve. Frac took a last breath from the cowhide air bubble, considered sneaking back to fill the bubble, but figured Dagon and company were right behind and kept going--as fast as possible. It frightened Frac, as never before, that this fleeting odyssey may end in a very baneful manner.

Suddenly, without warning, the water began to rush by, while pushing Frac from behind, who at first thought it was Dagon and company rushing up. The speed of the current grew rapidly, thrusting Frac around curves, and cascading over a series of dips and peaks. Frac realized this was the Underwater Wind blowing, extended legs and arms as Forneus had previously instructed. This seemed to propel Frac even faster. Amazingly, even at these speeds, Frac wasn't hitting the walls, the ceiling, or the floor--just flying through this dark, underwater channel like...

Something grabbed Frac's right foot and Frac gasped, losing half the held breath. Instinctively Frac pulled forward with both legs, drawing whatever, or whoever, closer and then kicking very hard with the left foot, very effectively kicking loose whoever was clutching Frac. Though traveling very swiftly and without obstruction, the lost of breath was crucial, and Frac's chest felt as if cords were tightening around it. A faint light could be seen down the tunnel, but Frac's chest felt as if it was going to explode and Frac was beginning to blackout. The last thing Frac remembered was being overcome by a dark shadow.