CH 30

Baek Aeyoung explained in a low voice to Yoo Geum-yi.

“Given that we are trapped in an underwater base where water is already leaking and the life support system has broken down, we’ve struggled all the way to the East district, and I guess there’s no need to make it worse by telling you that there are armed madmen roaming around. Have either of you ever fired a gun?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Neither have I”

“Good. You don’t need to in your lifetime.”

Listening to that, I automatically wondered, what if the time comes when I have to shoot a gun? As soon as the elevator doors opened, Baek Aeyoung pushed Yoo Geum-yi and me in. There’s only one button for us to press.

[Undersea Base 3]

A space built 1,000 meters under the sea. Baek Aeyoung tore out the panel below the elevator. She seemed intent on forcibly operating the elevator.

“I feel uneasy, but as far as I can think, there’s no other way to help you escape from Undersea Base 4 more safely. Normally, all the elevators would stop in case of an accident. The escape pod would’ve been the safest (option), damn it.”

Can we really use this? What happens if the elevator itself collapses while we’re on our way? Do we just die? Baek Aeyoung began to voice her anxiety.

“If you can’t reach the sea surface with an escape pod, you’ll have to take the elevator or swim out of here. If a human can withstand the pressure of 3,000 meters underwater and manage to ascend, that person should be called a mermaid, not a human.”

“…Isn’t there a staircase?”

Baek Aeyoung, who was pulling a wire from the panel and pressing buttons, snorted at my question.

“From here to the top, it’s 2,000 meters which is at least 400 floors. To reach Undersea Base 3, roughly speaking, there would be around ten thousand steps.”

Hearing the number of floors, Yoo Geum-yi’s face turned pale.

There is an amazing bakery in Underwater Base 3. I once used the central elevator to buy some bread there, and it took about two to three minutes between floors as far as I remember. How long would it take to climb all those stairs? Did they even build stairs in the first place? Are humans insane to build a base so deep underwater? Baek Aeyoung finally let go of the panel.

“Or, get on the elevator, prepare to die.”

Baek Aeyoung looked at Yoo Geum-yi and me for the last time.

“The elevator is dangerous too. I have no idea how the elevator was affected by the torpedo shock. But it seems like it’s not leaking.”

Baek Aeyoung, who kept muttering unsettling words while messing with the panel, turned Yoo Geum-yi’s face pale as a sheet. I must have looked the same. It’s going to be a hellish 120 seconds. Finally, the light came on the button for Undersea Base 3, the only one in the elevator. 

Recalling movies that were based on water, I asked, “Isn’t the base less pressured when it fills up with water and we go out?”

“The base would collapse before that.”

Terrific. Baek Aeyoung quickly finished explaining. If I had been an engineer, I think my neck would have been grabbed several times already due to the stupid questions I’ve been asking Baek Aeyoung. But she never hit me for asking too many questions. How much did the guy in the laundry room provoke her to be punched by her?

As Baek Aeyoung, with her great patience, got off the elevator, she said, “I hope you both make it safely.”

Seeing Baek Aeyoung’s tense face, Yoo Geum-yi and I replied enthusiastically to dispel the tension.

“We’ll see you in good health later!”

“Take care! See you later!”

After Yoo Geum-yi’s farewell, the elevator doors closed. As the elevator began to ascend, Baek Aeyoung started to run back the way we had come. We could see her running toward the escape pod with her long legs through the tall window in the elevator. Her ponytail, tied up high on her head, swayed behind her like a horse’s tail.

Every now and then, Baek Aeyoung’s form was partially obscured by the body of the Azure Dragon. With each occurrence, her figure seemed to shrink until it disappeared completely. Soon after, the elevator entered the ocean, and all was darkness. The reflection in the window showed only a lightless void. If it weren’t for the light inside the elevator, it would have been quite eerie. How far had we ascended? While I was watching Baek Aeyoung through the window, it seemed Yoo Geum-yi had been watching the clock. At least one of us was thinking clearly.

“38 seconds. 39 seconds. 40 seconds. 41 seconds. 42 seconds.”

By 120 seconds, we should arrive at the third underwater base, built between the epipelagic and mesopelagic zones. In case Yoo Geum-yi lost count, I began to count along with her in my mind.

“100 seconds, 101 seconds, 102 seconds, 103 seconds, 104 seconds,”

My throat tightened with anxiety. As time passed, I felt more tense, as if a cold hand was pressing against my back.

“105 seconds. 106 seconds. 107 seconds. 108 seconds. 109 seconds. Gasps!”

Suddenly, the ascending elevator jolted once, then halted.

“Huh?”

And then, all the lights went out.

Yoo Geum-yi screamed in surprise, which startled me into screaming as well. We echoed each other like parrots, causing the elevator to reverberate with our shrieks. Regaining our senses, we silenced ourselves. Inside the elevator, it was pitch black. There wasn’t a single point of light outside the elevator window, so nothing could be seen. I asked quietly into the dark void.

“The elevator’s stopped, hasn’t it?”

“It seems so.”

Hearing her frightened voice, the words “we’re screwed” began to float around in my head. I’m sure the same was happening in Yoo Geum-yi’s. In the darkness, we could only hear each other’s breathing. Then there was the sound of sobbing. I was the first to swallow my pride and speak honestly.

“I’m scared to death.”

“Me too.”

“Geum-yi-ssi, have you ever been trapped in an elevator before?”

“No.”

“Neither have I.”

After a few more sobs in response to my meaningless question, Yoo Geum-yi spoke. “Both you, Muhyun-ssi, and I have been lucky so far.”

“True. I hope we’re lucky today, too.”

There was the rustling sound of fabric. Leaning against the wall, I listened to the sound of sobs. There must be fish swimming outside the walls of this elevator. If we exit into the water, we’d be crushed by the pressure and die. The fact that the elevator is even stopped might be a miracle in itself. If we’re unlucky, we could descend 2000 meters down from our ascension point, with the elevator crashing down.

“You were about to count to 110 seconds earlier, Geum-yi-ssi.”

“Yes. *sobs*“

“How much further do we have to go out of the 2000 meters? If it’s not much further, let’s try to figure a way out of this with our own strength.”

“Only about 10 meters left, right?” My voice had a soothing effect on Yoo Geum-yi, whose sobbing was gradually diminishing. When there was no sound in the darkness, I called out anxiously, “Geum-yi-ssi?” and heard a reply, “I am doing mental calculations, dividing by 120. Stay quiet!” Then there were a few sobbing sounds and the rustle of clothes before Yoo Geum-yi’s usual voice filled the air.

“Simple calculations indicate that we’ve traveled 1833 meters, which leaves us with 166 meters.”

Upon hearing the figures, I laughed, amazed and bewildered. I must be going insane. 166 meters. I thought we didn’t have much left when there were 10 seconds left out of 120. We have a lot left.

“Geum-yi-ssi, do you by any chance know how to…uhm…hang on to ropes? I mean, in the movies, when the elevator stops due to an accident, people exit through the elevator ceiling, climb the elevator cable, and use their arm strength to ascend.”

At this, I could hear Yoo Geum-yi laughing incredulously. She was chuckling heartily. Sob—sob Ahahaha!

“166 meters? Ahahaha! Unless I turn into a spider, it’s impossible. I can’t even hang on to a horizontal bar for three seconds. I won’t be able to climb even 2 meters.”

“I’m the same. So, let’s wait for someone else’s help.”

We suggested overcoming this situation by our efforts only moments ago, and in less than 10 seconds, we were waiting for others to help. Neither Yoo Geum-yi nor I are good at surviving. It’s expected; we are people who only sit and work. How could we have any advantage in a disaster situation?

“What if no one comes?”

“Well, we can’t do much then.”

As I plopped down on the elevator floor, I heard a sound as if Yoo Geum-yi also sat opposite me. Then after a few seconds, I heard a sniffling sound. Oh dear, missy. I felt like sobbing aloud too but clenched my teeth and kept silent.

Suppressing the urge to cry, I spoke softly into the darkness of the spacious elevator that could accommodate at least 50 people.

“I should’ve followed Aeyoung-ssi if I knew this would happen.”

Upon hearing me, Yoo Geum-yi sobbed a few times before responding.

“…Who could’ve known we’d get trapped in an elevator. We can’t change the path we’ve walked. Don’t regret. Even if you do regret, it won’t produce any better solutions.”

“You sound hopeful, Geum-yi-ssi.”

“I suppose I am.”

“That was pure admiration, not sarcasm.”

“I know. But being pessimistic won’t make things any better.”

I heard a sniffling sound followed by sobs. Then silence ensued. I wonder how much time passed. In the midst of the enveloping silence, Yoo Geum-yi suddenly shouted.

“We can’t just sit here like this!”

The sudden loud voice startled me, making me jump.

“Huh?!”

“What if no one comes? Whether we become spiders! Or threaten the elevator to ascend! We have to do something with our own power!”

She sounds full of energy. I thought about the snake and cat in my backpack. ‘What sin did they commit to be stuck here with me? Right. I’m not alone. And whining here won’t change the situation.’

“What should we do?”

“Turn on the pad light and come over here.”

As I approached as instructed, I found Yoo Geum-yi sitting next to the elevator button. I pretended not to notice her reddened eyes. Leaning on the light from the pad, Yoo Geum-yi was examining the wires under the elevator buttons that Baek Ae-young had pressed earlier. There were countless wires exposed in the light, but I had no idea what they were.

“Do you know what these wires are for, Geum-yi-ssi?”

“No, I haven’t got a clue.”

“You sound hopeful, Geum-yi-ssi.”

Laughing at my comment, Yoo Geum-yi giggled along with me. We were both going crazy. Then, suddenly, without us doing anything, the elevator lights flickered, and then the light was restored.