Poseidon Awakens (Chapter 7)

Chapter Seven of a serialized novella
New chapters every Tuesday and Friday

Oscar kicked the door. If he couldn’t make his escape, he hoped it would mean a bullet to the back of the head. He shivered, picturing the gleam in the squid’s eyes. The beast had said he had until sunrise. It won’t be long now...I wonder if the Kraken will visit me first.

Frank dropped by to see him. The scientist must have anticipated a cold welcome; he brought a stale donut and lukewarm coffee. “Sorry man...that’s all they had.”

Oscar glared. “You might have not thought of me as a friend, Frank, but we’re coworkers...why...what in the hell were you ordered to do back there in the warehouse? Kill me?”

“No...we were supposed to feed that beast...and make sure you were still, uh, tied up.”

“Right. You expect me to believe that? The professor probably intended to have you feed me to the kraken.”

“No, I mean, he had a ton of dried fish in that warehouse, but...hell, I don’t know.” He frowned. “I’m sorry Oscar. But, you’re here now, so...”

Oscar frowned. “Yeah, for now, but I’m serious, Frank...the Kraken will be here...hell, he might already be here. He can change shape as easily as putting on a jacket. I mean, I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it myself.

“So what do you think it’ll do?”

“I don’t know, but I do want to try to get in touch with him again...tell him what happened. I mean, it’s not my fault, man...I told the arrogant bastard...what the heck else am I supposed to do?”

Frank shrugged. “Man, you could have just left when you got out of that warehouse. Why didn’t you just go home?”

“The professor is mad...insane...you know that, right?”

“Well, I don’t...”

“Come on...let’s get real. He’s promised the god something...what is it?”

“I don’t know...I mean, as far as I know he just wanted to be released from his prison, and he’s promised to give us free energy in return.”

“Right...think about it...what do the stories tell us about Poseidon? He’s not a “nice” god,” said Oscar, making air quotes. “No matter how you shake it. Do you really think he’s not requiring something from us? Sacrifice maybe?”

The biologist flopped down in the chair across from Oscar. “I guess that explains why so many of our crew disappeared...heck, I was told it was because the professor wouldn’t pay them overtime. Sheesh, what an idiot! You don’t think he...”

“I don’t know...but I do know that the man has no idea what that creature can do. Listen, you’ve got to convince the professor to let me go...to meet with the Kraken before it’s too late.”

Frank nodded. “I’m not promising anything, but I’ll...hey, what if I took your place and met with it? Would that work?”

“I guess it could. But...and I mean this, don’t take a weapon with you. That’ll probably just piss it off, which is something you don’t want...at all.”

Frank nodded. “Got it. You were supposed to meet it at the cave we found, right?”

“Exactly. Just, well, be careful...I’m still not sure if it can be trusted. I mean, I don’t know what it plans to do once Poseidon is asleep...something tells me it won’t be content to crawl into some hidey hole for the rest of its life.”

“Got it...but, one problem at a time, alright?”

“Yeah...good luck.”

“Thanks...you too.”