Author note: Hey ya’ll! This is my first story that is a combination of many different things and possibly some vague ideas from some books I’ve read. However, the main story line is actually based off of a dream I recently had that culminated in the startup of this story. I have always toyed with the idea of posting a story here and I’m proud as heck to finally do so. Currently I have roughly planned the full story. Weirdly enough there may be multiple protagonists in this novel. (Originally I tried to plan for only one but some of the characters were too interesting not to get in the limelight.) Tomorrow or the day after I may plan to launch about 6 or 7 chapter depending on if I can wrap up some loose ends and if I have the time. Anyways Enjoy!

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The NOAA Sublime slowly crunched through the densely packed ice. The hardened hull allowed for safer research out in the arctic so the ice had no chance breaking through. After a while of plowing through the ice, the ship stopped in a spot that seemed to be completely the same as any other point for miles around. The Sublime was a oceanographic research vessel equipped with state of the art equipment manned by a crew of twelve who had braved these waters for a very specific reason. Long range sonar sent out from a nearby military base had detected an anomaly that kept appearing after multiple scans.

“The depth sonar’s not working around here.” Greg, one of the crewman, said to the captain of the Sublime. “It’s like there is no depth or something…up until this area the depth sonar was spotting us at around 2038 meters. This must be what they sent us out here to survey.” Greg finished off with certainty to the captain. “If none of the long range equipment can work we might as well send in our short range equipment. Contact home and see if we can get the go ahead to use the Calvin” the captain informed Greg.

The Calvin had the ability to carry three people to depths well over 4,500 meters and the submersible could be sent down quickly using weights that would be dropped off at the bottom. 2038 meters was well within its ability to survey.

“On it” Greg responded back as got to work contacting home base. “Also alert everyone to meet me in the bridge” the captain ordered Greg yet again and then briskly walked off towards where what could only be the bridge. Greg grumbled hoping yet not hoping that the captain would hear him. With a quiet “must I do everything” Greg got to work.

After contacting base, explaining the situation, and getting the go ahead to use the Calvin, he reached over to press the intercom button. “*Ehem* This is your first mate speaking. All hands to the bridge. I repeat all hands to the bridge.” *Thankfully that doesn’t also mean me.*

He leaned back in his chair and scratched his growing port belly contentedly, finally having a moment to relax. Greg looked to the right of his desk where a few monitors sat connected to the cameras around the 270 foot vessel. He watched one of the monitors labeled 'the bridge' in amusement. The ten crewman stood or sat while attentively watching the captain as he walked back and forth explaining the situation. *That guy takes his position way too seriously.*

A brief moment later and three crewman stepped forward. *Must be the people going down in the submersible.* Greg could hardly figure out who they were through the fuzzy monitor but from what he understood one of them had to be Ricardo who had previously piloted the submersible and was also an experienced mechanic. The two others should both be handpicked by the captain from the crop of researchers aboard.

After thirty minuted of scrambling and testing to make sure the Calvin was ready for its descent, it was slowly lowered into the water. The three crew members entered through the open hatch in the Calvin and made sure to close the lid behind them. With a loud splash the submersible was soon lost from sight beneath the waves.

Greg turned turned towards his laptop that was connected to the cameras attached to the Calvin. Crew members quickly began to show up behind him as Greg focused entirely upon the monitor. Just as the captain walked in the handheld communication device in his pocket was turned on and Ricardo’s voice was heard over the static. “500 meters over.” “Roger over” the captain replied. Four more reports and Ricardo arrived at around 2000 meters underwater. The cameras broadcasting to the monitor turned down towards where the anomaly was detected. Through the murky gloom the seabed was eventually illuminated from Calvin’s lights. Greg's eyes opened as wide as they could as sight fell upon something he knew he would never un-see. The voices in the background faded away as Greg stared transfixed at what could only be perfectly spherical hole in the sea floor.

The hole seemed to gather in all the light and Greg could barely look at the thing straight on. Whenever he tried staring directly at it his eyes started to smart. From what he could see it seemed to have a murky thin covering that looked gelatinous. The covering was bespeckled like an egg with tiny white spots that made it resemble the night sky. Trying to see beyond the covering seemed futile as only blackness was beyond.

Suddenly the the point of view started to rapidly approach the hole. The screaming voice of Ricardo sliced through the haze that Greg had been in. “IT’S SUCKING US IN CAP’N! THE PROPELLORS AREN’T WORKING!” The situation had quickly devolved into a panicked mess of loud crewman and an even louder captain. Ricardo’s voice that hurriedly transmitted to the captain was abruptly silenced and camera feed was lost.

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Author note: Well that didn’t take long for a cliff hanger to happen did it! xD