Guy--Part Thirty-Four

Splog # 145

Thirty-Four

   Guy could see very little in the darkness under the water and yet he could make out the shadow of the unknown object stretched in front of him. On his hands and knees, he moved around it, trying to make some sense of what it might be. He remembered that the voice speaking through his mouth had mentioned at least twice that there was something down here that he was supposed to find. Of course, as usual with the voice, it had made no mention of what particular object was being sought, or what they would use it for, if and when they found it. As he moved around it, he found nothing more to add to the vague mental image that had already formed in his mind. An unevenly bordered edge and a depression in the center. He leaned over the side and ran his hands down the area between the ridges. He tried to avoid pressing down on the object as he explored. Still, he found nothing to add to his knowledge of the item. He leaned back on his haunches and hoped that the voice would return soon. He wanted to stay near the object in the hope that it was what the voice had been looking for. But now, just sitting here and waiting, he was definitely starting to get cold. He was getting used to moving under water and he'd almost forget that that's where he was, except that its feel on his skin was definitely cooler than the air he was used to. He rubbed his hands up and down his arms, feeling the goosebumps that seemed to have become a permanent and comprehensive feature of his skin. He felt them all over his chest, and his legs also. He wondered if his back was covered with them. Stretching both arms behind himself to give his hands better access to his back caused his torso and head to lean forward. Once his center of balance hovered over the ridges on the object, he began to feel a curious force pulling him into the center depression. He started to bring his arms back in front of him, but the force that was pulling at his head and torso was pushing his arms back so that, although he could get them as far as his sides, he couldn't bring them further towards the front of his body. Just as he expected his head to come into contact with the object, the force that was pulling him and pushing him at the same time, gave his whole body a flip and a slide and the next thing he knew, he was lying on his back with his trunk snugly cradled in the center, his head sticking out of it at one end and his legs at the other. His arms were held tightly by his sides and he didn't seem to have the ability to move any part of his body. Except his feet. He could move them around at the end of his ankles. And he could blink his eyes and move his mouth. The first thing he did was try to get the voice's attention. "Mr. Spatula?" No response. With a little more vehemence, he called again. "Mr. Spatula? I've become trapped in something and can't get out. Can you help me? Mr. Spatula?" Fear began to whisper in his mind. At first, a state of shock had silenced any qualms that had bubbled up, but now they began to give voice rather noisily. Could this be something that caught fish as they passed by and then ate them? It hadn't seemed alive but he knew there were strange things on the ocean floor. And then a tiny tingle burst into existence in the middle of his lower back. This energetic sensation began to move up his spine and, as it went, it spread itself all across his back. At the same time, it moved under his shorts and started travelling down his legs. First in a line and then spreading out to encompass them totally. He wondered for a moment if he was being somehow prepared for digestion, but then recognized a similarity to what he'd experienced when he'd put the glowing blue ball atop his head and it had enveloped him down to the neck. This was the same and yet it was somewhat different. It didn't feel so vibrant and tingly. It was more like being somehow rubberized or insulated. It felt warm and smooth. From his back, it spread to cover his chest and, when it reached his shoulders, it started moving down his arms. Soon, he could feel it completing its enclosure of his feet. He lay motionless, no longer scared. Of course this was what Mr. Spatula had been looking for. It was to keep him warm under the water. He wondered if he was done. His feet were covered. His hands felt covered. His torso and up to his neck - he wondered if it was the same and smiled as he thought of his whole body talking as much as Mr. Spatula. He imagined a different voice coming from each of his fingers, all talking at the same time. After a few chuckles, he wondered if he should try to get out of the thing that had prepared him for his underwater journey. He lifted his head on his neck. Among the shadows, he thought he could see a light outline of his body. But he still couldn't move his arms or torso. His feet were wagging but the rest of him was held in place by something he couldn't see. When he tried to raise anything besides his head or feet, all he achieved was a slight jerking motion and nothing else. He tried to imagine what had activated the object. He'd felt around in it and nothing had happened. When he'd lost his balance, he'd started to fall towards it and then it had taken control of him. Maybe it wasn't finished. He lay still. Nothing seemed to be happening. His whole body felt covered, as far as he could tell. And then his voice said, "Blink, please." Guy blinked, but there was no result. It was a relief to know Mr. Spatula was back but then nothing happened for a few minutes. Guy decided to be patient. Mr. Spatula would know what to do and he must be here soon. After all, he'd just spoken. Guy closed his eyes and tried to relax. Soon he'd see what was happening and where he was..."Blink, please." Again, he blinked.