What Lies of the Sea
Written by Rachel Renegado
The screens in the Department of Future Relocation flickered with images of distant galaxies—a
cruel facade to those who knew the truth. As a government data analyst, I had unraveled the lies
of false hope and broken promises embedded in our society. The planets they promised as new
homes were nothing more than barren dreams, illusions crafted to distract from the decay
swallowing our world.
The history of the surface was one of neglect, exploitation, and selfishness. Lush forests turned
to wastelands, oceans choked from our overconsumption, skies thick with the acrid smoke of
industries that burned brighter than the stars they reached for. Those in power spread tales of new
beginnings in distant galaxies, pouring resources into space programs while Earth, our only
home, continued to wither away.
On a night filled with the clash of rising tides—a testament to the sea levels that now claimed
much of what I had once called home—I stood at the edge of a decision. In my hand was a vial
of the 'aquatic switch,' a vaccine developed by those who eyed the stars but by visionaries who
looked to the sea. Once colleagues to my great-grandfather, now ridiculed and ostracized for
choosing a path of adaptation rather than abandonment. They had discovered a way to evolve, to
transform, to survive by embracing the ocean’s depths—while simultaneously being considered
“the abandoners of hope—sea dwellers”.
Injecting the serum, I felt the immediate rush of transformation. As I approached the water's
edge, hesitant about the chilling embrace of the sea, I was surprisingly met with an unexpected
warmth—was this the effect of the serum, or was it because of the increased temperatures from
our idiocy? My spleen enlarged, optimizing my body's ability to store oxygen for prolonged
underwater dives. My skin underwent a subtle change, developing a layer of blubber-like
insulation to help me withstand the cold depths. My eyes adjusted to the dark, their sensitivity
heightened to detect the faintest glimmers of bioluminescent life forms that illuminated my path
into the depths.
I plunged into the ocean, the cold embrace of the water now a welcoming sensation thanks to my
newly adapted thermal regulation. Below, the sea glimmered against the lights of moonlight and
shadow, revealing an underwater city pulsing with life.
The city glowed with the ethereal light of bioluminescent algae, illuminating pathways that
showcased the underwater structures. These buildings, crafted from living coral, appeared to be
reinforced with engineered biomaterials to stand resilient against the currents.
Communication across the city utilized natural frequencies, mimicking the complex songs of
whales, without the harsh intrusion of surface technology. This is a world that chose adaptation
over abandonment, a society that transformed when faced with its demise.
The citizens of this submerged society navigated their environment with an ease that made me
envious. They were attuned to the rhythm of the ocean. Their bodies had adapted over
generations; modified circulatory systems allowed them to withstand high pressures, and they
spoke of the surface with a distant kind of pity. They had built something permanent, something
meant to last, not just survive.
My guide shared stories of the surface's downfall, tales of greed and desperation that echoed the
world I knew too well. "There was a time when the choice wasn't clear," she explained. "As the
waters rose, resources grew more and more scarce—a revolution led by the desperate and the
greedy ignited a war. They wanted to seize control, to invest everything in reaching new planets.
But those of us who believed in adaptation, in the possibility of a future beneath the waves,
fought for our vision." They chose differently–building a future from the ruins rather than flee to
the unknown.
As we continued, the contrast between above and below deepened. Above, those on the surface
clung to the hope of escape—a hope fueled by lies and fading as quickly as the dry ground.
Below, the city thrived in harmony with the environment: energy flowed seamlessly, waste was
transformed into power by engineered marine species, and bioengineered algae contributed to
both the city's carbon capture and the bioluminescent glow that illuminated its pathways.
The realization that I belonged here grew with every passing moment. As the serum's effects
lingered, I felt more at home in the water than I ever did on land. My skin seemed to welcome
the sea; my lungs no longer craved air but readily accepted the oxygen filtered through water.
The thought of going back up, to return to a land of lies and fading dreams, became unbearable.
At the docks, where the water met the remnants of a corrupt world, I paused. My broadcast
device was set up, ready to transmit everything I'd witnessed—the truth, the lies, and the
deception. It was now or never. I activated the stream, and clips of the underwater utopia, with its
thriving community and sustainable innovations, flowed seamlessly into contrast with images of
failed space expeditions and desolate launchpads–the relics of a futile quest for escape.
I took my place in the transformation chair. The full dose of the serum flowed into me, an
irreversible embrace of my new world.
The reactions from above were filled with denial and desperation, but as my body adapted—my
vision sharpened, my lungs transformed—I was undeterred.
Embraced by the sea, I swam deeper, joining a society that faced its challenges head-on. Here,
beneath the waves, we didn't just survive; we thrived, proving that humanity's true potential was
not in fleeing our problems, but in rising to meet them. Here, in the depths, I found not just
refuge but rebirth—a testament to what we could achieve when we embraced our reality and
transformed it.
References:
Author's Note: The below references were used to form an understanding and develop the
setting and concepts for my flash fiction. Please note the setting and events described are
fictional and meant to enhance the narrative in a fantastical context.
NASA, “Evidence,” science.nasa.gov, Mar. 2024. https://science.nasa.gov/climate-change/evidence/
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, “Predictions of future global climate,” scied.ucar.edu,
2021. https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/climate-change-impacts/predictions-future-global-climate
K. Latham, “The final frontier? How humans could live underwater in ‘ocean stations,’” www.bbc.com,
Dec. 01, 2023. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20231130-can-humans-live-underwater
“Life in the Deep Sea,” Let’s Talk Science, Dec. 13, 2021.
https://letstalkscience.ca/educational-resources/backgrounders/life-in-deep-sea
H. Onyeaka, T. Miri, K. Obileke, A. Hart, C. Anumudu, and Z. T. Al-Sharify, “MINIMIZING CARBON
FOOTPRINT VIA MICROALGAE AS A BIOLOGICAL CAPTURE,” Carbon Capture Science & Technology, vol. 1,
no. 100007, p. 100007, Dec. 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccst.2021.100007.
The Ocean Portal Team, “Bioluminescence,” Smithsonian Ocean, Dec. 18, 2018.
https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/fish/bioluminescence
