Diala Sinclair is a young woman from modern day America, but she's not a typical woman. In fact, she's a demigod. A hardened and stubborn daughter of war.
Her heart has been hardened from years of dealing with the repercussion of her birth but how w...
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"ATTENTION ALL REMAINING VISITORS. THE AQUARIUM WILL BE CLOSING IN FIFTEEN MINUTES. PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE EXIT AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN SOON."
The professional, almost robotic female voice sounded her announcement over the intercom, a well rehearsed and obviously scripted line that Diala is sure she repeats every single day with a forced sense of enthusiasm. It echoed easily through the emptying halls, bouncing off of the glass tanks.
At such an announcement, most people would hurry to take their last few photos of the cherished and captured wildlife before making their way out of the aquarium before a staff member approaches them with their all too patient and forced smiles an passive reminders of their time limits. However, Diala made no rush to move towards the exit. The tank, filled sharks and multitudes of tropical fish, was only a couple minutes away from the exit; two at maximum if she walks casually. She'd rather enjoy the peace a little while longer before she has to drive back to her lonely apartment. Even with the fading sounds of crying children being scolded by their parents or workers finally taking a breather and gossiping about annoying tour groups with whining children and entitled parents.
Staring at the water and at the assortment of fish, she felt an odd sense of peace that she isn't used to. All her life, she feels like she's been running on intense emotions and high expectations that she would rather forget, and the visitations to the aquarium has done much to help her not think about how much she wished things were different. The relaxing atmosphere and the beautiful water somehow did much more than her therapy sessions. She doesn't need a doctor to pry her heart open like an oyster and tell her what she already knows, looking at her like she was just another basket case. Sometimes, pressing her head against the cool glass and looking at a shark or a colorful school of fish was enough. She doesn't know why she was drawn to the place. After all, while she likes the water well enough and swimming is an okay indulgence in the hot summers, but she never had much of an interest in sea life before. Past elementary school field trips to such places bored her to the point where she mostly stood in the back, absentmindedly watching the miscellaneous fishes while the guides droned on and on in that annoyingly enthusiastic tone adults use when trying to get children excited about learning.
However, these past few weeks, it's like the place has been calling out to her. Drawing her in like a moth to a flame, causing her to drift around the aquarium for hours that felt like mere minutes with no particular destination until closing time.
Honestly, part of her wants to blame some sort of magic or godly influence, making her wonder what the gods have in store for her this time. What monster has her father pissed off that is trying to lure her to her inevitable death out of petty vengeance or what task she has to complete to pacify someone's ego. But with weeks of coming with no answer, just a few extra trinkets from the souvenir shop, she hopes she's just finally cracked under the pressure with only Nemo & Friends to subconsciously keep her out of the nearest asylum.
"ATTENTION ALL REMAINING VISITORS. THE AQUARIUM WILL BE CLOSING IN FIVE MINUTES. PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE EXIT AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN SOON."
Diala nearly flinched at the sound of the announcement, looking up and narrowing her eyes at the speaker attached to the ceiling. She didn't realize she wasted so much time staring at the water again, nor how quickly the time past. But then again, it's what she's been doing, so what would be a change? Knowing she'll very likely be back again tomorrow, she does as she always does and presses her hand against the expectedly tank in a goodbye gesture.
Only, instead of the cool smooth surface she had grown used to, it was like her hand was plunged straight into cold water as though the glass wasn't even there. She tried to yank herself free, but it proved to be fruitless as she was seemingly pulled in further until she was within the tank, only managing to inhale a breath right before. The fishes immediately scattered, obviously fearful of the intruder in their tank.
In her own sense of panic, she does look back to the glass to see if any staff were nearby, but the halls were empty and dimly lit. She tried to go back out, but the glass was hard once again and her banging on it proved to be a useless endeavor.
Knowing there must be an opening at the top, she began to swim upwards in hopes of making it before she runs out of air. Only, it seemed like the water went on for longer than expected and the fish became less frequent and even the glass and ththe walls disappeared. Diala began to notice that the coolness of the water became warmer the more she swam upwards.
By the time she breached the surface, taking in a deep gasp of desperately needed air, she expected the bright light of the inside of the aquarium, where the staff feed the fishes and whatnot. Not a bright sun in a beautiful blue sky with herself floating in the sea. Turning around in confusion, her eyes widened as she saw a large ship with a purple and gold sail with a dragon head at the front of the ship.
And the ship was about to run her over.
Not my greatest opening scene but I hope it suffices! Please tell me what y'all think!
