Zones

• Grace Blackburn, Grade 3
• Short Story
• 2022

Splash!! Into the ocean goes the big brown submarine. Willow and Jessie yell “Ahhhhhh!” They get the propeller started and start to move.
This is the story about two young teens who get lost underwater and I am sorry, but you have to read more to know more.
As the two glide at top speed under the surface, they hear a sort of clanking noise. Suddenly, they jolt to a stop. Jessie looks out the window and yells “We have hit a coral reef!” Willow tries to get the engine on but they had run out of power because they went top speed.
The two start to feel the submarine shifting forward off the coral reef. Jessie rushes to the window and is surprised to see a school of clownfish pushing them. One comes up to greet them and says “Hi, my name is Skipper, and you look stuck.” Then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, the submarine gets pushed off the coral reef and starts to sink. “Bye!" they all say cheerfully.”
Jessie and Willow had just been through the twilight zone. Once again, the submarine jolts to a stop. They just float there in mid ocean. “It has got a little bit darker” Willow observes. Plop! The two get a fright and even jump up a little.
Jessie opens the top window and is surprised to see a horde of blobfish on top. One says, in an old Australian accent, “Ello, me name’s Mr Blobby.” The two are wordless. “Stop staring and start jumping!” he yells at the two.
They start jumping, still looking up in confusion. Down they go, sinking slowly through the ocean. This time it isn’t a jolt, but a gentle plonk. Willow looks down through the side window with curiosity and yells “We’re at the bottom of the ocean!” They both scream at the top of their lungs until finally, Gnasher, a weird looking anglerfish says, “Can’t you keep it down?”
“S…s…sorry…” they murmur. “Look, what’s your problem?” Gnasher says. “We are both going to die!” Jessie yells. “We are never going to get back up to the surface.” “The surface you say, huh, easy!” says Gnasher, flashing his light lure.
Then, a ginormous squid eye smacks onto the submarine window and propels them toward the surface. Pop! They are at the pier! They willingly get off the submarine and onto the pier. “What an amazing journey” they say to each other.
But wait, I never said if they went back down again or not. Nah, just kidding, they never want to go down there again. They had the fright of their lives.