Beneath the Waves

Blessings and Curses

⚠️explosions, somewhat detailed injuries⚠️

Brock sat on his bunk, staring around. He was leaving in 3 days, and he didn't want to go. Even less than usual, since usually he just didn't want to leave his friends and the stability of having something to do every day.

Now he and his friends had Brian and the others. Over the last 3 weeks, they'd all become close. Brock had become great friends, especially with Evan and Scotty. Kris, Daithi and Smiity were great, funny, kind and friendly.

It'd be different if he could call them whenever, but cell phones couldn't technically be used underwater. And any other type of radio required a closer range that what Brock lived.

"Brock you coming?" Tyler asked, Brock looking up and nodding. "Yeah, I'm coming," he said, getting up and grabbing his things.

They were going for a swim, a proper one. They were going a little distance away to meet their friends since it was broad daylight, but the crew had nightshift now until they left and couldn't swim any other time.

They headed off, waving to the workers they knew. Everyone often took the time to go swimming when they had the time, to cool off, get some exercise and just relax. So this small group leaving wasn't abnormal.

"Jon, Chrissy, Marcel and Anthony are already in the water," Tyler said, Lui and John leaning against the railing by the ladder. Brock nodded, making sure his knife was secured in his pocket and a length of rope knotted properly around his waist.

He dove into the water, chuckling to himself at Tyler's sigh behind him. He swam slowly up, seeing Jon's legs and moving to grab them. He let out a crow scream, kicking out but Brock dodged as he popped up above the water.

"You fucking bitch," Jon gasped, Brock laughing loudly as he wiped water off his face. Once the others joined them they took off, swimming only a few hundred meters before some of their friends popped up.

"We need your help," Brian said immediately, Brock frowning confused. "Where's Daithi and Smiity?" Tyler asked and Brian looked over worriedly.

"That's what we need help with, they're tangled in a really big net and we can't get them free," he said and Brock gasped. "Take me to them," he demanded, Brian grabbing his arms and taking off.

The other merpeople grabbed the other humans and took off behind them, Brock slipping his hand into his pocket to grab his knife.

"Down here," Brian said and Brock nodded, taking a deep breath before diving down. He caught sight of Evan tugging at the ropes locked around Daithi and Smiity, their arms stuck to their sides and tails bent nearly in half

Brock opened his knife and started sawing at the ropes, Tyler and John joining him. The other humans joined, all pulling knives out and carefully sawing at the ropes.

Brock's lungs were aching, but he could hold his breath for a good 3 or 4 minutes after a lot of practice. Jon had to swim up for air before diving back down, Chrissy and Tyler following moments later.

Brock was getting lightheaded, but kept sawing. Brian grabbed his arms and yanked him up to the surface, Brock gasping for air and almost blacking out. "Oh fuck," Brian fretted and Brock shook his head, taking a few quick deep breaths before diving back down.

He resumed sawing, noticing that the two mermen were almost free. Just a couple more, he thought determinedly, these ones a bit more difficult as they were directly against Daithi's and Smiity's skin.

Brock carefully pinched the rope, Daithi staring at him wide eyed with terror. Brock smiled reassuringly at him, carefully sliding the knife under the rope and pulling back.