Chapter 3: The Octopus

"Suze?"

Caz awoke suddenly, pulling his arm back from the empty slot of his bed. Still coming to terms Suze wasn't there. For a few moments waking up he really did think so. Then he started to remember where he was. The last few days came back like a punch. He sat up in bed, trying not to think about it. Surely if he did, he'd lose himself in missing her. Missing his girls.

Another morning much like the last. Except no Cartier to fumble him awake. He showered and made his way to canteen, with the usual gaggle at the long table. At least I have a spot at the popular table now. He sat down with Josie, Finlay, Brodie and Raffs once again. Filled Josie in on what happened with Rennick. She definitely had her opinions to that.

"Zat fucking… old, useless, scheming piece of shit! I knew… I knew he assigned me to train you for a reason."

Brodie teased, "Deep breaths, Cartier."

"What d'you mean? What reason?" Caz asked.

"He's just waiting for me to fuck up. Royally. Why else he make it my job to train electrician? When I can't train right, he can take it to Cadal and get rid of me. He's literally a villain."

Brodie raised a brow at that. "And what? You're the hero?"

"Oui, of course, I am. I'm getting singled out by Satan, himself."

"Or," added Brodie, "You could just try being easier to work with. Being nicer."

"What?" Josie exclaimed, "I am nice!"

Finlay and Brodie both coughed on their food trying not to laugh. Josie just whipped her head to glare at each of them.

Finlay advised, "You and Rennick row too much. You can be the bigger person sometimes. Lord knows it won't be Davey."

Josie grimaced, "No. It's the way we've communicated for too long. Anything else would be weird. We speak fluent cunt, and it seems to work for us."

"It really donnae, Jo." Finlay said raspy.

"You're a wee bit aggressive too." Brodie said boldly, "I get in your circumstance you needed to when you were hired. But you been here a while now. You can put the tough girl act to bed."

"Tough girl? Bouffon, I'm French." Josie shrugged in a slighted manner.

"That's not a good enough excuse when you're out on the dive with me today. You canny lose your head, lass."

Caz asked then, "You're diving, Cartier?"

"No. I'm inspecting! Zat reminds me!" Josie went excited and pulled Caz's arm, "We are in for a treat today, handyman! Today we're going to be at zee dive port!"

"How's that a treat?"

"Connard, come on. We get to see Brodie dive! It's incroyable. People say what zay want on zee rig. No job is more badass zan zee divers. It's hardcore."

Brodie tilted his head with a smile and gestured his fork at Josie. "Flattery, Cartier. You're off to a good start."

"Imagine having to dive down in a big metal box all the way to zee sea floor. Go repair pipes and shit, too. Zee pressure, zee cold, zee marine life. Zare so many dangers. Definitely one of zee most dangerous jobs on zee rig. Not to mention, he needs to go down by himself. Could you see yourself doing zat, McLeary?"

Caz just scoffed and snorted, "Fuck no."

"Exactly. We get to see it as I do a test on zee pulleys. Zare is a fuse box up zare too you'll need to repair. Finally get to put some of zat electrician spunk to action, handyman."

Caz snorted, "That'll be a nice fucking change."

After breakfast, Caz and Josie followed Brodie and Raffs to the diving deck. It was in its own seclusion, far from the musk of oil and grime. In fact, the smell of the sea was vividly lingering.

Brodie teased, "You sure you donnae want a dip, McLeary?"

"Hell no. I'll leave that to you. Got brass bawbags doing it, that's for sure. I'm not fond of tight spaces. Would be something to tell the weans, though. You got any?"

Brodie deflated at the question, not outwardly, but a light certainly left his eyes. "Uh. Aye. I've got a boy."

"How old?"

Brodie immediately called out when they entered the deck, "Douglas! How's the dive bell?" He marched ahead leaving Caz's question with him.

Douglas was doing some workings on the bell on the higher level. "Like a dream, Brodie. Should be ready for you."

Josie urgently strode to the pulley controls of the bell, ushering Caz to keep following. Douglas called up, "That's a brand-new cable, you testing it out, bonny?"

"That's why I'm here, copain. Make sure our friend doesn't get stuck on zee bottom of zee North Sea."

Brodie winced up at her, "You really know how to fill a lad with confidence, Cartier."

Douglas asked Raffs, "You doing the split shift?"

"Uh. Nah," stammered Raffs nervously, "I'm not ready I donnae think."

"He's still on orientation, Douglas. When he's done, he's got even more courses to get away with. Nah. Just me today." Brodie replied to Douglas.

"You're gonnae be down there for twelve hours, then. Hope you brought a snack."

Brodie laughed, "I'm always prepared."

Josie was giving Caz the rigmarole of the pulley controls on the machine, while Douglas and Raffs were assessing the vital readers of the bell on deck. Brodie came back to them in his dive gear, complete with the helmet under his right arm. As he came out, Josie jested a salute and started to toot the 'Scottish the Brave' hook as he walked out, catching a chuckle from Douglas. Brodie lazily smiled up at her, "Thanks for the send off, Jo."

"Zee man! Zee legend!"

"You're like a little bairn all yaldy." Caz observed.

"What? It's fucking cool!"

Brodie got into the dive bell with half a struggle, not nearly as difficult as Caz was assuming it would be. It was clear he'd been doing this for a long time. Douglas and Raffs helped seal Brodie in, and his voice could be heard through a communication device on Douglas. "How's it in there, big man?"

"Cozy. I have just enough room to stretch."

Douglas chuckled, "Alright. We're gonnae start lowering you down." He nodded up to Josie who giddily pressed the controls.

"Hardcore," she muttered as the brake released and the controls started to whir. The cable lowered the bell slow. Steadily moving from the height of the rig and to the steady waves below. Caz couldn't help but wonder what was festering in Brodie's head. The cramped space, the fear of the unknown, the depth into frigid waters. Waters that could leech the life from you if thrown in. Not to mention the pressure, which seemed to be the main port of concern for Josie, Raffs and Douglas.

"Just slow, Cartier. Bell has to assimilate the compression."

"I know, I'm not a bouffon."

Caz asked a bit naively, "What would happen if the compression was faulty?"

"Huh?" Josie asked.

"What's the worst that could happen?"

Josie raised a brow. She didn't say anything but brought her hand in a closed fist to her head, then played an explosion with the same hand – making a pow with her mouth. Caz got the message right away. Somehow the fear of the task was admirable. Knowing the horrible consequences of what could go wrong if one thing wasn't executed properly or if a step was missed as Brodie descended. It would always be life or death. It took immense bravery. Caz thought, I hope he's alright.

Brodie was no stranger to the tussle of the bell when it reached the water. He held on and let the bell succumb into sea. Then the whopping winds and churning roar of the waves left in a moment. The air somehow got thicker, even with the oxygen supply. All he could see out the windows was opaque blue. Bubbles dancing up along the dive bell body. Douglas spoke through the communications, "How you doing, pal?"

"So far, so good."

It was several stories below. 50 metres. Into nothing but the deep blue. Hardly any marine vegetation or life. A desert in the North Sea of pure crystallized cold. There was something soothing about the gargle of bubbles outside his metal casing. The constant muffle of underwater. It was almost louder than his own movements in the bell. He made sure to monitor his o2 intake and compression vigilantly. The blue started to fade to black the more he delved. He turned the light on helmet, still sparse of light but he knew where he was going and what he was fixing. He was nearing the right level, and Josie started to slow on the release of the cable. Then it stopped, and the pressure started to set in. Brodie opened the bottom of the bell hatch and rechecked his dive gear and umbilical cords. His vitals. Then he checked them again. Then again. When his confidence was confirmed enough, he made the leap onto the ocean floor. The water chilled his skin firstly, even with the dry suit.

The cold was a friend to the dark on the sea floor. Brodie's long strides to the pipe gave him the feel of flying. Every step he took he could feel the cold rage, and the compression far worse. The gas mixture was so far doing its work, no risk of narcosis yet.

He got to the pipe that was corroded and beginning to spill oil into the ocean. He had the correct part and his tools and wasted no time getting to work as soon as he could. Knowing he'd have to take a break back in the dive bell soon. Every moment of work was imperative.

"Dada! Fishies!"

Brodie curved his brow as a memory tried to take him away from work. Not right now. Focus on the weld, Brodie. He flashed his light to the pipe to get better view in the opaque darkness. He flinched when he saw a limb move over the metal. His flashlight illuminated a curled octopus. It was pearl white with blotches of coral orange. The size of a rugby ball. It was a bit too close for comfort on the pipe. It would be in the weld way. Why are you here? Move on.

Octopuses usually don't stick around to say hello. This one seemed to have no issues with Brodie. If anything, it was curious. He went to shoo it away, but it just drifted back a foot. Brodie got his weld ready, then when he had it ready to use the octopus came right back. Brodie nearly scoffed in amusement. Stubborn wee mate.

He could probably use his weld to spook it. But for Brodie, it didn't feel right doing that. He brought a hand up, unsure why. He just wanted to see what it would do. To his awing surprise, the octopus lifted a tentacle back. It strode against Brodie's glove, like an otherworldly handshake. Brodie smiled, lifting his hand up and the octopus followed it. The experience became more visceral when the marine critter glided over Brodie's hand. It began to scuttle over his arm and simply held there. It was a first. A jaw-dropping first. To not only have an octopus so close but so trusting. So friendly and undaunted. Where Brodie could forget of the world for a small moment. Forget where he was in time. For a moment, in the darkness of the depths and the cold he felt like he was in space. Meeting another life form in the most amicable way. It was dutifully humbling. A reminder they were the invaders of this creature's home, yet it only had forgiveness. The purity to want to be friends.

They were Kyle's favourite. He loved them. Is it… really just a coincidence?

The octopus shifted up his shoulder than fluttered away in a blink. Brodie was still left in a euphoria, recalling the feeling desperately but it eventually drifted away. Little did he know, the octopus' swift depart was fast and strong enough to dislodge an umbilical from his suit. Affecting the gas mixtures.

On the deck, Douglas was checking the o2 tanks as Caz worked on the fuse box. Josie was having a smoke, and Raffs was making sure the main break was well oiled. Caz asked, "So, what happens now? Just wait for him to come back up?"

"He should be at the weld now. Give it a wee bit he'll radio in when he goes to the bell for a break. After that and after you're done the box, you and Josie can probably move on. Cartier!"

Josie shouted back to Douglas, "What?"

"The cable alright?"

"Is fine, copain. Machine is doing good, too."

Douglas shrugged back to Caz, "Easy morning, right?"

Suddenly the radio on Douglas began to squeak. He pulled it out and barked, "Brodie? That you?"

The voice was marbled but the words, "Pull me up!" Were clearly caught.

"Brodie?!"

Caz panicked, "What's going on?"

"Shite! Josie! Pull him up! There's something wrong!"

Josie flicked the cigarette over the deck and bolted to the higher level for the cable controls.

"Not too fast, Cartier! Remember! Decompression!"

"I know, connard!"

Douglas spat on the radio again, "Brodie? Can you hear me, pal? What's going on?!"

His voice was choppy on the mic, "Narcosis! It's getting worse! Agh – I canny. It's hard… to breathe! Shite! Shite! One of the umbilicals came undone!"

"Brodie?!"

The pulley was starting to roll up, Josie took her time in making sure it wasn't too fast. A 'catch twenty-two' situation. If he was lifted too quickly, the decompression could be lethal.

Raffs ran to the medical bay for supplies. Caz worryingly went to peer over the deck where the cable was. Douglas tried to make sure Brodie kept talking on the radio. Douglas ordered to Raffs when he came back, "Get Rennick on the phone!"

"And tell him what?"

"Tell him we need a fucking medic! Go!"

Raffs ran to the phone swiftly and dialled Rennick's office like it was emergency services. In this type of situation, first aid could only do so much.

Brodie's ascent to the surface was layered in the thickness of narcosis. Where his head felt as if it was going to explode from the inside. He was beginning to lose consciousness, and the face of his son kept flickering. Coming in and out with his small voice. At the aquarium in London, Brodie and his five year old, Kyle, enjoyed watching the marine animals. However, Kyle's particular favourite was the octopus. It was always the octopus. The only exhibit he really stayed at for long. In his hospital bed he still loved them. Cherished them. Keeping his blue octopus stuffed animal tucked under his arm as Brodie would read him stories. His wife, Scarlet, could never stay in the room with Kyle for long, as the pain of seeing him sick was far too much to bear. But Brodie was there. Always there. Even after ten years when the monitor flat-lined, Brodie would always be there. As he was suffering in the dive bell, he realized he had never left Kyle's bedside. Perhaps he never would. Maybe that's why he fell in love with the ocean? Why he held onto Kyle's memories so fiercely they pushed Scarlet away. Why he came out to the North Sea on the Beira to escape it. Only to realize he never could. Not when his memories came back of Kyle and himself in Skye, the most beautiful water he'd ever seen. Where even a five-year-old had to cease play and marvel at the beauty. Like father like son. Was that octopus a whisper of my boy?

The dive bell broke from water, coming back up to the deck where the worried glowers of Douglas, Raffs, Josie and Caz were left stirring. The phone was left ringing off the hook. Likely Rennick. But the four were far too preoccupied to care. Douglas ran up to the upper level with Josie and Raffs. Caz followed, not sure what he could do to help but he'd be damned if he didn't try. Douglas ordered to them, "Let's get ready to pull him out. Raffs, ready the first aid if it's needed. Brodie?! You hear me, big man? You alright?"

The winch rattled and the dive bell thumped as it reached their level. Douglas immediately pulled open the dive bell to see Brodie slumped against the seat. He wasn't responding, only raging their worry. "Shite! Shite! Brodie!"

Josie squalled and she helped Douglas get him out, "Putain!"

Caz and Douglas pulled him out, bringing his heavy frame back to the deck floor. The laid him flat and took off his helmet and equipment. Douglas checked for a pulse and relieved to still feel it. His breathing was low but there. "Thank Christ. Brodie! Hey, can you wake up?! We got you, man!"

Josie ranted in worry over Brodie, "Tu ferais mieux de ne pas mourir, connard! Réveillez-vous!"

Suddenly Brodie began to slowly flutter his eyelids. His voice hoarse, "Demande-moi plus gentiment, Cartier."

Caz, Douglas, and Raffs eased in relief as Brodie began to shuffle up. Josie's voice shrilled happily, "Oh, Dieu Merci! Je serai le putain de camarade le plus gentil de tous les temps! Ne recommence pas ça!" She hugged him suddenly, making him lightly chuckle and pat her back.

"Gave us a right scare, man." Caz breathed out.

Brodie sat up and sighed, "One of the cables for the gases came off. I started to feel the effects pretty soon after that. There was… an octopus? I think it ripped it out."

Douglas inspected the cables on his suit and could see the old and aged lines were outdated. He saw the one that came undone, it was in a state, definitely. "Old fucking suits, man. We need to stop using this outdated shite. Trots was right, this place is a fucking death trap."

Speaking of the devil, Trots came rushing into the diving area with a large first aid kit. His pallor glare started to fill back in colour when he saw Brodie awake and responsive. "The fuck! What the fuck happened?!"

"Why you here?" Brodie asked Trots who came up to their level in a swift jaunt.

"Rennick told me to come up here. Said it was an emergency."

Raffs puzzled, "Why you?"

"He's the on-site medic," sighed Brodie. "You roasters called Rennick? Come on."

Trots came up and opened the first aid kit, regardless. He would be damned if he didn't at least make sure Brodie was alright, himself. The phone started to ring again. Trots was conducting an exam on Brodie when Douglas said to Caz, "That's likely Rennick. Wannae go sooth the boss man and let him know Brodie's right? I'd ask Josie, but that wouldn't go well."

Caz hesitated at first, knowing his last chat with Rennick wasn't a rosy one, but went down to speak to him, anyway.

Trots asked Brodie as he was checking his heart rate, "You could have suffocated on your own monoxide, mate. How'd this even happen?"

"A… sounds kind of strange but there was an octopus down there. It got spooked and swam away. It must have pulled the line out."

"No way a fucking octopus does that." Trots shook his head.

"Couldnae been me. I wasnae doing anything but laying by the pipe. Which is still in need of fixing, by the way. Douglas…"

"Aye, mate. Don worry, I'll do it. As soon as we know you're right. Rennick better give you a day off." Douglas assured calmly.

Trots cursed, "Fucking prick has been neglecting safety measures for too damn long. It's about time action is taken."

"You've said this before, Ivan," mentioned Brodie with a tepid rasp.

"Aye, I know. Words are no longer enough."

Caz got on the phone with Rennick. He swallowed his nerves and answered. "Uh. Hello?"

"McLeary, that you? What the fuck is goin' on? Did Trots show up?"

"Aye, he's here now. He's looking over Brodie. He's fine."

"Why is it that every height of shite has you involved? Is Cartier there, too?"

"Aye. It was a freak accident in the water. No one is at fault."

"What about Brodie? Is he fine to go back for the dive?"

"Uh. No, he's got that compression sickness, I think. He needs time to recover."

"Christ sakes, send Douglas, then. Those pipes are fucked to high heaven. They need mending. Make sure you let him know."

Caz gritted his teeth a little. Fucking cunt isn't even worried for Brodie.

Then Rennick asked, "Does Brodie need a hospital?"

"Nah, he's right. Trots is good enough."

"Right. Tell Brodie he can go back to his cabin. Sleep it off."

Caz said brighter, "I will. Thanks. Good looking out, boss. I'm glad we got you involved."

"Get your nose out of my arse, McLeary. Just cause you're the one who answered the phone donnae mean I think any higher of you. Try to do something on the rig that won't involve life endangerment, eh?"

The phone clicked, leaving Caz to squish his lips together and slam it back to its hold. Fucking vicious prick.

Brodie went back through the diving port with Trots company. Back to the accommodation cabins. On his way, workers were stopping to check on Brodie and make sure he was right. All he needed was a pillow under his head, anything to numb the throbbing headache. He felt as if he had a hangover but without the beer. Somehow the thought of that octopus kept coming back. When he was alone in his cabin, they came back stronger. Kyle always loved them. Octopuses aren't friendly like that. Maybe it was him. Telling me to come home. He always loved the sea. How fitting his memory would reincarnate there, too.