Black Sand
The warm, gentle ocean breeze played with the loose ends of her hair as she sorrowfully fixed her gaze on the charcoal-black beach. The subtle sound of the waves filled her ears as they kissed the shore and withdrew slowly. Kilo sat on a nearby stone, closing her eyes, basking in the sun, and relaxing.
A voice interrupted her sunbathing. "You're not a housecat, you know? It's too early to be trying to nap."
"Well, you did name me as if I was one. I'm just enjoying the ocean breeze and some sun while it's still cool out," Kilo replied with a smile as she opened her eyes. Her dad stood over her with a smirk dressed fully in his trademark blue Hawaiian shirt and khaki shorts.
"You know you can't go wandering off, hun. Also, weren't you the one who wanted to go on this tour?" he raised an amused eyebrow at her, gesturing towards the small crowd on the hill where a tour guide stood at the front, tapping his watch.
Kilo glanced at the tour group. The guide wore a red polo shirt, white shorts, and flip-flops. There was a badge as well, but she couldn't read it from this distance.
"Yeah, but to be fair, I like to look at everything in detail Dad. They don't seem like that kind of group," she said rolling her eyes as she stood.
He laughed, "I know, I know just making sure that we get to see everything that we want to," he said, turning and walking towards the tour group.
Kilo's eyes were drawn to the beach once more. The history of this place overwhelmed her. Images of explosions and gunfire flickered through her mind. Marines crawled across the black sand, shouting over the chaos, but she quickly shook herself out of the thought. Turning away, she jogged up to her dad's side, slowing her pace to match his and trying to keep in step with him.
He gently pushed her to the side, laughing as he sped up to throw off her rhythm. Kilo ran after him giggling and slapped him on the back, shouting, "You turd!"
"I know the two of you are having fun, Mark, but some of us have a schedule to keep," said the guide, exasperated as they arrived at the rolling hills.
"Sorry, won't let it happen again Finn," Mark replied with a mischievous grin, elbowing his daughter playfully.
Finn ushered them into the group and said, "Well, now that you have graced us with your presence, let's continue the tour. Our next destination is Mt. Suribachi." He paused and gestured behind him, where a five-hundred-foot mountain was covered in shrubbery and interspersed with stone. The far side dropped off into a sheer cliff, revealing more brush and rocks below.
He continued, "Where U.S. Marines infamously raised the Star-Spangled Banner over Iwo Jima during the battle. This moment was captured by Joe Rosenthal in a photograph that would become emblematic of the Pacific War itself. That image would earn him the Pulitzer Prize. Do you have any questions before we move on?"
A hand shot up from the front. "So are we going to get to go into the tunnels and caverns," Kilo questioned, bouncing on her heels.
Finn narrowed his eyes at her and replied, "No. As I have explained before, those areas have become unstable due to recent volcanic activity and are off-limits until further notice." He shook his head and added, "Any other questions that don't pertain to the tunnels?"
Another hand went up, "Yeah, when do you expect the caves to open up again?" Mark inquired.
Finn stared at him for a moment before announcing, "Since there are no more questions, let's head up the mountain." He then turned and led the group towards the base of the mountain.
Kilo frowned, looking down at the rock trying to hide her disappointment. Her dad nudged her arm. She looked up at him sheepishly, and he winked, saying, " Maybe we can sneak into one while he isn't looking," speaking discreetly. This made her eyes roll as she replied, "You're going to get us in trouble."
He scoffed, "Me? Never. We still get to explore those shipwrecks later. How bout we catch up with the rest of them?" Her father walked ahead, motioning for her to follow.
She looked back down and kicked the rock. Throwing her head back in an exaggerated manner, feigning exasperation, she sighed, "Fiiiiiine. Let's go." Kilo strolled beside him, and he patted her on the head.
Kilo's legs felt like Jell-O and her lungs burned as the incline leveled out. The wind whipped against her shirt roughly when she reached the top, the view took her breath away.
Before her lay a small valley that resembled a chair carved for some mythical giant, the cliffside of the mountain opened to the vast ocean, while behind her, rolling hills stretched across the island. She could barely distinguish the Japanese Self-Defense Force air base in the far distance. A few yards away from Kilo stood an American flag built on stone tiles. Next to it was a concrete memorial with a brass U.S. flag jutting out from the top. On either side of the placard, a black "V" with a red spearhead in the center was displayed, and below each "V", a Marine Corps insignia decorated the face of the concrete. In the center, there was a brass depiction of the Marines raising the flag.
"Here is the exact spot those Marines raised Old Glory," Finn explained, interrupting her thoughts. He continued, "Three of the six Marines in that iconic photo—Sergeant Michael Strank, Corporal Harlon Block, and Private First Class Frank Sously—would give their lives assaulting Japanese positions during the battle, all within the same month. If you look in the faaaar distance past the JSDF air base you can just make out the incomplete Imperial Japanese airfield on the northwestern side of the island, known as Airfield Three to the American forces."
"Along the ridgeline of the mountain," he paused, directing the group's attention behind them. Rows of pillboxes and trenches lined the ridge. Cave and tunnel entrances were carved into the sides of decaying trenches. "Is where many of Japanese southern forces made their last stand, fighting virtually to the last man," he concluded.
Kilo kneaded her hands and swung her arms with a small grin, eager to be set loose. Her dad shuffled next to her and put a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. He was fidgeting as well.
Finn looked directly at Kilo and her dad and said, "You may walk around the trenches and pillboxes if you wish, but DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT go into the tunnels or caves. We'll meet back here in about thirty minutes."
Before Finn finished speaking, the two of them were speed-walking toward the bunkers like eager children rushing for the ice cream truck. Her dad was the first to reach the trenches, but she managed to squeeze in through one of the pillbox's broken windows, beating him inside.
"I win!" she said, beaming at him.
He laughed and gave her a playful noogie, "I'll get you next time. I just wish your mom would have come with us."
Kilo sighed. "You know she doesn't like this kind of shit," she said, looking out one of the windows facing the coast in awe.
"Language," Mark said warningly, then grumbled, "Scuba diving is still a cool idea if you ask me. Sadly, she has thalassophobia, so that's a no-go."
She turned, walked up to him, and poked his cheek. "Thanks for taking me here, Dad. Now, back to what we came for!" She faced the center of the room, taking it all in. The interior was dimly lit, with light streaming in from the few windows and the doorway. The floor was scattered with pieces of cracked concrete and rusted metal, while moss crept up the walls and through the entrances.
"Oh my God. Oh my God! Oh my God!" She shouted in excitement as she ran over to a rusty gun barrel resting in the corner of the wall.
"Now that is indeed a rare find. I'm surprised a Type 100 was left here, even if it is just the barrel." Her dad remarked as he followed.
"Can I please keep it? pleeeease!" she begged, giving him her best puppy dog eyes while crouching over the antique.
Mark avoided her gaze and said, "You can't keep it, hun. As much as I'd like for us to have such a piece of history, I don't feel like getting hit with an enormous fine. Plus, this probably should go to a museum."
Kilo stood back up and crossed her arms, "Fine, but we have to get ice cream after this."
"Deal, but first, let's see if we can sneak into those tunnels," said Mark, ruffling Kilo's hair. He walked out the door, leading her through the trenches. The rest of their group was dispersed along the edges of the trenches, with the nearest person about fifteen meters away. They seemed hesitant to enter the trenches themselves. Kilo noticed that their guide was writing on a notepad, which made her frown.
"What do you think he's writing?" she questioned her father.
"Who? The tour guide? Oh, I'm sure it's probably job-related." he replied, giving Finn a nonchalant glance. They stopped in front of a chained-off tunnel entrance. The waist-high chain stretched across the entrance, holding a sign that read: "Temporarily Closed: DO NOT ENTER." Beyond it, steps led down into darkness, but Kilo could discern the faint outline of a passageway and a ghostly blue light emanating from the end.
"Oh no you don't!" came a voice from behind, startling them. They turned to see Finn standing on the edge of the trench with his arms crossed. "I'll make you a deal. You two stay where I can see you for the rest of the tour, and I won't boot you from it," he said, pointing at them in an accusatory manner.
Mark raised his hands and replied, "Okay, okay, no need to boot anyone from anything. We'll stay where you can see us." He climbed out of the trench and offered a hand to assist his daughter. She clasped it and leveraged her way up the wall, then climbed to her feet.
The man eyed them for a moment before responding, "Good. Now, if you'll excuse me I need to start alerting the rest of the group to head toward the meeting point. Just to be safe, you two will be following me as well." He began walking along the trenches and waved at them to follow.
Mark gave him a disgruntled look, arms crossed, but followed him nonetheless. Kilo strode along her father's side and playfully poked his cheek. "It was worth a shot, Dad," she consoled him. Her father brightened, uncrossing his arms, and wrapped one around her shoulder. "Thanks," he replied, watching the ocean swallow the scattered remnants of old ships from a more violent time.
The thrum of the boat engine reverberated through Kilo's chest as she lay on a bench, staring at the clouds above. Relaxing her body, she closed her eyes and focused on the vibrations. Suddenly, she felt a shadow above her and cracked an eye to investigate. A young, tan girl in a black wetsuit with pink accents was watching her.
Shutting her eye again, Kilo asked, "So, do you usually stare at random strangers, or is this a first-time thing?"
"My name's Juliett," the girl said, beaming at her.
"Your parents' are literature majors?" Kilo fished, stretching her arms out.
"Not anymore. My grandfather raised me; he's a veteran," Juliett replied dryly as a crew member squeezed past her to go below deck. Kilo opened her eyes and grimaced.
"Sorry, I'm Kilo. It's uh, nice to meet you," she said, now sitting up and extending her hand. Juliett smiled, took her hand, and reassured her, "Don't worry about it. I didn't know them very well. It's nice to meet you too."
Kilo peered at her with scrutiny and asked, "How old are you by the way?"
"I'm eleven. That's kind of an odd thing to ask out of nowhere," Juliett replied. Kilo frowned, thinking, "Three years younger than I."
Just then, the intercom announced, "This is your captain; we're approaching the diving location now." They felt the boat lurch as it began to decelerate and circle. Kilo stood up and stretched, getting ready. Juliett followed suit, seemingly trying to mimic her.
Kilo glanced back at the island; it wasn't too far away. In fact, It took the crew longer to load the boat than it did to reach the dive spot. A finger gently prodded her cheek, and she heard a voice say, "Are you ready for some shipwrecks, hun?"
She smiled and shouted excitedly, "Hell yeah, Dad!"
"Language," Mark touted, ruffling her hair.
The sound of crew members emerging from below decks caught Kilo's attention. The crew carefully carried rebreather kits and set them down in a row, inspecting each one.
"Those look rather expensive," Kilo remarked, eyeing the rebreathers. The kits had a parachute pack/backpack hybrid appearance, featuring a red stripe along the side and two white oxygen tanks strapped to the back. A black tube ran from either side, meeting a mouthpiece in the center, while a gauge hung from each shoulder of the pack.
"I would hope so. I did pay a lot for this, specifically for the rebreathers," Her dad begrudgingly admitted. He was dressed in a blue accented wetsuit.
An older man in a yellow-accented wetsuit approached them and said, "You and me both, sir. It appears my granddaughter has made some friends. She's quite bold and tends to scare people off."
Juliett gasped and stamped her foot. "I do not scare people. I'm just friendly."
Her grandfather crinkled his nose at her, giving her a side hug, and said, "Of course you are."
Mark responded with a laugh, "I'm just happy I could package the tour of the island with it. It was a pretty good deal, to be honest, probably because it has the same guide. My daughter usually isn't keen on meeting new people, so this is refreshing. My name is Mark Jameson, and this is Kilo."
The old man smiled at the name, clearly amused. "Gray. Gray Vicks, retired Marine," he said, offering his hand.
Mark accepted the handshake firmly, saying, "Ah, I'm a historian. What kind of Marine am I talking to, sir?"
Gray laughed and replied, "Logistics. I'm a high-functioning crayon eater. And before you ask, my favorite is the yellow one."
Their conversation was cut short when the divemaster moved to the center and announced, "Okay everyone, we're getting set up. I'll need you to form a line so we can get you all outfitted."
Gray sighed and extended his hand again. "I guess that's our cue. We'll watch your backs if you watch ours. See ya down there?" A line began to form as the divemaster and a few crew members started issuing gear.
Mark smiled and clasped his hand. "Of course."
They then moved to get in line.
As she submerged into the water, she felt its embrace wrap around her, with the cold creeping into her limbs. Kilo kicked her feet, hearing nothing except the splashes of other divers entering the water and the sound of her own breathing. Below her, twenty meters down, rested a deteriorating cargo ship, barely distinguishable from the surrounding coral reef. The other divers swam down, leaving her to wait near the surface. Finally, her father dropped in and swam toward her. He poked her shoulder playfully and scrunched his nose. In response, she poked his forehead and made an "OK" sign with her fingers. They waited for Gray and Juliett to join them as well.
First, Juliett entered the water and swam over to them; then her grandfather followed suit. Mark and Kilo signaled an "OK" sign to them, which they mirrored in response. They swam down in unison, with Kilo and Mark taking the lead. As they approached the wreckage, Kilo observed a hole in the main deck toward the bow.
"That's probably from a bomb," Kilo thought as she looked down the length of the ship. As they arrived, she noticed it was covered in barnacles and riddled with holes. Schools of small, silver fish with yellow and black stripes swam through the ship, mingling with triggerfish and eels. Mark waved at her and pointed towards a large opening in the hull. She nodded and signed "OK". Juliett and Gray signed "OK". Together, they moved toward the gap in the hull.
Once inside, Kilo could see old, crumbling catwalks and interior support beams. Broken-down trucks were shoved to one side of the compartment, and Type 97 medium tanks lay tilted on their sides. She waved to the others and pointed at the tanks rapidly before swimming off. Upon closer inspection, Kilo observed that the tanks had broken tracks and their turrets had slewed so that the gun rested on the deck. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her arm, spinning her around. It was her dad, who held his hands level and palms down to signal that she needed to slow down. She signed "OK" and poked his cheek apologetically.
Gray signed "OK" while looking concerned, and Juliet placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Kilo gave an apologetic glance and gently pat Juliett's hand. She signed "OK" and joined the others as they swam around the compartment, scanning their surroundings.
Kilo saw Juliett point to her eyes and then at the sandy deck, signaling for them to look down. At first, Kilo didn't see anything but then spotted a two-foot-long nurse shark slowly gliding along the deck. Juliet made a thumbs-down gesture, indicating that they should descend. The group agreed, and they dived down for a closer look.
They swam alongside the shark, following its movements. Juliett was nearest to it and her face was giggling with delight. Her joy was infectious, causing her grandfather and Mark to crack smiles. Kilo frowned, concerned about how close she was. Suddenly, the shark sped up, agitated. Gray signaled to his granddaughter to slow down and give the shark some space. The shark darted off, disappearing into the blue outside the ship.
They paused, staring at the spot where it vanished for a moment before rapidly signaling for Juliett to slow down. She signed back "OK" and bowed her head partially. Her grandfather patted her on the head, smiling reassuringly at her.
A blinking red light flashed on the strap of all their rebreathers. Kilo checked her air gauge and noticed she had about an hour and a half of air left. Mark gave them a thumbs-up, signaling for them to surface. Kilo and the others agreed, with Gray leading them back the way they came.
As they came out of the belly of the ship, Kilo saw that the other six divers had already reached the surface. Juliett, Kilo, and Mark formed a single-file line behind Gray as they slowly ascended. However, Gray was getting farther and farther away from them. Kilo frowned and tried to swim faster, but she didn't seem to get any closer. Glancing over her shoulder, she noticed that, despite their efforts, her dad and Juliett weren't moving either.
Kilo's eyes widened, and a pit formed in her stomach. She desperately tried to signal Gray to slow down, but he wasn't looking at them. In a moment of true desperation, she stopped swimming and started waving her hands sporadically above her head. Finally, Gray noticed them and halted, giving them a confused look. Kilo partially relaxed, feeling better knowing that at least he was aware they were stuck.
Suddenly, Kilo felt the current shift, rushing past her in the opposite direction. Ice ran through her veins as the sensation coursed over her. She glanced at Juliett and saw fear etched on her face. Kilo tried to maintain a brave facade to reassure Juliett, but her courage faltered when she saw the terror in her father's eyes. A deep sense of horror gripped her as she felt the current dragging them off the crest of the reef down into the open ocean.
She relaxed and let Mother Nature take over.
The ocean floor receded into the depths, vanishing. Mark grabbed Kilo and Juliett's hands tightly as they were swept through the torrent. Kilo clenched her eyes shut and tightened her grip. She waited, bracing for the crushing impact of being slammed against the reef, the coral tearing into her back muscles, leaving her at the mercy of scavengers to pick at her flesh but it never came.
Kilo unclenched her eyes and opened them. There was nothing around her but dark blue water, her father, and Juliett. They were both alive and they were okay too. Kilo embraced them tightly, feeling the current settle. Mark signaled for them to surface and began to ascend, pulling them with him.
Once they broke the surface, Kilo scanned the horizon, searching for the boat or even the island. "WHERE'S THE BOAT?" she scowled in frustration.
Mark took out his mouthpiece and asked, "Y-you girls okay?"
"Y-y-yeah Dad," Kilo managed to eke out.
They looked to Juliett, who could only nod slightly, her body shaking.
"Just s-stay calm. We'll find our way back by using the sun as a reference," Mark stuttered, pointing at the sun, which was starting to sink.
The two girls nodded in agreement, more sure of themselves now. They formed a tight group and began to swim away from the now-setting sun as the gentle waves lapped and splashed behind them.
They had been swimming for about an hour when Mark stopped them to check if the sea floor was now visible. He popped his mouthpiece in and plunged his face into the water.
When he surfaced, shaking the water from his head, Mark was silent, staring at the ocean.
"Did you see anything?" Juliett broke the silence.
He swallowed hard and replied, "Yeah, I could see the floor. It's faint, but it's there."
Juliett smiled at this, clapping her hands over her head. "Yayyy!"
Kilo poked his cheek and asked, "What else did you see, Dad?"
"N-n-nothing Kilo," He replied.
She narrowed her eyes. "She knew he was hiding something." She inserted her mouthpiece before submerging.
Kilo scanned the sea floor, barely able to make out the sand. She frowned in confusion and then searched the open water. It was nothing but blue as far as the eye could see. Suddenly, she had locked eyes with a creature about thirty yards behind them and fifteen meters down.
Its eyes were bone white, with a narrowed pupil in the center, set in a narrow skull. A two-meter-long, beak-like snout protruded from its face. It had four long, powerful fins with a giant tail that tapered off towards the lower half. Its body was rather rotund yet impossibly streamlined, giving it an alien appearance. The creature was massive, appearing to be at least twice the length of an Orca.
Kilo's hair stood on end as the creature floated there, completely motionless. She refused to blink, a pit forming in her stomach. The only movements she made were to keep herself in place. Her mind went blank, fearing that the creature could hear her thoughts.
It began to swim towards them, slowly and methodically. Kilo's mind raced as she tried to calm herself. She quickly brought her face out of the water, shouting, "LOOK IN THE WATER!" before submerging again. The creature now floated motionless, merely feet from her. Her heart pounded against her chest as it opened its mouth slowly, revealing a short but robust set of carnivorous teeth. In a panic, she tried to swim away, but it grabbed her legs with intense pressure.
Mark and Juliett were helpless, forced to watch in horror as Kilo was dragged into the depths, striking the side of the monster's snout. Kilo looked back and saw her father and Juliett slowly fading into the distance as she struggled to free herself. "No. No. No. NO!" her mind screamed. Just then, she realized the creature's teeth no longer gripped her legs. She swam vigorously back toward her dad and Juliett, her lungs and limbs burning from the exertion. The two came back into full view, and she smiled.
Kilo's father and Juliet wore solemn expressions, causing the smile to fade from her lips. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the creature opening its jaws, snapping them shut around her, and plunging her into darkness.
A search and rescue helicopter flew overhead, spraying water into Mark's face. He sputtered as he held Juliett tightly. He watched as a rescue basket was lowered down, with a diver in an orange and silver suit. The man loaded Juliett and Mark into the basket, strapping them down and waving for the chopper to reel them in.
Gray was waiting for them and promptly embraced his granddaughter. Her eyes were red and swollen as she sniffled, resting her head on his shoulder. He glanced at Mark, who had curled into a fetal position, and his expression softened. Gray placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. A single tear rolled down Mark's cheek.
A man in a red polo shirt and white shorts was typing away on a computer. He spun in a chair and took a sip of his coffee. After setting the cup down, he stared at the screen, which displayed the word "Shonisaurus" along with a list of analytical data and graphics.