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Part One- Pete
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It was dark. Not pitch black, but some greenish darkness that barely allowed shapes to form. All I could hear was the crashing of waves, all I could smell was the tang of seaweed. It was peaceful. That was, until my alarm clock went off, blasting music in attempt to get me out of bed. Fumbling around, I turned off the alarm and turned on the lights.

My hotel room was almost like any other. There was a king size bed with light blue sheets matching three out of four walls. All the furniture was the same color as warm sand. The ceiling had a seashell chandelier dangling down from it and the floor was made of smooth, glazed, colorful stones. The whole room was adorned with seashells. The only thing unusual about the room was the glass wall that separated the room from the open ocean. The whole hotel was submerged deep into the ocean, each room having at least one glass wall.

At first, I was terrified to be in an underwater hotel. I was going purely because my best friend Patrick begged me to come with him. I had an intense fear of one of the glass walls breaking or the air running out. Still, it was a cheap vacation if we bought one room to share, so I agreed. After about a week, I got over it and started to find the constant view of the fish and coral relaxing.

I rolled over in my bed to the body sized lump under the covers, and shook it. “Patrick, wake up!”

Patrick groaned, clearly not wanting to get up. “Go away, Pete.” Pulling on his arm, I eventually got him out of bed. “Why are you up this early? It’s only six.”

I rolled my eyes. “The scuba class is this morning, remember? I already reminded you yesterday.”

He groggily walked into the bathroom, giving me one last grumpy look as he closed the door. If it was anyone else being that irresponsible and forgetful, I would be mad at them; but Patrick was different. We’ve been friends ever since I was ten and he was five. We met when I was playing in a sandbox at a park and he wanted to use my shovel. I let him play with it even when it was time to leave; I left without it, too shy to ask for it back. Later, it turned out our moms knew each other. Patrick and his mom showed up at my front door to give me my shovel, where we became friends. Twenty years later, we’re as close as ever, having been through everything together. I lightly chuckled as I thought of the past, and went to get dressed in my latex scuba suit.

***

I stood inside the exit chamber of the hotel, Patrick right next to me, squeezing my shaking hand. We were both nervous, but thrilled. A rope was attached to our each of our waists to anchor us to the building. On our heads were diving masks with oxygen tanks. I took a deep breath as the inside sealing door closed, and another as the outside door opened, filling the exit chamber with water. We swam out into complete darkness.

When we were far enough away from the hotel, the hidden lights came on. All of the sudden, there was beauty all around us. Pink coral was at our feet, along with sponges and seaweed. Swimming around us, were fish of every color and size. “Come on, Pete.” Patrick’s voice came in through my headset while he pulled me along.

We swam for what seemed like forever, marveling at the beautiful seascape, only stopping when our ropes reached their maximum lengths. We had just reached a seemingly massive trench. Patrick reached to the carabiner that the rope was connected to, and snapped it off his belt. I immediately clung to his arm, fearing he might float away.

He smiled a reassuring smile at me. “Let go, I’ll be fine. I just want to explore more.” he said, but I still squeezed his arm. He took his free arm and forced me off of him.

Patrick started to swim down to the abyss. I shook my head, I couldn’t let him go alone. I quickly unclipped my own carabiner and swam after him.

***

The trench had no lights in it. By the time I caught up to Patrick, I couldn’t see a thing. We had to hold hands just so we wouldn’t lose each other. The cold water was making my toes numb, I wanted to turn back.

Just then, there was a deep growl from the darkness below us. I immediately bolted upwards, but Patrick was frozen in shock. Swimming as fast as I could, I took a hold of his hand and pulled him out of the abyss. As I pulled him, I heard him scream.

Then, I saw it. It resembled a giant swimming spider. Each leg was at least twenty feet long, the body covered in hair. The most terrifying thing about it though, was it’s massive, sharp teeth which were sinking into Patrick’s wrist.

I pulled my friend harder, and he broke free. We swam to the hotel, the monster close behind us. I shut the door of the exit chamber just in time. As the water drained into the floor, I laid Patrick on the floor and looked at his wrist. The monster had bit his hand clean off, and now blood was going everywhere. He was barely conscious.

I was about to call for help when there was a huge bang against the hotel. The monster was crashing against the glass, trying to break in. The workers rushed in with a stretcher and put an unconscious Patrick in it. They barely glanced at the monster before wheeling off, me following closely behind, tears stinging my eyes as I went.

***

    The hospital room they put Patrick in only had a few small windows in it, which was good because I didn’t want to see the monster swimming around out there. Shortly after we were given a room, I heard a walkie talkie a nurse had say a red alert was issued. I’ve seen enough movies to know that a red alert is never good.

    “Pete?” asked Patrick, just waking up from unconsciousness. “What happened?”

“What do you remember?” My voice shook as I spoke.

“I remember a spider-looking thing bite my hand off when we were diving.” He looked at me with large puppy dog eyes that he should’ve been famous for. I swept his sandy hair out of his face so I could see them better. He was as terrified as I was.

“Good, you didn’t miss much.” I didn’t want to tell him the beast was lurking outside the hotel as we spoke.

He was about to say something else when a doctor came in. “Are you Patrick Stump?” he asked my friend. After he nodded, the doctor continued. “I’m Doctor Frangipane. I’ll be taking care of you for the remainder of your stay. Under normal circumstances, you would be flown to a proper hospital on land. However, the hotel in under lockdown where no one is allowed to come in or out.”

“The monster, he’s still out there?”

The doctor sighed, then nodded. “Unfortunately, yes. Though it will be gone soon.” She said, not sounding very sure of herself. “By the time we get rid of it, your arm should be all fixed up.”

Patrick shook his head, “I don’t care about my arm. I just care about nobody else getting hurt by that thing.” he looked at me as he said the last part.

“No one else will.” she said, then quickly left.

***

    By the next day, Patrick was free to leave the hospital. As soon as we left, we went to our hotel room and packed our clothes and belongings. As soon as the hotel wasn’t under lockdown, we were leaving.

    “It stinks, at first this place was really nice.” I said.

    Patrick nodded. He hadn’t said much since we left the hospital. “What’s the matter?” I asked. “Is it about your hand?”

He shook his head. “No, not really. Sure I’m worried about my lack of hand, but I’m more worried about you. That monster could’ve got you just as easily as it had gotten me.”

I gave him a reassuring smile. “I’m fine, and once you get used to having only one hand, you will be too.”

Suddenly, a robotic female voice filled the room, “Attention all hotel inhabitants: The hotel in no longer under lockdown. However, we are closing permanently in the next week. We expect all guests to be checked out by Saturday. We are sorry for the inconvenience.”

“Does that mean the thing’s gone?” Patrick asked me.

“I think so.” I nodded, smiling. “Let's go!”

We moved quickly through the hotel, until we reached the doors on the very top floor. From there, it was an elevator ride to the surface of the water, and a boat ride home.

We were the only ones in the glass elevator. “Maybe everyone needed time to pack up,” suggested Patrick. It was true. Besides us and a few staff members, no one else knew of any danger.

When we were about ten feet from the surface platform, the elevator suddenly bolted to a stop. Patrick and I were exchanging confused looks when a loudspeaker came on. “The elevator is having technical difficulties. We just sent out a hydrocopter that should be there soon.”

“Thank god.” I muttered. A hydrocopter was a helicopter that could go under water. Once it gets here, it will have us on land in no time.

***

    About twenty minutes later, we saw the hydrocopter as a blurry blob through the surface of the water. I smiled a smile of relief. I looked at Patrick, expecting to see a similar reaction. Instead, he was gazing at something behind me. I turned around to see what it was. Coming towards us at an alarming rate, was the Monster.

    “Hurry up!” We both screamed at the hydrocopter, which was then just reaching the elevator, but it was too late. The Monster was slamming against the glass, breaking it.

    I ran to the opposite side of the elevator, hugging Patrick as hard as I could. Water was pouring in while the Monster snapped it’s massive fangs at us. Next to us, a hydrocopter worker cut open the glass and handed us each a water breathing mask.

    Patrick was climbing on board when it happened. I felt a sharp, stabbing pain in my leg. When I looked down, all I saw was red. I was suddenly aware of the ice cold water around me. “PETE!” I heard Patrick scream. I was too busy looking at the red water to see him. For a quick instant, the sharpness in my leg was released, then moved up to my waist. I didn’t understand what was happening. Finally, I looked up my friend, who was screaming my name. He was being closed in the hydrocopter, clearly trying to get to me. The last thing I saw was Patrick mouthing my name, then the words ‘I’m sorry’.
***

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Part Two- Patrick
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HERE LIES PETE WENTZ
JUNE 5TH, 2079- JULY 14TH, 3009
BELOVED FRIEND

    I run my fingers over Pete’s headstone. It has been a year since the Monster killed him, and a moment hasn’t passed where I haven’t thought about him. I blame myself for his death. If I never asked him to go to on vacation with me, he would still be alive. He was my best friend, but he felt like my brother, maybe even more than that. Today is the day where I kill the thing that took him from me.

***

I sling my harpoon into my small boat. I’ve been preparing this adventure for months. I spent all my money on the supplies I would need to kill the Monster. The time has finally arrived. I row out to where the abandoned hotel is. No one has been in it for a year; they think it’s a dangerous spot now that the Monster lurks there. They’re right.

Suiting up in my scuba suit and mask, I think of the first time I saw the beast. It was the incident that took my hand. I’ve learned how to adapt since then. Everything I own has been modified for one handed use. I’ve been offered a prosthetic, but it would cost too much money. Instead, I used the money for a contraption that stands my harpoon gun on my shoulder so I can shoot easier. I put on the same contraption now, then dive into the water.

I reach into my pocket and pull out a bottle of blood. I’m hoping the Monster is attracted to blood, just like any other spider is. I screw off the top, pouring the contents around me. Now I wait.

***

After ten minutes, I see it. It’s rapidly swimming towards me. Working quickly, I aim my harpoon gun and pulled the trigger. It shoots the beast right in its front leg.

The Monster roars a terrible roar and swims the other way, blood pouring from it’s leg. The harpoon pulls me along. So far, I’m surprised on how well my plan is working. I intended on getting close enough to stab the beast with a knife.

It drags me to what I guess is it’s nest. It’s a giant bowl-shaped structure made of boulders, seaweed and sponge. I unattached the harpoon gun from my shoulder, then swim away to hide and wait for an opportunity to strike.

Wedging myself between two rocks, I see someone lying in a web of seaweed. The water’s too cloudy to see their face, but I could tell they were wearing a water breathing mask. I swim up to get a closer look, at the same time making sure not to be seen.

I hold back tears when I recognize the face; it was Pete. I hug his cold body, and start crying. Then, I hear him moan. “Pete?” I ask, wiping the hair from his face, though I know he can’t hear me without a headset. I must be imagining it; there was way too much blood in the water for him to live.

Then, his eyes flutter open. “Patrick,” he mouths, “Behind…… You.”

I turn around to see the Monster coming towards us. I pull out my knife and lunge towards it, cutting it across its hairy abdomen. Blood came pouring out, and the creature collapsed. I tightened my grip on my knife and stab it in the head over and over again, until I’m certain it’s dead.

I swim to Pete again, and start to dig him out from the seaweed. Then, I see his legs are gone, the stumps where they’re supposed to be are covered in spider web. It was probably the thing that saved him from bleeding out. I pull him up, swimming towards the surface of the ocean.

After what feels like forever, we reach my boat. I laid him on the floor, taking off our masks. “Pete,” I say, shaking him.

He lets out a moan. “It hurts.” he says in a raspy voice.

I wrap my arms around him, him doing the same. “I thought you were dead,” I whisper in his ear.

He makes a disgusted face. “I wish I was. I was in agony everyday. I didn’t know why it didn’t kill me.”

I shrug. “Maybe because spiders tie up their prey for a while before they eat them.” We hug again. “It’s good to have you back.”