Water was all around Carine. It began pouring into the pod as soon as she forced the door open—she should have known there was something wrong when she had to use her shoulder to move the door on its hinges. Carine told herself not to panic, took a deep breath, and slipped into the water. Luckily, it was midday and the light of a sun illuminated the surface of the water above her. She was certain she could make it that far without needing to breathe. Carine propelled herself upward as quickly as could, parting the vast waters with each stroke. Her lungs strained as her throat began to tighten. She told her self not give up, to hold on, because she was almost to the top. She couldn't allow herself to wonder how far from land she would once she was above the water.

---

---

Janelle and Bethany collided with Stefan and Noah within fifteen minutes and had barely gotten the introductions out of the way when Ramón appeared just as confused the rest of them.

"Was that you guys?" Ramón asked before bothering to introduce himself. "The music I mean."

Noah shook his head and his read hair whirled around viciously. "No way, I was gonna ask you the same thing."

"This is getting creepy. I mean what are the odds that we're hearing the same music when we started out so far from each other?" Janelle pondered on her own words as she surveyed the area. "Do you think it's coming from multiple places?"

"Maybe." Stefan admitted. "But I think we should should concentrate on finding water and food, not chase phantom songs."

Noah's eyes went wide as though he'd just remembered something, then he reached out to Stefan and sked, "How's Ralph doing?"

Stefan placed the tiny turtle in Noah's hand gently and  shrugged. "I don't know how long he can hold out."

"Is that a turtle?!" Bethany exclaimed.

"Wait,  you found a turtle on  the planet?"

"Yes and no," Stefan proceeded to explain how he snuck the turtle on board.

Janelle and Bethany exchanged glances as if they were asking each other's opinions, then shrugged simultaneously.

"Food and water would be nice," Ram&oactue;n agreed.

"I wonder how much time we have until sunset," Janelle pointed to the sun looming in the sky. "This we'll be ok without shelter?"

"Guess we'll find out," Noah shrugged. "Unless you have a tent handy."

"Wait—why don't we have tents?" Ramón asked. "What nutjub planned this?"

"You're right," Stefan scratched his head. "The pods have to have tents hidden in them somewhere. Maybe food too."

"So?" Janelle raised her eyebrow in Stefan's direction. "Are we going to a pod, or to find water?"

"I say we vote," Stefan shrugged. "Majority wins."

---

---

Carine broke the water's surface and gasped desperately for air. At first, her mind was too preoccupied with replenishing her lungs with the thin air around her to search for land, but once her heart rate began to slow, and her breathing became steady, her eyes began their 360 of the horizon. In the distance she could see a rocky shore, along with five women waving frantically in her direction. Carine wondered if they were in trouble or simply trying to get her attention.

Her body was tired, but she couldn't stay in the water forever. Besides, she'd seen fish—small, but alive‐swimming beneath the soft gentle waves. The scientists were wrong, there was life, and Carine was no longer sure she was safe in the water.