Elias took a step back, his heart hammering against his ribs. This wasn’t an animal. It was a container. A man-made object designed to look like part of the ocean floor.
Who would build a steel safe shaped like a giant clam? And why would they drop it in the middle of nowhere?
He looked out at the horizon. The sea was empty. He was alone with whatever this was.
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Curiosity began to outweigh his fear. He went to the tool shed and grabbed his heavy-duty crowbar.
He found the seam again. He jammed the tip of the crowbar into the microscopic gap and leaned his entire body weight into it.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, there was a sharp hiss. It sounded like a soda can opening, but louder. A seal had been broken. Pressurized gas escaped from the inside.
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