I ran my wet towel over my head, imagining the water draining through the small holes. Whether the effort of people diving into the water to open the drains was worth it would be revealed soon. Looking at the water that had risen to my ankles, I thought about the streets and cities that were now submerged. It wasn't because those cities lacked drains.
The ice in the Arctic had almost completely melted. Since most of the Arctic ice floats on the sea, its melting didn't significantly raise the sea level. The biggest problem was the Antarctic ice. Unlike the Arctic, the Antarctic is a massive ice sheet sitting on the Antarctic continent. As the Antarctic ice melted, the sea level continued to rise, submerging many cities.
The land values of coastal cities, which used to be quite expensive, had hit rock bottom. This was because the rising water levels had turned them into breeding grounds for pests and trash, or because the land and buildings were submerged.
I put the damp towel on my head and walked towards the railing to watch the water drain. The water that had been lapping at my ankles was now barely covering my feet, continuing to drop. I could feel the water that had reached the third floor slowly disappearing. I licked the salt residue from the corners of my mouth and felt a small sense of relief.
...The elevator might work. A glimmer of hope flickered in my mind like a light bulb. Just then, Carter, who had approached me, called out.
"Doctor."
"Yes."
"What's in your bag?"
What's in it? I had a cat and a snake. Thinking about it now, under the whale plushie that the cat was lying on, there must have been a flashlight and a family photo that I had completely forgotten. I had also thrown in sugar-free candies and chocolates haphazardly, along with a water bottle that was half full. Come to think of it, unlike in my dream, I didn't often share candies with people.
Noticing that I was the only one with a backpack among the people, I replied nonchalantly.
"Nothing much."
"What's in it that you're carrying it around?"
I was about to say I had a cat, but then I realized that animals were prohibited items in the underwater base and closed my mouth.
Kim Gayoung, Yoo Geum, and Lee Ji-hyun knew I had animals in my backpack, and they were the kind of people who would willingly invest their time and lives to release marine animals that had nothing to do with them, even in a life-threatening situation.
How would this person react to animals? I sensed an unsettling tone in his voice and decided to play it safe. It wouldn't be good if he found out about the cat.
"Really, nothing much."
"Give it here!"
Carter reached for my backpack. Surprised, I stepped back. As I took a few steps back, Carter called out to someone behind me.
"Take the bag!"
At that moment, someone grabbed the backpack from behind. I pushed Carter's shoulders and arms with my arms while looking at the person clinging to my back. It was Benjamin. He was trying to remove the bag from my shoulder. I tried to pull the strap back up with my shoulder while glaring at Carter.
"Why are you doing this!"
Yoo Geum, who had been sitting on the floor, rubbing her waist and legs, screamed. Kim Gayoung shouted at us.
"Let him go!"
Suddenly, my left leg was lifted off the ground. While I was struggling with Carter, Benjamin had grabbed my left leg with one hand while holding the backpack with the other. Benjamin ordered Carter.
"Grab the other leg!"
No way. Carter, who had been holding my arms, tried to grab my right leg, but I didn't let go. Leaning against the railing, I tried to maintain my balance. Benjamin lifted one of my legs, and as I struggled like a fish, he lost his grip on my left leg. When he tried to grab my leg again, I kicked his hand hard.
"Ow! Shit!"
Benjamin's scream and the commotion caught the attention of Kanu and Logan, who were smoking in the corner. Kanu approached me and asked casually.
"What are you doing?"
I felt my body go limp at his lack of tension.
"These guys are trying to take my backpack!"
I shouted before the two of them could speak. Kim Gayoung, who had been shouting from the opposite corridor, slipped and fell due to the water on the floor as she ran towards us. Yoo Geum, who had been struggling to walk, was trying to help Kim Gayoung up. Lee Ji-hyun, who lacked stamina, was sitting in a chair, unable to move, and could only watch.
Carter still had a hold of my arms, and Benjamin was pulling on my backpack. Kanu, after exhaling smoke, asked Carter.
"What are you doing?"
"What do you mean, what am I doing! Look at him, he's the only one with a backpack! Hey! What's in the bag!"
I shouted angrily.
"What are you going to do with it! This is my bag! Get your hands off! Are you not going to let go?!"
"You little shit! He won't take the bag off his body unless he's going underwater! I don't know what he's carrying, but I want to see! Who's going to take it!"
I struggled and shouted, bewildered by his words.
"You're already trying to take it! You brainless moron!"
As Carter and I shouted, Kanu sighed and grabbed the back of Benjamin's jeans, pulling him away from me. Since Kanu approached from behind, he could easily grab the belt loops. With the distance between us, Benjamin had no choice but to let go of my backpack.
Logan, meanwhile, was just watching us with a smirk, his hands in his pockets. Now, only Carter and I were facing each other, each holding the other's arms. Whenever he tried to headbutt me, I dodged by turning my head. Kanu, watching this, said slowly.
"Show us what's in the bag. Kid."
Was he talking to me? Kid? I was so taken aback by his use of "kid" that I was speechless, but Carter, looking displeased, released his grip and stepped back. Benjamin was also a bit further away. Panting heavily, I tried to calm my breathing. I was ready to run in the opposite direction if either of them lunged at me.
After a few seconds, seeing that they weren't going to attack, I glared at the two men and slowly took off my backpack. I placed it beside my feet and unzipped it. As the zipper opened, I lifted the cat with both hands.
There was no need to mention the snake. Just holding the cat by its chest, its body stretched like cheese. As I stared, bewildered by its strange body structure, Carter approached and peered into the bag, then complained.
"There's nothing in there!"
I have no idea what he was expecting. Did he think I was carrying money? ...Don't you think I got a job because I had no money? And how much money would someone who just got a job have? Besides, in a disaster like this, would you carry something as useless as money? I sighed deeply.
"I have a cat."
Look closely. Calmly answering, I saw Carter make a face and step back. I tried to put the cat back in the backpack, but someone quickly snatched it from my hands. Benjamin cursed and threw the cat over the railing.
For a moment, I couldn't understand what I had seen. Without thinking, I threw myself over the railing. I'll catch it! I reached out with both hands, grabbing the cat's waist like a basketball. I could see the cat's wide, frightened eyes in mid-air. My body was falling.
Before hitting the water, someone grabbed my ankles and calves. I hung in the air, unable to make a sound. Fearing I might drop the cat, I tightened my grip, but the cat felt like a furry water balloon, and I was afraid it would slip out of my hands if I loosened my grip.
After hanging upside down, I secured the cat between my chin and arm and looked up. Kim Gayoung and Yoo Geum were holding my ankles, and Kanu was holding my calf on the opposite side.
Kim Gayoung groaned and pulled my left calf with both hands. Yoo Geum, with her lips white, grabbed my wet clothes. As they pulled my thighs and stomach, I finally realized what I had done.
...Although I was shocked, falling into the seawater wasn't a huge risk. The water level was still around the second floor, and the drainage was progressing slowly.
Even if I fell, it would be like diving into water from a height of one floor. If the cat had fallen alone, it would have been a significant impact for such a small animal.
As Kim Gayoung and Yoo Geum pulled my chest and arms, my lower body was almost back on the third floor.
A loud scream came from my left. Looking to the side, I saw Benjamin flying over the railing and hitting the water below.
"AAAAAAH!"
He splashed into the water. It seemed Kanu had thrown him.
The cat, nestled between my neck and shoulder, meowed softly, displeased. As soon as my feet touched the ground, I put the cat back in the backpack and zipped it up. Looking to the side, I saw Sam and Jason shaking their hands next to Kanu. After putting the backpack on, I finally exhaled deeply, my body tense from the ordeal.
Kim Gayoung sat on the floor, completely drained, while Yoo Geum hung from