Jack pulled his car into the empty parking lot. The rectangular space was enclosed on two sides by the darkened mall storefront to Jack's left. Directly in front of him sat he plane-car hybrid that held Jack's objective: his friend's father, who sat dozing at the steering wheel. Despite this midnight rendezvous being his ordained objective, Jack turned left and drove past the sleeping man.
He continued driving around the outer edge of the parking lot until he reached the side opposite from which he began, at which point the road began to incline upward. After only a few feet, the car entered a deep pool of water with a mighty splash. Unfazed, Jack continued driving steadily. He knew that, despite the liquid rapidly filling the cabin, he was in no danger.
Once fully submerged, Jack turned right, now driving along the last edge of the rectangular lot. Jack looked out and saw that the once dry lot was now completely underwater. Masses of coral and rock jutted out at odd angles, and the whole scene was bathed in a pale but pleasant green light. It was not unlike the bottom of a fish tank, complete with garishly colored pebbles and plasticine plants.
Upon further inspection, Jack noticed another submerged car half-entombed in the coral bed. Inside was an alarmed girl whom Jack recognized as an old school acquaintance named Kaela M. Determined to help Kaela, he exited his car and swam towards hers. Just before he reached it, she freed herself of her vehicle, and together they swam up towards the surface. Using Jack's now floating car as a life preserver, they made their way toward the shore at a spot very close to where Jack first entered the lot.
"Are you alright?" asked Jack.
"Yes, I'm fine. Luckily, I had enough air in there for several months," replied Kaela M.
Presently they were joined by another young woman, a friend of Kaela's. They leaned up against a fire truck. Jack saw a very lethargic homeless man dressed in a police uniform laying on top of the truck. Upon noticing the new arrivals, he began to stir. The girls were unaware of his presence until he reached down and lazily cut Keala's friend's shoulder with a small, sharp rock. The girls, scandalized, moved away from the fire truck. Jack decided to take care of the situation.
"Lieutenant ________, this is Seargant _______. Come in, Lieutenant_________. You must get going," crackled Jack in a perfect imitation of a CB radio.
With that, the homeless man roused himself and the fire truck drove off into the night.
