3. The Found City

When Solomon looked at him like that, Slupper found him suspiciously similar to his teacher. But to his tales, he did want to pay close attention.

“Haven’t you ever wondered how all the houses were built? How an underwater jungle can exist?”

“So often, Mr. Solomon. But when I ask my teacher, she says no one knows, and that I should stop interrupting her with questions. All I heard is that the first turtles simply found it one day already—”

“—there, yes. I was there as a baby. What they don’t tell you is how we found it. I had only just crawled from my egg onto the beach. As the sole survivor of my brothers and sisters, I reached the sea in time. My parents caught me, but we had to hurry. Someone was after us.”

“Who?” Slupper and Socipi cried together.

“I don’t know. I only remember we swam for days, without seeing a single creature, until hundreds of lights greeted us. We cautiously swam closer and saw lovely tidy homes with lamps everywhere. It was gorgeous, yet also silent. The four big paths, which you know as busy shopping streets, were deserted. Objects were scattered around, still warm and intact.”

Slupper and his friend stared open-mouthed at the big map on the table. Solomon pointed to various spots, each marked with a red question mark.

“I found this map in a house. The whole world is on it—or what was known of it then. Some parts are missing, however, like this city. I believe one of the question marks points to it.”

“Why wouldn’t the original residents know where their own city lies?”

“Exactly! The right question! Fortunately, I also found a second map.”

Solomon opened a drawer under the table and took out a rolled up parchment. They recognized its design at once.

“Our city!”

Slupper searched for his house but couldn’t find it. The layout looked very similar to the city he knew, yet here and there were empty spaces or slightly different areas.

“Indeed, but this has unclear parts too. My theory? They didn’t have time to finish it, because they had to flee at once.”

“Maybe they were also scared of whatever was chasing your parents?”

“Could be … if it weren’t for the stack of clay tablets I found.”

“That’s strange. Clay dissolves when it touches water.”

“Precisely! You’re very good at this, Slupper.”

He walked to the other side of the cave and the turtles followed like faithful puppies. “For years I pondered it. Perhaps they wrote great secrets into the clay—but that proved utterly false. The tablets contained very mundane things. Like shopping lists and the number of soldiers in the army.”

“But if they had an army, why would they have fled?”

“You’re a natural talent, truly. It took me a large part of my life to realize that. They didn’t flee.”

“You mean other creatures still live in our homes or something? That’s pretty … creepy.”

Slupper sternly looked at his friend. Stop with all your ‘or somethings’, he thought. We need to seem smart.

Solomon continued unperturbed.

“No. That’s too hopeful. The real event became painfully clear when I sat in the Companion meeting. History books lay in the hall and, of course, I read them. I searched for the year when my parents and I discovered the city. I didn’t have to look long—that same year the Fearvolcano erupted, followed by an earthquake.”

“But that’s not so bad, right? Lava cools when it touches water.”

“Correct! So what’s the only explanation?”

He looked at Slupper, hopefully, and ignored Socipi altogether. Slupper had no answer.

“My theory? This was a prosperous island, but the natural disasters sank it to the seafloor.”

Slupper and Socipi blew bubbles from their mouths again. Their shells changed color: all the dark blue spots turned green. They stared wide-eyed at Solomon until Slupper twisted his neck.

“Why aren’t all the houses destroyed by lava then?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. There are so many strange, peculiar elements in this city. I almost started believing the gods lived here, but of course that can’t be.”

“Why not?”

“They say the gods caused natural disasters. Why would they destroy their own home?”

For the first time in a while, silence fell. “It’s late—your parents must be worried. I’m afraid I must send you home now. Your homework is: investigate. Look around for texts or objects left by the original residents. Third lesson: everything can be important information. Fourth lesson: be curious.”

“But why do we have to keep it secret? With more turtles we’d find things faster.”

“Yeah,” Socipi added. “Why can’t gallers—like the shark said—help?”

“Gawkers. Because,” Solomon hesitated for the first time, “the city is in danger. It’s unwise to cause panic, so it must stay secret.”

Solomon’s ragged shell got stuck on sharp rocks again. “Turtles must lay their eggs on land. But our city is drifting farther and farther away from the coast … too far. Now go.”

Socipi’s head drooped in disappointment. With a button press, Solomon opened the doors and waved his new turtle pupils away.

“Thank you, Mr. Solomon!” Slupper called back to the cave, but the doors closed immediately.

The ocean was black as soot. They had to find their way by the light of colorful coral.

“We have to tell mom and dad!” Socipi moved so erratically that he briefly seemed to turn into Vivienne the fish.

“No! Then you’ll ruin everything. A Companion is giving us a chance to learn from him. You could at least follow his first command.”

“Psh, you’re no fun. Always so obedient and friendly and wise. But you’re forgetting something.”

“I never forget anything.”

“Yes you are. If you follow his command and keep it all secret, then you’re ignoring your parents’ command. Your parents want you to be honest. To tell them everything, and be home on time. Why do you think a turtle you just met is more important than your own parents?”

Slupper tried to count the hills, but it was too dark.

“He’s a Companion! He brought peace, fought battles, did research for years. When I ask my parents why I have to go to school, they say just because.”

“They don’t know any better. Maybe we should invite them to Solomon’s for a nice chat or something.”

Slupper laughed at the thought. He pictured his stuffy, boring parents lounging around the rugged Solomon in his cave. They’d probably ask if he had any real original seaweed tea, only to disappointedly receive a pre-chewed leaf.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m not telling Solomon’s secret to anyone.”

They sped ahead for a while. The hills were small enough now to swim over them instead of around them. The jungle filled their horizon, with the vague shape of the ravine before it.

Slupper remembered Vivienne’s leaf. Subconsciously, he had clutched it in his fin this whole time, too curious to toss it away. He unfolded it. The symbols were hastily nibbled from the leaf and hard to decipher.

“Vivienne, somewhere between hill one and hill fifty. Consider yourself warned. T.B.C.”

Socipi read along over his shell. “Who’s T.B.C.?”

“It’s not a person. It means turn backside over. Flip it.”

Socipi snatched the leaf from his hand and turned it over. He released another bubble—his biggest yet. “I knew it!”

Solomon is not who you think he is.