Zero in the Denominator

Removing the AR-15, Patrick Marrs tossed the case aside and began watching the chum for shark fins. He picked up the magazine and inserted it into the weapon, just as a shark broke the surface. The fin dipped and circled, then rose up again, this time heading directly for the bait. Patrick’s shot was true, as the shark thrashed about in the water and quickly succumbed. “Damned fine shot, Mr. Marrs!” he said. Patrick chambered a second round and waited. Soon another fin broke the surface, and then a second, both circling the dead shark. He raised the rifle again and took careful aim, when without explanation, both sharks suddenly turned and raced away.Patrick Marrs lowered the rifle and rubbed the stubble on his chin. “That’s mighty weird. Never seen anything like that before.”That’s when the sound came—almost imperceptible—an overbearing slosh, out of place on the calm sea. Turning sharply to starboard, Patrick was shocked to see another shark fin. This one, however, stood out of the water higher than the rail he was leaning on!And as Patrick stared, there, behind the shark, was something…something that looked like a huge black bowling ball, but the size of a building, rising slowly out of the water.His eyes shot back to the danger bearing down on him, and ahead of the fin, just below the surface, was the largest shark he had ever seen! A Great White! It had to be. At the last instant it dove below his boat. Patrick whirled around to port, just as the nose lifted out of the water hitting the midsection of the dead shark. Its jaws rose to nearly engulf its six foot long cousin. Shaking its head from side to side, it bit clean through, flipping off just the tail and part of the head, then dropped below the surface. Whirling again to the starboard, Patrick’s hands gripped the AR-15. The sphere rose higher still out of the water. No light reflected off its surface as it bore down on him. “What the—”There was a jerk and a sudden tug, and the bow rose high into the air. The anchor cable had been cut. He slung the rifle over his shoulder and gripped the rail with both hands. The boat descended again with a great splash, and just then there was a violent lurch, and a deafening crack. With a crash the main mast violently tore into his cabin. He knew he was taking on water. He quickly moved forward of the cabin and tied on a life jacket. Then returning to the stern he glanced at his AR-15 and weighed his options.Whatever the black sphere was, it was now beside him and blocked out half the Catalina coast line. As he looked, what appeared to be a flat ramp started coming out of it. The ramp looked like it would pass behind the stern completely away from the Marrs, but then it started to curve toward him. If these were rescuers, he hoped they were human. He gripped his rifle, staring. The nearest end of the ramp stopped feeding out just as it reached his boat. Handrails started rising from the ramp to about four feet on each side. Patrick gazed in disbelief as the door to the sphere opened. Something told him his ordinary life on earth was about to change forever.A journey through zero space, unimaginable worlds, adventure, and destiny.