Surprise Attack

“What’s our course relative to that sonar blip?”

“It’s coming straight at us, sir. Estimating collision in less than two minutes.”

“Then we’ll have to take care of it in one,” the captain boasts. “Are the torpedo tubes ready?”

“Aye, sir!”

“Fire one through four,” he orders.

Swooshing sounds can be heard throughout the ship. “All away, sir.”

Silence. The blip gets closer.

We couldn’t have missed with all four, the captain thinks. “Up periscope.”

He peers through the glass and sees not a ship racing toward them but a giant squid, its huge tentacles wrapped around the four torpedoes.