Chris stumbled and grabbed a wall as the boat violently pitched in the suddenly tossing water.
“What the hell?” he yelled. “Shoot! They’re down there!”
As he ran to the edge of the boat, Josh surfaced and threw off his mask.
“You okay!?” Chris half yelled, half asked.
“I think I’m alright.” Josh replied. I feel kind of funny though.”
Chris couldn’t be sure, but he almost seemed... bigger. He was already athletic, but he just seemed larger than he remembered.
“Are you... bigger?” he asked.
“What does that mean?” Josh replied.
“Look at your chest!” Chris gasped.
They were both surprised by the sound of straining cloth and looked down. Josh had been fit, but his chest was definitely larger. It was now pushing out slightly, something that hadn’t really happened before.
“It must have been that shockwave! Matt pokes a piece of coral and it did something.” Josh surmised.
Just then, Sam surfaced, throwing his mask up on to the deck.
“Hey! Let me help!” Josh yelled as he reached down to pull the big guy out of the water. As he pulled Sam up, there was a loud tearing sound. Everyone looked at Josh’s arms as they swelled in his wetsuit. His expanding biceps tore through the neoprene, quickly followed by his forearms and shoulders.
“Woah!” he yelled as he backed away from Sam.
His arms were now almost bigger than Sam’s! He tentatively flexed a much larger bicep, marveling at the size of his almost disproportionate arms.
“What’s happening dudes!?” Sam asked.
Their attention was brought back to Sam, who was noticeably more muscular. He had already been big, but they could now see his larger muscles pressing against his wetsuit. He looked around and grinned. “That’s what the girls’ll like,” he joked, gesturing to his slightly thicker butt.
“You’re gross,” both Josh and Chris said almost simultaneously.
Whatever Sam was going to say next was interrupted by a splashing sound coming from the side of the boat. Liam has surfaced. As Sam reached over to help him, Chris stopped him.
“Wait! Judging by what happened to Josh’s arms, I think exertion may increase the growth.
They looked back as Liam climbed into the boat, dropping his mask.
“You don’t have to tell me, I already know,” he said, gesturing to his engorged pecs, which were visibly straining his suit.
“Don’t ask me, I don’t know how this is possible. It must have been that shockwave Matt caused.” he continued.
“Speaking of Matt, where is he?” Chris replied, worried.
“I thought he was behind me,” Liam said, as he turned back towards the side, showing off his broad back.
At that moment, Matt surfaced. As he clambered onto the deck, the rest of the group could tell he had been affected by the coral. He was a few inches taller, and his kind face looked more defined and masculine.
“Well... I poked the coral.” he stated in what sounded like a slightly deeper voice.
Liam rolled his eyes. “We have to figure out what’s going on and if it’s going to stop right now.”
“Chill out man,” Sam playfully replied. “A little extra muscle never hurt anyone.”
“Well I want to know how much extra muscle we’re going to get.” Liam sighed.
“Hey Sam! Wanna arm wrestle?” Matt grinned.
“I wouldn’t do that,” Chris cautioned. “Exertion appears to speed up the growth.”
“Speaking of the growth, it seems to have slowed down since we left the water,” Liam observed. “It must be more effective there. Should we try to go to a hospital or something?”
“Can’t. Engines were fried by that shockwave. Same as radio,” Chris reported.
“Come on man! Why’d you have to poke it!” Liam groaned, punching Matt in the shoulder.
“Hey watch it!” Matt yelled, rubbing his shoulder.
“You guys better be careful. You’re a lot stronger than you were a few minutes ago,” Chris warned.
“That coral also affected another... uh asset.” Josh mentioned gesturing to the divers’ larger bulges in their wetsuits. Sam grinned. “The girls’ll really dig that.”
Chris snorted.