Ghost Ship: Fallen

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Days like this, had seemed sunny. Once eventful. Something I might of looked forward to. But not today. Not now. Nor like this. It just turned September, but as sunny as it might have been, the air was cool, the leaves upon the trees turning into browns and oranges, just a hint that fall was on the way. I laid back in my seat, with my knees to my chin, adjusting the newspaper in my hands. Fingers dirtied slightly from the ink upon the paper, nothing interesting. Somehow, it didn't feel like home anymore.

What was it about New York city that made it so unbelievable? I felt like I had no where to go. Carrying around a burden for the rest of my life. Peering from the newspaper, I took a long look at the small envelope on the side of the table, my hazel-green gaze meeting the small cursive letters along the middle of the crisp white paper.

This was mine now, this was my job. I was now the owner... it felt wrong. So fucking wrong...there was nothing I could possibly do. I was so angry. Placing the paper down on the table, I let my bare feet tough the shiny floor, as I swung my legs, dressed in dark blue plaid PJ pants and a white tanktop. My hair still wildly frizzy from tossing and turning all night long.

Flashbacks erupted in my mind...as if something impossible. But..it happened. A real soul taker had stolen the souls of my crew...had forced them to sin, and had taken away everyone I'd ever called my family.

Ring, ring.

It was odd. Who the hell would be calling me at 9:00 AM in the morning? I didn't know anyone... didn't want to know anyone... shaking my head, I wiped my hands on my pants, leaving a small ink stain on the side, as I stumbled up from the chair, over to the phone, and picked it up with a slender hand, pushing the button, trying to let the words come out right.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Maureen!" a cheerful voice responded. I could only roll my eyes.

"Hey Jenn..." I replied, taking the cordless phone back over to my seat, and sat back down.

"Oh you poor thing! , how on earth are you holding up?"

Jennifer, was what you would call an absolute drama queen. Yes, unfortunately, she was my older sister. She seemed younger sometimes, it was hard to believe she was thirty-three. She acted seventeen. Of course she knew I felt like crap, didn't everyone? The bags under my tired eyes, yeah, that was Epps, the woman who had lost it all.

At least I didn't get a name like 'toilet seat girl' a reference from Dead Like Me of course.

"Fine..." I responded, my voice sounding groggy, I really needed more sleep than I was getting.

"Look, I thought maybe since I'm in town we could-" but I cut her off as soon as she spoke.

"You're in town?" I asked, a little more expression to my husky tomboyish voice.

"What did I just say?" Jenn replied.

I sighed, in annoyance. Everyone always knew how to piss me off. It was like they knew how shitty I was feeling. But, no, nope, just go ahead and piss her off. She'll be okay. It's not like it's a miracle she lived.

In sub zero water in the middle of the Arctic ocean? Yeah, it is a fuckin' miracle.

"Go on... "I muttered, now playing with the end of the table cloth.

"We could go for lunch." she finished all that in one breath.

I wasn't speechless, I knew what she was like.

"Yeah, sure, whatever." I grumbled, slightly.

"You don't have to..."

"No, I'll go. I need something to do anyway." I sighed, now switching the phone to the other ear, to be a little more comfortable, but the thing was, whenever she finally got my attention without rambling on, she'd always cut it short.

"All right. I'll email you with directions?" she asked, unsure.

"Yeah..yeah." I nodded once, as she said a quick 'bye' and hung up. I clicked the phone off, and set it down on the table.

Leaning back, all I could picture was the Antonia Graza. How dark it was, how damp the floor was, when we'd walk, our boots would slosh, just the hint of the noise made me shiver. And then all of the sudden, I'd hear an explosion. Proving to me that I did stop the evil...for a little while anyway.

I bit down on my bottom lip. It had really happened... it had all happened.

Sighing once more, I got up from the chair, sauntering over towards the living room, catching sight of something on the television. I had had it on mute, a pity, wish I saw this sooner, as I reached for the remote control, I hit the mute button with my index finger, as the volume went back to normal.

I yawned once, throwing the remote back on the couch, as I leaned against the wall, staring at the television, until something came on that made my eyes widen.

"The Queen Mary 2 sets off for her long voyage here in the New York harbor.." the news woman began, but I stopped myself from over reacting.

"It's just a cruise ship... it's fine..." I muttered to myself.

But then as I looked a bit more closer, a man in a navy blue wind breaker passed behind the woman. I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. The man turned once, with a large smile on his face, waving to the camera, as a young blonde woman came by him, tugging at his hand.

I swallowed hard, those deep soulless blue eyes staring back at the television cameras...it was unbelievable.

I knew something.

I had to stop him...

Or I had to try...

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To Be Continued..