Shadows Below
347 Words
That night, Iris couldn’t sleep. The song had returned, soft but insistent, winding through her thoughts like a thread she couldn’t unravel. It called to her, pulling at something deep within her soul.
Unable to resist, she left her cabin and stepped out onto the deck. The moon hung low in the sky, its light reflecting off the calm waves. For a moment, everything was eerily still.
And then she saw it.
A figure, just below the surface, its eyes glowing faintly in the dark. Iris froze, her breath catching in her throat. The melody grew louder, filling her ears as the figure swam closer.
Before she could react, the water surged, and the figure disappeared into the depths, leaving only ripples behind.
Iris stood at the railing, her heart pounding. She knew she should feel afraid terrified, even but instead, she felt something else.
It wasn’t fear.
It was recognition.
The sea takes more than it gives.
Her mother’s words echoed in her mind, and for the first time, Iris began to understand what she meant.
The following morning, the crew gathered in the ship’s small galley, their moods subdued by the strange events of the previous days. Iris nursed her coffee, replaying the image of the glowing.eyed figure in her mind.
“So, are we going to talk about the giant storm that nearly killed us yesterday, or is that just normal now?” Alex asked, breaking the silence.
“It wasn’t that bad,” Rory chimed in, though the tremor in his voice betrayed him.
Marge fixed him with a sharp look. “Bad enough. And we’re staying cautious moving forward. No unnecessary risks.”
“Define unnecessary,” Iris said, unable to keep the edge from her voice.
Marge leaned back, crossing her arms. “If it doesn’t directly involve keeping this ship afloat or this crew alive, it’s unnecessary.”
Iris clenched her jaw, but Alex placed a hand on her shoulder before she could argue. “Relax, Carter. We’re not going to solve the ocean’s mysteries by dying in it.”
- Writer
