S. S. Charon

The ship loomed over the dock, the freshly painted surface glinting in the summer sun. Crowds of passengers made their way on board, smiling and talking amongst themselves as their tickets were checked. Big families, lovers, single passengers, people with animals, businesspeople, rich snobs, single parents looking for a break, it felt like everyone on the face of the Earth was trying to get on this cruise.

I kept my hands to myself, eyes examining the area behind thick sunglasses. It was a hard habit to kick, but I would argue that it’s a good one to have. Once I reached the ticket booth, I wordlessly handed the employee my ticket, subtly moving my suitcase out of the way of a nearby child. I tried to suppress the urge to wrinkle my nose at the salty air, some people saw that as rude after all.

“Annette Andrews?” I nodded. “Panama City, Florida to Montego Bay, Jamaica…yep, you’re on the right ship! Are you excited for your cruise?”

I shrugged, this cruise was a ‘gift’ from my boss, a not-so-subtle request to take a vacation for the first time in a decade.

“Well, ok…keep going forward towards security and you’ll be escorted to the front desk to check in!” They chirped, a large grin on their face that was obviously forced.

Great. Metal detectors, my favorite thing. The employee ripped off a part of my ticket before handing it back to me, already focusing on the next guest. Groaning, I made my way to the nearest security guard and nodded politely, setting my suitcase aside.

“Good morning miss, please place any metallic objects or accessories into the bin next to you before going through the detector.”

I raised my left arm, wiggling my prosthetic fingers. “What about prosthetics?”

“You can keep that on, don’t worry.” The guard nodded, waiting patiently for me to place my belongings in the bin before beckoning me forward. Thankfully, the detector didn’t beep, and I didn’t have to get a pat down from some sleazy douchebag at this hour.

“Have a nice cruise, miss.” The guard smiled, eyes spotting my dog tags that I placed back around my neck. “And thank you for your service.”

I smiled at the guard and got my belongings, making haste to the front desk. The sooner I got this vacation over with, the sooner I could get back to the things that were actually worth my time. Leisure is a trap to make you vulnerable, and I don’t intend to be caught off guard.
~
Room 413, lucky me.

The hallway was relatively quiet, and aside from the faint whirring of the AC, my room was too. I checked the beds for bedbugs, checked the room for any places I could hide in case of a threat, and triple checked the locks to make sure they were sturdy.

‘So far, so good.’ I thought, taking off my shoes and laying back on the soft mattress. I tried to focus on the AC, the silence starting to feel unsettling. Looking to my right for some sort of distraction, I scowled at the balcony. Large glass sliding doors gave any intruder an easy entrypoint, especially if they had the balls to scale a wall to do so.

Sure, I was on a cruise ship, but it wasn’t an impossible feat. I’ve seen quite a few things in my years as a bodyguard, and when one is motivated by revenge or cold hard cash, they’re willing to do quite a few insane things.

‘You need to relax, Annette.’ I rolled my eyes as my boss’s voice popped into my head. ‘You’re too uptight, you’re 41 and all you think about is work! When was the last time you took a vacation?’

She really should’ve lied to her, she could be in the safety and comfort of her own home, vodka in one hand and some sort of murder mystery novel in the other.

‘You’re young, you should be seeing the world and meeting new people!’ Sorry boss, new places are unpredictable and reek of unidentified danger, and strangers will always find a way to use you once you’ve let your guard down. You didn’t hire me to be vulnerable, you hired me so you wouldn’t get shot when you decide to go out for a few drinks.

Checking the time on my phone, I figured I should head down for lunch, especially since I skipped breakfast so I could make it to my flight on time.

I grabbed my keys, straightened my collar, and shoved my taser deep into my back pocket. I don’t care that I’m on vacation, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. I made the short walk to the elevator and pressed the button, shoving my hands in my pockets while I waited.

The doors opened shortly, revealing a sopping wet woman in a bikini. I nodded and walked inside, pressing the button for the ground floor and leaning back against the wall.

We stood in silence, the soft sounds from the elevator filling the space as the scent of chlorine flooded my senses. Risking a glance, I stared at the woman, who was not-so-subtly staring blankly back at me. I blinked and stared back, knowing that my arm caught a few curious gazes at times.

I looked her up and down, just then realizing that she didn’t appear to have a towel, shoes, or anything on her. And she reeked of chlorine, almost as if she had been stuck in a room filled with the gas. I resisted the urge to step closer, noting that her eyes were redder than normal as well as the red rashes covering her skin. She was far too pale, and there seemed to be snot running down her nose…or perhaps it was water from the pool, she was drenched after all.

“Did they run out of towels at the pool?” I rose a brow.

No response.

“I’d recommend laying in the sun for a while then, that’ll dry you off.”

Still no response.

Before I could say anything else, the doors opened, the busy lobby easily getting my attention.

“Take care.” I said, nodding my head as I walked towards the dining hall. I could feel the woman’s blank gaze on me even as the elevator doors slid shut, the scent of chlorine still lingering in my nose.
~
Lunch was pretty good, grilled salmon, mashed potatoes, and beets with red wine was a surprisingly good combination. I didn’t stick around for dessert though, I didn’t have much of a sweet tooth in the first place. The lobby was mostly empty as I made my way to the elevator, the occasional staff member smiling at me as I passed. It was a little creepy to be honest, their wide, obviously forced, smiles and the way they never seemed to be alone, always flanked by another staff member or a security guard. It was giving me a bad feeling.

I didn’t have to wait long for the elevator, the doors opening instantly once I pressed the button. I blinked in surprise, seeing the same woman as before standing inside. Perhaps I’m overanalyzing, but she didn’t appear to have moved from her spot since I was last here…

I took a step to the side, waiting for her to exit the elevator. However, she stood still and continued to stare at me. Whatever, her loss.

I stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the 4th floor, staring quizzically at her. Her gaze followed me, dark eyes locked onto mine, the chlorine smell just as strong as before.

“Went back to the pool again?” I asked, not surprised at the silence. “I don’t blame you, I bet the water feels nice on a day like this.”
cough cough 
‘What was that noise?’

I furrowed my brow, glancing at the woman out of the corner of my eye. Straining my ears, I picked up a faint gurgling sound?

My blood went cold, the sound echoing in the small space and sending a sharp chill up my spine, almost as if I had been splashed with cold water.

I slowly turned my head towards the woman, her gaze much more intent and menacing. Saliva bubbled around her lips, spewing onto the floor. The chlorine smell seemed even stronger, making me want to gag.

“wAteR” She spat, water gushing from her mouth and making its way to my shoes.
“…excuse me?”
“WATER”
I narrowed my eyes, hand slowly reaching behind me for the taser I always had on my person. The smell was sickening, it felt as though it had made its way into my body and was burning my muscles and organs. I couldn’t help the fight or flight feeling I was overwhelmed with all of a sudden, it reminded me of the unease and fear I felt when I was in the Army, a feeling I had spent years trying to process and push away. She didn’t feel normal, something about her didn’t feel human.

“waterwaterwaterwatercan’tbreathecan’tbreathewaterwaterdrowningDrowningDROWNINGDROWNING”

The doors opened, finally reaching my floor. I stepped out, keeping my eyes on her and my hand over my taser. I didn’t take my eyes off her until the elevator doors slid shut, and even then, I walked quickly back to my room, occasionally looking over my shoulder.
~
I took the stairs when dinnertime rolled around, my pepper spray tucked into my pocket while my taser occupied the other. If that nut job frequently occupied the elevator, then it was a safe bet to avoid it for a while.

Upon reaching the lobby, I cast a glance at the elevator doors before making my way to the front desk. I waved politely at an attendant and waited for her to approach me. She smiled and nodded at me, wrapping up her conversation with another passenger. I took the chance to properly examine the room, leaning back on the counter to try and appear less tense.

It was a rather impressive ship, the marble flooring and an extravagant chandelier made me wonder just how much my ticket cost. The railings, the rug, and the side of the counter had exquisite designs that would usually go unnoticed to the average person, probably since they had their nose stuck in their phone or a device of some sort. The whole room smelled clean…way too clean, almost as if they had dumped bleach on the floor and proceeded to mop. Nautical and marine art covered the walls, some depicting the ship, some of various sea creatures, and some of past crew members. I turned back towards the attendants, noticing an odd painting hung behind the counter.

Towards the right of the painting, there was a school of fish, swimming happily and completely oblivious to the shark in the left of the painting. The shark seemed to be in the middle of opening its jaws, baring its teeth at the colorless group. However, the shark also seemed to be oblivious to what appeared to be a large octopus, no, squid?, preparing to wrap its tentacles around the shark’s body. The tentacles came from a dark corner of the painting, if the creature wasn’t a bright orange/red, you may not have realized it was there. I stared at the tentacles, noting the large suckers and the small yet sharp claw-like teeth hidden around the long limbs. I’m no expert in marine life, but I’m pretty sure that the size and the talons mean that it’s a colossal squid, but that doesn’t seem quite right either…I thought Colossal Squids aren’t supposed to be that close to the surface?

“Good evening, miss, are you enjoying your cruise so far?”

I tried not to flinch as the attendant broke me out of my thoughts. “It’s fine…I wanted to tell you that there appears to be an unstable person in the elevator.” I said, looking behind me to point at the leftmost elevator.

“An unstable person? What do you mean? The S. S. Charon prides itself on our security and guest safety, so it’s highly unlikely that there’s a dangerous person on board.” She smiled, God, I’m really starting to hate their smiles.

“They appear to be a woman, pale white skin, brown hair, deep blue bikini with a tie by the neck, no shoes or belongings, and she’s sopping wet.” I explained. “She’s about five foot eight and a little underweight, she stared at me while I was inside the elevator and started screaming about water and that she couldn’t breathe. I’m afraid I didn’t help her because I felt threatened.”

The attendant paled and nodded slowly, eyes flickering around the room before settling on the elevator in question. Her smile slowly faded and she stiffened, her knuckles turning white as she began to clench and unclench her hands.

“I see…I’ll look into it…may I ask for your name?”

“Annette Andrews, Room 413.” I said, eyeing her carefully as she typed, her change in demeanor didn’t sit well with me.

“Alright, we’ll look into this and let you know when it’s resolved…is that all?” She asked, looking at something behind me.

“That should be all…” I looked behind me, locking eyes with a security guard.

My weapons felt heavy in my pockets, itching to be used.
~
I treated myself to a drink before going back to my room, and despite the fact that the elevator was closer, I made my way to the stairs. I nodded politely to the nearby staff, who, oddly enough, returned the gesture tensely. I felt my nose twitch as I passed by him, the smell of bleach and soap surrounding him like a thick cloud. Feeling his eyes on me as I walked up the stairs, I resisted the urge to turn and look or walk faster, if they thought I was unaware, the less chances of a conflict.

Once I was certain I was out of his sight, I jogged up the remaining stairs, grimacing at the weird stains covering the carpeted staircase. It didn’t smell or stick to my shoes, but it ran all the way past several floors. Maybe a janitor spilled their cart and water got everywhere? That’d be a logical explanation…

Rounding the corner, I stopped in my tracks, seeing that woman standing at the top of the entryway for the fourth floor. Water dripping off of her and seeping into the carpet, her eyes staring into my soul.

“Please move.” I instructed, a hand ghosting over my pepper spray. I wasn’t in the mood for another weird outburst.

“thEy’Re goINg tO KiLL yOu”

She stepped closer to me, so I whipped out the pepper spray, holding it in front of her as a silent threat.

“thEy’LL dRoWn yOU…LiKE tHeY DRowNeD mE”

Before I could blink, she moved directly in front of me. Slightly panicked, I sprayed at her, covering my eyes with my right arm.

But the pepper spray went right through her.

“What the fuc-”

Her arms shot out and gripped my shirt, slamming me against the wall. Her grip was firm, yet shaky, despite my best efforts, I couldn’t wiggle free. The chlorine odor hit me like a freight train, my lungs instantly protesting and a cough starting to bubble up in my throat.

“runrunrunrunrunrunRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUN” She screeched, my eardrums pounding in response to her volume.

I tried to elbow her off of me with my right hand, only for it to phase right through her. Scowling, I shoved at her with my left, which seemed to work. She stumbled backwards, taken off guard as I glanced at my left, prosthetic arm.

‘Good to know.’ I thought, racing past her and making a beeline to my room.
~
Pain.
So much goddamn pain.
I can’t feel my left arm.
Why can’t I feel my left arm?

I think someone’s yelling at me, but the blood rushing in my ears is too loud. I want to cover my ears, but my body feels heavy. Is this death?

I’m being pulled up, my right arm lying limply over a green shoulder. There’s red, a lot of red, mainly around me.

People in green surround me, shielding me from the hurricane of bullets and dirt. But I can’t ignore the red on them, on me, where is this red coming from?

I think someone tells me to look ahead, don’t look to the left, but I do, and I feel like I’ve been shot once my eyes glance downwards.

My arm is missing.
Red gushes from my elbow, painting the ground in a twisted masterpiece.
I want to die.

“wAKe Up”

I think someone says I’ll be alright, I think I hear my name, I think I can feel my arm.

“waKE uP”

Not just the ghost of my arm, patiently waiting for me to flex my fingers or roll my wrist, but I swear I can feel my dismembered arm, twitching and shaking on the battlefield. It feels like it’s reaching for me, begging me not to leave it behind.

But I know that’s impossible, because I swear it was crushed by that tank.

I want to go home.

“wAkE uP”

I can’t do this, I hate this pain, I hate it.

I want to go home.
I want to die.
Let me die.
Leave me here to die.
“anNEtTe, yOu nEEd tO WaKe uP”
~
My eyes shot open, and I reached forward with my left arm, shoving the woman off of me.

“What the hell is your problem? I don’t know why you’re stalking me, but knock it off!” I hissed, glancing at the clock on the nightstand. 3:41 AM, great.

She stared at me, seemingly shocked that I could physically interact with her. I looked down, noticing that the end of the bed where she was sitting was starting to get wet. Groaning, I stood up, stomping into the bathroom and grabbing a large towel.

“Here.” I tossed the towel at her. “You should dry yourself off.”

She sat there, slowly removing the towel from her head and gazing at it sadly. Seeing that she wasn’t going to do it herself, I huffed, grabbing the towel and ruffling her hair with it. Pulling it back, I noticed that her hair looked a little less damp, so I started patting down most of her body, avoiding her private areas as much as I could. Once I was sure that I had done a thorough job, I pulled the towel back, nodding in satisfaction.

“thAnK yOu” She mumbled, running a hand through her hair to work through some tangles.

“You were getting my bed wet.” I paused, deciding that it probably wasn’t a good idea to be rude to a ghost who happened to be stalking you. “No problem.”

I hung the towel back up, listening to the soft whirring of the AC fill the room. I still don’t like the silence, but I suppose it’s better than…nevermind, don’t think about it. Before I could say anything, the woman spoke.

“thEy’RE cOMiNg tO KILL yoU”
“Who?”
“tHE stAFf”

I turned around to face her, examining her face for any evidence of a lie. Finding none, I reached into my nightstand’s drawer, pulling out my pepper spray and taser.

“Why would the staff come to kill me?”
“yOU cAn sEE ME. YoU kNOw tOo mUCh”
“I know too much?”
“thEY KiLL pEOpLE oN tHIs SHip, tHEy dROwnEd mE”

The sound of my door unlocking caught my attention, without thinking I opened the balcony doors and pocketed my weapons. Climbing over the railing, I lowered myself, clinging onto the corner of the platform just as the door swung open and various staff members flooded the room.

“nOW ThEY’re gOiNG tO drOwN yOu”