The silence didn't last long. The sound of something massive shifting outside—deep, resonant, like the hull itself was groaning in pain—snapped the room back to life. People huddled closer together, whispering nervously. A few of them eyed me like I was insane, but others—especially the younger ones—looked at me with a mixture of fear and hope.
Billy and Freddie were beside me, and I could see the pale cast of Billy's face as he clutched the pickaxe I'd handed him. His arm was still bleeding where the creature had bitten him, but he didn't complain. Freddie, meanwhile, leaned against the wall, shaking his head.
"This is insane," Freddie muttered. "You expect us to believe—"
The lights flickered. The room went dark for a brief moment, and when they came back, the shadows seemed sharper. Closer.
"We don't have time to argue," I snapped. "They're real, and they're coming. You can believe me or not, but if you want to survive, you'll do what I say."
A man in his forties stood up, his jaw set in a grim line. "You seem to think you know what's going on. Fine. What's the plan?"
I didn't feel ready to be in charge, but there wasn't time for doubt. I glanced at Billy and Freddie, then back at the man.
"We need to get off this ship," I said. "It's sinking, and those things will kill anyone who stays behind. There are lifeboats, right?"
"Not enough for everyone," the man said grimly.
"Then we move fast," I said. "We take as many as we can carry. Anyone who can't fight stays in the center of the group. Those who can—grab anything you can use as a weapon. And stay away from the water."
Freddie snorted. "Stay away from the water? We're on a boat!"
"Then stay dry," I snapped.
The man nodded and began organizing the others, dividing them into groups. Meanwhile, I scanned the room for supplies. A few loose pipes, a crowbar, a fire extinguisher—nothing fancy, but it would have to do.
Billy was standing by one of the windows, peering out into the gloom. "It's not just the water," he said quietly.
I joined him, looking out. The sea was calm now, unnaturally so, but the sky had changed. It was darker, with strange red streaks crawling across it like veins. And in the distance, something moved.
I couldn't make it out at first, but then the shape resolved—a vast silhouette rising from the water, its form jagged and alien. It was enormous, dwarfing the ship, with long, spindly limbs that ended in claw-like appendages. Its head turned toward us, and even at this distance, I could feel its gaze.
"What is that?" Freddie asked, his voice shaking.
"I don't know," I admitted. "But we need to move now."
The group was ready. We opened the door cautiously, stepping out into the corridor. Water dripped from the ceiling, pooling on the floor, and the air was thick with the smell of salt and decay. The shadows moved strangely, like they were alive.

Billy leaned close to me. "You said you could see their weak points. Can you still?"
I focused, squinting into the gloom. There they were—small, pulsing spots of red scattered across the creatures as they slithered along the walls and ceiling.
"Yeah," I said. "I see them."
"Good," Billy said, gripping his pickaxe tighter. "Then lead the way."
We moved quickly, sticking to the walls and avoiding the rising water. Every so often, one of the creatures would lunge out of the shadows, but I guided the group, shouting out weak points. The makeshift weapons worked surprisingly well—pipes and crowbars slammed into the creatures, scattering them in bursts of black mist.
But the deeper we went, the harder it became to keep everyone together. People were panicking, breaking off from the group. I tried to stop them, but fear was stronger than reason.
At one point, we passed a flooded hallway, the water shimmering unnaturally. A young woman stepped too close, and one of the creatures surged up, wrapping its limbs around her and dragging her under. Her scream was cut off instantly.
"Keep moving!" I shouted, forcing myself to look away.
We reached the stairwell that led to the lifeboats, but it was partially submerged. The water was rising faster now, lapping at our ankles.
"We can't go through that," Freddie said.
"We don't have a choice," I replied.
Billy went first, wading into the water. He held his pickaxe above his head, his eyes darting around. The rest of us followed, moving as quickly as we could. The water was freezing, and I could feel it pulling at me, like it was alive.
"Faster!" I urged.
Halfway through, one of the creatures lunged at us from the water. I swung my crowbar, catching it in the side. It let out a horrible screech and dissolved into mist, but more were coming.
We stumbled out of the water, gasping. Ahead of us, the door to the deck was blocked by debris.
"Clear it!" I shouted.
The man from before grabbed a pipe and began prying at the wreckage. The rest of us joined in, heaving broken planks and twisted metal aside.
Behind us, the creatures were closing in.
"Hurry!" Billy yelled.
Finally, the door gave way, and we spilled out onto the deck. The lifeboats were there, but most were already gone. Only two remained, swaying precariously on their ropes.
"Get in!" I shouted.
The group scrambled toward the boats, climbing in as fast as they could. I turned to Billy and Freddie.
"You two go first," I said.
Billy hesitated. "What about you?"
"I'll hold them off," I said. "Just go!"
They nodded reluctantly, climbing into the boat. I turned back to the door, gripping my crowbar. The creatures were pouring out now, a mass of writhing shadows and glowing eyes.
"Come on," I muttered.
I swung wildly, keeping them at bay as the lifeboats began to lower. One of the creatures lunged at me, and I drove the crowbar into its head, sending it sprawling. But there were too many.
The lifeboats hit the water, and I turned to run, jumping off the deck just as the creatures closed in. I hit the water hard, the cold stealing my breath.
Billy pulled me into the boat, and I collapsed, gasping.
Behind us, the ship groaned one last time, then began to sink, taking the creatures with it.
But as I looked back, I saw the silhouette of the massive figure in the distance, watching us.
And I knew this wasn't over.