It was a perfect summer evening as a group of five American friends Jessica, Ryan, Ethan, Lauren and Amanda, stood on the sandy shores of a famous beach immersed in breathtaking view of the ocean.
The vibrant energy of the resort, the sound waves crashing and the warm glow of sunset had set the mood for an unforgettable vacation but what they witnessed next turned their dream getaway into a nightmare they would never forget as they laughed and clicked selfies.
Jessica froze pointing towards the horizon, "what is that?" She whispered her voice trembling.
A massive cruise ship was heading straight towards the beach, it's size was monstrous, it's dark silhouette looming against the fiery hues of the setting sun. The friends watched in horror as the ship shows no signs of slowing down.
"Run" Ethan shouted panick spread like wildfire....beachgoers screamed scattering in different direction.
The ship's horn glared once a deep guttural sound that sent chill down their spines but before it could crash onto the shore, the ship inexplicably came to a halt half embedded in sand.
By Nightfall the beach was cordoned off by police, news broke that the ship named the Ocean Phantom had mysteriously appeared out of nowhere.
It's crew and passengers over 300 people were found dead. All victims of sudden heart attack; strangely there were no signs of struggle or injuries.
The ship became the center of national attention, reporters swarmed the beach broadcasting the eerie sight from their resort balcony.
The friends could see the massive ship, it's dark windows staring back like hollow eyes "what do you think happened on that ship?" Lauren asked her voice barely above a whisper.
" Whatever it is, the authorities don't want us to know" Ryan replied gesturing to the armed guards stationed around the barricaded ship.
As the night deepened curiosity consumed them fueled by youthful recklessness and the allure of the unknown they hatched a plan to sneak aboard the ship bribing a hesitant guard.
The group managed to slip past the barricade under the cover of darkness, armed with flashlights, they climbed the gang plank... the metal creaking ominously under their weight.
Inside the ship was eerily silent, the air was thick and stale carrying a faint metallic tang, the grandeur of the ship's interior, a sprawling lobby with crystal chanders and marble floors was overshadowed by the unsettling aura that seemed to suffocate them.
Jessica shivered, " this place feels wrong ".
They split into pairs to explore the ship.
Ethan and Amanda headed to the pool area. Lauren and Ryan decided to check out the Captains Quarters while Jessica stayed near the lobby unable to shake off the feeling that they were being watched.
Ethan and Amanda found the swimming pool, eerily still it's water black as ink suddenly ripples spread across the surface, though there was no breeze.
A shadowy figure emerged, it's movement unnatural as if it were gliding just beneath the surface.
"Do you see that?" Amanda whispered clutching Ethans arm, before he could respond... the figure lunged towards them, they screamed and ran.
Their foot steps echoing through the empty corridors meanwhile Lauren and Ryan entered the Captains Quarters, the room was a chaotic mess with charts and navigation tools scattered everywhere.
On the desk lay the Captains Log Book open to a page filled with frantic illegible scribbles.
"This guy went insane" Ryan muttered flipping through the pages... the door suddenly slammed shut, a shadowy figure resembling the Captain in his uniform appeared behind them in the reflection of the window.
When they turned around, the figure was gone.
Jessica alone in the lobby heard footsteps above her... looking up, she saw a shadow darting across the glass roof; she screamed alerting the other, they regrouped in the lobby panting and terrified.
" We need to get out of here" Lauren said but when they tried to leave the Gangplank had vanished and the ship began to move.
The friends watched in horror as the beach grew distant, the ship retreating into the open sea trapped abroad; they were forced to confront the ship's sinister secrets.
In the dining hall, they found a projector replaying grainy footage of the passengers final moments, the guests were dining and dancing when a shadow engulfed the room one by one.... they clutched their chests collapsing to the floor, the same shadow began to manifest in the room where the friends stood, " it's happening again " Ethan and shouted they ran to the deck separately to escape.
The ship's engines roared to life and it sped further into the ocean realizing their only chance was...to jump, they climbed over the railing; "on three" Ryan shouted one by one they plunged into the freezing water, grasping and struggling they swam away watching as the ocean Phantom disappeared into the darkness taking it's horrifying secrets with it.
Rescued by the Coast guard hours later, the friend recounted their harrowing ordeal... no one believed their story.
The ship was never found again and the authorities dismissed their claims as hysteria but the friends knew the truth the ship was cursed a vessel of death that prayed on anyone foolish enough to board it and on quiet nights when the sea was calm, they could still hear the faint blare of its horn calling out to its next victims.