Dr. Creepen's Dungeon - S5 Ep194: Episode 194: Ocean Cruise Horror

Episode Date: November 21, 2024

Today’s phenomenal podcast story is a terrifying tale titled ‘I Saw Something on a Cruise and Now I Can’t Sleep’, an original work by 1phrit, kindly shared with us at NoSleep and narrated with the author’s permission:  https://www.reddit.com/r/nosleep/comments/7n3p15/i_saw_something_on_a_cruise_and_now_i_cant_sleep/

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We believe OCT scans are so important they're included with every standard eye exam. Book an eye exam at Spexsavers.cavers.ca.ca. I exams are provided by independent optometrists. Visit Spexsavers.com to learn more. Welcome to Dr. Creepin's Dungeon. Brew ships can be surprisingly scary because they combine isolation, the vastness of the ocean and a sense of vulnerability. Out in the middle of the sea far from land, passengers can feel cut off from the outside world with no quick escape in a case of emergency. The sheer size of the ship with its endless hallways and cabins can also be disorienting, making it easy to get lost or feel trapped.

Add in the potential for unexpected storms, mysterious disappearances and eerie occurrences in the middle of the night. You have all the elements of a classic thriller on the high seas, as we shall see in tonight's feature-length story. Now, as ever before we begin, a word of caution. Tonight's tale may contain strong language as well as descriptions of violence and horrific imagery. That sounds like your kind of thing. Then let's begin. Hi. My name's Riley.

I just want to give you a little background before I explain what happened. It wasn't until I met my fiancé that I really started getting out into the world. Growing up, my family was always one for camping, picnics, or anything else within driving distance, really. Things really changed when I met her. I'll call her Rachel. Well, I wish there was a better way of saying this, but simply put, she makes enough for us to go out and do amazing things,

and create equally amazing memories. I really do love her, though. She's amazing, and obviously, the one. Okay, I'll spare you the sappy stuff and fast forward to today. We are on a cruise. It's my second one ever, and first one that's more than one night long.

Our friends Bill and Sarah are on it with us. We're calling it a birthday cruise since it left the day of Bill's birthday. I wish I were writing here to tell you about all the awesome parties, poolside cocktails and everything else cruise-related. But I'm not. I saw something on the first night, and I haven't been able to sleep since. Today is day two of this four-day three-night cruise.

I'm confused and hoping someone here can help me. If you've been on a cruise, you know the rooms are tiny. The coffee is older than the ship. and the TV selection is painfully limited. So I was about 10pm and we'd been lying in bed for about 30 minutes. I looked at Rachel and a deep, peaceful breathing told me she was fast asleep. Still excited from leaving port and maybe a tad queasy, I decided to turn on the TV in Mellow Out.

I picked up the sad-looking remote from the bedside table and found a strange comfort in seeing the back held closed by black elizabeth. electrical tape. Being from a somewhat lower-income family, this was a common sight at home. I instantly began to relax and began flipping through the channels. Channel 1 was a channel dedicated to the ship logistics. You know, where we were, how fast we were going, where we were going, and so on. Well, it didn't take me long to get bored of that, and pressed down on the ancient

tick-tack of a channel up button. The loud clack as it pressed down told me it hadn't. been used often. Channel 2 was about ship events. The cruise coordinator, Saul, was on the screen talking about the next day's activities. He was a perplexing individual. I'd call it exhaustingly enthusiastic. His face screamed, I've been doing this too damn long, while his voice went into a cheery detail about the finer things that are shuffleboard and the proper way to score it. Even the display on screen gave a half-baked cheesy feel. It was clearly shot with Saul in front of a green screen,

as the background and shadowing came from nowhere close to matching his half-infused body movements. I could feel my eyes beginning to droop, and knew it wouldn't be long before I joined Rachel in a long night of sleep. I gave the channel up button one more click Oh I wish I hadn't I wish I'd just fallen asleep I wish what I'd seen was a dream I didn't

And it wasn't The screen flipped to the next channel Well it wasn't channel 3 It was channel 2,28 I didn't think much of it in the brief instant between reading the number and my mind visually interpreting what the screen was displaying. It wasn't like the two previous channels. No, it was grainy, black and white, and there was no sound.

I assumed that this was just a really old film at first. One of the old ones with no sound and intermittent text boxes to fill the void. In any case, I was intrigued and suddenly less sleepy. I watched, and the crashing of the waves against the outside. of the ship was the only sound to keep me company while I did. The screen showed a top-down view of what looked like a very old hospital bed. The room appeared to be dark and rustic, with a cement floor and less than optimal lighting. There was a man on the bed in just boxer briefs. He was alive based on his gradual movements, no more than slowly moving his head

from one side to the other. But I can't say with any certainty what state of conscience consciousness he was in. He wasn't just strapped in. He appeared to be chained in. His legs were chained together. The chain wrapped from his legs to the underside of the bed. His arms were chained out over the edge of the bed with his limp hands facing downward. Another chain wrapped tightly around his neck and around the bed, just like his legs. On either side of him were two men. I would have assumed they were doctors, but they weren't wearing any sort of scrubs. They were wearing suits. Nice suits. One of the men looked a bit on the stubby, what, larger side, with short, wavy, slick back hair. He appeared middle age from what I could see.

The other man was the opposite, dark hair, taller, leaner, and noticeably younger. I'd say in his late 20s. It was very hard to tell with a video quality being what it was. They stood with arms behind their backs, looking down at the man on the bed. I watched as another man entered the picture. Now I can say that he definitely resembled that of a doctor. He at least had a long white jacket on and had a number of sharp objects in a tray he carried over. He was entirely bald and had a white goatee with what looked like circle-framed glasses. The doctor pulled one of the sharp objects off his tray and examined it, twisting it from side to side in his fingers. He then looked down at the man in the bed. I could see the doctor's mouth move, but couldn't make out what he was saying.

In one quick movement, the doctor swiftly moved the sharp object parallel from about halfway up with the man's left arm down to about his left wrist. I expected the man in the bed to lurch or tense up, but he didn't. The nicely dressed men seemed to have no reaction either. Blood began to ooze at a steady pace from his left arm, while the doctor moved to the other side of his body. I knew what was coming next, another swift movement and a second flow of blood.

I hadn't noticed until this point, But there were two square white containers under each arm to catch the blood. The dark blood now pooling in the bottom was an easy contrast to see against the whiteness that surrounded it. All three of the other men in the room stood, just looking down at this poor man. What happens next is what keeps me from sleeping. I must have watched the screen for a good two or three minutes, while the stream of blood from the man's wrist went from a steady flow to a few light drips every few seconds. I noticed his head was no longer moving from side to side.

I don't know why I kept watching. The cynical doubt of this being an old horror movie had already crept inside my head. Maybe it was a morbid fantasy, or maybe I was holding on to the smallest shred of hope that some sort of credits would begin to roll up the screen. At that moment, we hit what I assumed to be some rough seas, and I heard a particularly hard wave from outside, and the boat lurched to the left. I kept my eyes on the screen, and watched with horror as the blood that filled the containers sloshed to the left side in unison.

This wasn't a movie. This was a video stream, and it was from somewhere on this show. shit. I quickly, but quietly, picked up the TV guide card to try and find out what Channel 2-28 was supposed to be, but the card only had channels 1 through 30. You know that feeling of being watched, where the hairs stand up on your neck, and you get that tickle in your throat, where your breathing sounds like a hurricane, and any movement of your joint sounds like the loudest, creakiest door from your grandparents' house. Well, I felt it. I felt it bad.

I stared at the card. I held my breath and slowly moved my head and eyes up. I could hear the joints in my vertebrae creaking as my eyes met the scream. All three men were staring back. I sat motionless, unable to think. The picture faded to static. I have no idea what the fuck that was or what the fuck to do. I don't want to tell Rachel and ruin her trip in case this was some crazy fluke murder mystery show.

But I just have a horrible feeling that it's not. Why the fuck were they staring back? Dramatic effect? It just felt like they were staring directly through the screen. But me? I looked through the cruise activity captain. lock and saw nothing related to murder mystery. I'm too scared to ask anyone who works on the ship about it.

Well, I think I'm going to talk to Bill about it and see what he says. He's one of my oldest friends and I know I can trust him. It's only a matter of time before the lack of eating and dark circles under my eyes give me away anyways. Maybe talking to him will make me feel good enough to get a few hours tonight. hopefully maybe a drink will ease my mind for now Hey Ontario, come on down to Bed MGM Casino and check out our newest exclusive

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close to you, please contact Connix Ontario at 1866-531 21,600 to speak to an advisor free of charge. BenMGEM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with Eye Gaming, Ontario. I have an update for you, but I don't have a lot of answers, just a lot more questions. Right now, it's very early in the morning, about 5 a.m. on the third day. I'm typing this in the dark outside on one of the decks. The light from my phone screen is turned way down. I don't want anyone to know I'm here or that I have my phone.

Yeah, I'll explain more in a bit. So, after I finished my update yesterday, I lay in bed for several hours until Rachel woke up. The both of us got changed and got a hold of Sarah and Bill and some walkie-talkies we brought. The plan was to meet up with them at the general buffet for breakfast. After getting there and making our way through a small horde of people, we found a take. and sat with our food. The morning chat was light. We were all still pretty tired and groggy, me most of all, so there wasn't much beyond how well did you sleep and comments about the activities listed for the day. I tried my best not to give off a vibe that something was wrong.

Eventually we made our way through the majority of our meals and both Rachel and Sarah got up to go to the restroom. I know what you're thinking. How could you? you possibly let them off alone like that? Well, I had to. It's really hard to try and convince someone not to be alone without raising too many questions. I kept solace in the fact that at least there were two of them and they were together. It's the best I could do for now. While they were gone, I asked Bill if you could spare a few minutes in the evening to talk about something. Now, a little bit about Bill and Sarah. Bill is a very tall guy.

Though he has a bit of a beer belly, he doesn't come off as fat. He just comes off as bigger and taller. He has short dark hair and dark eyes and usually wears dark clothing, including a beanie, which fit his demeanour. Sarah, well, she's a perfect match for him. She's not quite as tall. And drinks lightly, so certainly no beer belly. but also dresses in darker clothing with dark hair and dark eyes.

One interesting thing about her is that she's allergic to the sun. She will start to get bad sunburn after as little as 60 seconds in direct sunlight. No, she's not a vampire. This also means her skin is much more on the pale side than most. I went to high school with both of them, but they didn't even start hanging out or even dating until, well, after we'd all graduated. it. In any case, I could tell Bill wasn't catching onto the series of my tone here. Bill and Sarah are married. Not to say they don't have an awesome marriage, they definitely do, but there are

moments for all of us, whether married or just dating, when we'll just try to go out for a night with the boys. I guess that's what Bill thought this was. I could tell he thought I was giving him an excuse to get out for the night and party. While he obviously didn't pick up on my narrowed eyes, non-smiling mouth and shaking legs when I asked him. His yearning to get out inevitably worked in my favour as he happily agreed. We made plans to meet up at around 7pm near the casino. I could tell he was a bit confused though when I told him not to mention anything about it to Sarah. He reluctantly obliged. The four of us spent the rest of the day together. I was essentially trying to get my mind off things.

went to the arcade, did some swimming. I know a lot of you wanted me to avoid anything public, but, similar to what I just said, I just couldn't do it without raising questions. I know Rachel wouldn't want to sit in our stateroom all day either, so that would mean she would be out on the boat by yourself,

possibly with the other two of our group, but without being with her, there was no way to know for sure. I should probably preface that This cruise is down near the equator. So, roughly 12 hours on and 12 hours of night each day. At around 6.30 we return to our rooms to switch from our casual wear to nicer clothes. Nights were still very cold, surprisingly.

Rachel said she would go with me to the casino and then let us boys do our thing. Sarah must have had a similar thought, since all four of us showed up at the same time together. I could see the relief in Bill's eyes that. Rachel had come, and Rachel took quick action in scooping Sarah off to some loud, ringing slot machine on the other side of the casino. I was relieved in my own way that neither of the girls would be alone. I immediately led Bill away from the crowded, smoky area into a nearby whiskey lounge. We took some chairs in a space in the corner away from others, and I divulged to him what I had seen. Wow. Really?

That's fucked up. I could tell that his second glass of whiskey was already having an impact on him. I, on the other hand, and at the advice of many of you, had barely taken two sipped out of my glass. I don't know what to do. I mean, it probably wasn't real, right? It was just a show, right? I have no idea, man.

I didn't see it, so I can't say for sure. Are you sure you weren't dreaming? Doubt began to seep back into my mind. Well, now I'm not sure. I was pretty sleepy just before switching the channels, but like I said, I haven't really slept since, so I don't really remember waking up from it if it was a dream. That's a good point.

So, what would you do in my position? Honestly. Before I could advise against any... further consumption of alcohol, he took a generous gulp of his whiskey. I could tell it didn't go down right. Bill looked at me. I could tell he was about to borrow that whiskey rather than on it. He bolted for the bathroom and left me there to wait. I chuckled for the first time in what felt like in eternity. Alcohol was free on the trip and Bill was certainly making use of that. This is probably why I was surprised when the waiter showed up with a check for our drinks.

I thought drinks were free, I asked, looking with a furrowed brow at my bell. The waiter took a slightly uncomfortable time to respond and finally said, Not all the drinks, in a very monotone, quiet voice. I read down the line items of the drinks, far more ordered by Bill than myself. I felt guilty letting him consume that much of anything, let alone alcohol, especially knowing what I'd known. Then I saw the total at the bottom. $2.28.28. 2.28.

I snapped my head up quickly and the waiter was gone. I looked around cautiously. There were just a few other people in the area. If they'd noticed anything, they were doing a very good job of pretending they didn't. I looked back at what had been handed to me. Closer inspection showed that it really didn't resemble much of a receipt at all. It wasn't handwritten, but it was very crude. The lines of drinks were right, and this sent a chill down my spine.

Someone had watched us the entire time and knew everything we'd drunk. I waited a few more minutes for Bill to return, but my paranoia got the best of me and I left quickly from my room. Hopefully he could find the girls once he was done, doing what he had to do. I knew this was dumb, but I just couldn't stay there waiting for something to happen. As I made my way through the ship, I tried my best to control my adrenaline and slow my pace down as to not draw attention to myself. I still moved as quickly as I could at the staircases.

Somehow being in the confined space of the elevator seemed very unappealing. I got to my floor and navigated down the hallway, decorated with exotic fish and somewhat dated wood-paneled walls. I got to the end. My room. I fumbled with my key card momentarily and eventually made my way in, closing the door behind me. I stood for a few moments, with my back pressed against the door, almost as if I was trying to keep someone out, but to the best of my knowledge I wasn't being followed.

The only sounds were the thoughts in my head, and the waves outside still crashing against the ship. For a moment, I felt incredibly alone, staring out the window of our room, over the railing of our balcony to the vast expanse of white-capped waves, breaking against the twilight of a once sunny day, turning to a moonlit night. Something was happening on this ship. Obviously the people in charge had to know about it.

But why? I tried to think of my next move. But my mind clouded and could only come up with one solitary cohesive thought. Turn on the TV. What did I have to lose at this point? things were already getting more and more out of hand. Somebody knew what I had seen, and they made sure that I knew that they knew. As far as I could tell, I was as good as fucked.

So, against what I were perceived to be my better judgment, I flipped the TV on. It was already on Channel 2-28. I thought for a moment about turning it off, but I was actually strangely relieved by what I saw. Dick 15, 5.30 a.m. was all it displayed in flashing big red block letters against a black background. I knew immediately what this meant. Somebody wanted to meet up with me. I went to reach for my phone to take a picture. Right then, my wall. talky chirps.

It was Rachel. The TV shut off entirely, but her voice still helped me feel at ease with the situation. Babe, are you there? Where are you and Bill at? Me and Bill, what the fuck? Instantly my mind filled with dread. He hadn't made it back to them after all.

Was he okay? Did he just go back to the room not feeling well? Oh, questions began to fill. my mind. Riley! I snapped back to reality and snatched up the walkie. Yeah, yeah, sorry, I'm here. Are you still at the casino? We went back to Sarah and Bill's room so she could take a shower and get some more cash. Just figured I'd check in. Motherfucker. He wasn't in the room. Where the fuck is he? I had to think. Quick, really quick. I looked at the time. I looked at the time. 9 p.m.

It was getting late. Yeah, we're still out having fun. I'll be back at the room a little later. Don't wait up for me. Let Sarah know not to wait for Bill either. I felt like a piece of shit for lying like that. I just didn't want them to worry. But I realised that if Bill was in danger,

and they were too. Let me know when you come back to the room to go to sleep. just so I know to be quiet when I get in. There was no response. I felt my pulse quicken. I waited and tried to calmly ask again. Rachel, did you hear me? Let me know when you get back to the room.

Oh yeah, sorry. I must have forgot to press the communication button down. No problem. I'll let you know when I get back. I almost cried hearing her voice. It was the most relief I'd felt since I first stepped onto this fucking boat. This sucked. I was supposed to be having fun and creating memories I would never forget.

Well, at least the last part of that was true. I immediately set out to find Bill. And, honestly, well, I was getting pissed. I can take quite a bit, but this was starting to cross the line. I still remained cautious without drawing attention to myself, but I felt ready to deal with whatever was about to happen. I had to. If Bill wasn't back by morning, I knew I would have to tell Sarah and Rachel everything. I really don't like to lie.

I began my search. I started from where I'd last seen him and worked outwards. There was no sign of him anywhere. I didn't ask anyone if they'd seen him. I didn't want to bring any more negative attention to myself. But he was nowhere. I also had to be careful to avoid Rachel and Sarah. If they saw me without Bill, I knew there would be questions.

Fortunately, the familiar chip on the walkie-talkie came through after about half an hour of searching. Go out to bed, babe. Have fun. Don't stay out too late. big day tomorrow. I remember that we had to stop in some port the next day. I wasn't sure how to feel about that. It's not like I could get off the ship and never get back on,

especially if Bill didn't turn up. I started retracing my steps. Nothing. I lost track of time, and before I knew it, it was 4.30 a.m. I made my way up to deck 15 slowly and came. carefully. If someone had taken Bill, whoever was up there might have an answer to that, and all the other questions that sloshed around in my brain. So, here I am. Now it's 5.28 a.m. on deck 15. There is only one staircase up to this area. It's just a small outdoor courtyard, basically as high as you can go on the ship. In other words, someone would only know you are here if they were here with you. A railing that's about four feet high surrounds the entirety of the area, broken only where the stairs come up.

The area itself is no more than about ten feet by ten feet. I will stand directly opposite the stairway on the other side of the railing. I scoped out the area and didn't see anything like a camera or audio recording device. so I felt both nervous and relieved that only the person I'm meeting will know I am here based on whatever happens I might not be able to respond to your comments quickly or ever

I hear the gate at the base of the stairs swing open and shut someone's coming up well I am alive and so is Bill I think I've returned from deck 15 in one peace and I'm about to disembark for our day on land. I can say that I know Bill is alive and so was Sarah and Rachel.

I'm still a little confused but I have a lot more information now. I didn't have an opportunity to respond to everyone this time and I'm very sorry but I read all of your advice every chance I got. You guys are amazing. I actually have some hope that I can make it out of this. I don't know, if I would have if I hadn't posted here. I know a lot of you thought I was crazy to go up there, but I knew this was my only chance to save my friend.

While I didn't go armed, I did go prepared. You'll see. I'll get right into it. I waited at the top of those stairs for what seemed like three hours, but it was just a matter of seconds in reality. A man walked up and approached me. I instantly recognized him. There was no mistaking of those half cheerful, half sleepy eyes.

At first I wasn't sure if he was there by mistake and was going to ask me to leave, or if he wanted to give me a lesson in the finer things that are shuffleboard. So, good morning. He said it quite nicely. I was confused, but managed to get out. Good morning, sir. I am glad you are here. I'm sorry to put you through everything.

You were behind this? Where's Bill? Who took him? I couldn't really control myself. I thought through this moment many times since I'd been up on this deck. But once the moment came to talk to someone, emotion got the better of me, and words just poured out. Unfortunately,

I can't tell you that yet, but I can tell you he's alive. I glared at him in silence, the sun beginning to rise. I could feel the warmth reflecting of the railing next to me. What he said next made me feel a little better, but I kept my guard up. With a heavy sigh, he slumped against the railing next to me. I need your help. I almost laughed. My help.

I don't know what I could do to help in this situation. If anyone needs help, it's me. Just let me explain. He stood back up, his hands in his pockets, walking perpendicular to my line of sight as he stared off towards the now half-risen sun. And the video you washed. I'm sure that made you uncomfortable.

It makes me uncomfortable every time I see it. As he reached the other side of the area, he leaned forward, his forearms resting on the railing. His hands clasped. His now somber face still staring into the distance. I could feel emotion bubbling up inside me. Maybe the emotion I thought he should be feeling. As I felt the words I wanted to say inching towards my lips, I clenched down and closed my eyes. I took a deep breath joining him on the railing.

I sent the live feed I was watching to the TV in your room as well, hoping someone would see it. I knew you had when a waiter overheard you talking about it at the whiskey bar and inform me. Well, it seems you were right. I was being watched. I'm required to watch and record that every time it happens, which is on the first First day and the last day of every cruise. You see, the people who run this ship have a very strict, unwritten contract with the locals of the ports. It's actually quite normal for cruises, though usually it amounts to no more than some free alcohol or even cash. In return, the local economy refrains from harassing our patrons too much.

He breathed deeply. But this ship... is different. He has an agreement with a very different group. I started to suddenly understand why he looked the way he did. Every day he worked. He had two jobs, to serve the people on the boat, and to serve those above him. I mean, technically that's what every cruise director has to do, but obviously his situation is a bit different. He looked over at me, studied. He looked over at me, studying my face, probably seeing the mixture of concern and empathy. Without me having to ask, he simply said,

Pirates. He looked away in what looked almost like defeat. Pirates! You need me to help you with pirates. It's not that straightforward. The pirates protects us from, well, more pirates. Pirates protect this boat by killing the people on it. He rolled his eyes in a very contemptuous manner.

I realized I was starting to piss off the last resort I had to fix everything that had happened up to this point and save my friend. Sorry, look, it's just I haven't slept, and I have to tell my fiancé about all this in a few hours. You don't need to apologise. I get it. This wasn't what you had in mind when you got. got on this ship. He looked at me, likely waiting for another snappy response. When I didn't have one to offer, he continued. Pirates ward off other pirates, less by fighting, more by show of force. When pirates fight each other, there's very little to gain. People on both sides die, and most likely the victor will watch his opponent and all the spoils of war they have, sink into the depths never to be seen again.

It made sense, I suppose. But I still wasn't really sure what any of this had to do with me. So, the best way to prevent fighting while still showing dominance is a show of force. So, like, shoot their cannons, or what? He scoffed.

This isn't the 1700s. Pirates don't ride around on sail shift with big black masts that have skulls on them. No, no. In fact, you probably see pirates all the time when you're on a boat. You just don't know it. I doubt you ever get that close to a boat on the open seas to really look at it. He was right. I hadn't. But I also hadn't spent all that much time on the sea, in a cruise ship or otherwise. I listened as he went on. Only other pirates really know what to look for. So when a pirate feels threatened,

they display the amount of human skulls they have, usually on some sort of crude netting. Everything clicked. You kill people on this boat to give their skulls? So that your pirate protectors can swing a bigger dick? He laughed, genuinely. for almost 30 seconds. Well, you aren't wrong.

That is why people die on this boat. How do you get away with it? Well, we normally don't kill passengers. Normally we only kill runaways or homeless people we find near port. They're plentiful since they try to get what they can from people on rich fancy boats like this. Only one word stuck out to me in that entire sentence. Normally? His voice got quiet.

He looked me dead in the eye. Unless they know too much. He wasn't talking about me. I was standing right here. He didn't look particularly tough, so I knew I could fight him. I looked around quickly in any case to see if he had henchmen's standing by. He sensed my panic. Not you. I was right, but that meant Bill was in a hell of a lot of trouble. So, are you using my friend as blackmail? I don't see it that way. Not at all.

Your friend is helping too. He's just doing it in a different manner. I'd found myself warming. up to Saul up until that point. He could call it whatever he wanted. The fact was the life of my friend was in his hands and my willingness to collaborate with him. I was stuck, and I knew it. And even though he didn't appear to have a particularly devious scheme about himself, he knew I was stuck too. How do I help? Thinking I was going to be fighting a bunch of pirates or hijacking a ship. You are going to blow up the engine of this ship. Take it out of commission.

I should have been a lot more shot. But I wasn't. Not after everything that had happened at this point. Don't worry. You won't be killing anyone. Everything you need will be waiting for you in the safe of your room. Oh, I changed the code so only you could get in. I waited.

expecting an answer. Are you going to tell me what it is? He chuckled. Again? I suddenly knew exactly what the number was and I gave him a smirk and a nod of affirmation. In any case, I've sent a letter to Sarah. It's on their cabin door.

It's a letter from me explaining White Bill has been put in the brig for 48 hours, and that public intoxication is not tolerated, even on a boat. He smiled when he realised my confusion. That'll give you a way to get through the rest of the trip without him. Oh, I know you wouldn't do this since you're so concerned about her happiness, but I would avoid telling Rachel any of this. As you know, bad things happen to people who know too much.

I felt anger returning. He could sense it. He began to leave. Once you have everything you need, we'll touch base again, and I'll tell you what to do. What you need to gather won't make a lot of sense just yet, but the next time we meet it will. I was so angry. I could have bashed his heading right there, but that would raise far too many questions, and I would likely still end up dead anyway.

He began to walk toward the stairs. I had one more question, the last one rattling around in my head before I made my way back to my room to begin what felt like the devil's bidding. Before I could ask, he cut in. Why are you? And paused at the top of the stairs down and turned to look back at me. Don't take it personally, kid. I chose the room. who chose the channel. Saul walked down the stairs and I heard the gate swing open and then shut.

I turned away from the stairs after a few minutes, staring off into the now fully risen sun and the landmass coming into views to the side of it. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the walkie-talkie. I peeled the familiar black tape off of the communication button. Did you get all that babe. Loud and clear. Thank you enough for your help. And I am sorry I've had to leave stuff out, at least until I knew I felt comfortable enough to talk about it here. So, now I'll come clean. I know a lot of you are skeptical about Rachel, but here's the honest truth. She's in the health industry and is quite good at what she does. If she'd wanted me dead, I'd have to believe she could have done it much more discreetly, and without him,

involving as many people. I'll keep my guard up just in case. But for now, at least, I have to trust her. Oh, and one last point. Several have asked how long we've been together. It'll be three years this spring, hopefully. So, the other night when I went out looking for Bill, I ran into Rachel. Sarah wasn't with her. I was relieved when she said that Sarah was still gambling, though nervous when she said she was drinking. I could tell by the mixture of concern and surprise on her face. I wouldn't be able to get away without an explanation. We met up with Sarah and they both asked about Bill.

Well, I couldn't keep it a secret anymore. I told them everything. Well, actually, I didn't tell them what happened. I had them reading on here. That way nothing was said audible enough. for anyone to hear. I'm not one for mind games and lying, as I've said before. But in this case, I knew I was meeting with someone who knew something about what was going on.

I knew that, good or bad. I needed to know something that they didn't. Saul walked away from that courtyard, thinking that only I knew what was going on. He played right into it when he told me he'd sent a letter to Sarah in their room. He didn't know that both Rachel and Sarah were listening in our room to everything I'd said, everything he said. It wasn't just me that knew something he didn't. All three of us did.

I'm glad, too. When he and I were first talking, I felt almost comfortable enough to tell him about Sarah and Rachel, and that they are willing to help. However, the darkness that spilled over the second half of that conversation made me glad I hadn't. At least I could see him for what he was, just a pawn in the system. And he was too scared of getting caught to do anything about it himself. It still didn't really make me like him, at the end of the day.

He still knew where my friend was being held. When I got back to the room, Sarah and Rachel were already going through the safe. I was actually surprised at how simple the instructions were. It was essentially just a standard size sheet of paper with a list of items to get. Three items, to be exact. I assumed it was so basic because Saul wanted to make sure that what I was asking for didn't give away anything to Rachel and Sarah or anyone else. He even gave me excuses for why I'd want them.

The items I needed are as follows. One flashlight to get around easier at night. One bag of marbles because you want a souvenir. An iPhone charger because yours broke. This charger actually had a location that I needed to go to, unlike the others. I looked over and I could see my cord plugged in by the bed. Half of it was dangling from the socket. The other half was lying on the floor.

Thanks, jackass, was all I could think. I didn't really understand how I could do any amount of damage with these items. Maybe someone else knows more about them and can explain what role they could take in some sort of controlled explosion, destruction of a ship engine. As confused as I was, I knew any opportunity I had to ask questions was now long gone. The last line simply said, 2-28. I didn't get it. why would he put the safe combination on a piece of paper that he was putting into the safe I know a lot of you have asked about a deeper meaning to this number

well I'm just as hopeful as you that an answer reveals itself in any case we threw everything we needed from the room into one bag and made our way to get off the boat Rachel and I each took a walkie just in case we stood in the long line waiting for our turn to walk off I was feeling anxious in the anticipation of finally getting to step foot off the ship, even if it was briefly. Finally, we got to the front. It was a weird, bittersweet moment of relief when I stepped off.

It's a lot like the first day of spring break. It feels really good on the way home that first day, but a looming familiarity of stress and unknown awaits on the other side of that relief. Rachel followed behind me with no issue, and I could tell she had the same feeling that I did. Our relief was short-lived. We looked back. Sarah was being held back by someone, a guard facing away from us. I turned and stepped back towards the boat, but was pushed backwards by a different guard telling me that I would have to go through the regular onboarding line to re-enter if I wanted to get back on.

immediately I felt like our plan was jeopardized as much as I wanted to make a scene and figure out why Sarah was being held back I couldn't I couldn't risk getting us into a worse situation than we were already in I kept stepping backward away from the boat at the command of the guard I made eye contact with Sarah while I could still see her she gave me a look of concern but a nod that told me I still needed to do what needed to be done. Rachel and I turned and went into town, hoping against hope that she would just be stuck on the ship for the day for something unrelated. I would be lying if I said you guys hadn't cast some doubt into my head. What if Rachel was behind this? And here I am in a foreign country with her. Now, like I said in some of the comments, I had two people I needed

to trust. One I knew well, and one I didn't. I was resigned to stick with what I knew. We made our way across town. We were able to find marbles off of a street merchant near the port, and flashlights were hanging on a spinning rack in a place we'd only meant to stop it to get water. I did my best to make it seem like Rachel didn't know anything, just in case we were being watched. I'd say things like, hey, it's dark at night, we should get one of these flashlights, or I'm going to grab these marbles, we need a nice souvenir. Things were going way too smoothly. Then we got to the last stop, thinking it would be some rustic old shack down a dark alley. I was actually surprised when we found the place. It was a nice, modern-looking store,

and was quite busy. I actually felt somewhat safe for the first time in a long time. Once in the store, Rachel and I went our separate ways. She went off to grab some toiletries while I set out to find the last item on the list. I honestly expected it to be easier than it was.

Charges are a pretty common commodity, especially in a port town. But I couldn't find them anywhere. Eventually I came across an employee stocking the shelves. He was dressed in blue jeans with a red vest and blue button up top. He didn't appear to be much older than me. Hey, excuse me, I was wondering if you had any iPhone charges. Chargers are near the front.

Gotta keep them locked up. Have a habit of walking out, you know. I don't know what it was about him, but the way he said that made me uneasy. He didn't say anything bad really. I just assumed I was too on edge and tried not to think much about it. We got to the front

and he handed me a charger and a small piece of paper. I opened it and read it. Sorry about Sarah. I had to make sure we understood each other. She's fine. If it makes you feel any better, it was supposed to be Rachel. But this will have to do.

See you soon. Don't forget. 2.8. I definitely did not feel better. I felt sick. Sarah was gone now too. I kept reading the lines over and over as my stomach churned. Was supposed to be Rachel.

I'll see you soon. My mind felt fuzzy again. Did he know that Rachel and Sarah knew something? He must have come here after we got off the boat. Otherwise, how would he know that Sarah was gone and not Rachel? And how did the clerk know to give me the note? So, I asked, Who gave you this?

My boss? Is he here? Uh, he left. He went back to work. He's not here, but he went back to work. I thought you said he was your manager. I said he was my boss, not my manager. What's his name?

He's just a guy. Look, are you going to buy something else or piss me off with all these questions all day? Just then, Rachel walked up, and I knew I couldn't ask anything else as much as I wanted to. I could only assume that Saul had given him that note to give to me. We quickly paid the clerk, and we went back to the ship. I remember looking at it as we walked up to it. This massive ship looming there, growing and starting to take up my full range of vision.

Somewhere on that boat, my friends were being held captive, or at least I hoped they were still on it. I was starting to feel sick, maybe from the sea legs or the lack of sleep, but most likely from the fact that in the next 24 hours I was supposed to blow up the engine. I still had no idea where Sarah and Bill were. We got back on the ship. Saul's comment from our chat, And I know you wouldn't do this since you are concerned so much about her happiness, but I

would avoid telling Rachel any of this. was playing over and over in my head. I had to believe that he still didn't know Rachel was in on this. I also had to fight another demon to convince myself that Rachel was not the reason for this. It was getting late. We thought about going back to look for Sarah, but we knew it would be useless. Around 8 p.m., we were back in our room. Rachel drank a glass of water and pretended to fall.

fall asleep while I got myself ready for bed. The plan was for her to pretend sleeping and try to catch a look at whatever displayed on the TV when I turned it on. I made the assumption that Saul included Remember 2-28 on that note because he wanted me to get my next instructions from that channel so that we could meet up. I settled in and mentally tried to prepare my already exhausted mind for what was next. I flipped on the TV, or at least I tried. I hit the power button, but it didn't work. Since I'd used the tape on the back for my plan earlier, I thought maybe the batteries had popped out. I turned it over. In the place of the batteries, there was a folded up piece of paper. quietly and carefully I pulled it out.

It was a familiar message. Deck 15. Supplies. Alone. Now, my throat went dry. I had to do this one alone. I looked over at Rachel and nudged her a bit. She was either pretending really well, or she'd actually dozed off. Rachel, I said in a rushed whisper. Nothing.

I swallowed hard and slowly crept around the room gathering the things I needed. The lights, the marbles, the iPhone charger. Where the fuck was the charger? As quiet and as quick as I could, I searched the room. I couldn't find it anywhere. but I was out of time. I needed to go up there now or lose an opportunity to see Bill and Sarah ever again.

For good measure, Anne, thanks to all of your advice, I grabbed a pen off the nightstand by my bed. It was the best weapon I could muster in the moment. After checking one more time to see if she was awake, I gave Rachel one last peck on a cheek as I left the room, trying behind watery eyes. to push the thought that this could be the last time I ever see her again, out of my mind.

I made my way to the top, back to the familiar railing on deck 15. It was windy and we were moving pretty fast. I could hear the crashes of waves far, far below where I was. I waited. and waited and waited no one came I frantically searched the deck for something

anything that could be waiting for me a clue or piece of paper of any sort then I realized what had happened in my stupidity I'd given that fuck everything that he needed to get everyone I guess he realised we all knew too much He got Bill after I bailed out of my paranoia from the check the waiter gave me He got Sarah when we left on the boat to go on that bogus scavenger hunt

And now he got Rachel And I practically handed her to him It made sense He couldn't let any of us off his boat knowing what we knew What I knew It made sense to get them first He knew I wouldn't leave without them And he probably also knew I would die

Trying to save them I was fucked And tired And downright pissed the fuck off I went back to the room and flipped on the lights She was gone But I didn't notice a struggle Most everything was just as I had left it

aside from the pulled down bed cover. I wanted to scream, to cry, anything, and then I saw it. A walkie-talkie was missing, I turned the other one on. The communication button was being held down, just like I'd done previously. I heard voices.

Several I didn't recognize, but one half-infused, half-tenthused, half-time. hired one than I did. Sorry for the delayed update or it's been a long couple of days stuck in port. I really had no chance to respond to comments on the last update, so I'll start right where I left off. I stood for a moment in my stateroom still trying to piece everything together. Then, beyond the murmur of voices on the walkie-talkie, I heard the light moans. It was them, I couldn't tell each sound apart, but I knew it was the three of them. Oh, I had to believe it was.

I snatched up the walkie. I was sure to turn the audio down a bit. Grab the bag, I'd filled with the supplies, and left the room. I set out trying my best to think of where they could be. It was 5 a.m. We were set to be in port at 7 a.m. That didn't leave a lot of time. especially if any of what Saul had told me was true.

I listened intently to the walkie as I made my way down the hall away from my room. I didn't hear much. It sounded like the walkie on the other end was covered in something, preventing the audio from coming through cleanly. Suddenly, the boat lurched, hard enough that I slammed to the left against the wall. You can only assume those on the other side of the walkie-talkie had the same experience. as there was a muffled exclamation.

The next words that I heard were from a familiar voice, and they came through the walkie-talkie crystal clear, almost as if they were said right into it, or at least very close. Damn, what the hell was that? Do you think we should check with the engineers above us? On three? I heard some distant murmuring that I couldn't make out,

followed by a brief pause. I understood If it happens again I'll head up It seemed almost too coincidental But at least I knew where to go Floor 2 A big What if popped into my head

What if this is a trap Could I be walking into my own death Like I said I wasn't going to leave without them And I was prepared to die trying Against my better judgment, I pulled myself off the wall and pressed forward. I made my way toward the staircase near the elevators. Stepping lightly, I made my way down. As I turned to leave the fifth floor and proceed downwards, the nice grand staircase ended, and I found myself facing a more rustic,

all-white door, with a turnable wheel in the middle to open it. I briefly scanned the platform above me to make sure no passengers were nearby and I grabbed on either side of the cold metal wheel with a firm grasp I tried to turn it my muscles strained and I was doing all I could not to make any sound as my body heaved against it just as my muscles began to ache and I was about to give up and find an alternate route down the wheel began to move groaning loudly as it did Try as I might. There was no way to avoid the almost harmonic French horn sounding groan it was giving off. I scanned the area one last time and saw no one. Giving up all notions of maintaining my stealth, I twisted hard and fast.

The sound began to let up, and the wheel started turning more freely. It reminded me of starting a car and trying to turn the wheel in the few moments at the power steering. was kicking in. Then, at last, the door popped open. A cold draught followed it, and I found myself staring into nothing but darkness. Assuming I would no longer need it to blow anything up, I took out the flashlight and flipped it on, hoping against hope no one was staring back at me from the depths I was looking into. I stepped in and closed the door gently behind me. I chose not to relatch it from the other side, to prepare for what I expected to be a hasty escape. I pressed and pressed the walkie up to my ear to listen to see if there was any status change on the other side.

Beyond soft murmurs, there was nothing of note. I could still hear the faint moaning, so I knew that nothing had happened to the group, at least not yet. I moved my flashlight around, a beam of light. straight in front of me illuminated the floating dust particles in the stairwell. And really, nothing out of the ordinary beyond that. It was like any standard set of stairs in a building, but they were all white and all steel. Between each floor, the stairway would go down to a platform. In other words, it was two flights of stairs to get from one floor to the next.

I started down. My steps, no matter how quietly I tried to move, echoed all the way throughout the confines with the stairwell. I kept the walkie-talkie close to my head, and my stomach dropped when I heard an unfamiliar voice say loudly in a half chuckle. So let's start with a big guy. I tried my best to keep my emotions under control, but my movements down the stairs quickened, and the clanging sound of my steps around me increased.

I hope that, if anyone heard me, the bouncing echo of my footsteps would give them no definitive indication of where I was. I moved past floor four, then the platform before three, all the while keeping the speaker of the walkie pressed hard against my ear. I could hear what sounded like a tray being set down on the other side, and the unmistakable clanging of metal on metal. floor three went by and I practically jumped down the next two flights of stairs landing with a hard thunk in front of the door to floor two I stood bracing myself as the sound reverberated around me

and up the stairwell eventually fading to silence the door in front of me was not the same as the others I passed it looked more like contemporary door shaking I grabbed the knob and turned it quietly. I pressed the door open just to crack. As it opened, light from the floor cut through the darkness I was standing in. With no need for it at this point, I shut the flashlight off and pushed the door open slowly, stepping through to observe my surroundings. There were rooms on this floor, state rooms.

I realized quickly I was in the staff quarters and couldn't shake the feeling that this area seemed somehow familiar but I was pretty sure I hadn't seen here before adrenaline began to course through my veins I was close and I could feel it with every step every breath I stepped forward and almost lost my balance as the boat slowed

We were starting to slow into port. I figured we were a mile or so out at most. My time was running short. I turned down the walkie to its quietest setting, well, aside from off, and jammed it hard against my ear. I heard a second, unfamiliar voice say, You won't feel a thing, big guy.

I imagine this is what I had watched the doctor mouth to his victim, on the screen the first night when I couldn't hear him. Maccabre visions danced through my head of that man on the bed on the TV in my room. The feed played through my head again and again as I kept moving. Only this time it wasn't some random person in my vision. It was my group, sitting there, and knife inching closer and closer to their skin.

Just as quickly as I thought of their blood sloshing around, white containers entered my mind, I forced it back out and pressed on. I had seconds at best. I moved down the hallway, the even room numbers counting up on the left. I knew exactly where I was going. The same place Saul had been telling me to go since that first night. He made sure I would have no chance of forgetting it. The layout of the ship in this, This area wasn't super straightforward, so I'll do my best to describe it to you. After passing five doors, the hallway in front of me bent 90 degrees to the right. Around that corner, one hallway went straight before turning to another sharp right.

Before that right turn, in the middle of the hallway, another hallway took a 90 degree bend to the left. Kind of like this E shape, except there was no middle part. with the E. You could also think of it as a sideways Y, except there were 90 degree angles instead of forks from the main stem. I walked down the hallway to the bottom of that E shape, passing the five doors on my left. 220, 222, 224, 226. Where I expected to see 2-2-2-24, 226. Where I expected to see 2-28, I instead saw an oddly shaped unmarked door. It was metal, and instead of a standard stateroom, it had one of those metal pushbars to open it. I thought about pushing for a second, but I didn't. Instead I turned around and looked at the

hallway that continued behind me, the left side of the E. I'm glad I did. Standing at the bottom left of that E, and looking toward the top left of it, I saw it facing me. Room 2-28. I listened on the walk in, heard 100% silence. No moaning, no voices, nothing. I made my way up to the door. Quietly and nervously, I placed an ear up to it.

I heard what sighted like several agitated voices and one pleading voice, but I couldn't make out who was who. For a brief moment, I was unsure I was in the right spot, until I heard footsteps fast approaching the door. I stepped back into the hall behind me, and to the left, just as the door open, I stood silently, not breathing, with my back pressed against the wall, until a bald man in a white, jacket with circle-framed glasses and a white goatee walked by. My heart sank. His once white jacket already had a small amount of wet blood on it. I was too late for somebody. He went off stomping as he took a turn back up the way I had come. I heard the door from that hallway open and close, and then I heard nothing. I stepped up to the door of room 2-2-8.

I realized that I hadn't really planned anything up to this point. Now, you guys have pointed out I've made more than a few moves throughout this ordeal that have tread the thin line between bravery and idiocy. Hopefully, this will be the last one. I held up for walkie-talkie. I had to assume that, since I could no longer hear anything through it, the communication button was no longer being held down. This meant that they could hear if I talked through it,

but more importantly, they could receive a page from my walkie. Bring, bring, bring, bring. I could hear it through the wall, followed by loud clamouring. After several loud rings, the chirping stopped, half expecting someone to say something on the other end. I pressed the walkie back. against my ear. I then realized what was about to happen and wrenched the walkie away from my face. I stepped out from where I was hiding and threw hard down the hallway

at the top ear. As it soared down the hall, I jumped back to my not-so-hidden hiding spot. I heard it calling out as the other one had. Bring, bring, bring. The door burst open and I heard footsteps running toward where I'd thrown it. I was lucky. But it wasn't good enough. I needed a louder distraction, something that would get them further away from that door and down the other hallway, the one I'd originally come from, and where the doctor went at the top of the e. I had to throw something else. The flashlight? No, I needed that to get us out. The pen? Not even close to loud enough. the marbles.

With a little hesitation, I carefully pulled the marbles out of my bag and ripped the satchel open that contained them. I didn't have much time. The walkie was no longer ringing, and I had expected to hear footsteps heading my way at any moment. I gently and quietly dumped as many of those small glistening orbs into my cupped hand as I could, being careful not to overflow and give my position away premature. I tossed them as hard as I could down the hall where the doctor had gone, where I'd come from.

Oh, it was loud as hell, louder than the walkie had been, and I expected to start seeing stateroom doors opening to investigate. None did. The one thing I did here were loud footsteps making their way towards me. With my back press firm against the wall, I waited. Within seconds, two nicely dressed men rushed past me down the hall the doctor had gone. This was it. It was now or never. I made my move and swooped into the room, not hesitating when I realized Saul had never left.

I soon saw why. There were my friends chained up. and saw, unconscious on the ground on the left side of the room. He was lightly bleeding from his arm. Not the same way as the video I'd seen. He'd been stabbed and the knife was still in him. It was sticking out of the back of his arm, about three inches above his elbow. Based on this weird positioning, I could only assume he had been stabbed defending himself.

The inside of the room was pretty, much what I'd expected. It was much larger than the video made it seem. There were three additional beds. One on the far right was empty. The carpet had been stripped away, and I saw those white bins. Eight of them. Two for each of my friends, and two extras under the empty bed. I still had to get my friends out into safety, quick, and I knew I couldn't do it alone. I walked over to Saul and with little remorse I yanked out the knife. He groaned loudly and clutched his arm. Then he opened his eyes and looked up.

When he saw me, he smiled. Oh, good. You made it. I didn't have time to ask him what he meant or what had happened. I guess you really do need my help, I said, as I've been. began to help him up. Just as I got him on his feet, I felt that feeling again. The same feeling I felt that first night. The room dimmed as the doorway became blocked.

Shadows dipped over the room in an irregular fashion, forming the light that had been streaming in. The hairs on my neck stood up, and I turned slowly to look. Too late. They were there, staring back at me. It felt like I was watching everything all over again on the TV in my room. This time there was no screen to protect me. There was no ancient Tick-Tac to press down on them and make it all go away.

It wasn't grainy and it wasn't black and white. When you're right, you're right, soul. A few minutes late, but then, least he's here now, he said, staring into my eyes. And thanks to your little display, we'll have five skulls to hand over. Oh, they'll love that, he said, turning briefly to Saul. I felt a despair unlike I've ever felt. Like Satan himself had just walked in the room. Only there were three of them. It was suiting, since I felt. my life had been utter hell for the last several days.

In that moment I thought about my friends, and I thought about all of you. I should have just kept my mouth shut. I should have just endured it until it was over and got back home. But I didn't, and now here I was. I had lost, and I figured at this point I'd be lucky just to have it done quickly. I looked at Saul and there was no

half-enthusiastic look about him anymore he looked entirely defeated I still didn't know why he'd been on the floor of the room when I came in but I could only assume something had gone wrong with his plan and he was as dead as the rest of us the light from the hallway poured in against the dim

ambience of the room I could barely make out the half-smiles on their faces as they started towards us. I'll never forget what happened next. Saul sprang forward and charged toward them. I suddenly realized why this area seemed so familiar. The oddly shaped door at the other end of the hall was where we disembarked the previous day.

Rachel, Sarah and I must have come from a different direction. I didn't really have a choice. I charged too, but was not bad. backwards off my feet by the younger of the two nicely dressed men. I was finally able to see his face. He was familiar. I couldn't remember exactly where I'd seen it. Looking back at me for a brief moment, he almost had an apologetic look about him. I laid there and flinched, expecting to get attacked by someone. But all I heard was a commotion moving away from me. I opened my eyes. Saul was looking at me pleadingly, every shoulder, wrestling the doctor backwards toward the oddly shaped door.

The other man, the one who'd knocked me off my feet, dressed nicely in what I now recognize as first officer attire, was pushing the heavyset man with all his might. I fought past them, kicking loose marbles out of the way as I did. I found myself in front of the oddly shaped door. I gave the handle a hard push. With a loud pot, the rubber seals surrounding the frame of the door released their grasp and the door opened just feet above the waterline. I got out of the way just as the heavyset man and the doctor were pushed through, followed briefly by screams, a splash and the lonely silence of waves crashing against the ship.

We watched out the door as the two men surfaced and struggled to stay afloat. Whatever sound they were trying to make was drowned out by the roar and, of the motor of the ship and their own choking from the unexpected intake of seawater. Watching them was a sombre experience. It almost felt like it was staying still and the sea was moving them, carrying them and all the evil shit they had done away from us for good. They were off the ship, but they weren't dead. I looked at Saul to ask him what his next move was. But his eyes were fixed on something out the door, something beyond the flailing men in the water.

For the first time, since I'd seen him on this trip, he looked relieved. It was almost like watching the dark circles under his perpetually bloodshot eyes disappear, as if a huge weight had been lifted. I followed his gaze until I saw it. Quickly and quietly, a small boat had come around the end of the, ship and pulled up next to the struggling men. I will never forget seeing the hundreds of skulls that were displayed on some sort of crude netting system on the side of the boat. Some were no more than a few crack fragments bound loosely together by frayed wire, while others

seem chillingly fresh. For a brief moment, I wonder if that poor soul I saw on the first night might be one of the fresher ones. almost as quickly as the boat moved in some men on it scooped the two flailing men out of the water and they were gone the three of us went back inside after getting him patched up I talked with Saul

and first officer Henry as we got my friends to where they needed to be turns out there is a service elevator so we were able to navigate relatively unseen for the few people that did see us and asked what we were doing It was pretty easy to explain away my friend's condition as a long last night of partying, coupled with a serious case of seasickness.

The doctor, who was an actual doctor on the ship, ran a drug cartel in our Latin American country and was using this ship as a vessel for transport. Lured in by the prophets, Saul, the captain and first officer Henry, were initially on board. He was known as the doctor. and pretty much ran the show in most towns along the coast. Obviously, the doctor knew the risks of trading drugs on the seas, and how easy a target a slow-moving cruise ship was, so he enlisted help.

Over time, this help started to demand more, drugs, alcohol, and eventually lives. Saul and the first officer made the decision that no amount of money, was equivalent to human life and the moral anguish that accompanied it. As the demands rose from one skull, two skulls and beyond, Saul and the first officer hatched a plan. They essentially just needed a third person to open the door, and that was me. I asked why they didn't just want someone who works on the boat to help.

They said it was just too risky. They had to get a person. like me because I had collateral, people with me, and my willingness to help will be based on saving that collateral, rather than trying to profit off the situation. Most workers on the cruise line are alone, so there's not much to hold over their head in getting them to help. They'd spent that first day looking for groups of people that fit the bill. Call it morality, or whatever you want in this fucked up situation. Saul and Henry did not want to involve any children so they avoided families.

Once they identified people that would work, they sent the feed to their rooms that night. I'll never know if I was the only one to see it. I just happened to be the only one stupid enough to talk about it in a public setting. I also asked how no one on that floor heard us and came out to investigate throughout the whole ordeal. Well, it's the same reason that no one ever discovered them when they used to do their ritual.

The days arriving at and leaving from port are the busiest for the crew. So they're all out of bed and working by that time. Next I asked why he was on the floor when I got in the room. The doctor had grown impatient with him, and I wasn't there yet. He started cursing at Saul and eventually attacked him. Saul had blocked his swipes, but ended up getting stabbed in the arm. The doctor grabbed the closest, heavy. heaviest thing he could and hit soar with it. When he collapsed to the ground, the walk he popped

out and the doctor realized what was going on. As for why the doctor left like that? Well, he was coming for me. I don't want to think what would have happened if he turned down the hall I was hiding it instead of continuing straight. I'm sure he hoped to grab me in the darkness of the stairwell. I get chills just thinking about that. Next, I asked about the clerk, how he knew to give me the note, and if he, Saul, was his boss. He wouldn't give a lot of information here. Instead, he smiled and said, sometimes it's best not to share everything about a plan and to make sure that you know something that no one else does. He used my own. He used my own. words against me and it made me a little uneasy. I wonder how much he actually knew, but I didn't ask.

He probably wouldn't have told me anyways. The last thing I asked was how he set up things with the pirates. He said that basically the agreement with them was sort of a blood contract. One of the parties that set it up has to die to break it. There were a lot of other questions I thought of after we parted ways. What if I hadn't left deck 15 that night? What if the doctor had found me when he left the room? Why did they drain the blood from people before handing them over? He gave me a P.O. Box mailing address.

Maybe if I decide I want to hear the truth behind some of those questions, I'll write to him. Part of me is too scared to hear him say. Just be glad that didn't happen. He wasn't lying when he told me it wasn't personal. Any one of the other people they had identified could have been channel surfing that first night. It just happened to be me. He also wasn't lying about something else.

I never did have to kill anyone. I just had to open the door. My conscience was at least somewhat clean, realizing this, even if I was still technically an accomplice. He was right when he said my friends were helping in a different way. My life was barely ever on the line. I could have left and never come back, and that would be it. But the three of them were down there enduring God knows what.

In the end, Saul and First Officer Henry set everything all up. The item Saul had me get led me down there, along with his little hints along the way. Well, except the iPhone charger. I asked him why that was on the list, and he said, said innocently, he accidentally tripped over mine and broke it while he was in my room. It was funny to think that I ever actually believed I would be blowing anything up with a phone charge of marbles and a flashlight. Ah, shows how much I know about explosives.

In any case, Saul assured me they would be retiring and scrapping the boat. They're investigating everything, but a plan to label the doctor and the captain's death there's horrible accidents once searches for their bodies in the water come up empty, which they will. Sad to know, some people will pour their souls out for him, though they're not reporting any of deaths. Saul and First Officer Henry cleared our names entirely, and acted like they didn't even know us as anything more than passengers when we had to talk to port officials. We were stuck at port for a few days while they did an investigation, hence this delayed unlawed.

I don't know exactly what he told port officials about what happened. But Saul and First Officer Henry were the last people any witnesses had seen with the captain and the doctor. I imagine they already knew what they were going to tell officials well before I was even on the boat. I'm on the plane home now. We all are. Well, I'll never forget this cruise. I wasn't surprised when I asked. I asked Rachel how she managed to grab the war key while being kidnapped, and she replied, I didn't. I don't even remember being kidnapped. I assume, like many viewed it, that something was in the water. It seems like an unnecessary risk, but whoever did it probably knew that I would be too paranoid to drink it.

Another question for Saul, I suppose. I found some strange resolve thinking that a lot of people, people don't even realize the danger they were in on this cruise. For them, this was a nice vacation. For us, it was memorable, at least. Well, thanks again for everything. You guys are amazing. If I'm ever in trouble again, I know that this is a safe place for me to go.

I can feel my eyes beginning to droop. Looks like the days of no sleep for me are finally coming to an end. I know what question you may have Will I ever cruise again? I think so If anything I feel like I'm kind of owed one Just maybe somewhere different Like Alaska

Not sure how many ice pirates there are out there I just know I never want to see those skulls again I'd encourage anyone to cruise in the future Even after listening to this you just might want to think twice if you decide to do any late-night channel surfing Rachel just passed my drink over from the flight attendant I am going to enjoy this whiskey and more importantly

finally enjoy a nice long sleep on the flight home and so once again we reach the end of tonight's podcast my thanks as always to the authors of those wonderful stories and to you for taking the time to listen. Now, I'd ask one small favor of you. Wherever you get your podcast wrong, please write a few nice words and leave a five-star review

as it really helps the podcast. That's it for this week, but I'll be back again, same time, same place, and I do so hope you'll join me once more. Until next time, sweet dreams and bye-bye.