Page 52 | Chapter 2 | The Ghost Ship | A Free Serialized Online Novel by Scott Telek

“Only what might be in their minds,” his wife said.
“Exactly,” her husband said. “Which could prove dangerous enough, I suppose.” He sighed, then walked for a moment in silence. “I really don’t know when I’ve been around such simple people,” he said.

“I find it charming,” Iris said. “It’s a touch of an old world.”

“Hmmm,” he said, squeezing her hand. “I suppose it is. So long as they don’t decide to let the spirits navigate, and run us aground somewhere.”

His wife laughed at his joke. “Or decide we really are bad luck,” she said, and toss us overboard.”

He smiled at her, and nodded. “I’m afraid it might happen.” She laughed her light, musical laugh. “I really am,” he added seriously. “We must endeavor not to give them any cause to believe ill of us. More ill than they will, it seems, simply by our presence. Anyhow, we should be able to see it, just ahead.”

They came to the end of the wharf, where the bizarre scene had taken place earlier. The crates they had been standing on had disappeared, presumably loaded onto one of the ships nearby. As they passed the stern of the last vessel moored alongside, a distant dark form hove into view. It was hard to make out at first, against the black tangle of bare trees, the mound of earth, and their reflections in the still harbor, but when their eyes gazed closer, into the dark shape lurking in the heart of those trees, her outline at last began to show.