Page 53 | Chapter 2 | The Ghost Ship | A Free Serialized Online Novel by Scott Telek

She was a three-masted square-rigged ship, bow presented to left of them. Her sides were unbroken black. She looked formidable, to John’s mind. There was a feeling of stillness about her, an impression of one coiled to spring, as she crouched silently there, though John could not put his finger on what gave him that sense. He looked for some distinguishing mark on her, something to set her apart, but his untrained eye found none. Just her presence. It was as though he could feel her mass. He thought of the sea men moving in her rounded belly.

“Is that it?” he asked his wife. “Or, I should say,” he corrected himself, “is that her?”

“Quite correct,” his wife said. “I’m not sure, but I have no reason to think not.”

“Hmmm,” her husband wondered. He reached out to catch the arm of a passing man, making his way toward the town. “Excuse me,” John asked him, “Is that,” he pointed, “the Eurydice?”

The man nodded in assent. “There she is,” he said.
“Oh, thank you,” Iris said. “Will you be sailing upon her?” she asked.

“I would not set foot on that ship for my mother’s life,” the man said curtly. “Too many shadows on that ship.” He lifted his hat, nodded, and was off.

John and Iris stared after him, walking quickly away, then slowly turned to look at each other. At once, they reached to join hands, clutched each other tightly, and smiled in knowledge.

“Superstitions,” they said.