Above the gentle rocking of the ship and the distant cries of seagulls, a new sound echoed across the deck—a series of slow, deliberate, thunderous thuds. The kind of footsteps that demanded attention... not just because they were loud, but because they carried a weight of something unnatural. Heavy. Intimidating.
The group had just begun to settle in below deck, unpacking their few belongings and checking the cramped layout of their hammocks when the booming sound made them freeze. Jason paused mid-sentence. Liam, who had been adjusting his belt, turned slowly toward the stairway. Marcus, still rubbing the side of his head from his hangover, muttered, "What the hell is that?" before rising unsteadily to his feet.
They all exchanged glances, and without needing to say anything, they rushed up the narrow stairs back to the deck, hearts beating just a little faster.
As soon as they stepped out into the daylight, the sight before them made them stop in their tracks.
