Axel stared at the horizon, his feelings a tangled mess. The sea before him looked calm, only small ripples rolling across the surface. But he knew, this tranquility was deceptive.
Nova stood beside him, her hands still trembling slightly after the incident with Carter. Now, Carter lay weak on the ground, still breathing but his body far from recovered from the virus's effects.
"We can't stay here," Nova murmured. "We have to get off this island."
Axel nodded. "I know. But the question is... how?"
Nova pointed into the distance. "Look at that."
Axel followed her gaze. His heart nearly stopped when he saw a ship.
Stranded on the far side of the beach, the ship looked huge—maybe a rescue vessel that had tried to reach the island. But strangely, there was no engine noise, no sign of life.
Axel turned to Nova. "You think it's usable?"
Nova shrugged. "It's worth a try."
They moved quickly. Axel carried Carter on his back while Nova kept watch, pistol in hand. They walked along the beach, their breaths racing against time. If they were lucky, the ship was still functional.
But as they got closer, an uneasy feeling crept over them.
The ship was too... quiet.
No seagull cries, no waves crashing against its hull. Only a piercing silence.
Axel raised his knife, his steps more cautious. They reached the iron ladder hanging on the ship's side. Nova climbed first, peeking onto the deck before signaling it was safe.
Axel followed, still carrying Carter. Once they were on deck, the sight made them shudder.
There were so many bodies.
Rotting corpses littered the deck. Some looked like crew members, still in uniform, while others wore civilian clothes—probably passengers who had tried to escape the island.
Nova covered her mouth. "Oh my god... what happened here?"
Axel knelt beside one of the bodies. The skin was pale blue, the eyes empty, and there were claw marks on the neck.
"This wasn't a normal death," he murmured.
Nova looked towards an open cabin door. Inside, it was pitch black. Something was lurking in there.
Axel looked at Nova. "We need to check the engine room. If this ship can still run, we're getting out of here."
Nova nodded. They moved cautiously across the deck, avoiding the scattered bodies.
Then something moved.
Axel stopped instantly.
From inside the ship, there was a knocking sound.
Axel held his breath, his grip tightening on his knife. Nova stood beside him, pistol raised. Carter, still weak, lay on the deck with his eyes closed, unaware of their situation.
This ship was like a tomb. But why was there still noise inside?
Knock... knock... knock...
The knocking came from a slightly open steel door at the end of the corridor. Nova glanced at Axel, seeking a decision.
"We have to check," Axel whispered. "If there are survivors inside, they might help us start the ship."
Nova nodded, though her face showed reluctance.
They crept towards the steel door. Each step felt heavy, as if something inside the ship was watching them. The stench of decay grew stronger, mixed with the smell of rust and sea salt.
When they reached the door, Axel pressed his back against the wall. He raised his hand, counting down with his fingers.
Three... two... one...
With a deep breath, he pushed the door open.
GRAAAHHH!
Something lunged at them.
Axel barely reacted as the figure jumped at him. With quick reflexes, he blocked it with his arm. BUGH! The thin body slammed into the wall, groaning like an animal.
Nova immediately pointed her gun. "Don't move!"
Axel stepped back, now able to see the figure clearly.
The body was emaciated, the cheekbones protruding, and the eyes were red and burning. The skin was covered in wounds and dirt, the lips torn with dried blood at the corners. It gasped, growling like a wild animal.
"Y-you... not them..." the voice was hoarse, almost a whisper.
Axel exchanged a look with Nova. "Who... are you?"
The man shivered, trying to stand weakly. "I... I'm a crew member."
Axel looked around. "What happened here?"
The man swallowed, his eyes filled with fear. "They... they came aboard. We thought we had escaped the island... but it turns out... nowhere is safe."
Nova narrowed her eyes. "Who are 'they'?"
The man shook his head quickly, as if afraid to even say it. "Those creatures. Those who were once human... but aren't anymore."
Axel held his breath. This was worse than he thought.
Nova still pointed her gun. "How many survivors are on this ship?"
The man sobbed. "No one else... just me. I hid in the lower deck for days... I thought I'd die there."
Axel nodded. "Okay. Listen to me. Is this ship still usable?"
The man looked at him with desperate eyes. "The engine is dead... we ran out of fuel before we could leave these waters."
Axel growled softly. So this ship was just a floating wreck. They were still trapped on this damn island.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed from the ship's corridor.
Tap... tap... tap...
Slow, heavy footsteps.
Nova turned instantly, pointing her gun into the dark corridor. "Someone else is here."
The man started to cry softly. "They're coming... they're coming..."
Axel grabbed the man's arm. "Who's coming?"
The man only whispered one word, barely audible. "Them."
BANG!
Nova fired. The sound echoed through the ship, but the footsteps didn't stop. They grew faster.
Axel pulled Nova. "We have to get out of here!"
They ran towards the deck. Carter still lay on the wooden floor, half-conscious. Nova quickly helped him up, dragging him towards the ship's railing.
Axel glanced back. From inside the corridor, other figures emerged.
They walked unsteadily, but there was something terrifying about their movements. Their eyes were red like the man's, their bodies broken and wounded, as if they were dead but still moving.
Nova gripped Axel's arm. "They're not human anymore..."
The man screamed in terror, then without thinking, he jumped off the ship into the sea.
Axel and Nova stared in shock. The man's body sank into the waves, then suddenly...
SPLASH!
Something dragged him underwater. In seconds, the sea was calm again.
Nova swallowed. "We can't go into the water either..."
The living dead behind them, something even worse beneath them.
Axel gritted his teeth. He wasn't going to die here.
He looked at Nova. "Listen, I have an idea."
Nova raised an eyebrow. "Tell me quick before they get here."
Axel pointed to the higher part of the ship, where a lifeboat still hung on its davits. "If we can get to that boat, we can get off this ship without touching the water directly."
Nova looked in the direction Axel pointed. Her face was still filled with anxiety, but she knew there was no other choice.
Axel moved first, climbing the iron ladder. Nova helped Carter up, though the man was still weak.
Meanwhile, the creatures were getting closer. They dragged their feet with slow movements. The stench they carried was nauseating.
Axel reached the top first and started releasing the lifeboat's hooks. But something stopped him.
He looked inside the boat.
There was blood and claw marks on the walls.
Nova climbed up behind him and saw the same thing. "What happened here?" she whispered.
Axel didn't have time to think. He started releasing the boat from its hooks, letting it down slowly into the water.
Carter finally made it up, with Nova helping him into the lifeboat.
The creatures were now right below them, reaching up as if trying to grab them.
Axel pulled Nova into the boat. He released the last rope, and the boat hit the water with a hard splash.
They drifted on the sea, leaving the corpse-filled ship behind.
But Nova was still staring with a pale face.
Suddenly, from the water... bubbles began to surface.
Carter, sitting on the edge of the boat, started trembling in fear. "N-no... there's something under us..."
Then, before anyone could react...
SPLASH!
Something emerged from the sea.