This is a horror one shot I wrote a little while ago. I don't write much and it isn't that long, so don't shoot me if it is bad. O.O Enjoy!
The cold northerly wind howled down the dusty beach. The crescent moon, partially obscured by cloud shone weakly onto the broken hull, causing the rotting planks to glow a ghostly hue. The sea, a poisonous green shade, leapt at the shore, breaking on the massive bulk of the wreck. I breathed in sharply. The air smelled of salt, seaweed and rotting meat. I shuddered. Where was I? I took a step toward the ship. It was an Old Spanish galleon, cracked in half and slowly decomposing. Another step revealed the fact that the shore around it was littered with white sticks that, after closer inspection, turned out to be bones. My breathing grew faster.
As I carried on walking, I saw the extent of the damage. The figurehead, once a mermaid, now a splintered stump, lay shattered a foot away from the bow. The contents of the ship, the beds, luggage and passengers, were scattered along the beach and washing in with the incoming tide. I tried to stop but my feet carried me on. As I approached, a strange singing began to fill the air, soft at first, growing louder with every step. It filled me with dread. I tried again to stop, putting all my will behind the command, but I didn’t even falter. A strange unearthly glow flared up around the back of the ship. My heart raced, my breathing came in short gasps and my palms began to sweat. I couldn’t stop, or even look away, my eyes drawn to the light. The singing, now understandable as a repetitive chant, rose to a screeching wail. I covered my ears to block it out, but I still heard every ear splitting word. I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Tears of fear ran down my face as I rounded the shattered tiller. The strange light suddenly grew brighter, shining in my eyes, temporarily blinding me. The chanting was deafening, pulsing through my body, vibrating my bones. My vision cleared and I saw it. I opened my mouth to try to scream again-
“Tash? Tash! Wake up! You’re going to be late!”
I opened my eyes, looked at the time and groaned.
“Do I have to go?”
“Of course! You’re gran has been planning this for months! You’ll really hurt her if you miss it. Get Up!” She shook me to emphasise her last words. I groaned again, bat her arms away and sat up, bleary eyed.
“I’m up, I’m up. Go away mum, I’m up!”
“You better be.” She replied and left the room. I lay back down onto my pillows, wrapping my flowery pink duvet tightly around me and thought. What a horrible nightmare. I shuddered as I remembered it. I wonder what that thing I saw was. I don’t seem to remember. Hmm… And with that thought fresh on my mind, I shook my head, sat up again and left the safe, warm confines of bed to get changed. Dressed, I left the room and went down stairs to the kitchen. My brother, Jake, was making breakfast for the family.
“Hiya Tash” he said as I entered. “Took you long enough to wake up, slept through the alarm again?”
I nodded.
“That’s my sis, the walking log”
I clipped him playfully across the head. Although he is sixteen and I fourteen, I am still around his height. He tried to get me back, but I skipped out of reach. He made to come towards me, but remembered that he was cooking and turned back to the stove.
“I’ll get you later, Tash, when you least expect it.”
“Will you indeed?” I grinned evilly and, laughing, ran quickly from the room as he made another lunge for me. I entered the dining room where mum was setting the table. She turned to face me and I fell back in horror. Her face was a deathly pale, her cheeks shallow, her eyes sunken into their sockets; she looked more skeleton then human. Her bright, beautiful hair gone dusty, fell out with every lurching step she took towards me, skeletal hands outstretched. I backed into the closed kitchen door as it opened its mouth, jaw hanging, teeth falling, shrivelled light pink tongue stretching too say:
“Tash, are you alright?”
I blinked. My mum was standing in front of me, placemats in one hand, knifes and forks in the other, perfectly normal. I looked around. I was standing in the open kitchen doorway with the door open. I looked back at my mum. Still normal. I took a deep shuddering breath.
“I’m fine mum, I‘m just tired. I think I’m going to sit down until breakfast is ready” With that I rushed into the living room and sat heavily on the brown leather sofa.
“Tash, are you sure you’re ok? You look as if you have seen a ghost!” I heard a clattering as she put down the items she was holding and joined me in the living room. I looked up at her.
“I’m ok mum. Really. I’m fine. I’m just tired.” I lay back and stared at the ceiling. She watched me for a while before resuming setting the table. I sighed heavily and closed my eyes. What was that? What happened there? I couldn’t think of a reasonable answer. I sighed again, opened my eyes, turned on the TV and flicked through the channels. Nothing was on, so I turned it off and just sat looking at the blank screen.
“Breakfast is ready!” Jake called from the kitchen.
“Great!” I replied, getting up and entering the dining room. I sat down as Jake came in, laden with dishes filled with food. My mouth watered. He set my plate down in front of me and I dug in.
“So, I want you on your best behaviour today, ok you two?” Asked mum from the opposite side of the table. I rolled my eyes.
“Of course, mum. We never misbehave.”
“That has yet to be proven. Jake?”
“I’m 16, do you really think I’m going to muck around like a little kid?” Jake replied exasperated.
“Yes” She replied. I giggled. Jake shot me a piercing look and I shut up, still grinning.
“Mum, do you really believe that?” He raised his eyebrows.
“No, I don’t really dear, I was just playing with you.” She laughed then grew serious again.” But I mean it when I say best behaviour. Do I have your promises that you’ll be good?”
“Yes mum” We chorused.
“Good.” And she resumed eating without another word.
After break fast, we piled into the car and drove off to gran’s house, where we picked her up. Today she had her hair up in a spiral bun, smelled strongly of some exotic flower and was complaining already about something. She was 68 years old, but she would win the ranting championship for Britain without breaking a sweat. There was always something wrong; the stock market, the housing market, the neighbour’s next door, the list was endless. I rested my head on the window and tried to block her out by trying to convince myself that she didn’t exist, that the car was peacefully quiet. It didn’t work.
“Late again, I wonder how you manage to keep a job, if I were you’re boss you would be fired by now because of Tardiness!”
“I love you too mother” Mum leaned over and kissed gran on the cheek.
“And look at the state of this car, it looks like a trash can! I don’t know how you can stand to sit in it, it is so bad.”
I looked around. The car looked fine too me. Ok, so it had some empty bottles under the seats and some candy wrappers on the floor, but I have seen worse. I shook my head and looked out the window, willing this trip to end.
Two hours and a half later we arrived at the beach where we were to meet with other relatives for the barbeque. I leaped out of the car as soon as the doors were unlocked and lay against the side door breathing heavily. Gran’s perfume was suffocating. I watched as Jake leapt out after me and laughed as he collapsed in the sand. He got up and brushed himself off, laughing too, then chased me around the car.
“Catherine, can’t you keep your children under control?” Gran criticised.
“Of course mother” She looked at us sternly. “No more, you two. Fun’s over. Now help your gran out the car.”
“Ok mum.” We stopped and I opened the car door whilst Jake got Gran. Once we were all set, we headed down the beach towards the glow that marked the barbeque.
“They’re here!” Squealed Aunt Sophie and she hurried forward to give Jake, mum and I a hug. I grimaced behind her back when it was my turn; I hate family gatherings. As soon as the greetings were over, and conversations were resumed, I went over to mum and whispered in her ear.
“I’m going exploring”. She looked at me with raised eyebrows.
“Don’t go to far and don’t do anything stupid.”
“Of course mum.”
“I expect you back when dinner is ready”
“Ok mum!”
“Well, as long as you are careful, then it should be ok. Off you go then” I flashed her a grin then ran off down the beach, sea spray splashing my calves.
“And there she goes again, never cares for other people…” The sound of gran’s voice floated towards me on the wind. It only made me run faster.
When the murmur of voices had faded into silence, I slowed down and gazed at my surroundings. It was sunset, the sun burning fiercely on the horizon, dying the sky a vibrant orange. The sea lapped softly at the beach, spreading calm tranquillity. I sighed happily. This was the life. I wandered placidly up the endless expanse of silver, with the wind in my face and rushing through my hair. I closed my eyes. This was heaven. I breathed in the fresh salty air, with the slight tang of seaweed and rotting-, wait. That wasn’t right. I opened my eyes...
Ship Wreck
The cold northerly wind howled down the dusty beach. The crescent moon, partially obscured by cloud shone weakly onto the broken hull, causing the rotting planks to glow a ghostly hue. The sea, a poisonous green shade, leapt at the shore, breaking on the massive bulk of the wreck. I breathed in sharply. The air smelled of salt, seaweed and rotting meat. I shuddered. Where was I? I took a step toward the ship. It was an Old Spanish galleon, cracked in half and slowly decomposing. Another step revealed the fact that the shore around it was littered with white sticks that, after closer inspection, turned out to be bones. My breathing grew faster.
As I carried on walking, I saw the extent of the damage. The figurehead, once a mermaid, now a splintered stump, lay shattered a foot away from the bow. The contents of the ship, the beds, luggage and passengers, were scattered along the beach and washing in with the incoming tide. I tried to stop but my feet carried me on. As I approached, a strange singing began to fill the air, soft at first, growing louder with every step. It filled me with dread. I tried again to stop, putting all my will behind the command, but I didn’t even falter. A strange unearthly glow flared up around the back of the ship. My heart raced, my breathing came in short gasps and my palms began to sweat. I couldn’t stop, or even look away, my eyes drawn to the light. The singing, now understandable as a repetitive chant, rose to a screeching wail. I covered my ears to block it out, but I still heard every ear splitting word. I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Tears of fear ran down my face as I rounded the shattered tiller. The strange light suddenly grew brighter, shining in my eyes, temporarily blinding me. The chanting was deafening, pulsing through my body, vibrating my bones. My vision cleared and I saw it. I opened my mouth to try to scream again-
“Tash? Tash! Wake up! You’re going to be late!”
I opened my eyes, looked at the time and groaned.
“Do I have to go?”
“Of course! You’re gran has been planning this for months! You’ll really hurt her if you miss it. Get Up!” She shook me to emphasise her last words. I groaned again, bat her arms away and sat up, bleary eyed.
“I’m up, I’m up. Go away mum, I’m up!”
“You better be.” She replied and left the room. I lay back down onto my pillows, wrapping my flowery pink duvet tightly around me and thought. What a horrible nightmare. I shuddered as I remembered it. I wonder what that thing I saw was. I don’t seem to remember. Hmm… And with that thought fresh on my mind, I shook my head, sat up again and left the safe, warm confines of bed to get changed. Dressed, I left the room and went down stairs to the kitchen. My brother, Jake, was making breakfast for the family.
“Hiya Tash” he said as I entered. “Took you long enough to wake up, slept through the alarm again?”
I nodded.
“That’s my sis, the walking log”
I clipped him playfully across the head. Although he is sixteen and I fourteen, I am still around his height. He tried to get me back, but I skipped out of reach. He made to come towards me, but remembered that he was cooking and turned back to the stove.
“I’ll get you later, Tash, when you least expect it.”
“Will you indeed?” I grinned evilly and, laughing, ran quickly from the room as he made another lunge for me. I entered the dining room where mum was setting the table. She turned to face me and I fell back in horror. Her face was a deathly pale, her cheeks shallow, her eyes sunken into their sockets; she looked more skeleton then human. Her bright, beautiful hair gone dusty, fell out with every lurching step she took towards me, skeletal hands outstretched. I backed into the closed kitchen door as it opened its mouth, jaw hanging, teeth falling, shrivelled light pink tongue stretching too say:
“Tash, are you alright?”
I blinked. My mum was standing in front of me, placemats in one hand, knifes and forks in the other, perfectly normal. I looked around. I was standing in the open kitchen doorway with the door open. I looked back at my mum. Still normal. I took a deep shuddering breath.
“I’m fine mum, I‘m just tired. I think I’m going to sit down until breakfast is ready” With that I rushed into the living room and sat heavily on the brown leather sofa.
“Tash, are you sure you’re ok? You look as if you have seen a ghost!” I heard a clattering as she put down the items she was holding and joined me in the living room. I looked up at her.
“I’m ok mum. Really. I’m fine. I’m just tired.” I lay back and stared at the ceiling. She watched me for a while before resuming setting the table. I sighed heavily and closed my eyes. What was that? What happened there? I couldn’t think of a reasonable answer. I sighed again, opened my eyes, turned on the TV and flicked through the channels. Nothing was on, so I turned it off and just sat looking at the blank screen.
“Breakfast is ready!” Jake called from the kitchen.
“Great!” I replied, getting up and entering the dining room. I sat down as Jake came in, laden with dishes filled with food. My mouth watered. He set my plate down in front of me and I dug in.
“So, I want you on your best behaviour today, ok you two?” Asked mum from the opposite side of the table. I rolled my eyes.
“Of course, mum. We never misbehave.”
“That has yet to be proven. Jake?”
“I’m 16, do you really think I’m going to muck around like a little kid?” Jake replied exasperated.
“Yes” She replied. I giggled. Jake shot me a piercing look and I shut up, still grinning.
“Mum, do you really believe that?” He raised his eyebrows.
“No, I don’t really dear, I was just playing with you.” She laughed then grew serious again.” But I mean it when I say best behaviour. Do I have your promises that you’ll be good?”
“Yes mum” We chorused.
“Good.” And she resumed eating without another word.
After break fast, we piled into the car and drove off to gran’s house, where we picked her up. Today she had her hair up in a spiral bun, smelled strongly of some exotic flower and was complaining already about something. She was 68 years old, but she would win the ranting championship for Britain without breaking a sweat. There was always something wrong; the stock market, the housing market, the neighbour’s next door, the list was endless. I rested my head on the window and tried to block her out by trying to convince myself that she didn’t exist, that the car was peacefully quiet. It didn’t work.
“Late again, I wonder how you manage to keep a job, if I were you’re boss you would be fired by now because of Tardiness!”
“I love you too mother” Mum leaned over and kissed gran on the cheek.
“And look at the state of this car, it looks like a trash can! I don’t know how you can stand to sit in it, it is so bad.”
I looked around. The car looked fine too me. Ok, so it had some empty bottles under the seats and some candy wrappers on the floor, but I have seen worse. I shook my head and looked out the window, willing this trip to end.
Two hours and a half later we arrived at the beach where we were to meet with other relatives for the barbeque. I leaped out of the car as soon as the doors were unlocked and lay against the side door breathing heavily. Gran’s perfume was suffocating. I watched as Jake leapt out after me and laughed as he collapsed in the sand. He got up and brushed himself off, laughing too, then chased me around the car.
“Catherine, can’t you keep your children under control?” Gran criticised.
“Of course mother” She looked at us sternly. “No more, you two. Fun’s over. Now help your gran out the car.”
“Ok mum.” We stopped and I opened the car door whilst Jake got Gran. Once we were all set, we headed down the beach towards the glow that marked the barbeque.
“They’re here!” Squealed Aunt Sophie and she hurried forward to give Jake, mum and I a hug. I grimaced behind her back when it was my turn; I hate family gatherings. As soon as the greetings were over, and conversations were resumed, I went over to mum and whispered in her ear.
“I’m going exploring”. She looked at me with raised eyebrows.
“Don’t go to far and don’t do anything stupid.”
“Of course mum.”
“I expect you back when dinner is ready”
“Ok mum!”
“Well, as long as you are careful, then it should be ok. Off you go then” I flashed her a grin then ran off down the beach, sea spray splashing my calves.
“And there she goes again, never cares for other people…” The sound of gran’s voice floated towards me on the wind. It only made me run faster.
When the murmur of voices had faded into silence, I slowed down and gazed at my surroundings. It was sunset, the sun burning fiercely on the horizon, dying the sky a vibrant orange. The sea lapped softly at the beach, spreading calm tranquillity. I sighed happily. This was the life. I wandered placidly up the endless expanse of silver, with the wind in my face and rushing through my hair. I closed my eyes. This was heaven. I breathed in the fresh salty air, with the slight tang of seaweed and rotting-, wait. That wasn’t right. I opened my eyes...
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