It was midnight and it seems it couldn't get any fogger than it already was. So thick you couldn't even see your hand if it was right in front of your face. The boy didn't know how long he been in that dining room, maybe a hour or two. His muscle ache from sitting in a position to long. Even though he was bored he had to do something to keep himself occupied. He already observed his surroundings. It had a classy look to it, it had to be the where the captain dine. Beautiful china on the wood table covered with a purple silk cloth and gold hinges at the end. A chandelier hanging above, made out of pure crystal. Who ever the captain is has money to burn. The room moved back and forth as the ship drifted through the sea. The 11 year old boy was happy he wasn't getting sea sick. Tired and hungry, all the boy wanted was to go home. To even think he was going to be kidnapped after a trip to the park. Who would knew that this all started from the weird nightmares he was getting after reading a diary from his great aunt's attic. The boy looked pale, he was cold you know. He red head, maroon eyes, creamy white completion, he was wearing a green jacket, jeans, and white sneakers. Laughter coming form outside interrupted his thoughts, it had to be the crew. Sounded like very old men having a jolly old time, maybe because they were drunk. But all of a sudden it got quiet, footsteps was coming from a different direction and it seem it was coming toward the room the young boy was in. The door open slowly, then a dark figure appear in the entrance. The full moon gave a bodice of light to show the person's face. It was a woman, long blonde hair and curled at the end. Sapphire eyes, and she was wearing a pearl white dress. She had to be in her early 20's and her face look flawless. She gave a smiled,

" Welcome Sir Giovanni to my beloved ship Eclipse. Oh my, you look famished. Let my crew cook us something to eat and we can chat."

Giovanni frighten even by the friendly greeting, with a snap of her fingers two men came with tray of food and in a orderly fashion and put the trays on the table. Giovanni got up but before he sat, he never forgot about his table manners and pull out the chair for the young women.

" Well I be, your parents raised you very well." Her voice was seductive but pretty, more like a uppy classy woman. Whenever she speaks, she pronounce every word to the letter. He couldn't help but enter into the conversation with her. Even though she was his kidnapper, he thinks. The young boy got the knife and fork that was next to his plate and started to cut little pieces of chicken from the plate he was served. He hesitated first, what if the food is poison, but if it is then what was the point of kidnapping him when she could've kill him on the spot. The mysterious woman laughed,

" Don't be shy, I know you are hungry. Go, eat."

Giovanni look at the chicken leg and grabbed it and bite off and large piece of meat. He ate like he hadn't eaten in days. The fair woman grab a apple from a small basket and took a small bite from it, she didn't want to mess up her lip stick. She paused,

" Dear Giovanni…do you believe in ghost stories."

Something about her would just creep you out. Hard to explain, but the vibe she gave Giovanni wasn't a good one. Giovanni waited after he was done chewing before he speak, after a sip of water.

" No ma'am I don't believed in ghost stories."

He stick to answering the question than giving her a little story behind it, when he was a little child he was fond by ghost stories. His favorite author was Edgar Poe, his favorite stories his father always read to him was the Wolf and the Man and Tell-Tale Heart. She giggled to herself.

" Well I always did, the time when I was born there was always ghost stories wanted to be tell. But that was around when people believe in superstition and that witch crap. You know, if you float you are a witch, if you drown then you are not. I tell you, some people are dumb asses."

Giovanni stop eating immediately after she said superstition. Was she joking, because that joke seemed to reform to her being old but she didn't even look old at all.

" Ma'am…"

" Oh just called be Stephanie."

" Ok…Stephanie, thank you for your hospitality but why am I here." He stop eating and put down the knife and fork on a napkin. Stephanie took another bite out of the green apple she took from the basket,

" You're welcome, I always stick to old tradition like for a example the Ancient Greeks…"

" Oh you mean like how the ancient Greek gods always valued people who showed hospitality before asking any question to a visitor. Like in the book The Odyssey when the Greek goddess Athena in incognito as Odysseus family's friend Menar went to see Telemachus at his father's manor."

" Exactly Giovanni, my you are a bright boy. So to be the reason why you are here is I want you to help me with something."

With all the people, billions of people around the whole world why him. It like this day can't get any weirder than this.

"May I ask what do you need me for."

" I'm glad you ask Giovanni,…"

She got up from her chair taking her apple with her and slowly pace through the room,

" You see, I'm researching on a topic that I'm be very interested since I was around 16. It kind of a legend of some sort and I want to see…if it really real."

Every time she paused it seem to Giovanni she was lying or trying to beat around the bush.

" And may I add that I'm the right person to help you do this?"

" Correct."

" If I do help you, will you return me back to my parents correct."

"…yes."

That wasn't a satisfying yes to him.

" And if I don't…"

" Well there going to be some complication between us. No matter what you choose, you

are going to do it even if I have to force you to do it."

The charm this beautiful woman clearly own during the first oppression seem to vanish in a second.

" And if you do it, there a slight chance you are not going to see your parents again."

Then she smiled taking a final bite from the apple and throwing it in the trash can with one throw. She folded her hands and use it as support for her chin.

" Now to you it seem to be a lose lose but for me it a win win. But Giovanni, I just caring for your well being. Don't make this difficult, it be more harder on you than it will for me."

She put her hand on his shoulder, even though he was wearing a jacket he could still feel her cold regent hand on his shoulder. He jump out of his chair and ran out of the room, all he was thinking of getting out of the boat. And he didn't mind jumping out of the boat and swimming to safety in the cold water. When he ran out of the door, the fog was gone but that was not what caught his attention. As the full moon shine it's beautiful light onto the boat, the boy saw something that was worse than the nightmares he had before this whole incident happen. The crew were skeletons. Moving about, pulling the sails and working on the ship to kept it moving. Some missing eyes and teeth, their clothes damp, torn, old, and raggedy. Instead of words they made grunt and groan noises. Before he could make a sound they all stared at him. One touch him by the shoulder and the boy went off screaming and running but no matter how he tried to escape the dead but alive crew seem to block him for anyway of escaping. The next thing he knew he was surround by them, they smile as they got closer but a loud whistle made them back away. Giovanni turn around to see where it came form, it was Stephanie. She was standing inside the dining room with the door wide open so you could see her. It was dark in the room but you could still see her. And she didn't look happy at all, she walk slowly to the outside. As the moon light slowly touch her body, she went through a slow transformation into what the crew look like. When I said this day couldn't get any creepier, I lied. The beauty this woman seem to own went out of the window, her long blonde hair was shorten all the way to her neck. It seem it was cut by a knife or something particular. The pearl white dress look dull grey, torn, and ragged.

She walk in front of Giovanni who was on one knee, one hand on his chest and panting, trying to catch his breath. She chuckled, her voice changed. It was more husky and low.

" Well Giovanni, you better start believing in ghost stories..because you're in one."