The one thing that Captain Gregg had always liked was his privacy. He would work on his maps and spend much of his days just enjoying his home. However, fifty years was a long to be alone. He missed many of his shipmates and this was his eternity.

Each year the sea rolled in and the seasons changed with the Captain. Things were the same day after day year after year. He longed for a friend. More than that he longed for someone to love and spend his time with. Oh, there had been the occasional attempt by other members of his alleged family who had tried to move in, but he had made sure that their stay was short. He always made sure that the people wouldn't come back.

'There must be someone in the world for me.' he thought to himself. He was a reasonably good looking man with strong shoulders and a strong personality. He knew that the woman he wanted needed to be strong willed to be able to put up with him.

But the days went on and on with nothing changing. It was then that an old shipmate of his came to visit. Nathan had been one of the many friends that Daniel Gregg had made in life. But, unlike Daniel he had lived a long life and had just recently passed on at the ripe old age of 93.

As the two men stood in the master's cabin next to the telescope they spoke of their lives at sea. "Daniel, we could go back to the sea and enjoy the adventure together once again." Nathan told him with an honest sound to his voice.

Captain Gregg knew that he was right. The afterlife that he was living was not what he had wished for. He was a lonely man . But, he knw somehow that someone was going to become a part of his afterlife and that he must wait for her. He was not sure who she was or how she would come, but he knew that he must wait.

So Daniel turned to his old friend and told him "Thank you for your offer. There is nothing better sounding to these ears than the thought of going back to the sea. But, somehow I know that this is where I am supposed to be. Someone is coming to be with me and so here I will stay. Please remember old friend, you are always welcome here on my ship."

The rest of the visit was too short. It was far too short, and Daniel watched sadly as his friend and companion vanished. He knew that Nathan was on his way to the sea. 'The sea, the first love of his life.' he thought to himself.

Could it have been weeks or years since he had seen another human being dare to go inside of Gull Cottage? But, as he was working on some of his maps he heard the unmistakable sound of the front door opening. As he went out to the foyer to see who had come in he saw a young boy. The Captain took one look at the small nervous little fellow and wanted to scream.

Claymore Gregg was now five years old and some of the boys in town were picking on him. They called him scaredy pants and laughed at him all of the time. They had dared him to go into the haunted house, the one on Gregg road that was known as Gull Cottage. His father had inherited the house from his father, but had told him to stay away.

"My father told me about what happened when he went to the cottage and you need to stay away. There is the ghost of Captain Daniel Gregg there and lord knows what he will do to you." his father had warned him.

Claymore lived with his mom and dad on the other side of town and had no intention of ever going over to the old cottage. The cottage was run down and looked as though it was haunted. But the boys had dared him and here he was. As he walked into the room on the left he adjusted his eyes. He had always had bad vision and wore thick glasses. He took the glasses off and cleaned them. Once he put them back on and let his eyes adjust to the light he saw a face. For a second he thought that he was looking at a ghost. But then he realized that it was just a portrait. There was something written on a plaque under it but Claymore couldn't read yet.

As he walked through the large house Claymore noticed all of the antiques. 'They must be worth some money' he had thought to himself. Each and every room was dark and dreary and full of dust. He sneezed as some of the dust got into his sinuses. Up the stairs to the right he opened the door. The room was large and filled with antique furniture. Straight ahead he saw a balcony with a large telescope. As he walked over to touch the telescope he realized something. Although, everything in the house was dirty and covered with dust the telescope appeared to be freshly shined.

Claymore was young and small for his age. He could not see through the telescope. He looked around the room and found a box to stand on. He had a little trouble getting up so that he could peer into the telescope, but finally managed. As he reached up and took the telescope in his hands he looked out towards the sea. To his horror he did not see the sea. Instead staring back to him was a man's face. The man was evil with a scruffy beard and what appeared to be a seaman's hat on.

With the quickness of a scared rabbit, Claymore screamed at the top of his lungs and ran out the door down the stairs and out into the street. He shook with such fear as he watched in horror the same man stand on the balcony and laugh at him. The laugh was hideous and cruel and Claymore would never forget that moment. He wouldn't stop running until he got to his house.

The worst part about sneaking into that house was that Claymore couldn't tell anyone what he had seen. If he told the other boys they would beat him up even more and laugh even harder at him. He couldn't tell his parents because he had bee told not to go there. So, Claymore just went to his room and cried.

Captain Gregg laughed to himself. 'He won't be back' he thought. Little did he know how wrong he could be.