The mermaid settled into the tank as Theo let her down into it. The moment she was in, Theo wandered over to the junk pile in the area the mermaid had mentioned toward and observed what was on hand. An old desk with some drawers, a bunch of crates, some netting and some old tarp.

"Are you sure it's here?", Theo wondered doubting that the mermaid even heard him.

The mermaid merely watched as Theo looked over the stuff again. As he approached the desk, an ominous feeling started to stir in his mind. He placed a hand on a drawer and the knob felt tingly. Unfortunately, he heard footsteps and thought fast enough to get the tarp back over the tank. He was just finishing when Angus walked in with a couple other sailors.

"We heard something.", Angus said sounding concerned.

Theo slapped on a straight face.

"It was nothing.", he answered.

One of the sailors raised an eyebrow.

"You didn't tamper with anything did you?"

Theo felt a bit scared, but kept his face neutral.

"I was just curious about what you brought with us."

Angus frowned.

"I suggest you leave."

Theo saw that if he pressed any issue, Angus could have him overboard so he chose to walk out.

"See you soon."

Theo thought the mermaid had said it, but didn't say anything on the way out. Once he was in his room on the ship, he couldn't help but recall the mermaid leading him to the desk and the feeling he had when he touched the drawer. After a bit of thinking, a knock came on his door.

"Come in.", he said snapping out of his daze.

The door opened and Lillie walked in looking surprised and scared.

"Lillie, is everything okay?", Theo asked growing a bit scared again.

Lillie took a breath.

"I'm with child."

Theo's eyes went wide.

"How's that possible?", he asked, "Didn't Angus say that you couldn't when we were introduced?"

Lillie shrugged.

"I don't know.", she admitted, "But after I heard you went back in that room, I had to go in. Angus doesn't know though, but the mermaid seemed to know what I was saying."

"I know.", Theo told her, "She was like that with me too."

Lillie looked a bit scared.

"When I was with her, she spit out a ring of the finger of one of our crew out of her mouth into my hand.", she said with her voice wavering, "One who was trying to have his way with me again."

"The one who made that comment with us earlier?", Theo guessed.

Things were starting to get really freaky around this ship.

/

Back on the mainland, the werewolf that had pursued Theo had come to and arrived at the dock where the ship had departed and was snarling about the fact that his prey had gotten away. His heightened senses had helped get him this far, but the incident had given Theo a head start.

"I can help."

The werewolf turned as the moonlight shimmered on his pale fur still wearing its sneer as he picked up another presence. On a nearby tree, the once rotting opening was glowing faintly and spores were lingering. The mere smell made his nostrils burn slightly, but his savage nature wouldn't let him back away.

"Take this rift and I'll lead you to your prey. The one that got away from you."

The werewolf tensed, but came close to the rift and the smell of rot and death lingered. Without thinking, the werewolf crawled toward the rift and cautiously extended a paw forward. As soon as he touched it, a strong force tugged and almost made him turn, but he was sucked in before he even could. As fast it was, he managed to hold his eyes open enough to see that he was now in an even creepier place than the one he left. A faint glowing light came up and became a large bat like wings that hovered in the air.

"Just let them attach and they'll lead you to your prey."

The moment the voice stopped, the wings flapped over and stabbed into his back causing him to howl in pure anguish. As fast as it began, it was over and the wings flapped as if they had a mind of their own carrying him over the darkened ocean and toward the horizon with great ease. The hunt had resumed, and he was certain to catch up.

/

Theo had just made it to his room when there came a loud crash of thunder sounded from above. Cautiously, he got over to his bed and almost fell over as the ground rocked.

"If this is what sailors go through every day, they sure don't get seasickness.", he groaned clutching his stomach which felt a bit queasy, "I really hope I don't throw up."

He had just gotten to the edge of the bed when the sickness finally got to him and hopefully there was a nearby bucket which he barfed into before flopping into his bed worn out and aching. Nothing left to do now but get some sleep. As he felt the waves pound the outside of the boat and the thunder rumbling from above, Theo strained to turn the lantern's light low and pulled up his covers before rolling his head on to the pillow. As soon as his eyes closed, his mind was plunged into darkness and it didn't make him feel welcome.

"Come on you poor unfortunate soul! Go ahead! Choose a door!"

Theo turned to see himself making deals only then his double turned around, smiling ghoulishly.

"You think you can hide who you are? Making deals to people just to curse them with misfortune and stalk them while they learn?"

Theo felt himself shaken but tried not to show it.

"That's not the case.", he said firmly though his voice was starting to shake.

His double cackled which rang out through the darkness and sent shivers up Theo's spine.

"You thought you'd forget this realm? Even when you first saw that story about the tourist and the beast?"

Theo's eyes widened.

"David.", he gasped.

"Bingo.", his double countered still smiling that ghoulish grin, "And ever since, a realm has been forming pulling in all the horrors that you encountered and it's only beginning. Just wait til he finds out."

Theo bolted awake in a cold sweat quickly looking around the room.

"What a nightmare.", he shivered, "And I thought people dream good dreams in all realms. Must have been my psyche acting up or something."

He tried to lay down again, but the nightmare's image haunted his mind to the point where it was going to be a long troubled night. As soon as he drifted off again, from a dark corner of the room, a face peeked out and smiled. It wasn't just any face either. It was the mermaid's before she crept a bit closer revealing she had legs and wearing a silvery skirt that came down from her waist to her knees and her seashell bra, but her hair was wet and as she stepped closer, the floorboard creaked causing Theo to stir for a moment. She paused and quickly went back into the shadows but not before giving Theo a smile and a wink.

"Someone's got some troubles swimming in his head.", she thought, "Won't he make a tasty treat for our destination."

/

By the time the night had passed, Theo had barely gotten any sleep as he got up.

"Note to self: never enter a realm of horrors without precautions.", he yawned.

After getting dressed for the day, he felt his stomach grumble and flinched.

"Oh I wish I could conjure up some eggs and bacon right now.", he muttered, "But I don't want to draw any "unwanted attention" around this realm."

"Draw any what?"

Theo flinched as he turned to see Angus standing in his doorway looking a bit confused, but he thought fast.

"Oh nothing. I was just eager to…get to other side of the realm where we're heading towards. When are we supposed to be there might I ask?"

Angus looked thoughtful.

"About by tomorrow if it's smooth sailing.", he answered, "We're not usually this lost out at sea."

Theo plastered on a smile.

"Anyway, where can I go to find breakfast?"

"Down the hall, follow the smell of smoke, fish and Heaven knows what."

Theo flinched again. If Angus used that to describe breakfast, he was certain that he would be sick again when he got there. Unfortunately, he found out the hard way he was right. What was served was gray, lumpy, and smelled really bland. Lillie was nearby and sat beside him looking a bit cheerful.

"Don't worry, it's not as bad as you think."

Theo took up his spoon and took a bite of the porridge (which was what it was) to find out that Lillie was right though some of the other sailors were looking more than a bit spooked.

"What's with them?", Theo asked.

Lillie looked a bit worried.

"Another sailor disappeared last night."

Theo then looked around and noticed that there were fewer sailors than yesterday, but quickly tried to steel his nerve. After he finished, he went up on deck and did a quick look around to see nobody else around and the skies were clear, but no land in sight. Cautiously, he pulled out his hand mirror he always carried with him and held it before his face.

"Magic mirror tell no lies. Reveal where this ship resides."

The surface rippled and a map took the place where Theo's reflection resided. The ship wasn't anywhere near the other side of the realm where Angus claimed they were headed and more to the south in open ocean.

"In open ocean, your ship resides. Driven by one's dark desire. When darkness falls tonight, the crew and you will know fright."

The mirror then went back to Theo's reflection, but Theo was now starting to piece together what was going on before the truth dawned upon him.

"We're in serious trouble."

/

The werewolf was feeling more than a bit peeved. The demon wings had carried him over the ocean for more than a few hours and he was nauseous enough to hurl four times. Why couldn't these wings have flown him any faster to his prey? As if the voice from before had read his thoughts, a rift opened up and the wings detached and he fell into it.

"Best of luck."

The werewolf landed inside what looked like a lower deck of a ship where he suddenly fell to the floor cringing as if in pure agony as his wolf features melted and his human form took hold. After a bit his eyesight slowly went from blurry to focused, but he struggled to stand only to fall back on his behind.

"Oh, my aching everything.", he moaned as he ran a free hand through his brown hair that was fairly short, but was grateful that his leather pants had managed to hold on though they were now reduced to shorts, "Where am I?"

"Well, haven't seen you around here?"

The man looked up to see a sailor look his way confused at why he was wearing leather shorts and nothing else.

"You got a name?"

"Ted Harrison.", the man answered as he tried recalling the events of the night before, "Last thing I remember was-"

He paused and the sailor looked interested.

"What?"

Ted looked at him blankly.

"I don't remember."

"Well, you better get yourself dressed there, you look like you've had your clothes raided."

Ted struggled to his feet though his legs felt wobbly, but he managed in the end and headed away a bit though when he let in a breath of air into his nose, a whiff of something smelling strongly of seaweed and blood almost made him lose his senses again. He barely held his new animal instincts in check as followed his nose to the room where he found what he could guess was a covered tank. Walking over, he felt a sensation in his skin as if someone or something was sensing his presence as he was sensing theirs. He gripped the tarp and removed it only to see a tank of water. It wasn't long before the mermaid swam up to the side he was on til her eyes met his own. Ted was entranced.

"Who are you?", he asked.

She just stared at him blankly. Then Ted snapped out of his daze and quickly noticed a vest and slipped it on before noticing some spare boots and slipping those on as well. Not his choice of wardrobe, but it would do for now. As he was leaving when he caught another scent, the mermaid was watching him only now she was smiling as a thought came to mind.

/

Theo hurried to his room and hoped Lillie would be alright, but on his way, as sailor came by looking his way confused.

"You okay laddie?", he asked,

Theo paused.

"Sir, I think we're off course. I'm going to find Angus and hope he understands."

The sailor seemed to understand.

"Good luck lad."

Theo continued on until he turned to see Lillie talking with someone wearing a vest beside some barrels and netting.

"Theo, you okay?", she asked.

Theo nodded, but then looked the stranger's way.

"Who's this?"

"I'm Ted Harrison.", the man answered, "I'm a photojournalist."

Theo felt a bit of concern in Ted's tone. He could've sworn he heard a growl among Ted's words.

"And what do you study?", he asked.

"Oh, some old ruins, latest police scenes, and stuff like that.", Ted answered before he sniffed the air and his eyes narrowed at Theo, "You smell kind of familiar."

Theo felt a bit frightened, but didn't show it.

"Funny, I don't remember you."

Ted smiled.

"Well, it's probably nothing. I'm just looking for someone so I can get help for…a friend of mine."

"I hope you find it.", Lillie said.

Ted gave a smile and nod.

"I'm going to go see if I can find some food around here cause I'm starving."

As he left, Theo looked at his vest and then noticed a pair of leather shorts that made his mind flashback to the werewolf attack, but he tried to push it out of his head.

"A lot of people around here dress like that anyway.", he thought.

"Theo?", Lillie asked snapping Theo out of his daze again, "You okay?"

Theo looked her way smiling nervously.

"Yeah, just didn't get enough sleep last night."

Lillie then looked a bit worried.

"Theo, I think something evil is on this ship, and I don't like it."

"I know.", Theo said solemnly, "Something wicked is on this ship and I have a feeling some dark force is just getting started."