Echoes of the Deep
I handed my boarding pass to the terminal worker, praying he wouldn’t recognize me. His eyes scanned my boarding pass and ID without even a twitch of his eyebrow.
"Move along," he said, handing back my ID and pass, directing me toward the ramp leading up to the cruise ship. I sighed with relief. I was among the first passengers to arrive—perfect, it would give me a chance to explore.
I thought back to my last conversation with the police as I boarded
"What do you mean you’re out of leads?" I demanded angrily.
"I’m sorry, Mr. May," the investigator’s emotionless voice replied from the phone.
"So what? You’re just not going to do anything?"
"Leads have dried up, no tips have come through, and we have no reason to suspect foul play."
"I’m telling you, something happened to him on that cruise," I gritted my teeth, struggling to contain my frustration.
"We’ve been over this, Mr. May. The cruise line graciously turned over their logbook. He purchased tickets, but he never boarded."
"Yes he did! He sent me a picture of himself outside the ship."
"That does not prove he boarded. "
"They're hiding something."
You have no evidence of that, it’s all hearsay. This case is a missing person until we have reason to treat it otherwise, and as an adult, your brother has a legal right to disappear."
I had hung up on him after that. If the detective wanted evidence, I was going to find it. It had taken a couple of months to get tickets for the same cruise ship my brother had disappeared on, but eventually, lady luck smiled on me.
On the way to my cabin, I took careful note of the layout, the exits, and the security cameras. I knew I wouldn't find any evidence proving my brother had been on the ship—they’d had plenty of time to get rid of that—but I was determined to uncover evidence of their wrongdoing.
I found my cabin on deck five, room number nine on the starboard side. I had tried to get the same cabin my brother had, but the assignments were random. I scanned my keycard and stepped inside. The cabin was modest, with a bed, a desk, a closet, a chest of drawers, and a bathroom.
Under different circumstances, this might have felt like a dream getaway—sun, sea, and no responsibilities. But with every wave that rocked the ship, I was reminded of the real reason I was here.
My luggage had already been delivered. I grabbed my notepad to start taking notes. I’d have to rely on my phone as a camera, but it would suffice. I needed to be careful about what evidence I gathered and how I obtained it. I’d done some reading on what was and wasn’t admissible in court.
I probably sounded like a crazy conspiracy theorist to the cops, but I knew my brother wouldn’t just disappear without a word. He had been so excited about this cruise, his first real vacation in years. There was no way he would just walk away from his whole life.
I wanted to explore the ship before it got too crowded with people boarding, but I was stopped. No one was allowed into the bar, dining, or casino areas until after the safety drill. I went through the motions, listening as they explained where the life jackets were, hearing the emergency horn, and visiting the muster station. By the time we finally left port, I needed a stiff drink.
"Can I get you anything?" asked the blonde woman behind the bar as I took a seat. Her name tag read "Sonya." There were several bars on the ship, but I had chosen the one outdoors near the front. It was relatively empty, save for a few people who had wandered up to admire the water.
"Scotch on the rocks? Glenlivet, if you have it." I had purchased a pricey alcohol package, figuring I’d need it to take the edge off.
"Sure!" Sonya poured two fingers from a bottle I recognized as Glenlivet's fifteen year. I took a sip as she casually returned to her duties.
"How long have you been working for the cruise?" I asked, the burn of the alcohol steeling my nerves. She looked up from the glass she was wiping.
"Oh, a few years. I’ve had my bartending license for a while. I like this more than tending a regular bar. The view’s nicer," she said, gesturing to the ocean in front of us.
"Cool." I took another sip of the scotch. "Ever see anything odd?"
She blinked, and for a second, her smile faltered before returning quickly.
"Oh, no, nothing really. I’ve seen a few shooting stars, and some drunk guests doing wild stuff, but nothing abnormal."
"Neat. I was just curious. Never been on a cruise before, so I don’t know what to expect. I was worried about pirates," I lied.
"Oh! You don’t need to worry about that. The cruise doesn’t pass through any areas where that sort of thing happens," she reassured me with a nod.
"Am I allowed to bring this back to my cabin?" I asked, indicating my drink.
"Absolutely!"
"Thank you, Sonya. See you around." I got up quickly and hurried back to my room, my heart racing. When I had asked about anything odd, she had looked spooked for a moment, then relieved when I mentioned pirates. She knew more than she was letting on. I was sure of it.
I scribbled my suspicions about Sonya in my notebook as I finished my scotch. Her discomfort wasn’t real evidence, but it was a start. I didn’t think Sonya had anything directly to do with my brother’s disappearance—She seemed too genuine, but being so easily shaken was suspicious.
If I could gain her trust, I might start unraveling the truth. But she wouldn’t be the only one—I needed eyes on the casino staff, the cleaning crew, anyone who might have crossed paths with my brother. Three weeks was plenty of time to make friends. After spending a couple of hours taking notes, I decided to take a nap.
***********
When I woke up, my cabin was dark. It was late at night. I checked my phone—it was just after 4 a.m. I had been asleep for over twelve hours. Now that I was actually here, the stress and lack of sleep had finally caught up with me.
"Doesn’t matter. This might be a good time to snoop around anyway," I thought to myself. I turned the knob on my cabin door and pushed, but the door didn’t budge. I tried again—still nothing, not even an inch. It felt like it was locked, but it wasn’t. I pounded on the door and pushed against it with my shoulder. Not even a wiggle.
"HEY! I CAN’T OPEN MY DOOR! IT'S STUCK" I screamed as loud as I could. Nothing. A good night of investigation, gone because somehow I had jammed my door. I sat down at the desk, sulking in annoyance.
As I pondered whether I was stuck until the cleaning staff came and opened the door from the other side, I noticed a faint sound of singing. I looked around my room—there was no radio, no alarm clock. Nothing in the room where the sound could be coming from. It must be coming from outside? Maybe a performance? But at this time?
I took a seat at my desk, listening to the singing quietly, my eyes closing as I let the sound wash over me. It was faint, but it was the most beautiful singing I’d ever heard in my life. I could feel my worries just drifting away. I wish I could find where it was coming from. I don’t know how long I sat there, but eventually, the singing faded, and a little while after, I heard a mechanical click… like a door unlocking.
My eyes snapped open, and I turned to the cabin door. It opened as easily as ever, and I stepped out onto the deck. The ship was gliding smoothly through the water, and the sun had just started to peek over the horizon. The deck was empty—not a single person in sight.
I felt along the frame of the door. There was a second bolt hidden to the naked eye. The seams were just barely visible. Someone had locked me in my room, but why?
I made my way to the ship’s restaurant, where breakfast was being served. A few people were eating simple breakfasts; others had more elaborate meals. From the groggy looks on their faces, it was clear they had just woken up. I didn't see anyone that appeared to be upset with the cruise or staff. No indication anyone else hand noticed we were locked in our rooms overnight.
I skipped breakfast and slept until the afternoon. I was more convinced than ever the cruise line had something to do with my brother's disappearance, and I was desperate to question Sonya.
************
As soon as I woke up, I headed straight for the bar at the front of the ship. Luckily, Sonya was there, pouring drinks for other passengers. I took a seat.
"Oh! Hello. Scotch, right?" she asked.
Yes, please," I said with a fake smile as she poured me two fingers of Glenlivet. I took a deep sip and sat at the bar for several minutes.
"Sonya, do things like the bars close on the ship?" I asked.
"Yes, bars and casinos close around 3:30, and restaurants usually stop taking new orders at 12:30, though they don’t officially close until 1:00. They reopen for breakfast at 6:00," Sonya explained in a friendly tone.
"I see! That explains why nothing was open when I was roaming around this morning!" I said. I’d never heard of a cruise where amenities like that closed, especially not casinos. As my brother had explained before he left, they usually only closed when in port at countries that didn’t allow gambling.
"Y-yeah," Sonya stammered, a slight shake in her voice. She seemed uncomfortable that I was out of my room in the wee hours of the morning.
"Are there any live performances or anything on the cruise?"
"Other than the small orchestra that plays in the restaurant at dinner, no. Why?" she asked, her tone tinged with nervousness.
"Oh, just curious," I said with a smile. "See ya, Sonya."
"S-sure."
I walked away from that conversation with more clues. The cruise was definitely hiding something—something that happened after 3:30 a.m. I would need to make some preparations to find out what it was, and get some evidence to bring to the police, or post online to expose them. This was bigger than I thought.
*******************
The shrill beep of my phone alarm went off. It was 3:30 a.m.—time to start getting ready. I changed into a black shirt and dark jeans, cursing myself for not bringing a mask or better gear for nighttime investigations.
I quietly slipped out as passengers returning from bars filled the air with chatter. I made my way to the section we were shown during the safety drill. Making sure the coast was clear, I slipped inside one of the lifeboats, hiding beneath the cover.
It was cramped, but if I lay down, I didn’t make any noticeable bulges. You couldn’t tell I was under there at all. Soon, the noise from the other passengers died down. I wasn’t sure how long I should stay hidden, but I peeked out just in time to see two women rounding a corner. I ducked back down.
"How does your side look?" I heard one of the women say, followed by the crackle of feedback, like she was using a walkie-talkie. I couldn’t hear the response, but after a moment, she said, "All clear on this side too."
They continued past the lifeboat, completely unaware I was there. About five minutes after they left, I started hearing a rapid series of mechanical clicks. All of the doors to the passenger rooms were locking.
"I knew it!" Once the sound of their voices faded, I slipped out and headed to the front of the ship. I kept my ears strained, listening for any sounds of the ship's crew, but the entire boat was as silent as it had been that morning.
I reached the bar at the front of the ship. It was dark and looked abandoned. I tiptoed quietly over.
"Who are you?....What are you doing here?" A familiar voice came from behind me. I spun around to see Sonya standing in the shadows, her eyes were wide with shock.
"I... uh... wanted to see if the bar was open," I whispered meekly, unable to think of a better excuse.
"Everything is closed," she said firmly.
"Can you, uh... just pour me something quick?"
"No," she replied, her eyes drifting over to the water.
"Can I take a bottle?"
Y-yeah, sure. Just...just take whatever you want, but please, you need to get back to your room. Now. Before it’s too late." Sonya’s voice wavered, the desperation thick in her tone, as if she was struggling to keep herself together.
"Why? What are you hiding?" I asked, sensing her weakness.
"You... you don't understand. Please," she begged. I had caught her off guard, the advantage was mine now.
"No. My brother disappeared on one of your cruises, and I want to know what—" As I pressed Sonya for answers, a faint melody started to seep into the silence, like a distant echo carried by the waves, the words I was about to speak dried up in my throat.
"Oh no..." Sonya whispered as the singing began. I was unable to finish my sentence. The melody ensnared me, its beauty irresistible. I need to find out where it was coming from. I had to go to it.
"Wait!" Sonya called as I moved toward the railing, compelled by the enchanting sound. But it was too late. I disappeared over the edge into the waves below. Sonya’s hand trembled as she raised the walkie-talkie to her lips, her voice barely a whisper.
"The sirens got another one," she said, the weight of her words hanging in the air. The sea below swallowed the last of his scream, leaving only the haunting melody of the sirens’ song echoing in the stillness.
Thanks for making it this far! If you enjoyed this check out some of my other stories! More stories to come. Subscribe and stay tuned.
Credit to Craiyon.com for cover image
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