It was cold, so bucking cold. None of us knows how it got like this. It was the middle of summer, we should be sitting around drinking ice cold water, sweating ourselves dehydrated, not sitting around a table covered in warm clothing with blankets draped around us, drinking hot tea and still freezing our tails off.
It had only been a few days after we set sail that the piercing cold had set in. The rudder had frozen in place yesterday and we were now stranded on our own ship with no immediate land in sight. We were also off course by a large margin, with no idea where we were. It was as if our ship had taken a mind of its own.
The ship thrashed around in the waves of the storm we had drifted into a few hours prior and there was literally nothing we could do about it. We had sent a pigeon with a letter before the storm caught us, of which we have drifted in for a full day, and now that pigeon is our only hope of salvation. I pulled out my pocket watch and opened it with shaking hooves.
11:46 PM
I let out a shivering sigh as I could literally see my breath leaving my mouth because of the cold. It was time to call it a night. Sleep may seem comforting, but the cold and the sounds won't let you fall asleep that easily.
I could still hear them, my crew could as well. The screams. They howled up a storm at random, sending shivers down our spines like a knife cutting flesh. None of us knew why these screams were heard in the first place, but we weren't too excited about finding out either.
This whole thing was supposed to be a normal voyage from Manehattan to Griffonstone with our new Fluyt, but things as mentioned went south before we even knew what was going on, and to be honest, we still didn't know what was happening. Not only was it unbearably cold and screams cut through our ears ruthlessly without warning, but there were also these bangs that sounded throughout the ship as if the ship was made of metal, even though it was constructed out of wood. Speaking of construction, this Fluyt had apparently been delayed multiple times because of fires starting without warning almost every time they got to work. The Source of the fire could never be found and the ship wasn't finished until winter.
I stood up from the table we sat around as I headed for my private chamber. As the Captain of the Shadow Breeze, I had tried my hardest to figure out where we were, but nothing had borne fruit. I stumbled through the corridors as the ship bounced up and down with the waves as booms of thunder and waves striking the ship's hull sounded while the ship rocked to and fro, and side to side. I lost balance several times and had to use the wall for support to keep myself on my hooves.
As I walked a new scream echoed through the ship, but this one was different. It was the scream of a child. As a father myself it was a sound I couldn't stand hearing. The sound of a child screaming in anguish was one of the things I dreaded most. With all might I could muster, I steeled myself for the sound and kept pushing forward. A deep groan from the ship's mast made its way into the roof above me as I continued on my way. It seemed as if whatever that roamed this ship was trying to make me give up on something, I don't know what, but it sounded like the sounds were getting desperate or something like that.
I soon rounded a corner and found the door to my cabin. I could finally get some shut-eye after this long and admittedly freaky day. The door opened with a slight groan, as I made my way inside, making sure to close the door behind me. I sat down by my desk where my log rested nicely. Upon opening the book on a new blank page, I took a pen and dipped it in the inkwell before I began writing. Starting with the date before I wrote the main text.
As I wrote, more sounds cut through the air. My door rattled on multiple occasions, but I paid it no mind as I kept writing. I wanted to let the world know how dangerous this ship was if she was ever found again after this. As time went by the storm seemed to calm down and upon looking out my window I began to see flakes of ice floating on the water. I turned back to my log and continued to write about what has been going on, writing a few questions of my own and some of my personal displeasures and regrets, the biggest regret of all was going on this voyage. I ended the entry by signing my name under the main text, something I hadn't done on the other entries, and put the pen back into the inkwell. Mere seconds after, the ink froze solid.
I leaned back into my seat as I let out another visible sigh. I was probably knocking on death's door by now as I had lost feeling in my hooves and the cold unfeeling sensation spread slowly up to my knees before continuing up to my hip.
I turned back to the pen which was frozen in the inkwell. I needed to write one final thing before I went to sleep. I pried the pen loose after a few seconds of pulling and bending, but unfortunately, the tip snapped off. The pen now had a sharp edge of the wood that I used to prick my hoof in order to draw blood. Once enough had oozed out I dipped the broken tip in my own blood and wrote a final entry into my log. I took myself some time to write it as perfectly as possible. While writing I thought of my life up until now.
I knew I wouldn't be able to hear my little girl's laugh again, I knew I wouldn't be able to see my boy graduate, and I knew I wouldn't be able to tell my wife goodbye. Thus, I used this last entry as a way to do just that. I wrote a goodbye and apology to my family.
Once I was finished I looked over the page as the cold spread to my hooves and I found myself unable to move anymore. My time had come. I thought once again about my life, but now I put more into remembering the good times I had with my family. The cold spread to my face and as the world turned dark...
…
I smiled.
Author's Note
The story's rushed writing style was on purpose, so no complaints about it, please.
Have a spooky October!
6th July 1628
We've got our new Fluyt ready to set sail in port. She is a beautiful ship.
7th July 1628
First day out at sea, nothing out of the ordinary. The crew are singing ballads and traditional songs. We play cards during our free time. Life is good. Maybe when my boy is older he can come with his papa on a trip.
8th July 1628
The ship is getting cold for some reason. Unicorns among our crew have tried to use heat spells, which thankfully works to a certain degree.
10th July 1628
Last night I couldn't get into my cabin for some reason. I don't know for certain, but there is something onboard this ship, something unnatural.
13th July 1628
We don't know, we just don't know. Why is all of this happening to us? What has the ship builders kept hidden from us?! The ship so unbearably cold we're going to go insane if this keeps up!
14th July 1628
We no longer know where we are. The ship has drifted off course and the rudder has frozen in place. We've sent out a pigeon with a letter in hopes of rescue, but we are all exhausted and tired. We may not come back home.
15th July 1628
The storm never ends, many of my men have fallen ill from the constant rocking, I had to throw up earlier today as well. This whole damn ship is bucking cursed! We hear screams of anguish, thundering bangs throughout the ship as if it's going to break apart any second. This ship wants us to die! Dear Celestia, help us!
16th July 1628
I feel life draining away. I had a difficult time just getting to my cabin just a few minutes ago. Whatever roams this ship is constantly trying to break me and I think it's getting desperate as I've begun steeling myself for the sounds in order to keep focus and now this curse has begun creating children's screams. I have a lot of questions, but the question I would want answered the most is: Why? Why is this happening? I also have regrets in life, but this voyage is definitely the biggest regret of them all. I have a lot left unfinished in life. I pray that my family will make it out okay. This may be my last entry so, if whoever is reading this has any plans to put this ship back into service, forget it. Sink this ship, no matter how valuable it is. None of it matters.
My family, I can't apologize enough. I am writing this final goodbye in my own blood as the Ink has frozen solid. I'm sorry that I won't hear my little girl's adorable laugh again or see her grow into a mare. I'm sorry I won't see my boy graduate and become a sailor like his papa. And, my beloved, I'm sorry, but I won't be coming home again. Thank you for all the happy memories.
Goodbye
