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“No.”
“But Marya!”
“Absolutely not.”
“But whyyyy?” Sophia whined. I stared at my friend. Her love for the supernatural is adorable, until she wants you in on it too. For 3 hours she has been nagging me into trying to come with her to investigate some haunted Spanish shipwreck down near the coast. Now i say near because it is not actually on the coast. It is actually up on land about 60 feet away from shore. Forever trapped unless a storm of the century swipes it up and throws it back into the sea. Kinda how I think it got on land in the first place, some big storm and all.
Tales say it was captained by the El Matador Del Mar , Capitán Armando Salazar. Alongside his Lieutenant Guillermo Lesaro and about maybe 40 to 50 other Spaniards. A storm caught them while they were hunting down the legendary Captain Jack Sparrow . Who was only a boy at the time.17 i think? Anyway, their ship La Silenciosa Maria got caught in the wind and they tried all their might, the Capitán and all to escape but they couldn’t and the wind swept them on land severely damaging the ship and killing the crew too, though how anyone knows if the crew died or not if they weren't there to see it is beyond my comprehension. Apparently the elders told people not to go down to the shipwreck cause the crew were cursed by god because of their Capitán’s pride and hubris or whatever. It is now the 21st century and that happened in the 17th century. A really big time gap to be superstitious now. Which is why people like my dear ,sweet, overly eccentric, ready to die just for the sake of a possible ghost sighting friend, Sophia, always go down to the shipwreck to find the supposed ghosts of the Le Silenciosa Maria.
People who have gone down say some beast protects the shipwreck from trespassers. Of course no one has died from their stupidity but a few have returned terrified and with some scrapes and bruises. Some stick up their ass mothers, who think their spawn of Satan children are actually angels, have called for the towns animal control to check out the shipwreck and because their sweet angelic babies can’t sleep properly with their $1,000 teddy bears in fear the big bad wolf will come and snatch them.
God what a load of crap.
Honestly it's just a lone wolf that has made its home inside the shipwreck. As long as we leave it be, it won’t harm us, simple. I explained as much to Sophia but…
“Then how do you explain a wolf the size of a BEAR, Marya!!” Sophia exaggeratedly brought up her arms as if it will help make her point.
Yes, how.
You stay out of this.
“Simple. Since people keep coming to the shipwreck at night , the lack of light and the feel of unease have caused people to see a supposed wolf the size of a bear. Once the word spreads of said wolf bear people start to think about it and when they go to see, all they’ll have in mind is a giant wolf and thus they’ll think they’ll see a giant wolf the size of a bear.” I shrugged and went back to reading my book, The Hobbit. I felt the couch suddenly shift weight beside me. I look over to see Sophia slumped down in her seat. Her narrowed brown eyes filled with sadness, her bright pink shoulder length hair all fuzzed up at the back from where her head rested on the back of the couch. Her pale skin flushed with exertion from nagging. She is the perfect opposite of me, with my shoulder length wavy brown hair, striking blue eyes and sun kissed skin. But enough of that.
Noticing my stair she looked back at me with her classic puppy eyes.
“No,”I said final.
“You know I’ll still go down to the shipwreck.”
“I know”
“That means I’ll need back up in case I get hurt”
“Good luck finding it” I returned again to my book.
“But if I can't find anyone and go by myself you will only have yourself to blame when I die and no one will know what happened to me but you.” Sophia was trying to guilt trip me. I looked at her with an expressionless look for awhile.
“No.”
I can’t believe she talked me into this.
Here we are walking in the dead of night towards the shipwreck La Silenciosa Maria.
The night thankfully is cool compared to the summer heat during day. The moon full and proud in the blackness of the summer night, lighting our way.
Our flashlights help us too. The wind slowly caressed our bodies where skin showed. Sophia in her classic ghost hunter outfit with black everything; Black shirt, black hunters vest, black shorts, and black combat boots. Thankfully I have a more appropriate outfit for summer; a grey t-shirt, mid calf length yellow skirt and slip on grey sneakers.
“You know that’s not very ghost hunter.” Sophia pointed to my clothes.
“Your right, it is not. You want to know why?” I asked her but continued before she could talk, “it is because I am only coming along to watch your back and make sure your dumb ass doesn't get hurt.”
“My ass is beautiful not dumb, thank you very much.” Sophia muttered under her breath. I rolled my eyes and smiled at her childishness.
Silence surrounded us after that. We continued onward to the shipwreck till we were finally standing right in front of it. We stood at the left side of the ship. Earth and rocks encompassing all sides of it as if the earth was slowly trying to eat it whole. In the distance we can hear the sound of waves hitting the nearby shore. The air surrounding the ship felt wrong. Not a bad wrong but an uneasy, static in the air wrong.
Be, careful.
No, really? I thought I'd just blast my way in.
Be, careful.
I’ll try.
Sophia and I gave each other looks, mine of concern and hers of excitement.
We turned back to the shipwreck, trying to find a way in. I clutch my necklace, trying to find some way of support with the familiar weight to it.
I heard Sophia announce she found the entrance. I say entrance loosely because it was more of a giant hole in the hull. Sophia rushed in without waiting for me.
Look down.
Huh? Why?
I looked down and froze. Giant prints in the mud leading to and fro from the entrance. At first they looked like bear prints but once I shone my flashlights light onto them, pure fear went through my body.
Those are wolf prints, giant wolf prints.
Dear god is there really a bear sized wolf living here.
Yes.
We need to leave! I knew this wasn’t a good idea!
Find Sophia.
SHIT?! SOPHIA?!?
I quickly ran inside searching for Sophia. I called for her name, trying to figure out where she is.
God we need to leave! Where the hell is she?
Dread started to join the fear. I can feel myself begin to panic as i rushed across the rotting, creaking floors and pass the damaged walls and doors leading to equally damaged rooms. Definitely not safe to be in.
Finally I made it up to the deck to find Sophia on the quarter deck trying to open a blocked door. Part of the main mast had fallen down forever blacking the way in.
Not fallen.
What do you mean-
“Marya help me with this would ya?” Sophia yelled. Struggling to get the broken mast off the door. I ran up the steps leading to her and yanked on her arm to get away.
“What the hell are you-” Sophia tried to yell at me but I interrupted her.
“Exactly, what are you doing?!? We need to leave! Now!” I tried yanking on her arm again to get us away and out of here but Sophia pulled her arm back.
“Do you know what is behind that door? The Captain's room! If we can just move-” Sophia tried to move towards the door again but I stopped her by grabbing her arm again and practically dragging her down the steps to the deck.
“Marya let go!” Sophia tried to keep up with my rushed steps, i can hear the panic start to seep into her voice.
“NO! ” I quickly turned to face her, my grip never unyielding. “This is not a game! This is real and dangerous and we need to go now!” I stared hard at Sophia, my face only expressing anger. Sophia’s pinched in fear from the look on my face. She nodded her head and I finally let go of her arm.
Slowly descending back into the ship, I stayed close behind Sophia as we made our way out.
Suddenly there was a noise that stopped us. Not the noise of the occasional crack of the boards underneath us or the howl of wind as it blew through the ship. No. no it was a growl. A deep sound as if the floors itself thundered from the sound. And it came from behind us.
It’s behind you.
Slowly Sophia and I turn around till we see at the end of the hall a giant shadow. We both brought our flashlights up to it and what we saw terrified us both.
There in the dark was a giant black wolf with glowing red eyes. Eyes that looked like glowing lava that frozen us on the spot from their intense and far to intelligent gaze.
You need to run.
The wolf moved closer, one step at a time and we mimicked it by backing up. Our eyes never leave it.
To your left.
I looked to my left, past Sophia and saw a hallway. it looked still intact. I looked Behind us to the hallway that led to the exit then around us to see if there was anything I could grab, nothing but the flashlight in my hand. That’s it!
I looked down to my flashlight. A plan forming in my head. I was interrupted when I heard Sophia whimper. I looked to her quickly and saw her fear. If I don’t act now we might both end up dead tonight.
Plan set, I get Sophia's attention. “When I say run, you run.” Sophia turned her head so fast I feared it might have broken.
“Wha-at?” she stuttered. By this time we had stopped moving backwards and the wolf stopped moving towards us, just watching with his head tilted. it seemed curious.
“When I say run, you run.” I repeated. Before she could open her mouth I threw my flashlight at the wolf, hitting it directly in the face, stunning it for a bit.
“RUN!!!” I pushed Sophia towards the exit and ran down the hallway to our left.
I heard Sophia’s footsteps fade away as I ran down the hall. A ferocious roar echoed throughout the ship. The wolf was mad.... and following me. Thunderous sounds echoed when its paws hit the floor, practically vibrating up my legs. It’s gaining on me. Shit!
Duck.
I ducked down and slid into the next hallway. Due to the wolfs size and speed it slid into the wall, hard, when it tried to turn. But because it's hard hit into the wall it caused the boards around us to shake violently.
A loud crack above me caught my attention. I stopped and looked up. Big mistake.
The ceiling above us was cracking from the impact. With one more loud crack it fell down. I ran away from the potential crushing death. Only to have gotten parts of the ceiling to land on me, causing me to fall to the floor pretty hard.
My vision went in and out a bit till it cleared up. I tried to move but a sudden pain in my left leg stopped me. I tried to turn and look only to see part of the collapsed ceiling separating me and the wolf and my leg caught in the middle. I couldn’t see the wolf but I could hear it. It’s shuffling of paws and deep growls. I stayed completely still till after a couple of moments I heard it shuffle away.
It will return.
Shit!!
I wasted no time in trying to get my leg out but it was stuck and it hurt. I twisted my body as best as i can to reach my leg. Every twist and turn, every push and pull caused more and more pain till I just let out a frustrated and pained shout, collapsing back onto the floor. Pained tears started to collect in my eyes but I refused to let them fall.
I took a couple of breaths before I could try again. My time slowly running out.
It’s back. Behind you.
I froze. And looked behind me. There it was in all its black, death glory. Right down at the end of the hall I was trying to escape to. It’s eyes were less red though and it’s head was tilted. Curious.
It started to move closer and I panicked. I brought up my free leg and started to slam on the fallen ceiling trapping my other leg as hard as I could.
The ceiling.
Too late for the warning I heard another loud crack above me. I looked up again only to see the ceiling that was left, practically hanging by a thread, fall down on me.
I let out a scream and covered my head. Bracing for the impact and possible death.
But it never came.
A warm puff of air hit the back of my neck.
I peaked from in between my arms to see a giant black paw right in front of me. I felt another warm puff of air hit me. Ever so slowly I turn my head only to see the wolf above me. Holding up the fallen ceiling with its back, standing over me. It’s eyes are no longer red but orch brown I think. Hard to tell in the dark. After a moment of just staring at each other, the wolf heaved the ceiling boards off and away with a loud thump. It turned to my trapped leg.
I watched in shock as its right paw reached out and shifted into what looked like a hand and claws. With its paw-hand?- it grabbed hold of the ceiling and lifted it so my leg could get out.
I pulled my leg away and shifted backwards a bit. My leg throbbing in pain. I hissed under my breath as I moved it.
The wolf, now realizing how really big it is up close, ever so slowly moved to me. I braced myself, for what I don’t know.
It's other arm shifted as well into a paw-hand. It reached both arms under me. One holding my back and the other under my knees. And lifted.
Panicked, I quickly swung my arms around its neck. It held me close. Its fur was surprisingly very warm and soft.
Once in its arms it carried me away, back down the hall and away from the fallen ceiling.
I had no idea where it was carrying me. Fear kept me frozen and quiet.
It won’t hurt you.
That doesn't actually help me feel better.
After awhile of walking through more halls, I noticed we were heading towards another hole, this one being in the ceiling with some crates underneath. Claw marks scatter across the crates.
Did it use these to get up the hole? Like stairs?
My thoughts were proven right when the wolf started to step upon them just like stairs. Taking us up into the hole and into …..a room?
The wolf wasted no time moving and set me upon a built in giant bed across from the room. It just as quickly moved away after gently setting me down.
I took the time to look around. No longer feeling fear but curiosity. As I looked to my right was a giant set of windows covered up in fabric. Well mostly just window frames by now and a desk in front of it. To my left was a level down towards a giant dining table, remarkably still intact but no seats. Pass that was a door that looked like it hasn’t been open in ages. Scattered around against walls were more crates. i think this is the Captain's quarters. The wolf was looking into one of the crates for something.
Should I even call it a wolf? It’s standing on its hind legs like a person. Is it a werewolf then? Yeah werewolf sounds right. Though I have no idea how it even exists. Werewolves aren’t supposed to exist.
The ...werewolf…. seemed to have found what it was looking for and came back over to me. Slowly it crouched down in front of me holding a...first aid kit? Where did it get that?
It placed it on the bed beside me and went to reach for my hurt leg but paused and looked back up at me. It looked apprehensive, uncertain. It’s hands but an inch away from my leg, waiting.
I realize it was waiting for me but why? I looked back at the first aid kit then to the wolf. Oh, it is unsure if it should help.
I merely nodded my head, confirming it is okay.
The wolf gently held my leg up under my calf and took off my shoe. I wore no socks so it wouldn’t have to worry. It placed my leg onto its huge thigh and reached for the first aid and opened it. It pulled out a roll of gauze and started to wrap my ankle, right where the ceiling had fallen on.
Throughout the whole process I watched almost transfixed as it treated me almost like glass. Carefully wrapping the gauze around my ankle, surprisingly since it has such huge clawed hands. Not once did it scratch me with them.
Once the wolf finished, it gently brought my leg back down, grabbed the first aid and moved away to put it back.
Something caught my eye to my right. I looked only to see a small box that looked to be used as some sort of nightstand, i guess, right beside the bed. On it wasn’t much just some books and a candle but what caught my eye the first time was a small, size of my palm, silver locket.
Curiosity won and I held it in my hand. It really is a locket. I opened it up only to see two painted figures. A man and a woman.
The woman looked much older than the man. She was sitting down in a beautiful blue dress, grey in her hair. Her face looked strong but soft at the same time. My first thought was that she could be a mother.
The man looked much younger than the woman. He was standing straight in a Spanish captains uniform. He looked familiar though….where have i...oh. OH this is Capitán Salazar! And the woman must be his mother!
A creak caught my attention. I looked only to see the wolf standing in front of me, no more than two feet away, with a strange look in its eyes….wait, it’s eyes…
I looked back down to the painting of Capitán Salazar, mostly at his eyes.
Oh. My. God.
The wolf is Capitán Salazar.
“You’re Capitán Salazar…” I looked back to the wolf, no, to Capitán Salazar. I watched as pain and sadness filled his eyes. His ears drooped down and his body started to shake. Unshed tears filled his eyes.
This man. Who probably had to watch as his crew died. Become cursed. Trapped. Never able to go back home for what must be hundreds of years. That realization broke my heart. My own eyes filled with tears and I let them fall.
“I'm so sorry.” I choked out. I tried to stand up to try and maybe comfort him but pain in my leg stopped me and I hissed underneath my breath due to it.
Capitán took the final steps towards me and helped me back down onto the bed. Before he could move away I reached up and touched the side of his face. Capitán had stilled and looked shocked.
“I'm so sorry.” I whispered. I started to caress his cheek and that finally caused his unshed tears to fall.
Capitán Salazar collapsed. His head in my lap trying to choke back tears but failing. His body shook from this sobs. He wrapped his arms around my waist and held tight.
I ignored the tightness and continued to stroke his head, right between his ears. Whispering words of comfort.
I will find a way to set you free, Capitán.
I promise.