…aaand cut to credits. Finally done. This series would definitely explode on Youtube. Maybe even go viral. I had been thinking about doing this series for a while, but never thought it would garner enough interest. It was only after I made a poll on my channel, “Maritime Mysteries,” that I realized that the interest in it was immense.

Of course I am talking about the fascinating mystery of the Ourang Medan, the Dutch freight ship that got lost in the 1940’s. Personally I have always been interested in the sea, and in the many mysteries it has to offer. So I focus on talking about any mystery related to the sea, and I often dive to show my viewers the wrecks or any mysterious spots I make an episode about. Which is why I have diving certificates and I keep myself in good shape too. My channel is not the biggest, but after the videos come out, I’m sure it will blow up. It has to. I’m fed up scraping for crumbs. I want to be the biggest naval horror channel out there. Pretty niche, I know. But I do have a loyal following, and that is always a good start.

But to get back to business, this video series I have been working on will be huge. The first video is an introduction mostly, to tell the viewer about the events surrounding the Ourang Medan. Give them a little taste of what it’s about. The second video will be me talking about the weather, currents and possible locations of the wreck, along with an interview with a survivor from the SS Silverstar, the US Navy ship that found the Ourang Medan. That interview was heavy. And very interesting. Although we did have to cut the final moments. I will explain later.

Before I set the video to upload, I always look through it first, to see if there are any errors or if the graphics don’t align with the narration. I’m a bit of a perfectionist. My videos have to catch my interest too. Although it is quite easy, as I have always been interested in anything related to the ocean.

The video had finished rendering, so I put it onto my video player. The start was pretty good I feel like. My deep voice over some graphics that I had commissioned for this project. “Welcome to a mystery from a time long ago. A US navy ship intercepting a frantic SOS, a freight ship with unknown troubles and an everlasting mystery surrounding these events. This is the story of the Ourang Medan. In this series, I, Ishmael, am going to introduce the events of this mystery, I will interview a survivor from the USS Silverstar, and in the final video, we are making a live stream where we dive and explore the possible locations of the wreck. This is Maritime Mysteries, and you – can call me Ishmael.”

I felt that this introduction was perfect for this. The graphics of the navy ship, of a freight ship and of a stormy ocean. It all played perfectly together, and gave a strong introduction to the theme of these videos. And the guy who made the graphics had really nailed it. I had found him on one of those sites where you can ask for a piece for money. The guy I contacted was very enthusiastic about it. I conveyed to him what I wanted from him, and he had really delivered. I actually felt really proud at this very moment. And hopeful. Hopeful that I might finally break out and become a Youtube legend.

“On a stormy night in 1948, a US navy ship called the Silverstar was sailing in the South China Sea, when it received a mysterious SOS. The message was chilling. SOS from the Ourang Medan. I am the last one alive. Everyone else is dead. Please help. It was quickly followed by another, even more chilling message: Now I die.

The USS Silverstar made their way to the location, and found the freighter just floating there. The captain, along with a few men, took a rescue boat and boarded the Ourang Medan. What they found was terrifying. Every single man was gathered in the mess hall. Every single man’s face was contorted in terror, their arms out as if to ward of some invisible enemy. They found the radio operator in the communication room. Same terrifying expression. The captain and his men hurried back to the Silverstar, and tied a rope to the Ourang Medan. As they were about to set sail for the nearest port, an explosion rippled through the Ourang Medan. It was split in two and started sinking. The crew of the Silverstar managed to cut the rope before they were dragged down with it. And since that day, the Ourang Medan mystery has fascinated us, scared us, and intrigued us. With this series, I will find out what truly happened on that ship, and find it’s final resting place.”

This start felt so strong, along with the excellent graphics. The artist had actually found a picture of the USS Silverstar and the Ourang Medan and drawn them. And the explosion part. He had done a masterpiece. It really captured the moment, the frantic sailors, desperately trying to cut the rope. Although I do have to make an admission right now. Personally, I don’t really believe that these events happened. It’s a cool mystery and all, but there are no evidence of the Ourang Medan ever having existed. But, it is a long lasting mystery, people eat it up raw. It’s a literal gold mine. So obviously I never air my doubts in my videos. I make sure to make it all sound as realistic as possible. I mean, wouldn’t you?

I went through the rest of the video, feeling prouder and more excited as the video went on. It all went so perfect together, the narration, the graphics, the atmosphere. And when it cut to credits, I felt like a king. This video was a certified banger. Now it was time to look at the second video.

“This is my second installment in my three part series on the mystery of the Ourang Medan. In my first video, I explained the mysterious events surrounding the Ourang Medan and its sinking. In this part, I am going to show you some graphs over weather conditions on the fateful night, currents from then to now, and the possible locations of the wreck. This is Maritime mysteries, and you – can call me Ishmael.”

Again, the intro made me feel so proud of the work I had done. The text felt just right, the graphics were stunning. Although I have to admit, I reused some of the graphics from the first video. Budget restraints and all. Gotta stay thrifty. Then came the research I had done around the currents in the area, the weather and the possible locations the wreck might be in.

“This is the spot the USS Silverstar was in when it got the SOS from the Ourang Medan.”

A picture appeared of the South China Sea, and I did put it in a random spot. I mean, there was no way of verifying the actual location. Also, it made me look smarter. Or so I thought. Knowing where the ship was almost a hundred years ago. That thought actually gave me a chuckle.

“Having received the SOS, they quickly triangulated the source, and found it having come from the Strait of Malacca. They quickly made their way there, and found the Ourang Medan adrift at sea, right here.”

The graph expanded, showing a larger view of the South China Sea and including the Strait of Malacca now. A picture of the Ourang Medan appeared in the Strait of Malacca and I had made a line from the USS Silverstar to the Ourang Medan. Then, the ships appeared side by side.

“Now, the conditions that night were terrible at best, with a storm howling outside, massive rain pouring down and visibility at minimum. This was the start of a hurricane. However, the crew of the USS Silverstar made their way to the Ourang Medan, braving the wind and waves and rain. I did find an interesting little piece of information. On that day, every ten years, a hurricane forms in the Strait of Malacca. On the spot of Ourang Medan’s grave.”

I had made a timelapse from 1948 to the current year, showing storms forming every ten years. I might have cooked a bit with the locations, but that’s not important. The story is what’s important. And you know what they say. The victor writes history. I intended to be today’s victor. And reap the rewards of a viral video.

“What’s also interesting are the currents around the area. We can see how they flowed from 1920-1948. Then, something happened. See how they flow through the strait here?”

Another graph of the Strait of Malacca, showing the current just flowing through the area normally. Nothing fancy, just a regular current.

“Well, after that fateful night in 1948, see how it flows now.”

The same graph, the current not flowing through the strait, but more like circling. Circling a specific area. And that area seemed to be the grave of the Ourang Medan. But of course, I knew that the ship never existed. It was just interesting to see what the current was doing now. Maybe there had been some erosion at the bottom. Something catching the current somehow. I dunno, I’m just a youtuber. Coming up with feasible explanations for this I would leave to the experts. But it looked cool. And it supported my story, so I was all for it.

Then the graph faded out and into a home setting. I was sitting on the right side of a table, and across from me was an older gentleman. He looked frail and weak. He was hunching forward a bit. His hair, or what was left of it, was white. His skin was wrinkly and he had bags under his eyes. Beside him was a nurse. The facility had insisted on that, because of his mental state. I had argued for a one-on-one with Mr. Douglas, but the answer was firm: either I interviewed with him with a nurse present, or there would be no interview at all. There was no persuading them. As the shot came into focus, I looked at the camera and began, “As promised, I found a survivor from the USS Silverstar. Mr. Douglas Jones, or Doug to his friends, was an ensign, newly recruited to the navy in 1948. He got assigned to the USS Silverstar, and he was there on the night the crew discovered the Ourang Medan. Douglas, how was life on the USS Silverstar?”

Mr. Douglas blinked a couple of times, looking at the table in front of him. Then he looked up, and saw me. In a weak voice, he exclaimed, “Oh, I have a visitor. Such a treat.”

The nurse leaned in gently, giving him a reassuring squeeze. “Douglas, this man wants to interview you. He wants to know about how the life on the USS Silverstar was.”

I was a little surprised by all of this, but tried my best to conceal my thoughts on this. “That’s right. We spoke on the phone, remember? I am the guy who called you about information about the USS Silverstar and in particular, the night where you found the Ourang Medan.”

I saw how the nurse glared at me, then took a deep breath and said, “Please, too many people talking at once can confuse him. Let me handle this for now. Thank you.”

Wait, I thought I had cut that out. The start was a disaster. Poor old guy was so confused. And to be frank, probably not a reliable source. And the pure anger of the nurse. Looking at me as if I had committed the most heinous of crimes. No matter, this wouldn’t take too long to fix. So I kept it rolling.

The old man had his gaze divided between the nurse and myself. For a few seconds he would look at her and smile, then look at me in confusion. Every time he looked at me, the nurse said to him gently, “Douglas, look at me. Focus on me.”

When Douglas looked at the nurse, his demeanor calmed. It was as if there was some sort of… recognition. His hands stopped trembling and his breathing slowed a bit. After about twenty seconds of Douglas looking back and forth, his nurse gently squeezed his fingers and said, “Douglas, do you remember being recruited by the navy and getting assigned to the USS Silverstar?”

Douglas looked at her, his eyes darting as if he was trying to remember something. Then his face lit up with clarity. “Oh yes. It was so exciting. I was a scrappy youth, and I loved the ocean.” He exclaimed. “The captain of the Silverstar took us all in, he was very good to us. I remember how nervous we were, the new recruits.”

He let out a short laugh. “All of us wanted to help our country. Sadly, I don’t hear from the boys anymore…”

He trailed off, and looked down at the floor, he might have been feeling sad, or he might have been trying to remember something, I had no way of knowing. So I asked him, “What about the night you found the Ourang Medan?”

“What? Oh, no. Not that. Anything but that.”

The poor guy started trembling. His eyes were wide. This wasn’t supposed to be in the final cut. I was getting sloppy. I needed to stay focused more when editing.

“Look, you said you were on the ship that night. You went along with the captain aboard the Ourang Medan. Can you tell us what happened?”

Again, his nurse shot me a vicious glare, and pointed one finger up in the air. I stopped talking, lifted my hands in the air and let her do her thing. As she squeezed his hands, she said to him, “Douglas, it’s OK. You are with me now.”

A sense of calm washed over him again, and he let out a soft smile. He then looked around. “Why are we here? And who are those men?”

He started to nervously look in our direction. I stayed silent. His nurse started gently stroking his hands while making shushing sounds. “It’s all right. Everything is fine, Douglas. You are in the care center. These men are here to conduct an interview with you. They would like to know about something called Ourang Medan.”

Her soft voice and gentle demeanor seemed to calm him. He took a deep breath and looked down at the table again. “I remember it all too well. When we got that SOS, some of the guys were talking about shore leave. That we had been out for quite a time. Personally, I felt we had a duty to investigate it. And so did the captain. We made our way to the spot and found the ship just… floating. The captain asked for volunteers to go along with him aboard the vessel. I immediately volunteered, mostly because of my strong sense of duty to my fellow mariners. It was the biggest mistake of my life. As we neared the ship, I could feel chill in the air. Not from the rain, nor the wind. Something… else. Otherworldly, would probably be the most apt description of it. I shuddered, and tried to stay focused. We boarded the ship, and the captain and a few others tried to make contact with any survivors. Shouting for them to show themselves, that the US navy was on board now. Absolutely no response. We made our way through the ship, and then… we found… the mess hall. Oh god, that was a terrible sight. All those men… their faces… frozen in an expression of pure terror… their hands trying to ward off an invisible assailant. Oh god. OH GOD.”

Douglas started trembling and sobbing. I looked at my cameraman, Bob, in a bit of confusion. I hadn’t thought this might be the result of our interview. Waking up the memories of the terrible past. Might not have been the best decision on my part. The next part is the one I needed to cut out. I just hoped I had remembered it.

Suddenly, Douglas went all calm and relaxed. He looked at me, not at me, but close to me. A smile formed on his face, and he exclaimed, “Captain! It’s been too long.”

I looked around in confusion, my eyes wide, my finger pointing at me as if I was asking if he was talking to me. Then Douglas’ smile faded and he said, “Wait. You shouldn’t be here. You are gone. I remember when you died.”

Swiftly followed by a terrifying scream of agony and horror. I was so confused at that moment. The nurse who had been tending and helping Mr. Douglas through the interview the whole time immediately pressed a button on the wall, and within seconds two more nurses rushed in. The first one, a middle aged woman, leaned over Douglas and said firmly, “We have a situation. We need to give him nitroglycerin now.”

The second nurse, a younger one, looked at me angrily and shouted, “You two need to get out now. This is not a TV show.”

I was frozen, stunned by the events, but managed to point to my cameraman and we both went out. And at that point it faded to black. Ugh. I had been too sloppy in my editing. Wait. I thought I had seen something. I rewinded the video to where Douglas mentions his captain. How had I not seen this before? Beside me, there was a black shape. It looked like a… cloud, would be the best way to describe it. As Douglas kept talking, it just floated beside me, until it swarms him in the blink of an eye. What on earth was going on here?

I booted up my editing software again, making sure to edit out the parts we didn’t need. After a few of more hours of tweaking, I sat the video to render. I would then schedule both videos to upload over the next few days. Now, I had to pack my bags. Bob and I were going to Singapore for the big finale – to livestream a diving session. I had ordered our tickets, secured a good hotel, and made sure we had all the permits required to dive in the designated spots. I had also been in contact with a local diver, who had agreed to help us in Singapore. I had all the required certificates, since my channel was all about discovering maritime mysteries and dive into the ocean to explore them.

Three days later, Bob and I were in Singapore, enjoying the weather. We met our diving assistant on the pier, he introduced himself and, I kid you not, his name was Ahab. I almost laughed when he said that. I told him that my favorite story from when I was young was Moby Dick. That’s why my youtube name was Ishmael. We had a good laugh at the coincidence.

Bob and I had the same thought. We would make a mini documentary about the trip and our experiences in Singapore. That would be released some time after the Ourang Medan series. There was a lot of interest for such videos. Travel documentaries, you could call them. In and of itself, it would be a good video. But with the backdrop of the Ourang Medan, the search and everything, it would surely be a goldmine.

Bob and I had a little chat about how to execute this. We then explained to Mr. Ahab our ideas and the basic of the script. It wasn’t exactly a script per say, we would just wing it for this one. But we told him what he could expect us to say, how he should answer and just relax and have fun. I could sense he was a bit nervous, so I tried calming him down, telling him it is just like talking to a friend. Ignore the camera, focus on me and have a little chit chat. He agreed, and took a deep breath.

Ahab and I stood on the pier, his boat slowly moving along with the waves behind us. Bob had backed a bit, and gave the signal to start. I looked into the camera, and said, “Hello my friends. I am here in Singapore, because we are doing a deep-dive into the history of the Ourang Medan. And along with the history, we will also be making an actual dive, and see if we can locate the wreckage of that cursed ship. This is Maritime Mysteries, and you… can call me Ishmael. With me is our captain and diving assistant, Ahab.” I pointed toward him.

He made a shy wave, totally fixated on the camera. I looked at him, and said, “So Mr. Ahab. How long have you been diving in these waters?”

He was still fixating on the camera. His lips moved a bit, but no sound came out. Finally he closed his eyes and said, “Twenty-two years.”

I nodded and looked back at the camera. “Well that is great experience to have on our side. But you, my viewing friends, can call me Ishmael. And this is Maritime Mysteries.”

After that, Bob yelled “…And cut.”

I looked at Ahab and told him he did good. It can be jarring knowing that thousands of people are going to see you in a video. Especially if you aren’t used to it. I thought of the first few videos I had made. Ugh, they were so terrible. But slowly I managed to get a following, money started flowing regularly and I could hire Bob to help me. That really was the game changer. It meant I could do more research, find more spots where we could dive. And my channel took off. Well, sort of. It stagnated at a hundred and seventy five thousand followers. I have always wanted to be the best, so it wasn’t good enough for me. So I kept on finding and researching good ideas and look at locales to visit. And this series. It would be glorious. I could see it. Maybe it would catapult me to over one million subscribers. I could almost sense the brand deals we could make. Diving equipment, cameras, the list was enormous. I had so much faith in this project.

After finishing the shoot, we got our gear and got on the boat. I told Ahab about the plan, to move to certain spots on the strait, and dive in. See what we could find. He acknowledged, and our journey started. It was peaceful, the wind blowing in our faces. The waves slapped against the hull, and the air smelled of salt and fuel. The engine rumbled beneath us, and the boat rocked gently, in a calming and lulling rhythm. I was all smiles, and I looked at Bob, and he was grinning too. After we had sailed for a few minutes, I told Bob that we should make another shot of the trip. He got his camera, and we started the shoot. I looked into the camera, waited for Bob’s signal, and said, “Hello my friends. Right now, we are on a boat, steered by our friend Ahab, and we are on the South China Sea. Behind us, the Strait of Malacca. And ahead of us, the grave of the Ourang Medan, one of the most mysterious ships in maritime history. And we intend to find it. This is Maritime Mysteries, and you… can call me Ishmael. We have top quality diving equipment, Ahab will help with the dive too, and frankly, we are all very excited. It is not an every day occurrence that you get to go diving and search for a legendary vessel.” At that moment, something caught in my nose. It started itching something fierce. I stopped my talk, held a finger up as I tried to fight back the sneeze, but I was unsuccessful. The sneeze was loud. I gathered myself, motioning for Bob to continue filming. We would edit this out in the final version. “We have marked down six possible location for the wreckage. We named the spots “Devil’s Claw”, “Sailor’s Rest”, “Kraken’s trove”, “Serpent’s Nest”, “Captain’s Folly” and “Crab’s Den”. The spots are mentioned in the order we are going to explore them in.”

When we made the names up, Bob and I had the same thought. We would contact the guy who had made the artwork for our Ourang Medan series, and make him make some good graphics for each of them, so when we mention them, a map comes up, with the name, and a piece of art representing the spot. It would look so cool. Maybe I could hire him if the series blew up. When it blew up. That was the surest thing I had ever felt.

I made the signal for Bob to stop filming. This was so good. This urban legend, the Ourang Medan, it was going to push my channel over the one million subscriber mark. Of that I was sure. But actually finding it? Of course it would be nice, but I doubted its existence. It was merely a very good ghost story for sailors. But even if we wouldn’t find it, the views and new subs, and even potential sponsors, would make it all worthwhile.

After a few minutes, Ahab slowed the boat down and shouted, “We are almost at the first coordinates.”

That was our cue. Bob and I got the gear and put it on the deck – tanks, masks, regulators, and of course, Bob’s underwater camera. I was getting all giddy, I couldn’t wait to get into the water. Bob seemed eager as well. Finally, the boat stopped, and Ahab dropped the anchor. Ahab explained to us that we would be following the mooring line to get back up when we were done. Ahab would also be staying near the mooring line, so we would have an easier time finding it again. We agreed, and started putting the scuba gear on. The suits were top of the line – I was personally hoping to get a brand deal with them eventually. Same with the camera. The dives were our livelihood. We had to have proper equipment.

When everyone was ready, we slipped into the sea. That feeling was like no other. The cool water felt so refreshing, the sounds around me muted. The water looked brilliant under the sun. A school of small fish darted nearby, scattering in silver flashes before regrouping and vanishing into the blue. I could see Bob filming them. That was good, viewers of the livestream loved shots like that, and the livestream would need plenty of atmosphere. We didn’t only focus on footage of exploring ruined ships, but tried to give viewers all sorts of diverse shots, of fish, of corals, and of other marine life along with the wreckages we found. I made a signal that I was going further down. Bob signaled that he had seen me, and as I looked toward Ahab, I could see him give me a signal too. We started the descent. Pressure squeezed at my ears, and the light thinned with every meter. The marine life here was so rich and diverse. All these beautiful creatures co-existing, and some getting a bit curious about the three new shapes intruding on their space. We got to the bottom, and only found coral reefs, a few wreckages of wooden ships and some more marine life. Bob was busy filming it all. We stayed there for about twenty minutes, and I made the signal for us to go back up. We made our ascent, and got back on the boat. Ahab hauled the anchor, and set for the next set of coordinates. I took my mask off, and said to Bob that we should probably make a short video about this dive. He agreed, got in place and gave me the signal to go. “Hello my friends,” I said. “We have just dived into the Devil’s Claw, but alas, no sign of the elusive Ourang Medan. But we have five more spots to check, so stay with us for the rest of the dives. This is Maritime Mysteries, and you… can call me Ishmael.”

The day continued like that. We arriving at our coordinates, slipped into the water, filmed what we could, found no trace of the Ourang Medan, and then climbed back aboard to record a quick summary. The short summary videos were meant for the viewers, but also for later episodes, where we would show the “behind the dive” portion of the series. It would be so good. But it started to feel a bit… mechanical, it was so routine by now. Yet the footage would stitch it all together beautifully.

When we arrived at the coordinates we had dubbed “Captain’s Folly”, the day was nearing its end. The sun still shone, but shadows stretched across the deck. It was getting late. Ahab walked over to us, wiping sweat and spray from his brow, and said, “It’s getting late, but I believe we can manage to dive here and get the next one in time. After that, we head home. Because I don’t want to sail in darkness. You know, safety reasons.”

His tone was firm, but there was something about the way he said that last part. Like there was something other about sailing in the dark he was afraid of, but wouldn’t tell us about. But Bob and I agreed, and we got ready for the dive.

Before the dive though, we were going to make another segment. I got ready, and looked into the camera, waiting for Bob’s signal. When he gave it, I said, “Hello my friends. We are now on the fifth spot we have earmarked as a potential resting place of the Ourang Medan. So far it has been quite elusive, but we are going to find it. I’m sure of it. This is Maritime Mysteries, and you… can call me Ishmael.”

On the inside I groaned, the Ourang Medan story was a hoax after all, a sailor’s ghost story told so often it had become a legend. But I had to show enthusiasm, because our viewers believed in it. An hour more of this charade and we would have some great footage, a great series and hopefully, the subcount would boom.

One by one, we slipped into the ocean. I saw Bob getting more shots of fish, for the viewer’s pleasure. I signaled to both of them that I was going in deeper. I just loved diving. It always had a calming effect on me. Well, unless there were sharks in the waters. That could get a bit nervous. But just diving, looking at schools of smaller fish, looking at coral reefs and old wrecks, it was exciting, but also in a sense, calming. It’s hard to describe, sometimes it’s almost… meditative.

After a few minutes I signaled for my companions that I was going deeper. They both signaled that they had seen me, and I slowly descended. The water grew darker with every kick, and my ears popped as the pressure tightened. When I reached the bottom, a massive coral forest stretched ahead, tangles of seaweed swaying like green and brown curtains. It looked beautiful at first, almost serene. But the further I went, the more dense the seaweeds seemed to get. I drifted past a couple of wooden wrecks, but of course, no Ourang Medan. I turned around, expecting to see Bob filming the corals. Instead, his gaze was fixed on something else. I swam toward him, trying to figure out what he was looking at. He pointed toward a stretch of seaweed that lay flat against the seabed, like natures carpet. At first, I had no idea why he was so focused on filming that. It looked fine, but there were other things we should be filming too. Then I saw it. A pale green glow, seeping from beneath the weeds. Normally I would think it would be beautiful, but the nature of our expedition, along with the darkness of the deep made it look a bit unearthly. Creepy even. What was giving this glow? How could anything be under the seaweed? I pulled aside the strands. Beneath was the mouth of a cave. The glow spilled from inside, pulsing faintly, like a siren. Or a heartbeat. Bob’s camera light flickered against the rocks as we swam closer.

Inside the cavern, the glow surrounded a wreck. A huge, metal ship wedged between two rocks. My stomach dropped. I swam closer, brushing more weeds aside, and made out letters along the corroded hull: “…ang Med…” Nature and time had erased the rest of the letters.

It took a few seconds to sink in. But when the realization slammed into me, a chill ran down my spine. The Ourang Medan was waiting here. For us. Wait what? How on earth was this possible. I had been so sure it had only been a hoax.

Bob swung the camera toward me, so I needed to put my game face on. As he started filming me, I focused on the camera and gave a big thumbs up, trying to force a smile. But the smile faltered behind the mask. I was breathing heavier, and my chest tightened with a fear I just couldn’t show. The viewers wanted this, after all.

As we were filming it, the glow seemed to… shift somehow. As if it was moving. I froze, while Bob filmed it, hands shaking. Then, the glow suddenly darted past us, spilling from the cave, leaving me and Bob stunned. Moments later, we heard a sound. A low, groaning crash that vibrated through the seafloor. Pebbles rained down from the cavern roof. I looked at Bob and could see the fear in his eyes. I was terrified too.

We decided not to linger anymore. We bolted out of the cave, toward the mooring line. But as we reached the spot where the boat should have been, there was nothing. We circled, desperately trying to find Ahab and the boat, but no luck. Then, on the ocean floor, we saw the wreck of the boat. We swam toward it, looking for anything that could help us. We found Ahab lying close to it, his face a grimace of utter terror, his hands outstretched, as if to ward off some unseen and horrible enemy. My mind reeled. In minutes, we had both made the finding of a lifetime, but also lost our only way home. Desperation sat in. We were deep underwater, far from land, and our tanks were already running low.

Our options seemed limited at best. Wait here and inevitably die, swim toward the surface and hope for the best, or… we could hide in the cave. Where did that idea come from? It didn’t feel like my own, but somehow it slithered it’s way into my mind. Like a whisper told to you when you are half asleep. It offered shelter and safety from predators. I glanced at the carpet of seaweed, and the glow. It seemed to pulsate for a couple of seconds, as if in agreement. Or invitation. Yeah, that sounded like a plan.

Bob looked at me, and when I pointed toward the cave, he looked genuinely scared. He shook his head. I tried making hand gestures to soothe him, but to no avail. So I slowly drifted toward the cave on my own. As I neared it, the glow seemed to brighten, and I turned and looked back at Bob. He was shaking his head, pleading for me to get back to him with his gestures. For a second, I had a moment of complete clarity. This was madness. I shouldn’t be going back into that cave. Who knows what that glow was. Radiation? I started swimming back to Bob, when I felt something grab my ankle. I looked back, and saw a single strand of seaweed holding my ankle. What was this? How did I tangle myself in this seaweed? Panic sat in, and I started to twist and kick, trying to get free, but to no avail. Finally I reached down, trying to slip loose of the seaweed with my hands, when I saw another strand shoot out from the cave, grabbing my other ankle. Oh god, oh god. This wasn’t happening. I tried untying myself with my hands, but two more strands now shot from the cave, grabbing my arms. I had no way of getting free. My breath was getting heavier, my eyes wide and I tried to squirm, but it didn’t help. I was slowly being dragged toward the cave, toward the grave of the Ourang Medan. I desperately tried to get Bob’s attention, but I couldn’t see him anymore. He must have fled to the surface. Probably should have been my first instinct. I screamed into my regulator as I could see I was almost at the cave, my heart pounding. And all I could think of, as the cave swallowed me and the glow wrapped around my vision, was the views this series would rack up.