The engine hummed steady beneath their feet, the only sound in a world where the sky and sea had melted into one black sheet. No stars. No moon. No horizon. Just endless shadow.
Patrick leaned against the railing, camera in his lap. He hadn't taken another picture since the one on the dock. The flash had startled them all, nearly drawing the shadows closer. Still, he kept the device close—proof of something, though he didn't know what anymore.
Evelyn sat near him, arms wrapped around her knees. She'd been quiet since they left the lighthouse. Occasionally her eyes flicked to him, as though words lingered on her lips, but she swallowed them back.
At the bow, Leo scanned the darkness with tense shoulders, his knife sheathed at his side. He hadn't stopped pacing since the boat left shore. Maya worked beside Carlos, checking ropes, adjusting the sail though the wind barely stirred. Yonah sat near the lantern, scribbling in a notebook, recording every detail.
