The storm raged on, and the freighter groaned, its hull creaking as the waves hit harder. Elias knew they didn’t have much time. “We need to get out of here,” he said. But Callen, injured and weak, could barely move. Elias pulled him to his feet, determined to escape before the ship sank.
The storm worsened, and the freighter’s hull cracked under the pressure. The ship had grounded, and Elias knew they had only minutes before it would sink completely. Just as he thought they might be lost, a helicopter appeared, cutting through the rain. Rescue was on the way.
The helicopter lowered a winch, lifting Callen to safety first, then Elias. As they were hauled to the sky, the freighter sank into the churning sea below.
Back in Portmere, the storm finally began to ease. The villagers, shocked by the rescue, gathered to watch as Callen was taken away by ambulance. Elias stood on the dock, staring out at the horizon where the freighter had disappeared.
The villagers would remember the ghost ship, a story to tell for years to come. But Elias knew there was more to the story. Callen had survived, and the truth of what happened on that ship would remain with him. The rest of the village might never know the full story, but Elias didn’t mind. Some secrets, he decided, were better left buried with the ship.