DEAD WATER

THE OCEAN STAR CRUISE LINER INTERNATIONAL WATERS - 11:42 PM Rain hammered the upper decks while music still echoed faintly through the luxury ship. Most passengers had already retreated inside for the night, crowding bars, casinos, restaurants, and narrow cabin hallways as the storm worsened outside. Dani sat hidden inside a dark maintenance corridor below deck with three terrified civilians she barely knew. The ship had gone silent twenty minutes ago. No music. No captain announcements. No crew. Then came the gunshots. Now red emergency lights pulsed through the hallways while distant screaming echoed from somewhere above them. "Please..." one of the civilians whispered shakily. "What do we do?" Dani pressed herself closer against the cold metal wall, trying to steady her breathing while