Adrift in the Dead Zone

June 7

Diary,

Thank god I found you. The pages are a bit soggy because Zach threw you overboard, but I had some help from that cabin steward, Mike. He leaned all the way over the railing with one of those long hook thingies and fished you out of the water, lifting you out like a piece of seaweed. I thanked him a million times, then he told me I should take better care of you.

I’m just happy you’re not floating off back to Iceland or wherever. Imagine what someone out there would think if they read everything I’ve written down so far on this boring trip. Zach has already read most of these diary entries. He started laughing by one of the masts near the aft deck. He read all my love notes about this guy at school, Liam, then ran around the yacht with them. He thinks he’s so clever, stealing my diary just because he’s bored. He thinks he can get away with anything. He only stopped when Dad yelled at the both of us. That’s when he threw you overboard. But I’ve got you back now.

I just want to write everything down on paper so I don’t forget any of it. Dad says I would forget the code to my locker at school if I didn’t write it down. Usually, I like to just type things into my Notes app, but my phone’s completely dead out here. Our phones actually don’t even turn on half the time. It’s like the sun shining down on this yacht, between Iceland and France, melts batteries or something.

Dad says he’s never heard of it happening. But the Captain—I forget his name—made this announcement the other day that from here on phones won’t be working until we reach the port off the coast of France. I can’t believe it.

Sorry. I had to stop writing because the Captain just made another announcement. He said that all the passengers can’t go up to the main deck after 7pm anymore, for safety reasons or something. I don’t get it. Why 7pm?

Right now, Dad’s waving at me from the other side of the deck, so I better go.

June 9

Diary,

Something weird just happened. I heard some of the cabin crew talking about a woman from one of the upper cabins. They said she hasn’t shown up for breakfast or lunch today, and when they checked her room, her bed wasn’t even slept in last night.

I was sitting on a bench in the aft deck, just waiting for one of the stewards to come by with my hot chocolate when these two guys wearing staff uniforms were huddled in the corner, near the mast. They didn’t even know I was listening.

One of the younger stewards said, “That makes two this week, right?”

Then the other guy said, “You know the rules, mate. No passenger talk in public areas. What would Captain say?”

What the hell does any of that even mean? How can someone be missing on a ship this size? I mean, it’s not like they’re stuck in an elevator shaft somewhere. It’s only one elevator and there’s nowhere else small enough to hide in. So, unless she fell face first into the sea, then where’d she go?

What’s weirder is that no one else is talking about a missing woman except for the cabin crew.

4pm

Just got back from the dining room on D-Deck. Dad made us eat from a sharing platter of crabs, oysters, and these little crispy fish bites. It was so disgusting I almost choked on a splinter from the crab. Dad’s been so obsessed with seafood lately. He’d just about eat anything found in the ocean, probably even with shells at the bottom. He acts like this Heritage North trip will somehow make us forget about the divorce. Like a month sailing across Iceland, Norway, and France—around these cold fishing islands—will erase what happened before. They’d said they were just taking a break from each other, but then Mum moved in with some guy she works with, Craig. I really don’t like him. I didn’t mention the missing woman to Dad yet. He’s got too much on his mind.

June 10

Diary,

Right before breakfast this morning, I saw those two cabin stewards from before again. This time they spotted me spying and looked at me funny. The younger guy with the clipboard in his hand tilted his head, just staring at me. Then the older one stood behind him and whispered something into his ear. They both looked scared, lips trembling like it’s cold. What if they know I overheard them?

When I got back to the table, Dad asked me if I was enjoying the trip so far. I wanted to tell him about the missing passenger, but I know it would only ruin his hope or whatever, so I just nodded. But really, I just want to go home. I’m starting to miss my bed, my cat Atlas, Mum, Liam, and I hate admitting this but even school.

I guess the only thing to do now is keep an eye on the cabin crew guys. I wonder what they’re both hiding.

5pm

This yacht is a maze. I can’t find those cabin guys anywhere. I just keep bumping into doors that go nowhere. We’re on a four masted Windstar that’s meant to feel bigger than most yachts, but everything feels upside down. I got lost three times trying to find the pool deck. The hallways creak and the rooms smell like wood and fish.

Some of the passengers are starting to talk about this fog that comes around every night after 7pm. I can see it from my window, but if you’re up on the main deck, you can feel it roll across you like water. Zach thinks it’s so cool. He and Dad are up on the main deck right now because Zach wants to record a video for his TikTok, even though he can’t upload anything.

I’m sitting on the stairs writing this. It’s almost 6pm. Better get going.

June 11

Diary,

Zach is laughing with this girl. They’re walking along the deck, holding hands. I can’t believe he’s already met someone. Yesterday, while he was filming in the fog, his phone turned off mid-recording and that’s when he accidently bumped into Claire. The girl two cabins below us. She’s got perfectly straight brown hair and is about as tall as he is.

If only I could think up a way to get back at him for tossing you overboard the other day.

10:21pm

Okay, so I wasn’t going to get out of bed tonight, but then I heard Zach opening our cabin door. He was sneaking out. I followed him just to see where he was going and that’s when I saw her. Claire. They were meeting by the lifeboats. And kissing. I thought this was a good chance to get back at Zach for throwing you overboard. I was going to embarrass him somehow or get him in trouble for being out after 7pm, but then there was this fog.

I swear I don’t know what happened. The fog literally came out of nowhere and everything went grey. I couldn’t see them anymore, but I heard a splash, then I somehow made it back to C-Deck.

Zach still isn’t back yet.

10:50pm

Zach just showed up. I asked him what happened. He said, “I don’t know. We were at the lifeboats when this fog just appeared out of bloody nowhere and Claire just let go of my arm and I couldn’t see anything. I looked around for her for ages.”

When I asked about the splash his eyes went wide. He said, “You don’t think she fell or something? I mean, she was right there. God I hope she didn’t fall.”

His face cringed then he started sobbing.

June 12

Diary,

Claire is still missing. Everyone’s talking about it. The woman who’s always wearing sunglasses two tables away from us in the dining room is talking to Dad. I can’t hear what they’re saying, but I think it’s to do with Zach. Maybe it’s Claire’s mum.

Mike, the cabin steward that fished you out from the water that day, came up to us earlier, asking Dad if he could meet the Captain in the chart room. As soon as Dad heard that he just got up from his chair. He didn’t even finish his tea. He just told us to finish our breakfast.

Zach is sitting opposite me slumped in his chair, hardly touching his hash browns. There’s a silence between us for the first time. I don’t think Zach would’ve done anything to Claire.

You, Diary, he hates. But he’s just not like that.

Everyone’s staring at our table again. I should probably stop writing and talk to Zach.

11am

This is getting weird. I’m freaking out. Dad’s been gone almost an hour and no one will tell us what’s going on. Mike came by the deck lounge and said we shouldn’t worry.

1:03pm

Don’t have much time to write. Dad just got back. He said the Captain is moving us to the upper cabins for a few nights. When I asked him why, he just looked at me with his eyebrows bent upwards like he didn’t want to tell the truth. He said, “let’s just get through the next few days, okay?”

We’re moving in a few minutes.

3pm

We’re in a new cabin now. It’s definitely nicer and the beds aren’t as stiff. They’re not bunk beds anymore, and the bathroom doesn’t smell like seaweed. There’s even a writing desk by the window. The window even pulls open a bit, so we can get some fresh air.

Zach is lying on the bed with his hoodie over his face and Dad is reading from this sheet of paper the Captain gave him earlier. He still won’t tell me what the Captain said though.

I wonder what happened to Claire and whoever else is missing.

3:56am

I just woke up to the yacht swaying from side to side as rain poured onto the window. It really freaked me out. Dad is fast asleep and so is Zach. There’s fog drifting in under our cabin door as I’m writing this. Not a lot — just a thin grey line curling along the floorboards. It’s suddenly a lot colder in here. And I hear some whispering on the other side of the door.

I tried waking up Zach and Dad. I even got out of bed and tried shaking them both by the arms, but they wouldn’t wake up. I don’t know what to do.

4am

It finally stopped. Dad just woke up and asked me what I’m doing awake. He didn’t hear anything. I wish my phone worked so I could google: what the hell is creepy fog that moves through locked corridors?

June 13

Diary,

Didn’t sleep last night. Zach didn’t even move once. I think Dad gave him a sleeping pill or something. He carries them in his travel case sometimes. As soon as Zach opened his eyes, before even brushing his teeth, he asked if Claire had been found yet. Dad shook his head and said, “I’m really sorry, mate. We’ll know more once we dock at Île d Oléron.”

Then, I finally told Dad about what I heard on aft deck four days ago. About that weird conversation between the two cabin guys. I also told him how I heard a splash the other night, and how the fog’s been drifting around the yacht, even coming as far as under our door at night, but he just laughed it off. He said he knows things have been stressful onboard, but that the Captain assured him he’d see to all of that. What does that even mean? I said I just have this creepy feeling like something is happening out there when the fog comes in.

Zach agrees. After breakfast I’m going to find Mike and ask him if he knows something.

11am

I’m writing this in the stairwell because I don’t want anyone seeing me.

I just ran into Mike and he told me why there’s no wi-fi. Why everyone’s phones keep turning off. He said we’re “in a dead zone.” It’s like a spot in the middle of the ocean where no signals can get through. The battery drains really fast out here and even the ship’s radio doesn’t work. Mike said we won’t be near land for a couple more days.

He also doesn’t believe Zach is responsible for what happened to Claire. When I asked him if anyone else is missing onboard, he just shook his head and said, “I can’t talk about that with a passenger.”

But I wasn’t asking like just some other passenger or something. I was asking like someone who’s scared and wants to help my brother. Mike still didn’t say. So I followed him down the crew corridor, past their storage lockers and cleaning carts. He didn’t even know I was following him. And I didn’t care if I got in trouble.

He stopped at the kitchen doorway talking to someone. He looked scared.

June 14

Diary,

Mike was talking to someone again, and when I saw the guy’s face, it was that older cabin steward guy from before. He wasn’t wearing a red steward uniform anymore. He was in a kitchen apron now. They didn’t see me because I was hiding behind one of those huge laundry bins.

He said, “Can’t believe the Captain pulled us off deck duty.”

Mike replied, “Yeah, but you know the rule. No talking about it where passengers can hear you. Maybe someone heard you guys.”

As soon as Mike left the hallway, I started following the steward. I stayed close to the wall and that’s when I saw him go into the kitchen through a side door. I hid behind a crate of potatoes, listening.

“This fog’s early,” he said to someone in the kitchen.

“It always is when it’s hungry again.”

“I thought it was only three this year?” the steward asked.

“Four actually. I’m just happy it doesn’t have to be one of the crew.”

“Me too. How much longer do you think we’ll be off radar for?” the steward asked, checking his watch.

“Another night, I think. Have you seen it yet?”

The steward dropped his knife and bowed his head like he was going to be sick. “Yeah, on the railing the other night. It was sitting there as always. It’s face like seaweed. I can’t believe these bloody things actually exist.”

That’s when the chef burst in, demanding they hurry up and bring out the food for table eight. I ran as fast as I could back to the stairwell. I have to tell Zach this.

3pm

Something’s in the fog. I don’t care what anyone says anymore. I’m going out tonight after curfew. I’m going up to the observation deck. They’ve locked it, but Zach knows a way up.

He said he’d come with me. We want to see what’s in the fog.

10:30pm

Zach picked the lock. I can’t believe it actually worked. I can’t believe no one else was out patrolling the hallways. The fog was everywhere as we walked up the stairs to the main deck. Zach has a torch he stole from the steward’s cart.

11pm

I’m so out of breath as I’m write this. It was out there. We just saw it. It was dripping wet like it had crawled out of the sea. Its hair was like seaweed. I swear when it looked at us it didn’t have eyes.

Zach said he wanted to stay and get it to tell him where Claire is. He left me the flashlight and followed it somewhere, but I couldn’t see anything in this fog.

June 16

Diary,

I can’t believe I’ve been unconscious for a whole day. I just woke up in our cabin. Dad was standing over my bed. So was the Captain and Mike. They said Zach was okay. And that Claire was back. They asked me all these questions about what happened, but I can’t remember anything. It’s like that whole night is gone. Never happened. All I have are my diary entries. The Captain asked me if I would hand over my diary. I think he doesn’t want a record of anything.

I told him I’d lost it. Later, after the Captain left, Mike slipped you under my bag and said, “I told you to take better care of this, didn’t I.” Then he smiled and walked away.

We’re getting off the yacht soon. Claire won’t talk about what happened and neither will Zach. I think Dad just wants to get home, too. He doesn’t really care about the stop in Île d Oléron anymore. We want to go back to Melbourne.

2pm

This will be my last entry.

We’re sitting at the airport now, waiting for our flight home. Zach bought me a Coke. He sat next to me and told me something. He said, “You can’t tell Dad.”

He said the thing in the fog came right up to him and said if he wanted Claire back he’d have to make an exchange. When I asked him what the meant, he said, “Just be glad it didn’t want one of us.”

My phone beeped a second ago. It was a news notification: Crew Members Still Missing During North Atlantic Voyage.