Ghost Story Shorts 3

Cruise Ship

It was supposed to be just another episode for the popular ghost hunting show, "Phantoms and Legends," but the crew had no idea what they were getting into when they boarded the old, abandoned cruise ship.

Tina Bradshaw, the director, Curtis Henning, cameraman, Louise Fieldings, lighting and photography, and Shana Howard, the presenter, were all eager to investigate the rumours that the ship was haunted. They had heard stories of strange noises, disembodied voices, and even sightings of ghostly figures wandering the decks. The ship was over a hundred years old. It had mysteriously disappeared on its first maiden voyage, only to reappear two years later, a ghost ship. Where it had been all those years ago, nobody knew.

As they made their way through the ship, the crew started to feel a sense of unease. The air was thick with a musty, stale smell, and the darkness seemed to press in on them from all sides.

"Are you getting this, Curtis?" Shana asked, turning to face the camera. "This place is giving me the creeps."

Curtis nodded, his camera trained on Shana's face. "Yeah, I can definitely feel something here. Let's keep moving."

They continued down the deserted hallways, the only sounds the creaking of the ship's timbers and the distant sound of waves crashing against the hull. Suddenly, they heard a loud banging noise, as if something heavy had fallen over in one of the nearby rooms.

"What the hell was that?" Tina exclaimed, jumping at the sudden sound.

Curtis shone his flashlight towards the source of the noise and they saw a door slowly creaking open. The crew hesitated for a moment before slowly approaching the room.

As they stepped inside, they were met with an eerie sight. The room was completely empty, except for a single chair in the center. The chair was rocking back and forth, as if someone had just been sitting in it.

Shana approached the chair cautiously, her hand trembling slightly. "Is anyone there?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Suddenly, the chair stopped rocking and a low, menacing growl filled the room. The crew exchanged horrified glances before turning and running back down the hallway.

They continued through the ship, encountering more strange noises and ghostly apparitions. They saw doors slamming shut on their own, heard footsteps echoing through the empty halls, and even saw objects moving on their own.

But the most terrifying experience came when they entered the ship's ballroom. As they stepped inside, they were stunned to see the room restored to its former glory. People dressed in old-fashioned clothing were dancing to the music of a live band, twirling around the dance floor in perfect synchronicity.

The crew stood frozen, watching in disbelief. But then, the scene changed. The people's faces twisted into hideous, decomposing corpses, and the room reverted back to its derelict state.

"Get us out of here, Tina!" Shana screamed, her eyes wide with terror.

The crew turned and ran, but they soon found themselves trapped in the ballroom. The doors had locked behind them, and the ghostly figures were closing in on them from all sides.

"Help us! Somebody, please!" Louise cried out.

But it was too late. The crew was surrounded by the ghosts, and the last thing they saw before they were consumed by the spirits was the twisted, decaying faces of the ballroom dancers.

The ship was never seen again, and no trace of the crew was ever found. But some say that on quiet nights, you can still hear the faint strains of music drifting across the waves, a reminder of the ship's haunted past.

Authors Note:

Residual haunting is a type of ghostly manifestation that is believed to be caused by a past event or emotion that has imprinted itself onto a location. In other words, residual hauntings are like a recording of an event or emotion that is played back at a specific place and time.

The theory behind residual haunting is that intense emotions, such as fear or grief, can leave an imprint on a location, which can then be played back like a recording. This type of haunting is often associated with historic locations, such as battlefields or old buildings, where intense emotions and events may have occurred.

One of the most famous examples of residual haunting is the ghostly apparitions seen in the Tower of London. Many people claim to have seen the ghosts of former prisoners who were executed at the tower. It is believed that the intense emotions felt by these prisoners, along with the many other violent events that occurred at the tower, have left a residual imprint on the location.

Residual haunting is different from other types of hauntings in that the ghostly manifestation is not interactive. The ghostly apparition is simply a replay of a past event or emotion and does not respond to attempts to communicate with it. This type of haunting is often considered to be harmless and may not even be noticed by people who are not sensitive to paranormal activity.

While residual haunting is a fascinating subject, there is still much that we do not know about this phenomenon. Some people believe that residual hauntings are evidence of the existence of an afterlife, while others believe that they are simply a natural phenomenon that we do not yet fully understand.

Regardless of what one believes about residual haunting, it is clear that these types of ghostly manifestations have captured the imagination of people throughout history and will continue to be a subject of fascination for years to come.