Chapter 13: The Casino’s Curse
The Ocean’s Legacy drifted through the open sea, its once-luxurious allure overshadowed by the terror gripping its passengers and crew. Josue and Larisa knew that to unravel the mystery of Callista and end the haunting, they had to delve deeper into the ship’s dark history. Their next destination was the casino, a place that held secrets tied to Callista’s tragic past.
“Are you ready for this?” Larisa asked, her voice tinged with apprehension as they stood outside the opulent entrance of the ship’s casino.
Josue nodded, his expression determined. “We have to be. If we can find out more about Callista’s mother and her connection to the casino, we might be able to piece together what’s fueling this haunting.”
They pushed open the heavy doors and stepped into the casino. The room was a stark contrast to the rest of the ship, filled with the sounds of slot machines, the clinking of chips, and the hum of conversation. It was a place designed for distraction and indulgence, but now it felt like a den of despair and lost hope.
“Look around,” Josue said. “We need to find any records or clues about Callista’s mother. Maybe we can figure out why she was so drawn to this place.”
They split up, each scanning different parts of the casino for anything out of the ordinary. As Josue moved through the rows of slot machines, he noticed a door marked “Staff Only.” He motioned for Larisa to join him.
“This looks promising,” he said, pushing the door open.
Inside, they found a small office cluttered with papers, ledgers, and old photographs. Josue began rifling through the documents, while Larisa examined the photographs on the wall.
“Josue, look at this,” Larisa called, holding up a photo. It was a picture of a woman sitting at a slot machine, her face a mix of desperation and hope.
“That must be Callista’s mother,” Josue said, taking the photo from Larisa.
“We need to find out more about her.”
As they continued their search, Larisa came across an old journal hidden among the papers. She opened it, revealing pages filled with frantic handwriting.
“This is it,” she said.
“It’s her journal. It might have the answers we’re looking for.”
They sat down together, pouring over the journal’s pages. The entries painted a vivid picture of a woman consumed by addiction, her life spiraling out of control as she lost everything at the casino.
“She was so desperate,” Larisa said, her voice filled with sadness.
“She kept coming back to the casino, hoping for a miracle that never came.”
Josue read aloud from one of the entries:
“‘I can’t stop. Every time I think I’ve lost everything, I get a glimmer of hope. But it’s a lie. The casino takes and takes until there’s nothing left.’”
“This explains a lot,” Larisa said.
“Her addiction must have driven her to the brink. But why would it connect to Callista’s haunting?”
Before Josue could respond, a cold wind swept through the room, and the lights flickered ominously. They heard a faint whisper, the voice of a woman filled with sorrow.
“Help me…”
Larisa’s eyes widened.
“Did you hear that?”
Josue nodded, his heart pounding.
“We’re not alone. Let’s keep reading. Maybe the journal has more clues.”
They continued to read, the entries growing more desperate and incoherent. Then, they found the final entry, written in a shaky hand:
“I can’t do this anymore. I’ve lost everything. My baby girl, I’m so sorry. I’m taking you with me. We’ll be together forever.”
“Oh my God,” Larisa whispered.
“She planned to take Callista with her. That’s why they both died.”
Josue felt a chill run down his spine. “Her mother’s despair must have created a powerful connection to this place. It’s not just Callista’s spirit haunting the ship—it’s her mother’s too.”
As they processed this revelation, the room grew colder, and the lights dimmed further. The ghostly figure of a woman appeared before them, her face etched with sorrow and regret.
“It’s her,” Larisa said, her voice trembling. “It’s Callista’s mother.”
The ghostly figure reached out, her voice a mournful whisper. “I’m sorry… so sorry…”
“Why are you haunting us?” Josue asked, his voice steady despite the fear gripping him. “Why won’t you let us go?”
The ghost’s eyes filled with tears. “I was lost… I couldn’t find peace… I wanted to be with my daughter… but now we’re both trapped…”
“We want to help you,” Larisa said gently. “Tell us how we can free you and Callista. What do we need to do?”
The ghost’s figure flickered, her voice growing fainter. “The casino… it’s cursed… our pain is tied to this place… break the curse… free us…”
As she spoke, the room began to shake, and the ghostly figure vanished. The lights returned to normal, leaving Josue and Larisa in stunned silence.
“What do we do now?” Larisa asked, her voice tinged with fear. “How do we break a curse like this?”
Before Josue could answer, they heard screams coming from the main casino floor. They rushed out of the office to find chaos unfolding before their eyes. Casino chips and playing cards flew through the air with deadly precision, slashing at passengers and crew alike. Blood spattered the opulent carpets as people tried to flee.
“Look out!” Josue shouted, pulling Larisa out of the path of a flying card that embedded itself in the wall behind them.
The ghostly figure of Callista’s mother loomed over the chaos, her face twisted in rage and sorrow. “You will all suffer as I have suffered!” she wailed, her voice echoing through the casino.
“We have to stop her!” Larisa cried, dodging another deadly card. “But how?”
Josue scanned the room, looking for anything that could help. He spotted the large chandelier above the casino floor and had an idea. “Larisa, the chandelier! If we can cut the power, maybe it will fall and disrupt her!”
Larisa nodded, understanding his plan. “I’ll find the breaker. You distract her!”
Josue ran towards the ghostly figure, shouting to get her attention. “Hey! Leave them alone! It’s me you want!”
The ghost turned her wrath on Josue, sending a barrage of chips and cards his way. He dodged and weaved, trying to stay ahead of the deadly projectiles.
Larisa found the breaker box and frantically searched for the right switch. She finally found it and yanked it down, cutting the power to the chandelier. With a loud creak, it began to fall, crashing to the casino floor and sending shards of glass flying.
The distraction worked. The ghostly figure screamed in rage and pain, her form flickering and weakening. Josue took the opportunity to grab a fallen metal rod, using it to draw a circle of protection around him and Larisa.
The ghost’s form grew fainter, her voice a mere whisper. “You cannot stop me… I will have my revenge…”
“We need to get out of here,” Josue said, helping Larisa to her feet. “We can’t fight her head-on. We need a new plan.”
They hurried out of the casino, the sounds of chaos fading behind them. As they made their way through the ship, Josue turned to Larisa. “We need to find a way to break the curse. Maybe there’s something we missed in the journal or the artifacts we found.”
Larisa nodded, her expression determined. “We’ll find a way. We have to.”
With the ghost of Callista’s mother still haunting the ship and passengers in grave danger, Josue and Larisa knew their fight was far from over. But they were ready to face whatever horrors awaited them, determined to end the curse and free the spirits trapped aboard *The Ocean’s Legacy*.