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Mysteries Of The Pacific, The Mystic Queen Ghost Ship.

Jonas Quinns' Story

By Jason Ray Morton Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago 10 min read
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Mysteries Of The Pacific, The Mystic Queen Ghost Ship.
Photo by Zoltan Tasi on Unsplash

A black Charger parked in front of a two-story building in downtown Florence. The man getting out of the drivers' side was tired after a long drive. His name was Jonas Quinn and Jonas had traveled from a long distance to get to Florence.

Standing by his Charger, Jonas took a deep breath of the fresh Oregon air surrounding him as he took in the small town scenery. After being in the small nine-thousand-person town, Jonas could not wait until he returned to the city life he left behind. Grabbing his bags and heading into the building he was at the Florence Inn, the only place in town his boss would make a reservation.

"There's no need for the extra frills of a Holiday Inn and Suites," Perry told him. "You shouldn't be there more than a few days."

Jonas swore that he'd get even with Perry if the chance ever came. He grumbled "damn you Perry" as he walked into the lobby of the slightly ramshackle hotel.

"Can I help you?" an elder lady behind the counter asked, a wide-faced smile showing all of her tobacco-stained teeth.

Jonas flashed his press credentials and introduced himself. He read the old womans' name tag, "Crystal is it?"

"Why yes, ever since I was born," she chuckled as she filled in the spots in the computer system to check him in. "So are you here for business or pleasure?"

Combing his fingers through his hair, feeling more grungy than attractive, Jonas didn't imagine there would be much pleasure-seeking in his immediate future. He was, after all, following up on a lead for his story. The magazine showed him a lot of latitude following the story this long, Jonas knew he was already guilty of pushing his luck. He told Crystal he was there for business and wouldn't have a lot of free time to spare while he was in town. As she gave him his room key and pointed him toward the stairs, he asked her about places to grab dinner and maybe a beer.

"Right down the street my dear, the best place in town. McGraw's Pub has a great burger and the beer prices aren't overpriced. If you see a pompous windbag named Hank sitting at the end of the bar, tell him to get home and feed the cat for me," she told Jonas, talking about her husband of forty-two years.

Jonas laughed and assured her he would give him the message. Pompous old windbags were a dime a dozen in neighborhood bars around the country. However, after meeting Crystal, Hank shouldn't be hard to spot.

Jonas Quinn was in town for one reason only. While he was a reporter for the Phoenix Herald, he was chasing down a lead. The lead was something he chased for nearly two years and while his boss, Perry, allowed him a great deal of discretion with the stories he chased, this was more personal than professional. Jonas had been on a singular mission for almost two years. He was obsessed with the Mystic Queen, a ship that over the past quarter of a century had been seen in oceanside towns up and down the Western United States and all over the South Pacific.

He first saw the Mystic Queen nearly two years ago when he was on his honeymoon. Candy was the love of his life and they spent two weeks together in the Maldive Islands. On their last night, they spent most of the night on the beach, holding hands and watching the sunset. They made love on the beach and were laying there together when the sounds of a bell being rung caught their attention. Candy noticed it first, as she leaned up on her elbows, her backside covered in sand. She had gotten so excited that she ran out to the surf pointing into the horizon.

Jonas finally noticed it after catching his breath. He walked up behind her, wrapping his strong and manly arms around her waist.

"Isn't it amazing?" she said, trying to share her awe-struck feelings with her new husband.

Jonas would have agreed with anything that Candy said, about anything. He was just that in love with her. He looked into the horizon and uttered the words she wanted to hear.

"Absolutely the second most amazing thing I have to look at right now."

The two lovers went back to their bungalow and enjoyed one last magical night in the south Pacific. Neither of them had ever been so happy, and neither would ever experience that level of happiness again.

In the morning Jonas woke up before Candy. As he rolled over to kiss her good morning his lips touched her cheek softly. Jonas found himself frozen in time. His heart immediately sank in his chest as he felt his world crashing down around him, Candy was cold to the touch.

Jonas tried to turn Candy over, then let out a wretched shriek. Candy's eyes were gone, her sockets like to empty black holes. Her face was contorted, a tortured look etched on in her flesh, telling him she'd suffered something horrendous. He stared down at the woman that he just started his life with. Her blued skin, her tortured face, her empty and hollowed eye sockets.

Jonas was questioned for two days by the local authorities. It took pulling every favor he had banked throughout his time in the military and his time as a reporter. Finally, after two days, he was allowed to leave the island. The medical examiners weren't able to find a cause of death. He paid to have the body flown back to the states and examined by an independent examiner. Jonas hunted for answers obsessively as he talked to experts around the country. Nobody could explain what happened.

Then one night, while he was sleeping, he dreamt of their last night of the honeymoon. Candy wasn't there with him. He was on the beach, in that same place they made love, just alone. There was that ship, on the horizon, just after the sun dipped into the sea. Jonas woke up screaming, his hands outstretched, as he tried to reach for Candy. Candy was on that ship reaching out to him, from the bow of the Mystic Queen.

In his room, Jonas was all set up. His gear was out and he had patched everything together just the way his old college pal showed him. Now, all he had to do was punch in some keystrokes and wait to connect.

"Everything is hooked up, just the way you instructed," he told the person on the other end, Stephen Hillier.

"I can't believe you're actually doing this, you crazy bastard. You're actually there, chasing a ghost ship," said the pasty-complected man in glasses that appeared on the screen.

Jonas downed a shot of whiskey before telling his old partner to save the grief for someone that wanted it. "Just give me what you've got."

"Well, the conditions are perfect and the pattern appears to fit. You should be able to see the ship at midnight, give or take a few minutes," he explained.

"You're certain of that?" asked Jonas, tired of being just a day behind a sighting for nearly six months.

Stephen scratched his head, unsure what to say to his pathetically miserable friend. He suspected that Jonas was holding back on his plan. He had not questioned him about it because he knew it wouldn't help, but Stephen was worried.

"As long as the tech holds up, you'll finally see this thing for yourself, up close and personal. Just remember buddy, EMF detectors aren't an exact science," said Stephen.

Jonas downed another shot before nodding his head. He knew the science well after studying it and the ghost ship phenomenon. For nearly a quarter of a century, the Mystic Queen reports came in around the Pacific, and with each report, the first person that saw the old clipper died mysteriously within twenty-four hours. Jonas traveled around the world looking for history on the ship. Gone missing in the sixteen hundreds, the old Clipper was owned by a trader and made frequent trips from China to what would become the Western United States.

On her last journey, according to legend, the old sea captain agreed to take on a beautiful young gypsy and her family as passengers. The ship was believed to have gone down in a storm somewhere near the Hawaiian Islands. Over the years, as people reported seeing the old ship floating around the Pacific, people came to believe that the gypsy cursed the ship and her complement of passengers and crew because she was in love with a sailor who dreamed of a life at sea with his love.

"Listen, I'm going to sign off," said Jonas. "I've got plenty to do before heading out to the beach I told you about."

"Before you go," Stephen stopped him, "You're going to be alright, aren't you?"

"If this finally comes to an end and we are on time tonight, yes, I'll be just fine," said Jonas as he clicked off.

For the rest of the day, Jonas spent his time sightseeing, stopping for beers and what actually was the best burger on the west coast. He drove out to the beach, surprised to find it was as secluded as it was advertised to be. He sat there, for nearly an hour, getting closer and closer to giving up. Then it happened, he heard the sound of a ship. He stared out at the horizon as she appeared out of nowhere, a wide smile crept across his face.

It was an hour past checkout time the next day when Crystal, the hotel manager, went to check on him. She knocked twice before using a key to let herself in. Crystal stopped in the doorway, able to see Jonas laying there on his bed, obviously deceased...

Two years after Jonas's passing Stephen Hillier was in Florence Oregon, looking for answers. He brought his girlfriend along, telling her about the man that would have been his best man at their wedding. They stood along the shore, at 9:30 at night. Stephen waited anxiously as he looked at the letter delivered after Jonas's death.

"Stephen my friend, don't be mad. I knew in my heart this would lead me back to her. If you're reading this, then I know you have questions. I found what I needed in a small town in Eastern Russia. The ship was cursed. The Mystic Queen was cursed by a gypsy, in love with its' captain. Until the ship has a couple who share a soul the curse can't be broken. I know it's crazy, but believe me, this is the only way I get back to her."

"I know it sounds crazy baby, but it's something that I just have to see for myself," Stephen told his girlfriend as the two held hands on the beach outside Florence.

As the sun dipped behind the clouds, the colors of the horizon changing to an ocean of fires and blue, the sounds of clanking metal echoes from the distance. Over the horizon appeared a grand old ship, unlike anything Stephen Hillier had ever seen. His girlfriend grasped his hand as Gloria felt both fear and surprise overwhelming her. There before him, legend said, the Mystic Queen appeared on the horizon. Stephen smiled, pointing to Gloria. Jonas and Candy stood on the bow of that grand ship, their arms around each other as they shared a kiss.

"He always said the only thing that would ever make him as happy as the day they got married would be to spend an eternity with her," sighed Stephen, a tear in his eye.

Gloria looked at him, her hand on his cheek, "Are you alright?"

Stephen hugged her, "Not like they are..."

love
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About the Creator

Jason Ray Morton

I have always enjoyed writing and exploring new ideas, new beliefs, and the dreams that rattle around inside my head. I have enjoyed the current state of science, human progress, fantasy and existence and write about them when I can.

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