OOM2

` Our small fishing boat wasn't much to look at. It only had a small outboard engine. It had room for gas and the cooler, plus uncomfortable plank seating. Dad poured gas into the tank. I held my breath as he started her. Everything was fine, as the motor sputtered and purred. We were off!

It was starting to get dark as the sun dipped beneath the horizon. I could barely make out the outlines of the trees along the banks. The moon was starting to cast yellow ripples on the water. We could hear the water lapping up against the sides of the boat. Once we arrived at our favorite spot, near the boy scout camp, the anchor was thrown over the side. Dad cut the motor and the silence was wonderful. All you could hear were the frogs. I could see the lightning bugs along the shoreline in the trees.

I'm not sure when it happened, but the weather started to change. I pulled my flannel shirt close to me, to ward off the chill. a mist started to appear on the surface of the water. It was harder to see the trees now, and the moon was no longer visible. we had been fishing for about an hour and had caught nothing! Then, we heard it. I should say, we're not sure what we heard. In the distance, masked by the mist, moans and cries could be heard. I squinted my eyes to try to see over the bow of our boat.

It was eerie. Dad quietly said, "Do you see them?" I could barely make out the other boat, that was coming toward us. The vague outline of the figures on the boat were almost invisible. Then, I saw the fiery red eyes of the apparitions. The moans were getting louder! Dad quickly pulled up the anchor and started the motor. I couldn't breathe.

I turned around to see how close the other boat was to ours. I didn't even bother to pull in our fishing lines. Then, it was gone; vanished! We looked at each other with a puzzled look on our faces. "I know they were ghosts, Dad." He didn't say too much to me until the ride home. "Son, I haven't seen that boat since I was your age." I felt a chill come over me. "Its appearance is a legend in this area. According to local beliefs, they were sunk just off the place we were fishing tonight. Those slaves never made it to freedom!"