...It was the morning of 23rd June, 2034. I was attending the first voyage of the magnificent Callisto, a multi million dollar cruise ship. It was evident that the engineers tried to mimic the archetypcal RMS ship. Only few people were lucky enough to get hold of the tickets, and luckily I was one of them. I won the ticket from the lucky draw in a supermarket. The Voyage was of a fortnight on the great Pacific Ocean. No specific location were to be covered as it was just a test drive. The ship was indeed extravagant and luxurious inside, consisting of shopping areas, playground, spas and swimming pools. It infact resembled a mini city. The deck was made of pure wood and the walls were newly painted, you can smell the paint. One could tell that the cutlery was all new as it was very shiny. I was 27 and was traveling solo. But Lily's appearance suddenly had seemed more than just provedenral. She was one of my old and close friends. But in time we became distant for our works. I was a Graphics designer in France while she was a game developer in Germany but our childhood was spent in India. Soon, we began chatting like the good old days. One thing leads to another and that's how I find out that she is still a bachelor. Dating is just not our piece of cake! We are still same even after so many years...

.......

^^^''excuse me but can I talk to you for a moment?"...*asked a fimiliar voice. ^^^

I turned my head to be infront of a 6 feet tall masculine man, whom I cannot recognise.

"are you by chance Emily?"...he asked with his husky voice.

"yes....sorry but do we know eachother?" I replied with my confused voice.

"it's me! Mike! don't you remember me? we used to be in the same class in college."

"Ohhh, Mike so nice to see you" I said with joy but I don't remember him actually.

Lily has been standing next to me for a moment now and was not even interested in our conversation so I bid farewell to Mike and left with Lily.

It is now time to start the journey.

after passing some important security check, I and Lily officially boarded "Callisto". Many people bid goodbyes to there loved ones. People on the port waved their handkerchiefs in the air. It was like we were onboard the Titanic. I hope this one doesn't sinks.

we all headed to our own rooms. there were five huge buildings for the passengers. My room was on the 3rd Building and on the 7th floor. our luggages were already shifted to our rooms yesterday. I entered my room in wonder. I never in my life lived in such a luxurious room. it was like I was somekind of VIP. I jumped on my king sized bed in joy. I don't even remember when I felt asleep*.

^^^When I woke up it was already 4pm. We had sailed a lot in these few hours. We were already in the midst of the Pacific Ocean. I went to Lily's room which was on the 2nd building and on the 1st floor. I took the elevator to go down to the ground floor of my building. On the ground floor when I was getting out of the elevator I accidentally bumped into a man. He was wearing a black mask and a black coat, although very mysterious but still he apologized to me first. To keep up a good view I also apologized to him and left for my desired destination. I soon entered the 2nd building which looked exactly like my one. It took me about 5 mins to go there. The atmosphere was suspiciously silent. I asked the security for the room number of Lily. After asking my intention he let me get the information. I then knocked on her door and in few seconds Lily in a beautiful red dress came to open the door. I was mesmerized by how beautiful she looked.^^^

Whilst I was in my everyday clothings. She asked me why I was dressing like that. Surprised by her question I asked why she was wearing formal clothings. She looked at me with great despair and gasped "aren't you going to the party?"

^^^"What party?" I asked dumbly.^^^

"Ufff!"

^^^"Oh yeah I remember now sorry, I am not going to attend it"^^^

"Why?"

^^^"Partying is just not my thing" I answered.^^^

"So what will you do?" She asked.

^^^"Guess I will be in my room binge watching some murder mystery!"^^^

"That's creepy! What will happen if that becomes reality?"

..."Stop being such a baby.. I stay really away from creepy people in real life. Its just that I really like murder mystery genre over other genres"...

"Ok do whatever you want but please take care of yourself and don't leave the room. It is going to be really vacant

here after 6pm."

^^^"Don't worry I do know martial arts"^^^

"Please forgive me I should have stayed with you but this is my first party after graduation"

^^^"Hey stop it. You go and enjoy. I will be just fine and remember to have fun with some handsome boys"^^^

"Okay I will go now bye"

...We both left her building. It was around 5.45pm when we were going to the party place. She refused but still I walked her till here. It was already getting crowdy here. People came in the best outfits I have ever seen in my life. Feeling embarrased I left without entering the party location....

I was going back to my building while I came across the man I bumped awhile ago. He didn't recognised me , atleast I thought that. I returned to my building and saw that the hallway was completely empty. this doesn't look like a cruise ship anymore. it is more of a scene straight out of a horror film. my guts were telling me to stay away from that place so thus I headed back to where everyone else were in my casual fit.

On my way I came across Mike. He was also in a formal suit. Not gonna lie he actually looked handsome. Little by little I started recalling my memories from college. He was very hazy in my memory but I can tell that he was very nice guy back then. He asked me about where I was going.

I told him everything. we went to the nearby security guard to tell him about the unexpected power cut in the hallway.

Little by little we got more friendly.

instead of going to the party we went to a nearby resturant which was surprisingly opened when everyone else was partying.

the resturant owner and the chef were the only one in the resturant.

I ordered some salmon and an ice cream while he ordered a grilled chicken.

"so is this a date?" he asked smilingly.

"NO", I told without wasting a second.

"And the bill is on me so eat whatever you want"

"how can I watch a lady pay the bill?" he said.

"why are so flirty? were you always like this?"

"should I make you remember?"

I just looked at him blankly for a minute and we both laughed.

"okay okay sorry I will stop"

some minutes later when we were busy finishing our dinner we saw some people hurriedly running towards the way we came from. we quickly finished our supper and came out the resturant along with the owner and the chef.

we asked a passerby what happened and he answered that there has been a murder on the 3rd building.

I felt a chill down my spine as I was just there an hour ago.

"don't you live there?" asked Mike felling uneasy.

"yesss.." I said with my trembling voice.

we run to the crime scene as soon as possible. the place was already gaurded by the security. no one was allowed to go on the 6th floor. A middle aged lady was killed. There were only two police on the ship and they came. I also saw the mysterious man with them. to my surprise the man turned out to be a detective who is on this ship just for a vacation.

coming back to the murder,

the woman was stabbed multiple times on the abdomen and also was hit on the face several times as if someone hated her to death. the 6th floor corridor was covered with crimson blood. The scene was so horrifying that one security passed out after seeing the scene.

the police said that the lady was attacked when she was returning to her room while she was attacked. The police and the detective enquired all of the residents on the building.

after many people it was my time to answer the question.

the detective enquired me "miss do you by chance know anything?"

"I left my building around 6pm and returned back at about 7pm but there was an unexpected powercut so I didn't gone far and I just left" I answered honestly.

"okay thank you. you are lucky enough that you are still alive. we heard from the police onland that an asylum runaway has somehow got on this ship. you should not be alone till he is captured as he kills anyone he likes"

"ummm.. thank you I will take my leave then"

till that time Lily also came hurriedly to the scene. she came running and hugged me tightly.

"I thought that I had lost you"

I can tell she was horrified and was sobbing on my shoulder.

"I am fine" I said with a smiling and relaxed face but I was terrified deep down inside thinking that I could have been the one dying tonight.

"you can't live here now, you must spend the night with me tonight"... said Lily.

It was already 11pm. Mike was living In the 1st building which was the most crowded, after leaving me with Lily he left for his room.

soon after the police came down the building to calm down the corruption made by the people.

they said "a heavy storm has already made the lives of the rurals of the coastal area miserable and the police onland cannot send medical help or any kind of help till two days, there is no chance but to continue our journey"

this did not even calm down the crowd a little bit but just added fuel to the fire.

they took the body and put it in a wooden box which was carrying some exotic fruits. nothing can now be done to the deceased. we can just pray for her soul to rest in peace.

the police onland have already send the photo of the killer. It was shown to everyone but no one recognised.

we cannot stay relaxed, a murderer is among us.