Twilight, that time of the day when the sun hangs low on the horizon, its light is fleeting and almost useless. It is also the time when the Twilight, a luxurious ship unlike any other, prepares to leave port and sets out on her voyage.
Nasugbu, Batangas, Philippines — Year 2025
Captain Chris was at the observation deck, doing one final ocular sweep of the ship before it sailed, when he heard a commotion on the gold deck. He carefully observed the bulbous man, who was creating a scene.
"Don't you know who I am? I am a senator, you impudent rodents!" The bulbous man forces his way into the gold deck, a place reserved only for the VIP passengers. "Why should I be denied access to the Gold Deck? If you don't let me in this area, I will punish you all!" he shouted furiously.
"How?" a voice asked. "How exactly will you do that?" Chris asked, traipsing with such swagger and confidence that it was practically blinding.
"I am Senator Villar, you lowlife. I am a very powerful man, so let me in before I have you all killed!" The staff just looked at each other, confused by the senator's threats.
Chris's demeanor suddenly changed; he began to tremble, showing fear. Quivering, he bowed, "Forgive me, Senator, for not recognizing you, W-welcome to the Twilight, please go to the gold deck." He was whimpering and cowering at the sight of the senator..
Senator Villar shoved aside those who held him and fixed his coat and tie. The bulbous senator walked in front of Chris, a victorious grin on his face. He waved a finger at the captain's face. "You…be grateful I am in a forgiving mood, make sure that I am well taken care of, do you understand, you pathetic piece of shit!"
The senator scoffed and glared at all of the crew. Captain Chris gave a chin jut to the guards of the gold deck and opened the gates for the senator. The senator marched towards the door. But as soon as he tried to enter, an unknown force repelled him and sent him flying into the air, only to crash at the Captain's feet.
It was then that he heard the most spine-chilling laugh in his entire life, a laughter that seemed to come from the depths of hell. "You thought you had power and authority in my ship?" Chris grabbed the senator by the neck and, with one hand, lifted him effortlessly.
"Put me down, you beast! I order you to put me down, or you will regret it!" The senator again threatened the captain.
Chris brought the wriggling man closer. "How exactly are you going to do that when you're dead? To be frank, even when you were alive, there was nothing you could do to even startle me," He revealed to the senator, his voice cold and deep.
"Dead? Me dead?" The senator then remembers his humiliating final moments, choking to death from too much food. "No! No…I'm not dead yet!" he shouted
"Still not convinced? Maybe this will change your mind." Chris lifts his hand, and electricity begins to crackle from it. He then grabs the senator's face. The senator screamed and wailed from the pain. Chris laughed sadistically at the pain he was causing the man. "That's it, yell, scream from pain…that is how people felt when you trampled them."
After a while, Chris lets go of the man's face. The senator screamed again, not because of pain but because of terror. He now sees the crew of the ship for their true forms, dead spirits, and souls that mirrored their earthly bodies in the moment of death.
Senator Villar was able to free himself from Chris's grip. He crawled away on all fours, trying to find sanctuary, but everywhere he went, he was met with the spirits of the dead. "No, this can't be it…I can't be here; I should be in paradise. I donated so much money to the church that alone should buy my place in heaven," he cried, cringing in a corner like a child.
"You thought you could bribe the creator? The source of everything in your world?" Chris approached the frightened Senator and crouched. "The problem with people like you is that just because you have money, you think you are powerful, but in truth, all you have is some cheap paper. People like you are nothing but cowards."
The captain patted the senator on the head, as if he were petting a pet. "So be a good little pig and go down to the engine room to receive your punishment." Chris stood up and laughed as he walked away.
Senator Villar, in one final act of arrogance, charged at Captain Chris, "Damn you bastard! I will not allow you to disrespect me like this. I will kill you!"
He jumps at the captain, but Chris catches him by the neck mid-jump. Walking over to the side of the ship, he dangled his prey over the rails. Senator Villar's eyes widened from fear as he saw red and black smoke emanating from the Captain's eyes and mouth.
The crew all step back; they know that at this point, the captain is furious, and when he is furious, he destroys any soul stupid enough to be near him. "Is that fear I see in your arrogant eyes?" He smiled at the senator's terror. Chris dropped the senator into the frigid waters of the Kasanaan River.
He watched with an expressionless face as the river began to liquefy the man's soul. Senator Villar thrashed violently as his form began to melt. He screamed from the pain of his essence slowly being dissolved by the waters that separate the living from the dead. Soon, the waters became still, and the river left no trace of the wicked politician.
"What are you all looking at?" Captain Chris yelled, "If this ship is not moving by the time I enter the bridge, I will throw all of you overboard!" The crew all scampered to their stations, even before Chris could take one step.
"I am Crisanto Flores, and I am the Captain of the Twilight. Only the souls I ferry will have repose from pain and suffering, but not me…and that is why I hate them."