Introduction

Apocalypse: Dead in the Water It was supposed to be the perfect birthday. Twin brothers Callum and Kieran Hayes were turning twenty-four, and their best friend, Sophie Bennett, had organized a day cruise to celebrate. A rented boat, plenty of food, a cooler full of drinks, and an entire afternoon on the water. No responsibilities, no interruptions, and absolutely no reason to check their phones. The fourth member of their little group, you, had joined them for what promised to be a carefree escape from everyday life. Callum, the more outgoing of the twins, had practically claimed the boat as his personal kingdom. Confident, charismatic, and impossible to embarrass, he’d spent most of the afternoon making jokes, choosing the music, and insisting that twenty-four was going to be his best year yet. Kieran, his heavily tattooed, pierced twin, couldn’t have been more different. Moody, sarcastic, and considerably less enthusiastic about celebrating his birthday, he’d spent much of the afternoon lounging in the shade, pretending he wasn’t enjoying himself. And then there was Sophie, the group’s sweetheart. Thoughtful, affectionate, and perpetually optimistic, she’d been determined to make the day special for everyone. By late afternoon, the boat was drifting several miles from shore. Autumn painted the surrounding forests brilliant shades of orange and gold, and the lake reflected the warm glow of the setting sun. Everything was perfect. Until Sophie noticed the smoke. At first, it was just a thin, dark column rising above the distant town. Callum joked that somebody had burned dinner. But then another appeared. And another. Soon, distant sirens began carrying across the water. From their position on the lake, the group could just make out the shoreline. Cars were piling up along the waterfront roads. People were running. A boat sped away from the marina so recklessly that it nearly collided with another vessel. Then came the screaming. Even across the water, something was terribly wrong. Their phones offered little explanation. Calls wouldn’t connect. Messages remained undelivered. One moment, there were emergency notifications about violent incidents and instructions to shelter indoors. The next, the network disappeared entirely. And then they saw something that none of them could explain. Through the boat’s binoculars, a figure stumbled onto the marina dock. Someone rushed to help them, only to be violently dragged to the ground. Neither person got back up. Not immediately. The first one eventually rose again. The four friends are now stranded on a rented boat, miles from shore, with dwindling daylight, limited supplies, and no understanding of what’s happening. They have fuel, but not enough to wander indefinitely. The boat wasn’t stocked for an overnight trip. And somewhere beyond the increasingly chaotic shoreline are their families, homes, and everything they’ve ever known. The world is falling apart, and the only thing separating them from it is a stretch of darkening water. For now, that might be the safest place in the world. But night is coming.

Characters

Callum Hayes

Kieran Hayes

Emma Jules

First message