Haunted Holiday

By Sharon Elliott

HAUNTED HOLIDAY
This novel is about Ella and her best friends, Kate and Beth. Ella has a special gift, which is contrary to Kate’s Irish superstitions, but Beth understands.
Ella and Kate embark on a cruise for their 23rd birthdays. This is a special cruise for Ella, as it has an exhibition and auditorium show about the RMS Queen Mary. Ella has had an ongoing love for the stately ships of the early 1900s.
The cruise starts out like any other fun cruise, although this is the first cruise for Kate and Ella. However, in the next few days, strange things occur.
Ella meets Tom, another ship enthusiast who also understands Ella’s gift, and they share many similarities.
During the cruise, Ella has a surprise reunion with members of her own family. She and Tom then piece together what happened on a fateful night in 1950 aboard the RMS Queen Mary.

Can Ella reunite a family that was separated so long ago?

Ebook ISBN 978-0-6458617-9-2
Print ISBN 978-0-6458615-9-4

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sharon Elliott
• Release date: Feb 10, 2024
• ISBN: 9780645861792

Sharon Elliott

About Author After the death of two loved ones in 2017, I began my writing journey with my mother's story which I called Rose – The Last Straw under the pen name Jaime Wren and published through a hybrid publisher called Tellwell Publishing. Following a steep learning curve, I now have a collection of eBooks and print novels under my name: Sharon Elliott, which I have written, designed the covers for, and self-published. I grew up in Sydney, Australia and country NSW then worked in Sydney before moving to the Riverina, then Nambucca Heads on the mid north coast of NSW. I now live in sunny Queensland with my fur family and continue to write. You can follow me on my Facebook Page: Sharon Elliott Author, Instagram; Shazzell4, Pininterest:  Shazza's Books. my Payhip store: SHARONELLIOTTEBOOKSTORE Amazon.com.au Lulu.com bookstore, apple books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, scribd Draft2Digital: Smashwords, Vivlio, Tolino, Gardener, Everand, Borrowbox Australian National Library and State Libraries

Book preview

HAUNTED

HOLIDAY

BY

SHARON ELLIOTT

Dedication

My faithful family members, Kathy and Teresa

Disclaimer

This novel is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to people and names is coincidental, although some places are real as I have woven truth and fiction into this story. Nothing within these pages is meant to offend anyone, and I apologise if I have made errors in fact. This is not to be used as a historical reference.

Cover designed in Canva.

Printer: Clark & Mackay (Brisbane)

Copyright © 2023 Sharon Elliott

All rights reserved.

Ebook ISBN 978-0-6458617-9-2

Print ISBN 978-0-6458615-9-4

This novel is about Ella and her best friends, Kate and Beth. Ella has a special gift, which is contrary to Kate’s Irish superstitions, but Beth understands.

Ella and Kate embark on a cruise for their 23rd birthdays. This is a special cruise for Ella, as it has an exhibition and auditorium show about the RMS Queen Mary. Ella has had an ongoing love for the stately ships of the early 1900s.

The cruise starts out like any other fun cruise, although this is the first cruise for Kate and Ella. However, in the next few days, strange things occur.

Ella meets Tom, another ship enthusiast who also understands Ella’s gift, and they share many similarities.

During the cruise, Ella has a surprise reunion with members of her own family. She and Tom then piece together what happened on a fateful night in 1950 aboard the RMS Queen Mary.

Can Ella reunite a family that was separated so long ago?

Contents

PROLOGUE

Ella, 2023

Kate

The Cruise, 2023

Beth, 2004

Pampering, 2023

Ella, 2004

Room 1713

Lucy

Tom’s Twin

Déjà vu

Sally, 1912

Busy Thoroughfare

Ella’s Birthday, 2023

RMS Queen Mary

After Party

Ghost Island

Beth, 1963

The lost child

Adam

Haunted Island

Epilogue

PROLOGUE

1950

His wife longed to take a trip on one of the magnificent ships of the day. She had a fascination with cruise liners since she was a child. Maybe because she was born on 15 April 1912, the day the Titanic sank.

His wife read up on the opulence of the Titanic and other great liners. She scoured magazines and followed the life of the RMS Queen Mary and RMS Queen Elizabeth since they were built in the grandest style before being transformed during the war. After the war, she continued to follow the restoration progress of the two liners and wanted to experience their grand beauty for herself.

He wanted to make his wife happy and surprised her with two tickets to travel on the RMS Queen Mary in 1950.

It was after he made all the arrangements for their holiday that she realised she was pregnant. They were both surprised and thrilled by the revelation, as she was thirty-eight years old.

They spoke to her doctor and the booking agency for the trip. The doctor approved air and sea travel as the wife and child growing within her were healthy. He just cautioned her not to overdo things. They then made enquiries with the booking agency for the cruise. The agency advised the couple that the ship had the finest medical facilities and many babies had been born on board.

As the day of departure grew close, their excitement mounted. Finally, it was time to pack their bags.

They made their way to the city to meet their flight. To begin their passage, they first had to travel to England, which was a long four-day haul by air. It was called the Kangaroo Route by Qantas because the route hops from stop to stop. Empire Qantas Airways began its termed Kangaroo Route on 1 December 1947. Its Lockheed Constellation carried 29 passengers and 11 crew from Sydney to London.

The excited couple boarded the plane which departed Sydney at 9.30pm. It landed in Darwin at 5.15am, then Singapore at 2.30pm where they stayed overnight before flying to Calcutta the next day, arriving at 12.15pm, then Karachi at 7.35pm. They arrived at Cairo at 2.30pm the next day. The final day they stopped in Rome at 11am and arrived in London at 5.05pm.

The couple collected their luggage and made their way to their accommodation. After checking in, they had a relaxing meal and retired to their room for the first night of their four-night stay. During their stay in London, they leisurely explored the city’s magnificent landmarks. The grandeur of St Paul’s Cathedral and Buckingham Palace left them in awe as they marvelled at their architecture. As the couple gazed upon the towering Big Ben clock and the intricate details within Westminster Abbey, the rich history that permeated the city enveloped them. They walked along the river Thames. The Tower Bridge’s massive pillars stood tall against the blue sky. It was a bustling, active city of tourists and locals, giving London a lively atmosphere. The couple strolled hand in hand through parks and gardens, museums and art galleries and browsed through department stores such as Harrods and Selfridges. They marvelled at the history of the city and despaired over the devastation cast upon it during the War.

On their fifth day in London, they boarded a train for Southampton. When they first glimpsed the RMS Queen Mary, the wife gasped with glee and dragged her husband by the hand, eager to board. With excitement overflowing, they stepped foot on the luxurious cruise liner.

Amidst other excited passengers, they stood at the rail waving to the miniature people on the dock as the ship set sail.

Their accommodation was in Cabin class which was tourist class before the War, popular with businessmen and the middle class. They stayed in a richly appointed room that included their own amenities.

The couple dined in style with a wide selection of meals to choose from. During their days at sea, they strolled through the ship admiring its decor and opulence and made their way to the outdoor deck when the weather was warm. They read and played cards and following a fine meal they waltzed in each other’s arms, before retiring to their room early with the wife’s health in mind.

The wife’s pregnancy was nearing full term and in the privacy of their cabin, the wife guided her husband’s hand to the swell of her stomach as the baby kicked. The husband had no preference for a boy or girl, he only cared that his darling wife came to no harm.

During the evening, cramping pains seized the wife. The husband dressed quickly and called for help. His wife was rushed to the infirmary, and he was told the baby was coming.

The husband paced and smoked, running his hand through his thick black hair while he waited for news. Hours later, a doctor emerged. One look at the doctor’s face and the husband crumpled into a chair. The first words the doctor said caused the husband to breakdown and cry. It did not matter what else the doctor said. His wife had died.

The husband stumbled on to the deck and held the rail. Oblivious to the freezing wind and dark sea below. Life without his wife was unthinkable; she was his world. He could not imagine his life going forward without her. He climbed the rail and leapt to his death in the freezing Atlantic Ocean.

Ella, 2023

Kate has been my best friend since the first day of school. Our birthdays are close together and this year, to celebrate our 23rd birthday, I bought two tickets on a cruise as a surprise for Kate. I was late in organising the trip and we were lucky to be given the last cabin available.

Kate has been a schoolteacher since she left teacher’s college. When we were young, she wanted to be an airliner hostess, then a librarian, then finally a teacher. I had lofty ambitions to be a scientist and cure the world of disease. Instead, I went into aged care, which has been a very rewarding experience.

The timing of the cruise coincided with the school holidays, and I applied for time off from my job. The only negative about being single and having holidays between school terms was that many families with children also went away.

I couldn’t leave the surprise, a complete surprise. Kate and I had never been outside of Australia before, and we needed to apply for our passports. So, I had to tell Kate a little about our plans, i.e. that we needed passports.

As soon as the word ‘passports’ escaped my lips, Kate’s eyes sparkled with excitement, their light shining like two vibrant stars. She eagerly badgered me with unrelenting curiosity, her voice filled with anticipation, urging me to unveil the secret destination of our upcoming holiday. A week before our holiday, I finally told her we were going on a cruise. Kate leapt for joy and almost toppled me over when she threw her arms around me.

You are the best friend ever!

Our hearts raced with anticipation, ready to embark on the thrilling journey. I knew Kate would find the first opportunity to look up superstitions relating to ships and the ocean. For as long as I have known her, Kate has been superstitious.

While she looked up superstitions, I was busy buying seasick preventatives and nausea cures.

This cruise is special. I showed Kate the pamphlet. There will be an exhibition and a special event in the auditorium about the RMS Queen Mary. You know how I have always had a fascination with ships, this one in particular. I just had to go.

Well, I hope the ghosts of the Queen Mary do not accompany the exhibition.

Don’t be silly. I laughed.

I am not sure when my fascination with ships started. It might have been from my friend Beth, who told me stories when I was young. Stories her mother had told her.

With our bags packed, we ordered an Uber to go to the train station. From there, we were to travel to Sydney to board the ship.

The Uber arrived, but Kate wouldn’t get in.

Kate, whatever is the matter? Come on, let’s go.

No, I can’t. The driver has red hair. It is bad luck before a cruise. Kate pulled me from the car. Order another one, please, Ella.

Knowing what Kate was like, I apologised to the driver, gave him a large tip for his wasted time, and ordered another Uber.

Make sure the driver doesn’t have red hair. Kate said from behind me. Yeah right. I am sure that is discrimination.

I wasn’t worried about time, because we allowed plenty of time to get to the train station and possible train delays. The new Uber arrived half an hour later. Thank goodness this driver had black hair.

The train arrived on time, and we boarded with the weekday commuters. They must have loved seeing us with our bulky luggage taking up their space. When the train finally arrived at Central, we rolled our bags behind us through the chaotic throng of people bustling here and there. We had to go to another platform to catch the train to Circular Quay.

It had been a long time since I had been to Central Station. I always remembered the massive dome where the country trains left from, but now there was another modern dome connecting the two sections.

This station gives me the creeps. Kate said, as she rubbed at the goosebumps on her forearms.

Why? Because it was over a cemetery?

What? I didn’t know that! No wonder I am creeped out!

Kate gave me a sidelong glance, then quickened her pace while she rubbed at goosebumps on her forearms and mumbled a ‘Hail Mary’ under her breath. The Circular Quay train arrived, and we followed a pigeon into the vestibule area of the carriage. The pigeon fascinated me. It showed no signs of panic, as if it knew exactly where it was going and how to get there. Mind you, I would prefer to fly than go on the underground rail system.

As we emerged from the tunnel into a section of daylight at Circular Quay, the first thing I saw was the massive ship looming large. It was to the left of the ferry terminals which obscured part of the view of the Harbour Bridge. On the opposite side of the ferry terminal was the Sydney Opera House. The pigeon exited the train and flew away. We marvelled at the pigeon, then stood still for a moment, absorbing the beautiful harbour. People scurried here and there; some sightless to the beautiful blue water nearby, others with furrowed brows, groups mingled. Chatter and laughter filled the air, along with music from buskers who played for coins. Ferries came and went, and people raced to catch them. Noisy seagulls squabbled for morsels of food and the salty sea breeze brushed at our skin.

We wheeled our noisy luggage which was clattering over the paved surface as we made our way to the cruise terminal a short distance away. The closer we walked, the larger the ship loomed above us. We traced the ship’s lines with our eyes and were filled with awe. Its immense size amazed us. When we reached the cruise terminal, we heard children complaining about waiting in line. One child was complaining about not being able to see beyond the buttocks in front of them. This caused Kate and I to giggle. We joined the queue and a child in front of us turned and scrutinised us. After agonising minutes under her hairy eyeball glare, I poked my tongue out and Kate crossed her eyes. The girl quickly turned away.

I don’t think we made a good impression, Kate observed.

The queue crept forward, inch by inch, and I handed Kate her ticket. She stopped, causing the person behind to crash into her.

Ella, did you see our cabin number? You must get it changed.

Why? What is wrong with 1713?

There are two things wrong. First, the number 17 is unlucky. When written in roman numerals XVII it translates as I have lived. Note the PAST tense. It implies death. Then 13, well, you know 13 is unlucky.

But we are not in cabin 17 or 13. We are in cabin 1,713. Look at it that way.

Can you please humour me and see if we can change rooms?

I don’t like our chances; it was the last room left.

See what I mean. No-one wanted it! Kate lamented.

We were about to step foot on the gangway to board the cruise ship, but Kate held me back.

We have to board with our right foot first.

Let me guess. Using your left foot first is bad luck?

Actually, the word ‘sinister’ comes from the Latin word that means - to the left.

I dutifully used my right foot to step onto the gangway. Then she did the same when we boarded the ship from the gangway. Kate wasn’t sure which applied to the superstition. Meanwhile, we had halted the line of passengers behind us. By this time, they were sighing with impatience.

As soon as we boarded, we asked for directions to a reception area. When asked why we wanted the change, Kate said the room number was bad luck. The staff member confidently informed Kate that no negative or unusual incidents had ever taken place in that room and, as I had stated to Kate, there were no other rooms to choose from.

We made our way down to our deck. When we stepped out of the lift and turned into the corridor, a child collided with me. The child then skirted around me and dashed away in pursuit of other children running up and down the corridor. We prayed for them to calm down or stumble overboard.

Our luggage stood outside of door number 1713. Before I unlocked the door, Kate said a quick Hail Mary and blessed herself. She followed me in, so close