THE ROOM OF EYES BECKONS
Completely dark. Time has arrived. “B” deck calls out.
I acknowledge her voice of doom but I have cravings for more. I want a taste of all of the pestiferous that’s available.
A wound has opened, a portal if you will. It’s called the “Rope Room”
Let’s get dirty together.
It’s located just beyond the exclusive, members only and of course tell no one! “Hidden Club”
THE HOLD
Mere feet away lie constant horrors
This is where Scallywags, stowaways and drunkards were given the order to find god.
Then during the war those nasty Nazi prisoners were given time to get right with their makers as time for them was most precious.
As you can imagine this was not the most stately of available quarters. One captain said that during their busy season one human died on board about every 4 hours.
Located at the very nose of the ship. Imagine during a storm how far the nose rises and then drops into the swell of the angry power of the ocean? The pounding of the seas would have both broken your bones and your spirits.
It was as cramped and stifling as any jail cell I’ve ever found myself in.
Terrifying, dead silent.
Only sound was my frightened heartbeat.
DEVILS WERE EVERYWHERE
And then
Exit right through the dancing world of future death.
I am ready lord, come take me. Show me your dark delights
Hi Satan, what’s up?
“Don’t say ‘hi’ right now I’m trying to be scary.”
Sorry dog, didn’t know you were working.
Satan clears his throat and expels a mighty roar.
“You seek more heathen?
Then down those stairs and scar your very soul FOREVER.”
Nicely done Beez, That was pretty scary bro
Yes this is part of “Haunt 1”
I got lost but I got found.
You want to die at sea? Behold.
THE COLOR OF THE END.
A Jelly donut?
Because you are a disgusting fat body Private Pyle
Names of the dead haunt the place.
Here is where you are sent when it’s your turn to meet your maker.
Enough foolishness if there’s a reckoning to be had then let’s be done with it.
The stairs we walked past earlier? We are going down this time. It’s that companionway that holds my fate.
Now, If you turn right at that corner
Yo bro, don’t go down there. Let’s get some beers and forget this whole fatuity.
Like I did, then walk to the end.
Haunt 6: The real tamale. Here is where tales of madness spin throughout the history of this majestic beauty. From murder and mayhem to sadness beyond repair.
The world famous B340
“Note” Should I have taken one of these very similar photos out?
To be fair they were shot with different cameras.
“And I do love the strange panorama”.
I have to get inside.
UNHOLY GOD
The only two shots I was able to capture before the lights started flickering and droning like yelps filled the claustrophobic hallway.
Is that a women humming?
Realization is sinking in.
I’m not alone.
PLACARDS SUCH AS THIS ARE LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE SHIP
I move frozen in time, as a shadow made of forever comes from the right. I follow the spectral movement with my eyes, my hands now refuse to operate the camera.
Frantically turning again and again. Comprehending finally, that I have no idea where I am.
The staircase that was. Exists no longer.
Turning again, ending up nowhere.
Now really frightened for the first time. I charge into the weird moving light textures that sway through the passageway in search of the way up and out.
This time I’m certain something is behind me. I hear a soft indistinguishable sound.
That staircase is going the wrong way, impossible the mind screams.
The orbs alter your vision.
IS THAT THE HALLWAY OUT?
My God, it’s not going to let me out!
I turn panicked and hoped that finally, Ahh shit.
It was about here that I decided I am indeed the very worst who ever even attempted to scribe word to paper. Do I even try to finish this ridiculous nonsense?
The soft sound that now surrounds me grows more intense. Like the walls are breathing?
I’M LOCKED INSIDE THIS MAZE
That’s it, now just go backwards. Like tumbling up.
Open my eyes and I’m lying on the bed back in my room.
Nothing is what it seems. Dream and reality crash into each other as madness scatters about the room.
Ice cold beer is always an excellent decision.
The time is now. She’s here, I sense her.
Turned off all the lights, put on some Gorgoroth and reached out to the unknown.
As I arise from my own ashes The room greets me with three lights moving as if on a breeze.
The soundscape becomes distorted with the laughter of forgotten souls.
The darkness sings to me. She’s here, look how she moves as her white dress flows like spectral mist.
TOO LATE
The ship started to moan, followed by a severe clunk that sounded like metal falling from a great height. The lights moved in time with the sounds.
All the lights turn off.
I accept my fate and lay myself prone into my own “sick box”.
Falling asleep to moving lights and a giant steel hull decrying it’s aging against circumstance.
“EYES FLY OPEN”
4:20 in the A.M. Phone up and shoot towards that awful bathroom.
I dreamed of nothing.
I came home with the 36 bucks. They made me pay for parking with my card, the bastards. Changed the whole dream thing but as for trying to make it all come true? This was pretty close. Not only super fun but really enlightening.
Can’t recommend this adventure any higher.
Is it really haunted?
This is just a small list of some of the so called “Haunts”
I reached out to some relatives who had stayed on board for their terrifying tales but all said that nothing memorable had happened.
Strains of Maria Callas fill the air. I just love her lilt.
DJ TAJ 03/05-2025

































By the way, The Hidden Club looks awesome.
Doritos- now with crushed nuts!
This is spectacular, Taj! I have been crazy busy today, but I just sat down to read this. Don’t doubt yourself, you are a great writer. And of course, YOU are my favorite. Don’t tell the others.
That Private Pyle reference/interlude was PERFECT.
For your kind words you have received the coveted “Pope Taco” Many blessing be upon you
yes top notch multimedia experience Taj
I feel blessed! And hungry for tacos.
Tears of laughter are streaming down my face. All are funny, but number 7, oh man…
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/final-exam-answer-guide-for-classics-and-contemporary-american-culture-spring-semester-2025?utm_content=buffer0e4cf&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer
Some of those pics look like they could be from the Overlook Hotel
/redrum
Mrs. Horatio stayed in the room that inspired King to write The Shining, (Quiet Horatio! D’ya want ta get us sued!?), and says that she heard a voice say “kill ya”
Anyway, we’re not staying there ever.
I also stayed there while attending a wedding. We overheard some fellow guests complaining that the couple next door, specifically the female component of the couple, were producing an excess of noise while sexing. When I realized that *we* were the couple staying in the room next to them, I felt ten feet tall.
Spooky stuff. Some great photo-journalism, DJT & as usual, your illustrations are the cherry on top.
Picked up a couple of Refugees for me and the wife. Now I need to find a place with beignets.
https://littlejewel.net/?utm_source=google
Or you can also go to Disneyland, but that’s crazy expensive.
Gracias!
/ICE shows up and deports your lunch.
Excellent write-up. I’ve been on board once but I don’t think I would stay overnight.
This has been an amazing series.
I’ve been on board the Queen Mary but never slept overnight. I think that would be creepy as fuck. The ship by itself is creepy enough.
It really is for some reason!
No doubt about it. The “Rope Room”? No one would approach so I said “Step aside” I was the only person up in there and it was as I said, full of devils. Super creepy.
What an interesting story, thank you Sir.
My choice for getting haunted in a comfortable state room…
IIRC, this lady was in Dr. No and is the one who first did the Last Name, First Name, Last Name thing that James Bond is known for.
She could haunt me in an uncomfortable state room, for that matter.