The sun was shining, the waves were gently crashing against the shore, and you and Neela were enjoying a perfect day at the beach. She was lounging on a towel, flipping through a magazine, while you were wading in the shallow water, skipping rocks and letting the cool waves lap at your feet.

“This is the life, Jake,” Neela called, tilting her sunglasses down to look at you. “No school, no stress, just the ocean and some sun.”

“Yeah, it’s perfect,” you replied, tossing another rock into the water.

Then, in the distance, something massive caught your eye. It looked like a tangle of wood, ropes, and debris sticking out of the sand further down the beach. You squinted, trying to make sense of it.

“Neela, come look at this,” you said, waving her over.

She groaned playfully but stood up, brushing sand off her legs. “What now, Jake? Did you find a seashell or something?”

As she got closer, her jaw dropped. “Wait… is that… a ship?!”

The two of you ran closer, your excitement building with every step. When you got there, you realized it wasn’t just any ship—it was a massive pirate ship, half-buried in the sand like something out of a movie. The tattered sails flapped in the breeze, and the hull was weathered and covered in barnacles.

“This is insane!” Neela exclaimed, pulling out her phone to snap pictures. “How does something like this even end up here?”

“I have no idea,” you said, stepping closer to examine the massive wooden structure. “It looks like it’s been here forever.”

The two of you spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the ship, climbing carefully over the wreckage and pretending to be pirates. Neela grabbed a piece of driftwood and pointed it like a sword.

“Captain Neela Jolene, ruler of the seven seas!” she declared, striking a dramatic pose.

“And her loyal first mate, Jake!” you added, laughing as you climbed onto the deck.

“No like for real how did this even get here? Is this even safe?!” Neela says