The Derelict

"The Derelict" is a maritime horror story blending science fiction and cosmic dread. The tale follows the crew of a steamship who discover an abandoned, seemingly lifeless derelict drifting in the open sea. Upon boarding, they find the ship covered in a strange, gelatinous growth that appears inert—until it begins to move. As the substance engulfs the vessel, the men realize they are trapped in a nightmarish struggle against an alien, living organism that defies natural law. The story was first published in The Red Magazine in 1912.