The group of friends had been planning their boating trip for weeks. They had rented a small boat and were eager to explore the secluded coves and hidden beaches of the nearby lake.

As they set out, the sun was shining and the water was calm. But as they ventured further into the lake, they began to notice that something was not quite right.

The water around them was murky and dark, and the air grew colder with each passing moment. The group began to feel uneasy, as if they were being watched by some unseen presence.

Then, without warning, the boat's engine suddenly sputtered and died. The group tried to start it up again, but it was no use. They were stranded in the middle of the lake with no way to call for help.

As they sat in the silent boat, they began to hear strange noises - whispers on the wind, splashing in the water, and the eerie creaking of an old boat.

Suddenly, they saw an old, rotting boat approaching them from the mist. It was manned by a single figure, a man with a wild look in his eyes and a menacing grin on his face.

The group tried to call out to him, but he simply stared at them with a cold, dead gaze. He then began to circle their boat, his movements slow and deliberate.

The group felt a sense of terror wash over them as they realized that this man was not of this world. He was a ghost, and he was not happy about their presence on his lake.

The ghostly figure continued to circle their boat, his creaking vessel getting closer and closer. The group tried to push away, but their boat was trapped in place.

Then, suddenly, the ghostly boat vanished into thin air, leaving the group stranded and alone once again.

The group managed to get the boat started and made their way back to shore as quickly as they could. They never returned to that lake again, haunted by the memory of the ghostly boat and its sinister captain.