Titanic Girl
Prologue
1st April, 1912
It was a beautiful, albeit somewhat chilly morning in Liverpool. The sun was shinning, birds were chirping, and a young girl of twelve was sitting outside under a sun umbrella, reading "Wuthering Heights." It had been a school assignment for her to read it, but to be honest, Billie Charlize Murdoch wasn't all too keen on it.
This book is just extraordinarily dull, she thought, just as someone pulled away her umbrella.
"No time for reading, birthday bonnie lassie," came a loving and warm Scottish accent. Billie chuckled, stood up, and allowed her father, William McMaster Murdoch to escort her back inside.
"Time for presents, Papa?" She asked.
"Aye," he said.
"I'm going to miss you so very much when you go away to America next week," she said, a little sadly.
"As will I, Billie," he said, looking down at her with love in his deep green-blue eyes, which were just like hers.
"Wilhelmina! It's present time, and your friends are here," came the voice of her mother, Ada Florence Murdoch nee Banks, and Billie cringed.
"Erugh, I hate that name. Even the teachers call me "Billie"," she grumbled good-naturedly, and her father chuckled.
"Come on, lass," he smiled, and pulled her, laughing, down the hallway. The kitchen had been decorated with blue and silver balloons and streamers, Billie's favourite colours.
"HAPPY 12th BIRTHDAY!" Yelled her friends, and she grinned.
"Thanks," she said graciously, as she sat down, and her first friend, Janine, handed her a wrapped parcel, which turned out to be a colouring book, with pictures of famous ships. There was even one of the Harland and Wolf yard in Ireland, where the Titanic had been in the early building stages five years ago.
Her other friend, Katherine, handed her a bag filled with bracelets and necklaces with blue stones and beads. They weren't real, but what did that matter when you can pretend they are sapphires?
"Thanks, girls," she said graciously, as her father handed her an envelope, with a beaming grin.
"Another gift, Papa?" she asked, lifting her eyebrows. He and her mother had given her a new dress, and a pair of shoes. The dress was light purple, and the shoes were black.
"It's from Uncle Thomas, lass," he explained. "Uncle Thomas" was actually Thomas Andrews, the ship builder of the Titanic, but she was good friends with him, and wrote to him, as well. She was surprised by the thoughtful gesture of him sending her a gift, but took it gracefully.
She carefully opened the envelope, and saw a folded piece of paper inside. Curious, she took it out, and unfolded it. The words "White Star Line" appeared before her astonished she read it, she had to read it again, and again once more, just to be certain that her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. They weren't.
Uncle Thomas had given her a Second Class ticket for Titanic's second voyage.
"I'm going on the Titanic!" she told her friends excitedly.
"That's not all, Billie. You're also allowed to come on the ship this afternoon with me to meet the other officers," her father smiled.
PAGE BREAK
That afternoon, Billie and her father, with the former dressed in her new purple dress and black shoes, headed down to the docks. Will was excited, as he wanted to show off the most impressive ship to his little girl.
"She's just around that next corner," he said, and Billie grinned. Though she'd never told anyone her dreams, she one day wanted to be a ships captain, and no one would sneer at her dreams, for she would live in a different world, where girls could do what they liked with nothing to hold them back.
When the Titanic came into view, Billie gasped in delight. The iron floating palace was beautiful and deep blue. Four smokestacks stood proudly in the air, and it was all brand new.
"Come on, Billie, I told the others I would introduce you," her father said, and gently pulled her along to the gangplank.
"Oh, Papa. She's gorgeous," she said, as they wandered up the gangplank together.
"I'm glad you approve, Billie," came a warm Irish accent. Billie looked up to see Thomas Andrews smiling warmly at her.
"She's beautiful, and thank you so much for the present of a second class passage on her second trip, Uncle Andrew," she said, smiling and hugging him.
"You are very welcome, young lady," he smiled, then followed them as Will led the way to the Officers Mess Hall so she could meet the other officers.
As they walked along, Billie's eyes were wide as they took in every tiny detail, and smelled the fresh paint and the smell of new things. The Officers Mess Hall was a long dinning room, and seven men, all dressed to perfection in their uniforms, smiled as their Chief Officer walked in with his young daughter.
"Gentlemen, may I introduce my pride and joy that is my daughter, Miss Billie Charlize Murdoch?" Will smiled.
The other men bowed, and one by one, Will introduced them.
"This is Captain Smith, Uncle Charles is First Officer Second Officer David Blair, Third Officer Herbert Pitman, Fourth Officer Joseph Boxhall, Fifth Officer Harry Lowe, and our Sixth Officer is James Moody," he introduced, and they all smiled.
As he led Billie away to look around some time later, James Moody had an odd look on his face.
"Something wrong, James?" Asked Harry.
"Yeah. It's Will's daughter. I feel like there was some kind of connection between me and her. Like I wanted to protect her and love her at the same time," he said.
Harry looked at him, appalled. "James! She's half your age, for goodness sake! If she was closer to your age, I'd be more understandable of it, if not for the fact that you're a respectable officer," he said, before saying, "Whatever you do, don't say a word to Will, or he'll have you drawn and quartered for breakfast."
"Slow down mate, I meant like a brother, not a lover," said James.
"Oh," said Harry, very embarrassed, causing James to laugh heartily.
PAGE BREAK
17th April, 1912
The morning began as usual. Billie and her mother had been staying where Titanic had been in port before the Sea Trials, and were now back home in Dalbeattie, in the Lowlands of Scotland.
"Good morning, Mother," said Billie.
"Good morning, darling," Ada said, from behind her morning paper.
"Any news of survivors in the Officers Ranks on the Titanic?" Billie asked, and her mother said, "Well, Captain Smith went down with her, but I'm sure that," she broke off and then let out a scream of "NO!" before she burst into a fit of sobs.
"Mama?" she asked, coming over and taking the paper. On the right page was a colum of the names of officers:
Captain E. J. Smith- Perished
Chief Officer H. Wild- Perished
1st Officer W. Murdoch- Perished
2nd Officer C. Lightoller- Survived
3rd Officer H. Pitman- Survived
4th Officer J. Boxhall- Survived
5th Officer H. Lowe- Survived
6th Officer J. Moody- Perished
When Billie read her father's name in the list of those who had died, she too put her head down and burst into a fit of sobs, as well.
AN: Well, my fans, hope you enjoyed this opening to my newest story. The next chapter takes place some years later. Please review, and I'll write the next chapter.