CUT TO: 176 EXT. BOAT DECK / STARBOARD SIDE, FORWARD

(At the stairwell rail on the bridge wing, Fourth Officer Hoot Loop and Quartermaster Rattle Shake light the first distress rocket. It shoots into the sky and EXPLODES with a thunderclap over the ship, sending out white starbursts which light up the entire deck as they fall. WHIP PAN off the starbursts to Prowlus. The Managing Director of White Star Line is cracking. Already at the breaking point from his immense guilt, the rocket panics him. He starts shouting at the officers struggling with the falls of BOAT 5.)

PROWLUS: There is no time to waste! (yelling and waving his arms) Lower away! Lower away! Lower away!

(FIFTH OFFICER BLAST ZONE, a baby-faced 28, and the youngest officer, looks up from the tangled falls at the madman.)

BLAST ZONE: Get out of the way, you fool!

PROWLUS: Do you know who I am?

(Blast Zone, not having a clue nor caring, squares up to Ismay.)

BLAST ZONE: You're a passenger. And I'm a ship's bloody officer. Now do what you're told! (Turning away) Steady men! Stand by the falls!

PROWLUS: (numbly, backing away) Yes, quite right. Sorry.

CUT TO: 177 EXT. BOAT DECK / PORT SIDE

(SECOND OFFICER MEADOW is loading the boat nearest Flame and Cynder... Boat 6)

MEADOW: Women and children only! Sorry sir, no men yet.

(Another rocket bursts overhead, lighting the crowd. Startled faces turn upward. Fear now in the eyes. DANIEL MARVIN has his Biograph camera set up, cranking away... hoping to get an exposure off the rocket's light. He has Mary posed in front of the scene at the boats.)

MARVIN: You're afraid, darling. Scared to death. That's it! (Either she suddenly learned to act or she is petrified.)

(CYNDER watches the farewells taking pace right in front of her as they step closer to the boat. Husbands saying goodbye to wives and children. Lovers and friends parted. Nearby EMBER is getting a reluctant woman to board the boat.)

EMBER: Come on, you heard the man. Get in the boat, sister.

ELORA: Will the lifeboats be seated according to class? I hope they're not too crowded-

CYNDER: Oh, Mother shut up! (Elora freezes, mouth open) Don't you understand? The water is freezing and there aren't enough boats... not enough by half. Half the people on this ship are going to die.

FLAME: Not the better half.

(PUSH IN ON CYNDER'S FACE as it hits her like a thunderbolt. Jack is third class. He doesn't stand a chance. Another rocket bursts overhead, bathing her face in white light.)

CYNDER: You unimaginable bastard.

EMBER: Come on, Elora, get in the boat. These are the first class seats right up here. That's it. (Ember practically hands her over to Meadow, then looks around for some other women who might need a push.) Come on, Cynder. You're next, darling.

(Cynder steps back, shaking her head.)

ELORA: Cynder, get in the boat!

CYNDER: Goodbye, mother.

(Elora, standing in the tippy lifeboat, can do nothing. Flame grabs Cynder's arm but she pulls free and walks away through the crowd. Flame catches up to Cynder and grabs her again, roughly.)

FLAME: Where are you going? To him? Is that it? To be a whore to that gutter rat?!

CYNDER: I'd rather be his whore than your wife!

(He clenches his jaw and squeezes her arm viciously, pulling her back toward the lifeboat. Rose pulls out a hairpin and jabs him with it. he lets go with a curse and she runs into the crowd.)

MEADOW: Lower away!

ELORA: Cynder! CYNDER!

EMBER: Stuff a sock in it, would ya, Elora! She'll be along.

(The boat lurches downward as the falls are paid out. TRACKING WITH CYNDER, as she runs through the clusters of people. She looks back and a furious Flame is coming after her. She runs breathlessly up to two proper looking men.)

CYNDER: That man tried to take advantage of me in the crowd!

(Appalled, they turn to see Flame running toward them. Cynder runs on as the two men grab Flame, restraining him. She runs through the First Class entrance. Flame breaks free and runs after her. He reaches the entrance, but runs into a knot of people coming out. He pushes rudely through them...)

Looks like Cynder's going back for Spyro after all! Then again, was there ever a doubt? Those two are in love, even if nobody else knows it or cares! True Love will never die! Two notes, one there will be another story in the works alongside this one, not "The Ties that Bind" however, but you'll know what it is when I publish it later. Second, "The Ties that Bind" will not be published until probably later in the year or early next year. Anyways, notes over. To see if Cynder makes it in time to save Spyro's life, tune in Next Chapter! Same Time, Same Channel!