Sunday night, approximately 11:45 p.m., April 14th aboard the RMS Titanic
A slight bump woke Winnei from a light sleep. She was beginning to get tired of being woken up in the middle of the night.
She tried to sit up but was stopped by an arm circled around her waist. She squinted over at Harry who was fast asleep beside her in peaceful content. She laughed as she shimmied her way out of his arms; it was better to let him sleep.
She stood up and stretched, looking at the clock. It was 11:46 now. She was already awake so it was no use trying to go back to sleep. She decided she might as well do something to keep her busy until the morning, or at least until Harry woke up.
She put on a spare pair of Harry's pajamas and a long robe. She hoped not many people were out; she could stand looking unacceptable if she was by herself but not if it could affect Harry's reputation as well.
She brought along Oliver Twist, though unsure if she could read it without a lamp of some kind, and slipped out of the room. She walked forward and came upon the entrance to the wheel house, where she observed closely.
The Captain and who she assumed to be one of the senior officers were speaking together, their backs to her. She refrained from going closer in fear of someone seeing her, and yet.
"Can I help you with anything?" a voice said from behind her.
Winnie whipped around to be faced with a fairly tall man with dark hair and grey eyes. He looked down at her with an eyebrow raised but his eyes were friendly. Winnie decided he would've been intimidating if not for the fact that he only had his nighties on.
"Oh!" Winnie said. She found it hard to think of a lie when she was looking someone in the eye. "I was just looking for…a ladies room. I wasn't sure if I was allowed to go in the officer's bathroom since…you're all men."
The man nodded, not seeming to be all the way convinced though. "But you shouldn't be in the officer's quarters at all," he said, giving her a mixed look. "Who exactly are you?"
"I'm Winifred…Lowe. Harold's wife," Winnie answered, hoping that the name drop could get her out of the conversation.
The man's eyes widened in recognition. "Oh! Harold's wife! Of course." He became aware that he was in his nighties and smiled lamely. "You're free to use the officer's bathroom, but if you do feel uncomfortable, I can call a steward to escort you to the 1st class lavatories."
Winnie, seeing he would no longer be a problem, smiled back. "Oh, it's fine. I was just wondering about that bump I felt. It wasn't much but this is a boat. Is it something to worry about?"
"Probably nothing,ma'am" a voice piped up. Another man, a bit shorter with darker hair and eyes, walked up to them, giving a respectful nod to the man and Winnie. "I'm Officer Pitman," he said, shaking Winnie's hand. "And you're likely Mrs. Lowe. Nice to finally meet you. I've been meaning to ask Harold about you but we're not on shift together."
"And I'm Second Officer Lightroller," the other man added, also shaking Winnie's hand.
"Nice to meet you both," Winnie said. She glanced back to the bridge where the captain and officer were still talking. "Are we sure it's nothing?"
"Yes, it's probably just ice," Lightroller answered. He gave her a smile. "It's late, Mrs. Lowe. You should head back to bed."
Winnie nodded, giving one last wave before heading back to her room. Harry was still fast asleep as she opened the door, slipping in and trying to find her way around in the dark. Although she believed the impact was probably nothing much, she couldn't help but remember the ship from 1906; a merchant vessel headed to Russia.
She had stowed away in a barrel in hopes of making it out of Scotland, but the very next day, the boat had sunk. Luckily they weren't too far off shore and Winnie was able to escape partially unharmed.
She knew that couldn't happen with Titanic; it was a stronger, sturdier ship than the merchant ship, but she couldn't help but to feel nervous.
She let out a shaky sigh, tiptoeing over to where she kept her clothes. She didn't have many, since they all came from dresses Harry had found in storage. They were backups just in case something happened to someone's dress. Nothing ever did.
This outfit however, was different from others Harry had brought her. She had thought, at first, that it was a skirt; albeit oddly shaped. She was surprised to find that they were pants, of some sort, very large and baggy pants, when she had put both of her legs in the same pant hole .
She chuckled to herself as she readjusted, slipping on the pants correctly and shimmying into the shirt connected to it. It was more comfortable than the tight corset dresses she had been forcing herself in to.
She glanced at the clock to find it was only a quarter after twelve and she was wide awake. A range of voices broke out from far off but because of the sheer magnitude of people that had began filing out onto the deck it reached into the room.
Harry began to stir. Winnie glanced out the window and saw many passengers began filing out from inside, dressed in lifejackets.
Her heart began to pound.
Something was wrong.
"Winnie," Harry called. She turned to find that he had sat up and was beginning to throw off the blankets. "Winnie, what's going on? What's wrong?"
"I don't know," Winnie answered. She bit her lip harshly. "Everyone's wearing lifebelts."
Harry's eyes widened and all at once he was very awake. He shot up, dressing as quick as he could. Winnie assisted in anyway she could but she wasn't much use.
"I've got to go on deck," he said. "Put on a lifebelt and meet me up there." He pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead before running out of the room. Winnie stood in shock for a moment. Her breath quickened as she heard people speaking outside.
"What's happened?" the voice of a woman asked. She assumed it was a steward. "She's hit an iceberg," another voice answered back; it sounded familiar. "I'm afraid she hasn't got a chance."
An audible gasp came from the woman before their voices faded further down the hall. Winnie swallowed. If the ship was sinking…that meant she had to get the hell off.
Steeling her shoulders and grabbing the newsboy cap she had had on when she first boarded, Winnie marched out the door and onto the deck. It was surprisingly orderly considering the circumstances, but she assumed most people didn't realize the magnitude of the situation.
"Women and children!" the strong voice of Officer Lightroller shouted as he stood near the first lifeboat. It had been uncovered and was now housing five annoyed ladies. "Will we be back for breakfast?" a middle aged woman sporting a large hat asked.
The officer shrugged. "I do as I'm told; and right now they're telling me to load the passengers."
The woman sighed in exasperation, waving her hand as she maneuvered her way into the boat through her many layers of skirt. Winnie ran up to him and tugged on his shoulder. He turned and raised his eyebrows.
"Mrs. Lowe! You should get on the boat. I'm sure Harold will be along sometime after he helps."
Winnie didn't understand why he was being so casual. "Officer Lightroller," she began, her eyes wide, "Don't you know what's happened?"
Lightroller shrugged again. "I was given an order to get passengers ready on deck because of the bump; just safety precautions I assume. Until we find out what's happened."
Winnie shook her head, her mouth open in disbelief. "No! The Captain's already found out what's happened." She looked around for fear of spooking the passengers, grabbing hold of his tie and pulling him closer. "The ship hit an iceberg!" she whispered through clenched teeth. "She'll sink soon."
Lightroller's eyes widened. He pulled away, squinting at her. "That can't be!" he snapped. "This ship can't be sunk."
Winnie shook her head again, regarding him with pitying eyes. "Nothing's unsinkable. So you've got to get these passengers into the boats and fast. It's urgent!"
Lightroller looked conflicted for a moment. He backed away, shaking his head. "It's impossible!" he muttered.
"Go ask the captain!" Winnie said, pointing to the bridge where the captain was overlooking. "But be quick!"
Lightroller all but sprinted over to the captain. Winnie didn't hear their conversation but judging from the look he had when he came back, the captain had told him the truth.
Stopping next to her, Lightroller was quiet for a moment. He took in a shaky breath, then exhaled. Winnie watched in anticipation.
"Ok," he said. He cleared his throat, nodding to Winnie as he stepped forward. "Hey!" he shouted to the crewmen assisting women on the boat. "It's 65 per boat! I had better see every one of these boats filled to capacity! Spread that order! And do it quick"
The crewmen looked confused but nodded, ushering the women and children in at a quicker rate.
Lightroller gave Winnie a strained smile. "You had better get on one before it gets harder."
Winnie hummed in agreement, turning to leave.
"And Winnie," he called. She looked back over her shoulder.
"Thank you."
Winnie grinned, waving her hand. "Good luck, Officer."
She jogged off, thanking the stars she had worn pants instead of one of those tight dresses. It was around 12: 40 and she came upon the starboard side of the ship where the first lifeboat was beginning to be lowered.
"Wait!" a crewman shouted. He jogged up to the officer who gave him an exasperated look. "What?"
"Officer Lightroller's sent out an order," the crewman answered. "All boats are to be filled to absolute capacity; 65 per boat."
The officer furrowed his eyebrows. "What's he on about? That's too risky for a drill. Do you know how dangerous that could be if someone stands up?"
The crewman leaned in, his eyes wide. "I heard the captain talking to some of the watchmen. That iceberg really did her in. I think we're sinking."
The officer mirrored his expression. "You mean…?"
The crewman nodded.
The officer coughed, just as Lightroller had, turning to the people about to lower the boat. "You heard him, lads. Maximum capacity. Not a person less or a person more. And be careful getting her down."
Winnie headed off again, this time in search of Harry. It was around 11:50 now and people were becoming a bit more antsy.
"Has something happened?" a small child asked her father as they waited in line to get on the lifeboats. "I don't know," the father answered.
"Women and children!" an officer called.
The sounds had begun to morphe together. Winnie felt overwhelmed.
"Fill it to capacity!"
"What about my husband!"
"What's happened?"
"What about my luggage!"
"This is preposterous!"
"Women and children!"
"Lower away!"
"Look at that; the ship's tilting!"
A scream.
"Dear God, what's happening?"
"Harry," Winnie called in an uneven voice.
"We're going to die!"
"You have to let my husband on too!"
"Stay back!"
"Lower away! Lower away! Lower away! Lower away!"
Winnie recognized him as Mr. Ismay. She detested that man.
"If you will get to hell out of that I shall be able to do something."
She recognized that voice as well.
"Harry!" she shouted in a strangled voice. It seemed as though everything fell away. Her breath was quickening, her heart as well. She couldn't stop bumping into people, couldn't hear over the shouts.
There was no reply from Mr. Ismay.
"Do you want me to lower away quickly?" Harry demanded to Mr. Ismay, not noticing Winnie in the crowd. "You will have me drown the whole lot of them."
He was referring to the lifeboat filled almost to capacity, which in that boat was who Winnie assumed to be Officer Boxhall.
Mr. Ismay grumbled to himself as he left to another boat. The other lifeboat was lowered into the sea. Seeing that it was safe out of the air, Harry turned away. He spotted Winnie who was leaned up against a capstan, a hand holding her forehead.
He rushed over to her, taking her by the shoulders. "Winnie!"
She cracked open her eyes and gasped. "Harry!"
She too took his shoulders, staring up at him. "Harry, the ship's sinking!"
"I know," he answered. "You have to get out of here! You have to get on to a lifeboat!"
He pressed his forehead to hers, staring into her eyes like he had done the night before.
"Not without you," she answered.
It was cold and the people were shouting; the sound of the band played in the distance to the hymn of Nearer My God to Thee.
"You have to go!" Harry insisted. Winnie shook her head desperately, tears forming in her eyes. "I can't leave!" she said. "I can't leave you here. You have to get on with me."
"Get back!" a voice shouted. "Get back you lot!"
A group of crewmen was attempting to push back a group of steerage passengers who had made their way up to the boat deck.
"Winnie-"
He was cut off as head shot up towards the group. "Fred?" she called. "Leonard?"
The two men were standing in the crowd along with the man she had met from Totnes. She saw a lot of faces she recognized; from England.
"Hey!"
She broke away from Harry and stormed towards the crewmembers. "Why can't they get on?"
"It's women and children only!" one of the seamen snapped. "Captain's orders!"
"Captain's orders my left arse cheek!" Leonard shouted. "We've got a right to live just as much as anyone else!"
"Once all the women and children are on board, then we'll start loading the men," another crewmember answered.
"The ship'll be sunk by then!" Fred cried. "Give us a chance!"
"Do you think we want to do this!" yet another man yelled. "They've got us keeping you lot at bay, and what's to happen once all the lifeboats are taken by everyone else, what's to happen to us? We'll be the last to die on the damn ship!"
"That is enough, seamen!" Harry shouted from Winnie's side. All eyes turned to him. "Are we not trying to save everyone in an orderly manner?"
When there was no response he continued.
"By God! All of us are men! Don't run around and be frightened like children! It's our duty as men to help the women and children! So be men! And do what is right!"
Though reluctant, the men subsided in their fight. They stood in silence, glancing at each other.
"Fred, Leonard," Winnie said.
Their eyes lit up in recognition.
"Winnie," Fred whispered.
The two of them pushed their way to the front. Harry stood antsily by her side. "Winnie, you have to get off the boat," he said through clenched teeth.
"Not without you," Winnie snapped. "And not without them."
Harry let out a long sigh. "Captain's order are-"
"Officer Lowe!" another man came to run up alongside of him. "There's trouble at 14 and 16!"
Harry groaned; he did a lot of groaning this night. He glanced at Leonard and Fred. "Can you row? Can you two row?"
They both nodded.
"My father taught me to row when-" Fred was cut off.
"I don't care!" Harry snapped. "You want to live? Then come with me."
Both didn't mind his tone; they followed him as he ran to the lifeboats, meeting Officer Moody at no.14. There was a crowd of people, mostly immigrants, shoving and shoutin in different languages. Moody and some other crewmen were trying to keep them at bay.
Harry joined the fray, pushing back as well. "How many boats have you set out, Lowe?" Moody asked in a strained voice. Even though it was cold, sweat still stained his brow and neck.
"I've seen five go away," Harry answered. He ushered Winnie towards the boat. "Get in, Winnie. And you two!" He called to Fred and Leonard who had been standing back in fear of retribution. "Get in as well. You'll row with me."
"Get back!" Moody was yelling the whole time.
"An officer should go in one of these boats," Harry mentioned, seeing that Winnie had made her way into the boat. It was nearly full with all women save for Fred, Leonard and a few seamen.
"Who will it be, Officer Moody? You or me?"
"You go; I will get in another boat," Moody answered.
Without another word Harry stepped to the head of the boat. The crowd has subsided a bit more.
"Lower away!" Moody boat began to lower. A boy scrambled in right as the first rope jostled.
Winnie made a split decision, knowing he would be thrown out the minute Harry realized he had made his way in. She ushered him in under her, hushing the women who had witnessed the ordeal.
"You had better be quiet or we'll both be in trouble," Winnie mumbled to him.
"He's probably cold," a young woman beside her whispered. "Here; take this." She passed a thin shawl made out of what looked to be wool.
Winnie nodded gratefully, slipping it to the boy. Both women scooted closer together to hide him.
Everyone was quiet.
As the boat was lowered past B deck, they came upon a large group of passengers. It was eerily silent as the boat started to pass. The men, seemingly foreign, watched the boat with desperate eyes.
Winnie maintained eye contact with them. She felt an awful pain in her stomach as if a knife had been plunged. She bit her lip, her grip tightening on her pants to stop herself from reaching out.
"Look out!" Harry shouted. Winnie was snapped from within herself. She stifled a cry as a shot was fired. She didn't see where it went, or whom it may have hit. She heard the frightened shouts of people from all over the ship.
They passed the B and C deck when the last of three shots was fired. The men backed away from the rail. It was silent again.
Harry sat down next to Winnie, taking her hand and rubbing it in between his. She remained stiff, feeling the boy shaking under her. She prayed Harry wouldn't notice. She hated to lie but it was her nature.
One of the ropes on the aft side stopped lowering while the bow continued. The stern began to dangle, sending the women in the boat into a panic. Shouts were heard from the top of the ship and then a snap.
The boat went plummeting down to the water, which, thankfully, was only three or four feet away from the surface.
There was a splash and a crack, but they had made it. Harry stood back up. "Okay men, this is what you're here for. Row!"
Leonard and Fred and the few other men that had been allowed to come along picked up the oars and started to row. Harry took hold of one as well.
"There's a leak!" a woman near the rear of the boat said. There were more frightened cries.
"Handle it!" Harry shouted, unable to do anything but row.
"Put your clothes over it to stop the flow!" Winnie suggested.
Water began to seep in, covering most of the floor.
The women did as they were told and the water subsided. Harry stood at the front of the boat droning on and on, beat after beat, "Row, row!" Winnie knew it was necessary but it grew more awful the more she heard it.
It was cold, deathly cold, in the middle of the Atlantic. It seemed as if the icebergs had all come together and were blowing their ice onto them. She was shivering despite the coat she had gotten from her room earlier. She could feel the boy under her shivering too. She wished she could help but knew the trouble she would be in if he knew she had stowed him away.
Although no one else was talking it seemed that the air was filled with noise. The boat's sound still echoed in the night, piercing the ocean's mute favour. Winnie had her back to the ship but she still flinched every time she heard a scream.
When she was still on board everything had been orderly and quiet; but now screams rang from on board. A few crackling explosions mixed in. She could only imagine what it was like.
It was times like these she was thankful she hadn't just stayed in steerage. What if she had; hid with the animals until tonight, no one knowing she existed. The gates would have been locked…she would have been trapped. One of the first to die.
More screams.
They were about a hundred and fifty yards away from the ship by the time Harry ordered the men to stop rowing.
It was still not truly silent.
Winnie finally turned around and what she saw made her gasp. The ship was just splitting in half, the stern high in the air and the bow completely submerged. It groaned a deep, heavy moan. There were more screams as the lights flickered out. It was dark.
Winnie's eyes adjusted slowly but she didn't have time before a crash was heard. She felt the ripple from where she was.
When she was finally able to see, the boat was gone. The sea seemed empty.
It was not silent.
The screams of people in the water seemed to reach out and pull Winnie in. She was drowning in the far away sounds. She was useless in the ocean. She was useless on the boat. She was useless.
"We ought to go back," Fred piped up. It was the first thing he had said since he left the ship.
"No," Harry answered in a firm voice. "Do you know how many people are in the water right now?" He shook his head sadly. "We'd be swamped and then we'd all drown. It's better to wait awhile; if anyone makes it out this far we'll be sure to pick them up."
Winnie didn't have the heart to argue. She had always credited herself for being exceptionally strong but tonight all of her energy, her spark, her attitude; they had all been washed away. She felt hollow.
There was a whistle close by from another lifeboat.
"We had better meet up with some of the others," Harry answered. He turned back to the men. "Ready about!"
The boat was turned in the direction of the incoming lifeboats. And "Rowe!"
It was only a few minutes before they met. The rowing stopped with a final "Way enough!"
Harry stepped forward and squinted in the dark. "Who's commanding?" he demanded.
"Quartermaster Walter Perkins in Lifeboat 4, sir," the first said.
"Seaman Edward Buley in Lifeboat 10, sir," the second said.
"Seaman John Poingdestre in Lifeboat 12, sir," the third said.
"Quartermaster Arthur Bright in Collapsible D, sir," the fourth said.
Once they were all accounted for Harry turned back to his passengers. "Alright, I want all the women and anyone who's injured out of this boat and into the others!" he ordered.
"You had better go," she whispered to the boy beneath her. As people began to get up, he stood up with the woman who offered him her shawl. "Put it over your head," she said. "And keep your head down. Don't you make eye contact or who knows what might happen."
It wasn't until Winnie saw them both safely to the other boat that another man was caught. The cloth over another man's head was ripped off as he tried to sneak in. Harry glowered at the man as he held the shawl in his hands. "How dare you!" he snapped. "Get in!"
He hurled the man into the boat. Winnie was glad it wasn't the same for the other boy.
Everyone was transferred but Winnie stayed in the boat. Harry turned to her, holding out a hand. "You have to go too," he said, his tone softer than with the others.
Winnie shook her head. "Harry, I can help. I know how to row and swim, if need be. Let me go with you!"
They stared into each other's eyes for what felt like an eternity. She was stubborn, but she didn't know if he was more.
In the end, it was her to look away.
"Winnie," he said, sitting beside her, not minding the people watching them. "It's dangerous back there, and if anything ever happened to you, I…I don't know what I would do. If you stayed back here, where it's safe, you could take care of the women here. These sailors don't have as soft a touch as you do."
Winnie sighed, nodding. She knew it was his job and one thing she promised herself, even when romantic feelings weren't involved, was that she would never interfere. The ship had sunk, people were drowning and freezing. She was a stowaway and had taken up an additional seat in the boat; one a paying passenger could have had.
Perhaps if she wasn't there, another person could have lived. So it was better not to jeopardize anymore lives.
She stood up, steadying herself without any help. "Okay," she said, her eyes lowered. She stepped over to the other boat, sitting beside the boy she had snuck in. Harry watched her the whole way.
The screaming had quieted down a bit, making it safer to go back. Lifeboat 14 pushed away and began to row back to the remnants of Titanic.
"Winnie!" Harry called as she began to turn away. She looked back.
He put a hand over his heart and smiled. She did the same.
I love you.
They were gone into the night with only the echoes of "Row" to let others know they were there. Winnie watched until she couldn't see any farther.
The people onboard were silent. They couldn't help but listen to the thinning cries of drowning people. It was unreal; fictional even. Death was a part of life but to be surrounded by so much of it was…
Winnie tried to slow her breathing. She scrunched the fabric of her pants into fists until she thought her knuckles might shatter from pressure.
A hand found hers in the dark boat. She looked over to see the boy she had saved. He gave her a small smile, squeezing her hand. "My mum used to tell me angels were prettiest at night," he whispered. "I think all those people are hurting now, but they'll get a beautiful sight once it stops."
Winnie managed a laugh. "I like that," she said. She gave the boy's hand a squeeze in return. "I like that a lot."
The boats rowed together as they heard a faint whistle in the distance. It seemed to be not far off but it would take a few minutes to get there. With the combined help of the few crewmembers aboard they made their way to the whistle.
A boat drifted capsized with a number of men clinging on to it. On top was a man Winnie knew by name.
"It's Officer Lightroller," the seaman at the front of the boat muttered in disbelief.
They rowed closer with the encouragement of the seaman, and were soon dragging about twenty five people aboard, distributing them between boats 4 and 12. The rescued passengers were shivering so hard Winnie feared they might die.
"Here," she said to one of the disheveled looking men, handing him the coat she had kept on since she left her room. The man nodded in thanks, bundling himself up in it as soon as he grasped it.
"How long have you been out here, sir?" the seaman asked Lightroller, who had been given someone else's spare shawl. "Awhile," he answered. "Since before she went up. We couldn't get her back up the right way so we had to make due. We did what we could."
He seemed unwilling to converse but Winnie understood. The passengers made room for him to sit and rest for awhile. Meanwhile, the two boats rowed towards an incoming light, assumed to be a ship.
Flares were sent up from multiple locations. Winnie's ears ached from the cold ocean air. The chill of the newly rescued mens' bodies seemed to radiate onto her until she too started to shiver.
She couldn't help but to think of Harry; how he was doing, if he had found many people. She knew they waited too long. Even though it was a precaution she felt terrible thinking they had robbed people of their lives.
She breathed in and then out.
"Look up at the sky and see the world around," a far off voice whispered into her ear. It was the voice of her mother.
She looked up into the night, at the clear stars above her. They were specks; dots even, like little milk drops in the vast sky.
She breathed in and out again.
"In my arms, rest complete. I never thought that life could ever be so sweet, till I met you some time ago, but now you know I love you."
She hummed it quietly, still gazing up at the stars. She imagined Harry next to her, embracing her like he had the night before. She imagined him whispering into her ear, about their future, about what would happen once they docked in New York. He spoke about the little house he had spotted when he was sailing, of the stone cottage on the cliffs. He whispered of how much he loved her, how glad he was to have found her.
The ocean didn't feel too cold anymore.
It was still dark but the sky had turned a different shade of black that cast the smallest amount of light over the ocean. Winnie guessed it was around four or five in the morning, based on how long they had been drifting. She knew for a fact it had been almost twelve when the ship hit the iceberg.
The light on the horizon had come closer to reveal a large ship headed their way. A flare was sent up as the ship came close to the wreckage. Winnie squinted to see lifeboats headed to the ship. Theirs and number four seemed to be the farthest from the ship.
Officer Lightroller, who had regained himself, sat at the front of the boat to direct its direction. He pointed towards the ship. "Alright, men! There's your target! If you want to get out of this damned ocean, you had better rowe with all you can muster!"
A series of agreeing noises swept through the passengers.
"Now row!"
The far off ship served as a sign of hope and a joint effort resonated throughout all people on board. Everyone pitched in as much as they could to help move the boat faster. It was excruciatingly painful watching the boats be plucked from the water and passengers brought up while they stayed in the boat.
For a moment Winnie entertained the idea of them being the only ones not rescued; that the boat would sail off without ever seeing them.
But lifeboat 12 reached the ship sometime near eight in the morning. It was a gruelling boarding; most passengers had to climb up ladders to get in. That was hard for some whose feet were numb from the freezing ocean.
Winnie was one of the last to board after seeing the boy she had harbored was safely up the ladder. She started up with a shaky step. Officer Lightroller held the ladder below, to which she was thankful for, but every step felt as if her leg was going to fall off.
She shook with each movement. Her muscles were weak, her head light. But she knew what she felt was nothing compared to others; men who had been lifted in slings because their legs were so frostbitten they could crack.
It seemed like forever but she finally made it. The crew of the ship grabbed her by the arms and pulled her onto deck. Her knees buckled underneath her and she nearly collapsed but a strong arm circled around her.
Winnie looked up to see Harry's worried face staring down at hers. He was saying something but she couldn't seem to hear him. It all seemed a mix of cries and shouts. It morphed together in a deafening chorus of misery.
She looked around, seeing the passengers huddling together or standing alone, desperately searching for their loved ones. She saw mothers collapse when they didn't see their children, wives scream as they didn't find their husbands.
She looked back up to Harry, his lips still moving. She reached a tired hand to his cheek.
And then she cried. The tears came in waves, drowning her as she sobbed. She gasped for air, clinging to Harry's shirt, her eyes looking over the crowd frantically. It was so small. So small.
There had been nearly two thousand people on the Titanic. And most of them were gone.
She cried for them and she cried with them. She cried for all the people who once had life. All the humans who had stories, who had lives that they lived to their full extent. She cried for the hope they had had when they first stepped on, no matter how much money they had. She cried for what they had once been and what they were now; bodies under the sea.
She cried for their loved ones's loss; the looks of misery they would have as they realized they hadn't made it.
She cried for the loss of hope.
The loss of love.
The loss of dreams.