*Twenty-One*
Running For Life Itself
Zipper raced the halls, searching for a way out. When she couldn't find any. She started to panic. She had studied this ship for years. She knew every deck, every crevice, every lift. But now, water and gates locked her in.
Cora passed out before too long. Zipper immediately thought the worst, she sat down with Cora. The water was only a couple inches high here. She laid the child on the floor, cradled in her arms.
She picked up Cora's tiny wrist and felt for a pulse. Tears of joy streamed down her face when she felt one. The faint heartbeat, a sign of the absolute cold. This little girl had suffered more than anyone should every suffer. She knew there was still more to come.
"Cora." She whispered, rubbing her fingers over the child's cheek. "Come on, I need you to wake up sweetheart."
She looked down the hall to see the water rushing around the corner. She knew their time was limited. She picked up Cora. Wrapping both arms tightly around the child.
She found another entrance to the crew passage. This one not as flooded. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Though, every step was excruciating because of the cold water.
She ran up and up the stairs. Knowing this was the only way she could go, but not knowing exactly where this particular passage led.
"Thank God." She exclaimed when she saw it led to one of the kitchens. Cora still wouldn't wake up. Zipper kept talking to her. She had to live, she just had to. "Please wake up, Cora. It's going to be okay. You'll go to America. And you'll find someone to care for you. Please wake up."
She didn't slow down at all while she spoke to Cora. She kept up her pace. Hoping to get Cora to a lifeboat. She slammed open the doors. She looked around. The area was empty, but at least she was making some improvement. She stood in the first class dining lounge.
Zipper hugged Cora tighter. "We're almost to the boats, okay?" Cora made no reply. But Zipper could still hear her breathing.
She raced up the grand stair case. Finally arriving at the top, she had to rest. Her legs hurt, her body ached. She knew she was far above the water now. But there was still no time to waste.
She sat the child down one more time. She rubbed her hands over Cora's thin arms. Trying to warm her up. Finally and very slowly, Cora's eyes fluttered open.
"Cora! Cora! Thank God!" Zipper exclaimed. She hugged Cora tightly.
She was seated at the top of the staircase. By the banister. She heard footsteps behind her.
She turned to see Cal. Thoroughly angry, and upset. But not with her she realized quickly. She looked down the stairs. Rose and Jack were in each other's arms again.
"Why did you do that?" He asked, kissing her deeply between words. "You're so stupid Rose! Why did you do that? You're so stupid."
"You jump, I jump right?" She laughed a little. Remembering the night he had saved her from suicide.
These were words Jack wanted to hear. "Right." He smiled. Taking her in a loving embrace.
Zipper looked from them back to Cal. He leaned over the banister. His pride ruling over him. Lovejoy glared at her as he approached Cal.
Cal on the other hand hadn't even realized Zipper and Cora were there. She watched as Lovejoy broke Cal's grip on the banister. And began to lead him away.
She hoped the movie would change. She hoped Cal would just walk on. Swallow his pride. She should have known better than that.
Cal reached inside Lovejoy's pocket. Grabbing the pistol and heading after the two lovers on the lower level.
"Jack, Look out!" Zipper exclaimed.
Jack turned his attention to Cal. Fear raced through him when he saw the gun. Cal fired off the first shot. Jack pulled Rose out of the range of fire. Instead the bullet hit a ornate decoration at the bottom of the banister.
Cal looked at Zipper in a brief moment of fury. But continued the pursuit.
The gunshots had frightened Cora. So Zipper rocked with her, calming her down slightly.
"Zipper, why am I in this place?" Cora asked looking around at the splendor. "What's going to happen?"
"I don't know." Zipper said, sounding defeated. "I just don't know."
Spicer Lovejoy walked over to her. He loomed over her like a threat. "Why can't you just keep your mouth shut?" He demanded.
Twice she had spoken against him to help Jack. She would do it again, if need be. She looked up at him sternly. She leaned Cora against the banister. Then slowly she stood to face him.
"I'm not afraid of you, Mr. Lovejoy." She spoke defiantly.
"You should be." He said in a menacing voice. "And you have that trash from steerage up here. What are you thinking? You deserve whatever fate you get. And I'm sure it won't be a good one."
His voice was so cold. Full of hatred and anger. His eyes were hard, not a hint of emotion showed in them.
"Shut up!" She spat back. "The ship is sinking and you're worried about class? Your mother did a real bang-up job in bringing you into the world, let me tell you Mr. Lovejoy."
He stared at her hard a long moment. Then violently slapped him across the face. She immediately felt the painful sting. Her hand went reflexively to her cheek.
"Let that be lesson number one." He said, he turned to leave. When he heard a gun cock behind him. Slowly he turned to his attacker.
"Lovejoy, I believe that was uncalled for. The Rosenbergs won't be happy about this." The older gentleman said, holding the gun to Lovejoy.
"You mean, if you can tell them, McDonald." He said staring into Frank's eyes.
Frank's duty was to watch over Zipper. And so he had been through the entire voyage. Though, he never let her know it until then.
Zipper sank back to the floor, watching the two guards call each other out. She wrapped her arms around Cora. Who shook from fright and the cold.
Before Zipper could even realize what was happening. Lovejoy had kicked Frank in the wrist. Sending the gun into the air. Frank watched it and reached for it. Both he and Lovejoy grabbed it at the same time. Now it was a matter of strength.
Lovejoy had more training. He was younger too. They stared into each other's cold eyes. As their hands fought for the gun. Slowly Lovejoy overpowered Frank. Turning the gun towards. Frank's stomach.
"Don't, please!" Zipper begged. She started to stand.
"Michaela stay there!" Frank warned.
The pistol fired. Zipper and Cora screamed in unison. She wasn't sure who had shot who. Then slowly Frank's body fell to the floor. Lovejoy tucked the gun away in his pocket. Then, descended the stairs. Not saying a word.
Cora kept screaming and crying. Zipper's sobs rose into her throat. As she looked at her lifeless guard.
She turned away.
"Michaela." She heard a weak voice behind her.
She spun around, then dropped to her knees beside the guard. She lifted his head in her lap. Blood dripped from his nose and mouth. She knew he was internally wounded.
Another sob began to form a lump in her throat. "Frank, You're alive. We're going to get you out of here, okay?" She asked, knowing that was impossible. She had seen enough western movies and medical shows in 2003 to know this was bad.
"No, no. You have t-" His words were faint and barely audible. He moaned a little with pain. But didn't show that he was afraid. "get the little girl-" He coughed up blood. "You've made me so proud, Michaela." He smiled at her. She forced a smile back, though she was in absolute grief.
"Save her, and yourself. It's been an honor being your friend and guar-" He couldn't finished the sentence. His eyelids slowly closed as his last breath was released.
She hugged his body, getting the blood all over her gown. She slowly lowered his head onto the carpet. He died for her. How could she live knowing that? Of course, at that moment she didn't know what her own fate was. Perhaps she would meet up with Frank again, sooner than he had anticipated.
Cora stifled back a sob. She felt sick. She had never seen a dead body before. And tonight she was seeing more than any person should ever see.
Zipper slowly crawled back over to the crying child. Hugging her, and crying into Cora's soft brown curls of hair.
Meanwhile, downstairs. Cal had fired every shot he had at Jack and Rose. Missing them all. He stood in waist deep water, in what once had been the first-class foyer.
He knew they were going to die. But it didn't matter. He had been defeated. A low gutter-rat had won over him. "I hope you enjoy your time together!" He shouted though they were out of hearing range.
He slowly began to make his way up the grand staircase. Stepping out of the water, and onto dry carpet again. He then realized something he had forgotten.
~Flashback~
"We'll need some insurance first." Cal said to Lovejoy. After finding out that Murdoch would let him on a lifeboat. For the right price, of course. He went back to his safe. Taking out handfuls of money. And placing the Heart of the Ocean into his coat pocket.
"I make my own luck." He said to his valet.
"So do I." Lovejoy revealed the pistol.
Cal only politely laughed and locked the safe again.
His mind came back to the present as he started laughing.
"What could possibly be funny?" Lovejoy asked, knowing he had just killed a man, and Cal had tried to. He didn't see any amusement in the situation at all.
"I put the diamond in the coat…" Cal started. Now overcome by anger. "And I put the coat on her!"
Lovejoy looked confused a moment. Why should Cal care about the diamond, when the ship was sinking so fast.
"I'll give it to you." Cal said realizing that, dead-or-alive, he didn't want Rose to have that diamond. "If you can get it. I'll give it to you."
Lovejoy thought about this a long moment, then looked at Frank's pistol in his hand. He nodded. And started down the rest of the staircase. Rushing out into the cold ocean water.
Cal walked up the stairs, immediately wanting to get to a boat. He spotted Zipper and Cora. Still huddled together. Zipper was wasting time. But she was so upset, she couldn't make herself move. Cal looked at the dead guard laying flat on his back. He knew Lovejoy must have done it.
"Come with me." Cal said extending his hand. "I'll get you off."
Of course this wasn't an attempt at being a gentleman this was merely an attempt to gain a wife through all of this.
Zipper slowly stood. Facing him. "At what price, sir?" She asked sarcastically. Knowing Cal wouldn't do anything for free.
"Be my wife." He said seriously.
She was taken aback. She was married. How could he ask such a thing.
"I'm married, remember?"
"That's a problem I can easily take care of." He said with a slight smirk on his face.
He glanced an Cora and scowled. He hated seeing some trash from steerage with a Rosenberg, and on the grand staircase. It just wasn't right to him.
"What do you mean by that, Mr. Hockley?" She questioned.
"Just that, I know how the Officers are. He probably won't even leave the ship. And if he does. We can easily work our way around that. After all, after the ship sinks how will you prove you're even married?" He said smugly.
"What?" She asked. Thoroughly confused.
"I do believe your wedding papers will go down the ship. If it's not legal. Then all you have to do is come with me." He offered again.
She only scoffed and turned to Cora. She picked up the child and headed in the opposite direction of Cal.
"You're making a mistake." He shouted after her.
She didn't answer. She just kept running. She exited the ship's interior on the port side. She scanned for any lifeboats. But they were all gone.
"Dear God." She spoke aloud. She saw the stricken faces. It tore at her very soul. She clung to Cora desperately seeking comfort.
