A/N Thanks for the reviews. Hope you like the next chapter!! ^_^
Chapter Twelve ~ Impact.
The ice below the water line did not tear into the iron plating, rather caused them to bend, allowing water to pour in on the starboard side. Above, the ice tumbled on to the well deck, causing unsuspecting passengers to scramble out of the way. The excitement of seeing the iceberg livened up their minds. It was just another adventure, similar to The New York Incident.
The officers were shock, there had been less then a minute between sighting the iceberg and the collision. The Captain was roused, and he immediately began the procedures. All the water tight doors were sealed, and he sent for the carpenter to look over the ship. He wasn't really expecting any damage, but procedure had to be followed.
However deep below the decks, the water tight doors were closing, sealing off escape routes for the workers. They struggled and fought to get through them in time, as the water gushed in. These firemen and engineers, who worked in the boiler rooms deep inside the skip, were the frontline troops in Titanic's losing battle with the sea.
Rosa felt a slight jolt as the ice pierced the iron. She sat up in shock, and the first thing that occurred to her was that the engines had stopped. But they were no where near America, not yet. Mrs Smith was still snoring from her bunk, and Lottie's was empty. Rosa was on her own. She had to be the responsible one, the grown up. She jumped out of bed, on to the cold floor, and peeked out into the corridor. The sight that met her eyes shocked her greatly. Many of the passengers were heading to the stern of the ship, carrying their luggage. Men, women and children, all walking swiftly down the corridor.
"What's going on?" She asked. They ignored her. "What's happened?" She demanded.
She looked back into the room, Mia had stirred at the sound of her voice, and was yawning loudly.
A couple of stewards were paroling the corridors, handing out life jackets.
"What's happened?" She asked dashing out of the room and catching on the them.
He turned to her. "Just put this on, Miss." He said, handing her a life jacket.
"But why?" She demanded, not taking the jacket.
"It's just precaution, we'll be under way soon." He said, placing the jacket firmly in her hand.
"Why have the engines stopped?" She asked, catching hold of his sleeve. She was jolted fiercely against the wall, as a family came marching past clutching everything they owned in two shabby suitcases.
"The engines have stopped due to an iceberg warning." The steward said, pulling free from her. He continued to stroll the corridor, passing round the white jackets.
She sniffed sharply, and returned to her cabin. She shook Mia awake, she was already stirring so it wasn't hard. "Darling we have to get up." She explained quickly.
"Is it morning?" She asked, groggily.
Rosa shook her head. "No, darling, but we have to get dressed." She threw the covers off the seven year old and heaved her to her feet. She pulled some clothes out of the wardrobe. "Here, get dressed." The life jacket lay forgotten on the bed.
Rosa turned to the other bunk bed. "Mrs Smith." She said, softly. "Mrs Smith." She said again. She shook her gently. "Mrs Smith, please, we have to go."
The woman's eyes opened slowly, and she screamed. "Oh Rosa, you gave me a fright." She snarled.
"I'm sorry, Mrs Smith, but we have to go."
"Go? Go where? You lunatic girl, the only place we have to go is back to sleep. It's night time for pity's sake. . ." And then the commotion outside reached her ears. She could hear the gentle crying sobs of lost children, cold girls, and tired boys. Men trying to guide their families, women struggling with their luggage. The corridors had never been so alive.
By this time, Mia was dresses, and wrapped up warmly in her coat. "Good girl." Rosa praised, as she put the life jacket over the seven year old's head.
"What's this, Rosa?" She asked.
"It's a life jacket, honey, it means you'll float in the water."
"Why are we going in the water?"
"We're not. It's just a precaution." She turned back to Mrs Smith. "Please, we have to go now."
"Where's Charlotte?" She demanded. "I cannot go without my daughter." She screeched.
"If Lottie has any sense ma'am she'll be okay, she can look after herself."
"Philip is with her." Mia said, innocently.
"She's been ravaged by that man, I know it!" The woman barked.
"What does ravaged mean?" Mia asked.
"Not now, darling." Rosa said. She gripped her hand. "Come on. Mrs Smith?"
"I'm staying here, for Charlotte." She said, sullenly.
Rosa left, thinking she had done all she could for the stubborn woman. They followed the hordes of people as they headed up towards the stern of the ship.
They hadn't taken any luggage with them, it was the last thing on Rosa's mind, as she hurried along with the others, refusing to let go of Mia's hand.
Chapter Twelve ~ Impact.
The ice below the water line did not tear into the iron plating, rather caused them to bend, allowing water to pour in on the starboard side. Above, the ice tumbled on to the well deck, causing unsuspecting passengers to scramble out of the way. The excitement of seeing the iceberg livened up their minds. It was just another adventure, similar to The New York Incident.
The officers were shock, there had been less then a minute between sighting the iceberg and the collision. The Captain was roused, and he immediately began the procedures. All the water tight doors were sealed, and he sent for the carpenter to look over the ship. He wasn't really expecting any damage, but procedure had to be followed.
However deep below the decks, the water tight doors were closing, sealing off escape routes for the workers. They struggled and fought to get through them in time, as the water gushed in. These firemen and engineers, who worked in the boiler rooms deep inside the skip, were the frontline troops in Titanic's losing battle with the sea.
Rosa felt a slight jolt as the ice pierced the iron. She sat up in shock, and the first thing that occurred to her was that the engines had stopped. But they were no where near America, not yet. Mrs Smith was still snoring from her bunk, and Lottie's was empty. Rosa was on her own. She had to be the responsible one, the grown up. She jumped out of bed, on to the cold floor, and peeked out into the corridor. The sight that met her eyes shocked her greatly. Many of the passengers were heading to the stern of the ship, carrying their luggage. Men, women and children, all walking swiftly down the corridor.
"What's going on?" She asked. They ignored her. "What's happened?" She demanded.
She looked back into the room, Mia had stirred at the sound of her voice, and was yawning loudly.
A couple of stewards were paroling the corridors, handing out life jackets.
"What's happened?" She asked dashing out of the room and catching on the them.
He turned to her. "Just put this on, Miss." He said, handing her a life jacket.
"But why?" She demanded, not taking the jacket.
"It's just precaution, we'll be under way soon." He said, placing the jacket firmly in her hand.
"Why have the engines stopped?" She asked, catching hold of his sleeve. She was jolted fiercely against the wall, as a family came marching past clutching everything they owned in two shabby suitcases.
"The engines have stopped due to an iceberg warning." The steward said, pulling free from her. He continued to stroll the corridor, passing round the white jackets.
She sniffed sharply, and returned to her cabin. She shook Mia awake, she was already stirring so it wasn't hard. "Darling we have to get up." She explained quickly.
"Is it morning?" She asked, groggily.
Rosa shook her head. "No, darling, but we have to get dressed." She threw the covers off the seven year old and heaved her to her feet. She pulled some clothes out of the wardrobe. "Here, get dressed." The life jacket lay forgotten on the bed.
Rosa turned to the other bunk bed. "Mrs Smith." She said, softly. "Mrs Smith." She said again. She shook her gently. "Mrs Smith, please, we have to go."
The woman's eyes opened slowly, and she screamed. "Oh Rosa, you gave me a fright." She snarled.
"I'm sorry, Mrs Smith, but we have to go."
"Go? Go where? You lunatic girl, the only place we have to go is back to sleep. It's night time for pity's sake. . ." And then the commotion outside reached her ears. She could hear the gentle crying sobs of lost children, cold girls, and tired boys. Men trying to guide their families, women struggling with their luggage. The corridors had never been so alive.
By this time, Mia was dresses, and wrapped up warmly in her coat. "Good girl." Rosa praised, as she put the life jacket over the seven year old's head.
"What's this, Rosa?" She asked.
"It's a life jacket, honey, it means you'll float in the water."
"Why are we going in the water?"
"We're not. It's just a precaution." She turned back to Mrs Smith. "Please, we have to go now."
"Where's Charlotte?" She demanded. "I cannot go without my daughter." She screeched.
"If Lottie has any sense ma'am she'll be okay, she can look after herself."
"Philip is with her." Mia said, innocently.
"She's been ravaged by that man, I know it!" The woman barked.
"What does ravaged mean?" Mia asked.
"Not now, darling." Rosa said. She gripped her hand. "Come on. Mrs Smith?"
"I'm staying here, for Charlotte." She said, sullenly.
Rosa left, thinking she had done all she could for the stubborn woman. They followed the hordes of people as they headed up towards the stern of the ship.
They hadn't taken any luggage with them, it was the last thing on Rosa's mind, as she hurried along with the others, refusing to let go of Mia's hand.
