Chapter Sixteen: Dawn of Ice
The survivors on the capsized collapsible boat swayed side to side to counteract the approaching swells. Raven, though still in pain, worked in unison with the others, and more than once tried using her powers to help steady the boat. After a few attempts, though, she found it was exhausting, and so gave up.
She also found it was difficult to maintain her footing; she kept stepping on something. She later realized it was her cloak she was standing on, and so unfastened it and tossed it overboard. She felt half-naked without her cloak, having been accustomed to wearing it most of the time. The feeling soon passed, though as she continued to work with her new found comrades in steadying the boat.
During the course of the night, one of the people died on the boat and was lowered over the side. Raven also noticed a man, possibly one of the kitchen crew, remained in the water. Somehow, he was still alive. Raven then thought of the other Titans.
Given the silence, she could only pray that they somehow survived the cold grip of the North Atlantic. She also wondered if Robin's plans with the doors managed to save lives as well. And she also wondered what her fate would be. Would she survive the night? She quickly told herself she would. She was a survivor; she had made it through impossible odds, saving the world from her demonic father and from the antics of a disembodied, sick, psychopathic brain. If she could get through those things, she could get through the night. Of course, none of those events she experienced involved listening to the death cries of over a thousand people. She might survive physically, but her mental survival was another matter.
Robin was neither asleep nor awake. He stared at the dark, cold water with unseeing eyes that scarcely blinked. Starfire was rubbing his neck with her right hand almost automatically. She was no longer aware she even doing it. Her gaze was also locked on the water below her face. Never before had she known such depression.
About a yard away, Terra and Beast Boy also maintained a vigil on the water, embracing each other yet unaware of the world around them. Cyborg, on the other hand, looked about occasionally. His thoughts were of Raven, wondering if she was alive.
'She has to be!' he thought. 'She can get through this! We can get through anything! We're the Teen Titans!'
He sighed and managed to roll on his back, staring at the stars. Then, he thought he heard a voice. He sat up slowly. He wasn't dreaming or hallucinating. Someone was in the distance, calling for any survivors in the area.
"Hey!" he yelled, but his voice was too hoarse. He tried again.
"What is it?" Robin said, weakly.
"There's a boat or something here! They've come to save us!"
The other Titans awoke at his words and all tried yelled and screaming. But it was useless. Then, Robin had an inspiration.
"Whistle everyone! Whistle!"
He put his fingers in his mouth and blew hard, producing a loud whistle. The other Titans did the same, bent on outdoing each other. They paused long enough to hear the man's voice coming closer. Cyborg could now make out a boat. He continued whistling. At last, the boat arrived. The few crewmen on board helped them in.
"Is there anyone else alive near here?" one of the officers asked.
"No, we are all that is alive." Starfire told him.
They all sat down near the middle of the boat, panting. They were safe now, but still didn't have their lost friend with them.
"Raven, where are you?" Cyborg muttered, passing out from exhaustion. He slumped over and fell asleep.
In another boat in the distance, a young girl from Third Class watched the water intently. She was fascinated with how smooth it was, how she could see the reflections of the stars. It was a marvelous site to her. It also helped distract her from the tragedy that occurred an hour earlier.
Then, something caught her eye. It seemed to be a piece of clothing. Glancing at her mother, she quickly turned and snatched the object from the water. She wrung it out as best as she could, her hands becoming numb from the cold. It seemed to be a cloak of some kind, a cloak with a hood. Examining it closer, it seemed familiar, but she couldn't place it. She bundled it up and laid it on her lap. When dawn arrived, she would be able to see it better.
Raven had no idea how long she'd been standing. All she knew was an overwhelming sense of fatigue was upon her. She was afraid she might pass out and fall overboard.
Then, someone shouted something. She couldn't make out what he said. What she saw, however, spoke for itself.
Something like a firework had appeared on the horizon, a whitish looking flare. A bit of relief came about her, but she knew that it could be hours before there would be a respite from her dreadful pain of standing, as well as the soreness that lingered from her fall over an hour earlier. None of the men in the boat were overly excited either. They were all as tired as she was, and were in no mood for celebration.
The dawn arrived a few hours later, revealing a golden sky, a shimmering sea, and in the distance, hundreds of towering icebergs. As the dawn wore on, the men on the overturned boat saw other lifeboats in the distance. Raven heard someone blowing a whistle to attract their attention. She felt nauseated, but managed to fight against the rising bile in her stomach. She concentrated on the sky, which was now turning bluish and promised a lovely day.
Almost an hour later, other boats arrived to pick up the survivors. Raven required help in getting her legs to move. She barely avoided falling in the water. At last, seated in one of the boats, she relaxed. Then, she quickly hung her head over the side and vomited.
The Titans did not stir for hours, despite the rolling motion of the boat and the conversations of the crew. Not even when the announcement came of a rocket flare being sighted did they bother to look around. Only when the dawn had arrived, did they make the effort to see the world around them.
"This is the loveliest morning I have ever seen." Starfire said with a tinge of her former, optimistic tone.
The others were simply in awe. They could make out the shapes of icebergs in the distance, appearing as white pinnacles on the dark blue sea. A fresh breeze had started to blow, so the officer ordered the sail to be raised. The Titans stood out of the way as the seaman set sail.
The boat plowed through the seat for some time before the officer order to steer toward some other boats in the distance. They towed one boat, while another they picked up all the survivors from it.
The sun was well into the sky when, at last, they pulled up next to the rescue ship. Robin spotted the name; Carpathia. He made a mental note to look up that name when they got back home. That is, if they ever returned home. A rope ladder was lowered for the survivors to climb onto the ship. A net lowered by a rope was also provided. The Titans preferred the ladder.
Once on board, they were led to the lounge. They were fortunate enough to find an empty sofa where they could all sit together. They sat down wearily.
"What about Raven?" Terra said.
"If she survived, she'll find us." Robin said.
They sat for hours in the lounge, occasionally dosing off. Stewards attended to them, offering warm drinks and blankets. They were fully awake when the finally Carpathia got underway. There was no sign of Raven anywhere in the lounge.
"Where is she?" Cyborg muttered.
Robin decided on searching the room. He got up, wondering around looking at other passengers. He still saw no sign of Raven and joined the rest of the Titans.
"I still don't see her." he said, panic in his voice.
"We have to keep looking!" Beast Boy said.
"Keep your voice down!" Robin hissed.
"He's right, though." Cyborg said, quietly. "We must keep looking."
Robin sighed in frustration. "You guys, we may have to consider the possibility that Raven didn't survive."
Starfire gasped. "No! I refuse to believe that!"
Beast Boy snapped his fingers. "Wait! I got an idea! Let's ask the crew and other passengers if they've seen her!"
Robin smiled. "Brilliant, Beast Boy! Let's get to it!"
They split up, going around questioning various crew members and passengers.
"Have you seen a girl, sixteen years old, in a blue dress and dark blue cloak?" Cyborg asked an officer.
"No, I have not." he replied. Sighing, he went to ask another.
The results were the same each time for each of the Titans. After an hour or so of searching various areas on the ship, they returned to the lounge.
"Any luck?" Cyborg asked. They shook their heads and sat down, sadly.
"I can't believe it." Robin said. "She's gone. She's really gone."
Starfire began to cry and leaned her head on Robin's shoulder. Beast Boy did the same with Terra. Cyborg held his head in his hands. A steward approached them.
"Can I help you?" he asked.
"Please, go away." Starfire told him. "We have seen our friend drown."
Nodding, the steward left them. This was a common occurrence for him amongst the survivors.
Raven arrived on the Carpathia a half hour before the other Titans did. She loitered on the ship's fantail, wondering with the surviving Third Class. She found an empty bench and sat on it. She stayed for over two hours, watching as the ship got underway.
She stared at the ship's wake as it made its way to New York, a destination at least three days away. Raven had no idea what time it was, but it mattered little. She got up and decided wonder the ship.
When she entered the interior, she roamed the corridors. In her travels, she happened upon an open stateroom door and saw a young man in there, shivering and unconscious. She walked over to the bed he laid in and bent over him. She brushed his hair aside and rubbed his face. She was unsure why she was doing what she was doing. Perhaps her mind was still fogged and she was reacting instinctively. Whatever the reason, it didn't matter now, as the young man came to.
"You're better now." she said, leaving him.
She felt nauseated again and staggered down the corridor. The ship's doctor happened to see her.
"Oh miss, you look frightful!" he said, steadying her.
He led her to an empty stateroom and laid her on the bed.
"May I have a drink?" she said weakly. He nodded and gave her a shot glass. She swallowed it without thinking.
She thanked him and fell asleep, under the effects of her first drink of brandy.