Hallways stretched in every direction. The white walls were near-suffocating, the space constricting and confusing. They spread out in every direction, each splitting into several more corridors.
The lights flickered overhead, and something groaned beneath her. The floor trembled and lurched unnaturally, tipping ever so slightly. The far-off sound of running water sent a shiver down her spine.
She looked right, then left. She was alone.
"Jack?" She called out, "Jack!"
No one answered. She ran forward, her heart hammering against her ribs. She had to find him before it was too late, before the water reached her. Where was he? Mr Andrews has said something about E Deck- or was it D? She didn't even know what floor she was on, come to think of it- were the stairs in the direction she was heading? The corridor seemed to lead on forever, with the doors on each side becoming further and further apart- was she even moving?
She kept running, and running, and running. The ship kept groaning, and sinking, and splitting in two- she could hear the hull beginning to strain. She had to find him- but it became harder and harder to run as the floor grew steeper.
Rose turned to double back, to find that the corridor looked strange. Now, it turned to the right. She had no choice but to follow it, she realised- and every time she moved forward the lights flickered and made her head spin.
Suddenly, she found herself caught in a dead-end. The corridor stopped abruptly at a door. It was locked, and the handled wouldn't budge. What would she do? This was the way she had came, after all-
"Help!" She screamed, "help!"
"Rose?" A disjointed cry came from the other side of the door, "I'm in here!"
"I'm coming- the door's locked!" She sobbed, "damn it- it won't open!"
She looked around wildly for something she could use to open the door- there, incased in a glass cabinet, was an axe to use in an emergency.
She broke the protective glass with her elbow and removed the axe. She turned, panicked, and carved it into the door. Water poured in from under the door, and the ship groaned violently.
She kept fighting to get it through the wood before the water rose any higher, but each swing felt futile. She could never get it to lodge deep enough in the wood.
When the wood finally splintered apart, the door fell from its hinges. Jack ran out, and his arms were around her in an instant. His eyes were wild, and his hands cold, "shit- let's go-"
The water was already up to their waists, and more poured in. The floor was growing too steep to climb, and each step was exhausting. They kept running, kept fighting, but it seemed futile, so useless.
"Keep going!" He shouted, "come on, come on- the stairs have to be this way-"
He led her down another corridor. It was more closed in than the last, a little darker. They kept running, kept feeling along the wall for guidance as the space grew darker and more confined.
They struggled to the top of the corridor to find that the staircase she had been searching for was in front of her. Instead of leading to safety, however, water poured down it. It resembled a waterfall, if not a death trap.
"I think this is it," Rose said, her eyes burning, "I love you."
"Don't talk like that," he grabbed her arm, "come on, there had to be another way out-"
She shook her head silently. Now, the water had chased them from below- it was already waist high as it had been before. It was a matter of seconds before it was up to their chins- and the water closed over their heads. Rose struggled against the walls and celling, trying to find a way to get air, until Jack's grip on her arm slackened.
It was seconds before darkness claimed her too.