Sinking into the Abyss

They had finally reached the crowded stairwell. There were men, women and children all trying to push against the locked gate. Both of them grabbed lifejackets and slipped them on. From a distance, they could see Fabrizio with a blonde woman by the name of Helga. Tommy pulled Leah through the crowd towards Fabrizio who tossed him his bag. Tommy turned to see Leah, who was soaked from her fall, shivering from the cold. He quickly dug through his bag and grabbed a brown sweater, much like the one he was wearing. Quickly putting it over her, Leah accepted it gratefully.

"This ought to help." He exclaimed smiling. The oversize sweater fit her loosely, even with the lifejacket underneath, but it was still something. "Come on." He said, dropping his bag and taking her hand. Leah dropped her bag by his as well as they moved toward the crowd on the stairs. Tommy pushed his way through, taking Leah with him.

They some how managed to reach the top, to see an angry crewman trying to force the people back down the stairs. Tommy motioned Leah in front of him, so she was propped up against the gate. Leah could hear Tommy's voice booming from behind her.

"You can't keep us locked up in here like animals, the ship's bloody sinking!"

Finally the men decided to open the gate but make it clear that they want women and children only. Panicked men, however, tried to force their way through. Tommy tried with all his might to push Leah to the open side. A crewman tried to grab her, but just as she gets to the other side, she's pushed over. She turned to look back, and the gates are closed, with Tommy locked behind them. He is also bent down from a blow one of the crewman have done to his shoulder.

"Go, I'll meet you on deck." He tells her while trying to suppress a wince. Leah casts him pleading eyes, but Tommy casts them right back. "I promise I'll find you."

With one last glace back. Leah turns to run up to the deck, she can still hear Tommy's voice yelling at the crewman.

"For the love of God, man, there are children down here! Let us up, so we can have a chance!"

Leah kept on running, she figured that the faster she could get to the deck, the faster her and Tommy could escape. She would need to find Tommy first, but she was confident she would.

Leah bolted as fast as she could. There were so many people; she was trying to dodge them while trying to make her way up the stairs. People were yelling, crying, and screaming, it was getting really crazy really fast. Crowds began to form around the boats, and they were being lowered fast. Leah ran past a small orchestra playing music, probably trying to calm the passengers. BLeah knew why no one was listening; she knew why there was such panic among the crowds. The boats were disappearing and there were still hundreds of passengers still on board. People were going to die.

Leah kept dodging people, desperately looking for Tommy, when some strong force yanked her hair. Leah was soon face to face with her current worst nightmare, Officer Phillips. His face was red and he was breathing heavily.

"I don't know how you escaped, but I promise you, you will pay."

"What have I done? Can't you just leave me alone? We're sinking for God's sake!" Leah cried.

"Because I witnessed you're crime and I know you're behind all the others. No one disrespects our authority while I'm on duty. Besides I know your type. Well, sorry sweetheart, the world doesn't work like that."

His face came close to hers, and she could smell the whiskey on his breath. Now Leah realized why he was acting so rashly in public, plus, it was complete chaos, no other crewman would be able to save her. Officer Phillips pulled out a pistol from his pocket and Leah's eyes widened with fear. She tried to struggle but his grip grew. The pistol was cocked and ready to be fired. Leah let out a scream that was drowned in the cries of other.

Suddenly, there was a jolt and she was forced onto the ground. She saw Tommy struggling against Officer Phillips. Phillips was vivid and furiously trying to shake him off. Tommy twisted his arm, forcing Phillips to drop the gun. Tommy was able to kick the gun, and deliver a skull cracking punch to Officer Phillips. He swaggered back and fell overboard.

Leah ran into Tommy's arms and buried her head into his chest.

"Are you alright?" He asked, slightly out of breath. Leah nodded against his breast, and then quickly lifted her head to meet his lips. Their kiss was quick though and they were speeding off in some direction. The two of them then joined another group of three. Leah recognized them as the sandy-haired man, the red-headed girl and the Italian from before. The red-headed girl exchanged a few words with a Colonel and they were off.

They passed the orchestra.

"Music to drown by, now I know I'm in first class." Tommy joked.

They finally reached a crowded area which they knew had to be a boat. The sandy-haired man told them that she should check the other side, and then three of them were off.

They climbed and dodged all across to the other side of the ship. They saw another crowd of men, which they realized had to be another boat. They made there way to the front, but Tommy quickly put Leah behind him when he saw that the crewman had guns.

Tommy turned his head to the side, and shouted back at her, "You need to get on this boat."

"I'm not leaving without you. If you don't go, I'm not going." Leah argued, with her arms tightly around his waist.

There was more shouting among the men.

"Leah, please, you need to get on that boat." Tommy then turned his head to yell back at a screaming crewman, "Give us a chance to live, you limey bastards!"

"Get back!" The crewman screamed.

"Bastards!" Tommy yelled frustrated. The Italian man hovered close to them, trying to witness the area.

"Tommy, I'm not leaving without you!" Leah urged, still clinging to his back.

Money was then being thrown at a tall upperclassman. The crewman named Mr. Murdoch was shouting for everyone to get back.

"Leah, please!"

"How can I honestly leave you? Why would you want me to leave you?"

"Because I love you Leah!"

Leah's heart skipped a beat. A gunshot was fired at a man who was trying to climb over to the boat. Suddenly, a man bumped into Leah and Tommy, shoving both of them forward. A gunshot was fired, and Leah's heart stopped completely.