April 15 1912 2:16 am
Moving about was getting more and more difficult. Helen was almost sure if the ship tilted anymore she would be
perpendicular to the water. She shoved the ridiculous notion from her mind. The steamer wasnt built to hold that kind of weight. There was no
possible way...
Helen reached the stern as the last strains of music floated across the night air. The sudden silence made the
screaming on all sides somehow less puntiated. somewhat out of place. Helen fought her way through the masses
with Astor trying to keep up. Helen caught sight of the orchestra trying to keep their balance.
"Oh buck up lads." Woodward said in a falsely cheerful voice. "Its only the end of the world."
The violinist beside him chuckled. "John, you always were an optimist."
A soft whine made helen turn in time to see Astor striding over with his faithful airendale, Kitty. He nodded as
she aproached.
"The captain released the crew. Its every man for himself. I saw him headig into the wheelhouse, but he " he
reported, handing out some spare life belts. "Phillips is still in the Marconi room, trying to signal other ships.
Stuborn that one."
Helen nodded grimly. "Noble though, you have to give him that. Lets hope he can get word out to a closer ship. The
Carpathia is too far away."
"And people are getting desperate." Astor sighed as another man jumped overboard. Helen sighed and placed a
lifebelt on a young boy standing alone on the sloping deck. "Where are your parents?" she asked. The young boy
only shrugged before a wild looking man snatched the boy and ran toward the boats. The pair were soon lost in the
crowd.
Helen looked up at the earily quiet enclosed prominade. It was lit up despite being empty. She frowned as an uneasy
feeling crept over her. The glimering sight held a sense of forboding Helen couldnt place. Then it hit her suddenly
and she caught Astors arm. "The lights are still on. How is that possible?"
Astor shrugged. "There must be someone down in the boiler rooms, keeping the lights on. The captain mentioned thats
where the electricity is controlled." He replied, looing up at the splendid first class dining room. "We need to
find them and help them to a boat."
Despite the long tilting deck, Astor and Helen set off for the lifts. Water spilled onto the ship, numbing their
toes in a matter of seconds.
"Will the lift be operating?" Helen wondered, fighting the weight of her sodden hem.
"I dont know. It is 2 in the morning" Astor shrugged
"I think I saw some stairs not far from here." Helen took the lead, stepping high to keep as dry as possible. The
task grew more difficult as they moved forward, wheather because the water was rising, or the ship was sinking,
Helen didnt dare guess.
She made it to a small flight of stairs leading to the lower deck just as a loud metalic crash was heard from
behind. She whipped around to see the first funnel had come loose. Paniced screams were cut short as the 60 ton
smokestack landed in the water on top of dozens of floundering people. Helen raced to the side of the ship as the
funnel slipped beneathe the surface, taking its unfotunate victims along in the sution.
A low whimper and destressed bark reached Helens ears, making her look back up. Kitty stood by the funnel base.
Alone.
Astor was gone.