April 15 2:45 pm
After a few hours of sleep (at the captains insistance.)Helen returned to the
top deck. On all sides, Helen could see the people she didnt know, but
recognized them by the same shattered look. Her fellow survivors looked lost
scared and frazzled. Helen knew the feeling all too well.
Some sat huddled together talking in low voices. Others stared straight ahead,
not making any noise or movement. a few simply cried.
Helen sighed and headed for the marconi room. Surely news of the titanic would
get out could send word out to James and Nigel that she was
fine.
Helen turned the last corner and ran headlong into a tall thin disheveled man.
"Pardon me, I wasnt watching where I was going-" Helen looked up and her voice
died in her throat. J Bruce Ismay stood before her.
"Dr. Magnus!" Ismay exclaimed in shock. "I cant tell you how glad I am to see
you. I've looked everywhere for Captain Smith-"
"You wont find him." Helen sighed "He wouldn t have left the ship with people
on board."
Ismay paledat the vieled accusation. "Dr. Magnus, please understand. There was
nothing I could do. I'm nuse to anyone there werent any women or
childrenthat wanted to climb into the boat. The seat would have been empty
wasted."
Helen listened to him grovel with a frown."History will remember you as the man
responsible for all this. Youre the one who made all this happen." She intoned
solemnly. Ismay looked at her in shock. Helen brushed past him and ept waling..
she knocked carefully at the marconi room.
"how much to send a message?" Helen pulled her makeshift shawl closer to her
shoulders and moved silently along the deck. the mood on board the Carpathia
was silent and morose. the wight of what had already been dubbed the titanic
disater was starting to sink in. Helen saw faces she recognized here and there.
Noone seemedready to discuss what they had neen through. As it was, Helen wasnt
ready to open up about her own ordeal. She kept her head down and moved
swiftly across the deck. Shesoon got lost in her own musings, paying no heed to
where she was going and nearly colided with someone else.
"Beg pardon, miss." a familiar voice said. Helen looked up to see she had
nearly run over the baker yet again.
"Hello Dr. Magnus." The Wendigo smiled. "Im quite pleased to see you especially
considering..." he trailed off with a guilty sigh.
Helen gave a genuine smile. "Im glad to see you as well. I thought you had
refused a boat?"
"I think I got a drop too much.." Joughlin held up his wisky flask.
"After the Titanic had completely been submerged, I stepped onto the bow of the
ship. After that I swam a bit and found Maynard. He held onto my hands so I
wouldnt get swept away. I survived three hours in the freezing Atlantic.
Thanks to him and a nice draught of Whisky." He smiled. "Dr Oloughlin was
thinking along the same vein. I saw him raiding the liquer cabnet just before
2"
"Dr Oloughlin?" Helen asked softly, almost afraid of the answer.
"I dont think he made it. Ive been searching for him. He was a good man."
"He was indeed." Helen nodded. "And an excellent Doctor."
"He may yet be." The head baker held his flask up in tribute. "I If you ll
excuse me, I have to check in with Lightoller. He s the highest ranking
officer they ve found thus far. "
Helen nodded again "Alright then, take care of yourself."
"And you as well miss- Dr. Magnus." Dr. Oloughlin nodded back as he bustled
off.
"Has anyone seen my husband? My children?" a woman ran up and down the deck,
asking people at random about missing family members. Most shook their heads
sadly. Helen Venturened they didnt know her language.
Helen crossed the deck and placed ahand on the womans shoulder. "I'll help you
find your family." She said in in the womans language. "Perhaps we could ask
Mr. lightoller?"
"Yes thank you" the woman nodded with a shaky smile of apreciation. "I am
looking for my Husband Johan Asplund. And our children Felix, Lillian, Carl,
Clarence and Filip"
"Thats quite a lot." Helen said in surprise.
nodded "We were on our way home to Massechusettes. My husband had
some buisness to settle in out native Sweaden. His mother was ill and his
father had just died."
Helen listened sympathetically as she lead the waty to the bridge. guessing
they would know where lightoller was.
The captain Rostron nodded gravely as Helen explained the situation. "Ive heard a similiar story from just about everyone. "He sighed. "In the main
dining room, some of the womwn have set up a help center to locate and unite
family members. Maybe her family is already there?"
Helen and Mrs Asplund thanked the captain and set off for the first class
dining hall.
The crowded room was full with lamenting cries and rushed conversations. Helen
took a deep breath and turned to Maggie Brown, who was inthe center of the
chaos,trying to restore order. 3 children ran forward out of the croud calling
for their Asplund smiled and embarced the 2 boys and the little
girl. Helen smiled at the reunited family and headed back out to the deck.
There was so much left to do. The worst was yet to come.
Notes Felix, Lillian, Clarence and Selma Asplund were real people. One of the
greatest losses on Titanic was the father and 3 sons (One a twin brother to
Lilian) of the Asplund family.