Part 7
It was 23:39 or 11:39 pm. Lookouts Frederick Fleet and Reginald Lee where up in the crow's nest scouting ahead. Fleet was scouting the sea in front of the Titanic when he saw it, an iceberg. He rang the lookout bell three times and telephoned the bridge to inform Sixth Officer James Moody about what he was seeing. Moody was manning the bridge with Second Officer Charles Lightoller and First Officer William Murdoch.
"Is there anyone there?" Fleet asked trying to sound calm.
"Yes, what do you see?" Moody replied.
"Iceberg, right ahead!"
After thanking Fleet, Moody relayed the message to Murdoch, who ordered Quartermaster Robert Hichens to change the ship's course. While this was going on Thad and Sebastian looked up and saw the iceberg. They were heading straight for it! But then the Titanic changed her course. The boys thought they'd missed the iceberg but then Titanic shook as she stroke the iceberg with a glancing blow. An underwater spur of ice scraped along the starboard side of the ship for about seven seconds; chunks of ice dislodged from upper parts of the berg fell onto her forward decks. Sebastian pushed Thad and himself out of the way and covered the smaller boy with his own body. Thad held his hand tightly, horrified.
"Don't let go", he begged as ice rained down nearby them and some smaller pieces on them.
"I will never let you go again", Sebastian said and held Thad's hand tightly. After a little bit the ice-rain stopped and Sebastian looked up.
"You two okay?" Fleet called down to them and Sebastian looked up.
"Yes", he called and helped Thad up, not letting go of his hand. "No worries!"
Fleet nodded. Staff from first class ran up to the two boys so he knew they were safe.
"Will you cut it out", Sebastian said as he and Thad was pushed into the office of the law enforcement onboard. He noticed Hunter and Wes being there too. Wes looking very annoyed. Sebastian was still holding Thad's hand, refusing to let it go and Thad was pressing into his side, worriedly. But when he saw Hunter he wanted to run to him. Sebastian sighed and let Thad's hand go and Thad found himself in Hunter's protective arms.
"This is an outrage!" Wes yelled. "I demand to know why my friends are being arrested!"
"Because they are not who they claim to be", Captain Smith said calmly.
"They are too!" Wes spat. "What do you know about that?"
"One of my staff members informed me that these three young men are not first class passengers but your servants my lord."
"They are not my servants they are my friends!"
"My lord I'm sorry but rules are rules. Your friends have to return to third class or stay the rest of the journey in the holding cells."
Wes was about to say something but Thad stopped him.
"Wes it's okay", he said. "We'll say you when we get to New York."
"But-"
"We promise", Sebastian cut in. "We'll be there on the dock waiting for you."
Hunter nodded and Wes sighed. But gave in.
"He did what?!" Hunter hissed and stared at Sebastian. Thad was sitting on the bed and not looking at either of them.
"I'm telling you", Sebastian whispered. "He freaked out in my arms, ran away and then tried to jump off the ship!"
Hunter cast a worried glance at Thad.
"But why", he asked.
"I don't know. But I think we really need to talk to him…"
Hunter nodded and both boys walked over to the bed where Thad was sitting and sat on either side of him. Thad was staring out into thin air, his hand moving. He was drawing in the air again. Sebastian took that hand and Thad stared at him with big eyes. Hunter took Thad's other hand and Thad stared at him instead.
"Thad", Hunter said. "Care to tell me why you tried to jump overboard?"
Thad now stared at Sebastian again. Sebastian smiled gently and cupped Thad's cheek with his free hand and rubbed his thumb against the space underneath Thad's eye.
"I had to tell him", he said gently. "I know you wouldn't do it and it would only hurt both of you if you kept quiet about it. And… I want to know why you tried to jump too."
"I", Thad began but then they heard someone knock on their door and it was flung open by a man.
"Titanic is sinking and they are locking us in!" he yelled. The boys stared at each other and hurried out of the room. Thad took his sketch pad with him before they left and shoved it into Hunter's backpack. Hunter had managed to snatch that.
When they got out in the hallway they were met by utter chaos. People were screaming and running towards the stairs. Children were crying. Women and men were crying and there were lots of pushing and yelling.
"Out of my way kid", a man yelled and shoved Thad aside roughly.
"Hey!" Hunter objected before turning but Sebastian had already helped Thad up. "Thad you okay?"
Thad nodded.
"Let's get out of here", Sebastian said and they followed the stream of people that was heading for the staircase. When they got there they saw that the workers had locked the gates that lead to first class. They were all locked in!
"People!" a officer of the crew yelled. "People calm down there's no need to worry. When the first class and second class passengers have been evacuated it will be your turn.
"All of them?!" a man yelled. "How about our women?!"
"And our children!" a woman yelled.
"Okay", the officer yelled. "The women with children can go up on the deck but the rest of you have to stay here. Open the gate."
The workers did and surprisingly the women that had children with them were brought forward so that they could get out safely. Some men tried to follow but was held back by others. The yelling started up again when the gates were ordered close when there were still children and women inside and a woman beside the trio gripped Thad's shoulder.
"I have a son here", she yelled and started to drag him towards the gate. "Are you just going to let him die?!"
"Let go of him!" Hunter yelled and pushed the woman off. "He's not your son! You are just trying to save your own skin!"
"And your friend's as well", the woman yelled.
"I don't want to go with you", Thad said and pressed close to Hunter and Sebastian.
"Fine drown then!" the woman yelled. "We are all gonna drown!"
"Let's go", Sebastian said and grabbed Hunter by the arm and pulled him and Thad back. Away from the gate.
The trio was sitting in the bar in the room where they had dance and just had fun not that long ago. There were quite a few people in the room but the trio was huddled in a corner. Thad was sitting between the other two and bigger boys. He sighed. There must be some way for them to get out. Some way for them to make it off this ship alive. Who was he kidding… there was no way for him to get off this boat… and no reason either.
He was fine now but soon enough he wouldn't be. The doctor said the progress of this disease was slow at first and could be hindered by the right treatment… but Thad hadn't gotten any treatment at all. Hunter was holding his hand and squeezed it every now and then. Sebastian was holding his arm around Thad's waist securely. Thad smiled when he thought back to that kiss. He rested his head on Sebastian's shoulder and he felt Sebastian smile.
"This might be a bad time for it", Hunter said with a sigh. "But Thad can you please tell us why you tried to jump overboard?"
Thad felt Sebastian tightening the grip he had around his waist and Thad sighed heavily.
"I just wanted to…" he began and sighed again. "I just wanted it over with."
"What", Sebastian asked.
"I thought", Thad began but trailed off again. If he was right he would die tonight and he didn't want Hunter to know that their quest to get that ticket for him was the reason Thad didn't get help from the doctors after he got sick. He just couldn't tell him. Thad sighed again.
"I thought", he said again. "That I was the only thing keeping the two of you from being together… I thought I was just in the way. That's what I was told by everyone but you Hunter… and now Sebastian… and Wes. I thought your lives would be better and easier without me being a hindrance."
"Thad", Hunter said and crouched in front of him so that he could look into Thad's sad eyes. "You have never been a hindrance to me. Buddy I love you so much. You're my little buddy… my little brother. I don't look out for you because I have to… I do it because I want to and need to. I need you to be okay so that I can live. I'm only this strong because I have you there to support me… to protect. I don't want to lose you."
"I don't want to lose you either", Sebastian said and turned Thad's head so that they were locking gazes. "I love you. I never want to lose you because I can't live without you."
"You just met earlier today!" Hunter objected but his protests died off when Thad leaned in and kissed Sebastian softly. "WHAT?!"
Sebastian laughed and Thad blushed.
"What are you laughing at", a man that was drinking heavily spat. "We are all going to die!"
"Then I'll be happy to die with the two people I love most in the world!" Thad spat in annoyance and Sebastian grinned while Hunter looked shocked at first and then proud. He kissed Thad's forehead and then looked around the room. Everyone there was drinking heavily or just sitting around. But there was a guy there that was playing guitar softly. He looked up and sang softly:
Drink with me to days gone by
Sing with me the songs we knew
Hunter smiled and decided to add to the improvised lyrics. He raised the bottle he'd found on the table they were sitting on and took a swig before singing:
Hunter: Here's to pretty girls who went to our heads.
Thad: Here's to witty "girls" who went to our beds.
Hunter stared at the other boy. Thad just shrugged and that original singer smiled and all three sang:
Here's to them and here's to you!
Sebastian looked sad though and held Thad's hand tightly. The guitarist continued to play.
Sebastian: Drink with me to days gone by
Can it be you fear to die?
Will the world remember you
When you fall?
Could it be your death
Means nothing at all?
Is your life just one more life?
Thad pulled Sebastian into a comforting embrace and all four sang:
Drink with me to days gone by
To the life that used to be
At the shrine of friendship, never say die
Let the wine of friendship never run dry
Here's to you and here's to me
TBC Okay I know the song wasn't from the era but this fanfiction ;)