Night from 21 to 22 April 1912
North Atlantic Ocean
The electric lighting had long since been turned off. The people went to bed. On the main staircase there was a single lamp burning in the form of a candle in a candelabrum, lit by the steward.
The mysterious atmosphere was conducive to a palace coup. Or to a conversation about the unusual. True, there was no one nearby with whom I could talk. At midnight, the dark D deck is not the most crowded place.
With a cup of coffee brought from the dining room, I sat down on the sofa opposite the main staircase to enjoy the silence of the night.
Someone's shadow appeared on the stairs. Who can't sleep in the dead of night?
"Good night Henry, do you suffer from insomnia?" Rose asked quietly, in keeping with the surroundings.
"No. I always sleep well. My watch is in two hours. I came to relax a little at my favorite place."
"Do you also like this lamp, Henry?"
"Oh yeah! During the day this place does not attract me. Night is another matter. It's like you're in an ancient castle."
"Agree with you. The decor reminds me more of Halloween night"
"Me too. I want to hear scary stories." I take a sip of coffee and smile.
"I thought you would tell me." Rose smiled mysteriously.
Just as I was about to tell one of the cemetery tales of my childhood, the shadow appeared on the stairs again, taking on the figure of Thomas Andrews with a glass of brandy.
"Good night!" the shipbuilder said "May I sit with you? Can't sleep."
"Sure! Mr. Andrews, this is Rose. My friend from New York. Rose, this is Thomas Andrews. Chief designer of the Harland & Wolf shipyard. The author and inspirer of all the beauty that you see."
"Doesn't look like actor Victor Garber at all. Movies always lie." Rose whispered.
Thomas was confused for a second, not understanding anything.
"Nice to meet you, Rose" Thomas elegantly kissed the girl's hand.
"Mutually, Mr. Andrews. Henry and I are sitting and enjoying your creation. Reminds me of a Christmas fairy tale."
"Thanks I was trying. I have never been told such interesting compliments."
"You've earned them, Mr. Andrews."
"Call me Thomas."
"Agreed."
"We started talking about scary stories" I reminded.
"I know a couple."
"Tell us, Thomas." Rose put her hand under her head, waiting.
"It was in Belfast, during the construction of the Titanic. Several workers suddenly disappeared. Like they disappeared into thin air. It was payday, but they didn't come for the money. At first they thought they were drinking. But a day or two passed, they didn't show up at home. At the same time, the double bottom was closed in the ship's hull. After that, at night, an incomprehensible knocking sound began to be heard. Then the knocking died down, and the ghosts of walled-up workers began to appear at the shipyard. They say the ghosts appear here too." Thomas laughed a quiet, sinister laugh.
Rose shivered, adjusting her fur cape on her shoulders. Andrews handed her his glass of brandy.
"Could they still appear now?" Rose took a sip from the glass.
"Here they are!"
We jumped and Andrews laughed, pleased with his joke.
"Harsh Irish humor..." I made a diagnosis.
"I'll be afraid to turn off the light now, thank you, Thomas. And the corridors are so dark..." Rose took another sip of brandy.
"Henry and I will show you to your cabin."
"Of course we do" I answered readily.
Night in the middle of the Atlantic is a strange time and place for three hardly familiar people to talk. I felt like I was at a children's summer camp with a fun company. Horror stories, a dark hall, brandy, which we drank in turns from the same glass, not caring at all whether it looked decent. We just felt like home.
When Thomas left, Alex, Mark and George suddenly appeared.
"We need to have a serious conversation, Henry." Mark spoke in a calm but very strange voice.
"The time is coming." George added with an unblinking gaze.
"What time? Where does it come?" I didn't understand anything. It scared me.
"It's time for us to return home." Alex said with an emotionless expression on his face "On the night of April 23-24, the ship will approach the time travel point. We'll just get off the ship and go home."
"But what do you want from me? How can I help you?"
"Easy, Henry. Very easy. At the right moment, you will stop the engines to let us leave. And we need the car in the hold as a link between times. You'll just have to keep the car's engine running so we can be identified and let back into our era."
"Rose, are you going back too?" my voice began to tremble.
"Yes, Henry. I dream of returning home. Nothing would have worked out for you and me anyway.
As you wish, Rose. As you wish." I lit a cigarette "Life is not a movie with a happy ending. I understand."
"That's good, Henry. We don't need scenes from soap operas."
"Just one question. What does George have to do with it? Why did you tell him your secret?"
"Someone has to help others return home. George is the best person for this." answered Mark
"Probably fate itself introduced me to all of you. Who was I before? Just a dentist of thousands in America. Now I have access to an incredible secret."
"I got it. I'll drop you off wherever you say. I have no choice anyway."
My heart felt disgusting. They just took advantage of me. Boys needed transport to get to the point. This means they knew everything about me, followed me, and gave me a meeting with the right girl at the right moment. What a fool I am.
Anyway. I'll get rid of them and no one will ever know where I came from. Only me and George will know the secret.
