The Island- Snowbarry AU

Chapter 1

The Caribbean sun was burning today. Though it had been the moment Caitlin Snow stepped onto the large cruise ship. It seemed like the perfect way to spend her summer. Bathing in the rich summer sunlight and the crimson sunsets, watching the full moon reflecting on the ocean in the evenings while sipping all sorts of exotic cocktails. Though relaxation wasn't the only purpose for her trip, the ship was after all a singles cruise. She knew that it may appear sad but she felt as if she was running out of options and more importantly time. 

So she shelled out on a last minute holiday where she could hopefully find herself a boyfriend and maybe even a husband. At very least a future husband. And while she had been enjoying every single nuance that the ship had to offer- the cocktails; the massages; the pool etc.- she had failed to find herself a suitable partner. Sure, she had shared drinks with a few nice men but none had that spark or gave her what she was looking for. 

Caitlin was in her room when it started. It was nearing the end of the evening, they only had a couple more days left until they returned to port, and she had spent the night in her room as she had been hungover from the night before all day. Sure, they all knew that a storm was due but it was supposed to be minor, just a little bit of rain, not even a little thunder. The waves were supposed to get a little choppy but nothing dangerous in the slightest. But as fate would have it, the weather predictions were wrong; drastically mistaken. 

The waves were crashing against the cruise like a typhoon and with no other ships nearby danger was high. For a little while though things were under control, passengers were told to stay in their rooms and put on their life jackets but then things changed as a huge strike of lightning struck the top of the ship causing the power to go out. Panic travelled like a tidal wave throughout the ship and soon the odds of sinking became increasingly higher and higher. Caitlin knew that she couldn't wait around, she hadn't packed much for her trip other than clothes so she simply packed all of her necessities into her bag awaiting the call to the lifeboats.

She had checked. This wasn't like some Titanic situation with not enough lifeboats. There was more than enough lifeboats for every passenger and crew member onboard the ship. Still, she wanted to be off this boat as soon as possible. She knew that it would probably be safer to wait in her cabin until further instruction from the cabin but she knew that if she left now then she could get off of this ship much quicker. It was a risk but a risk she was willing to take. Caitlin grabbed her bag, slipped it over her shoulders, tightened the straps so it wouldn't fall off at any cost and pried open the sliding door to her cabin.

The ship was rocking backwards and forwards due to the waves but she kept on going. Her nearest lifeboat point was on the fourth deck which was usually a five-minute walk from her cabin but factoring in the waves and her hangover would slow her down by at least a few minutes. Funny. Funny how only an hour or so prior to this the sun was burning on the milky skin but now the air was cold and brittle, it made her shiver down to her bones. Lucky she put on her favourite hoodie before she left though her legs, only bearing shorts, were still shivering. Though that was the last of her worries.

As she stumbled across the corridor leading to the deck, water sprayed up from the sea and into her face causing her to almost trip and fall into the dark waters below. Caitlin knew now that she had to be extra careful, one misstep could leave her falling and falling into the depths and that would lead to certain death for sure. But there was no turning back now, it wasn't far now, just a little longer and she would be there. Then all there would be left to do was wait for everyone else to get here. She couldn't access the lifeboats as she wasn't a member of the crew and even if she was it would be selfish of her to do so; each lifeboat could fit around fifteen people. 

Thinking this through, Caitlin suddenly realised that perhaps leaving the not-so-safety of her cabin wasn't such a good idea after all. But there was no point in changing her mind now, what's done is done. She just had to focus on getting out of here and that was all she was really thinking of. So much so that she didn't notice the boat suddenly jerking backwards causing her to lose her balance. Oh, this was all going so well for her so far. She had gotten her rhythm and her coordination was impeccable. Just one slip up and it was all over.