Free Me

chapter ten

It was some hours later when land could be seen, Carpathia first bypassed Pier 54, its Cunard Line pier, and sailed up the Hudson River to Pier 59, the berth for White Star Line and where Titanic was supposed to have arrived. Having dropped off the empty lifeboats, Carpathia then sailed back toward Pier 54. They were the first pieces of the disaster to be taken to dry land; vessels which had been launched half full and carried passengers to safety aboard the rescue ship. The source of so much life and so many answers already. Why were the boats launched half full? Why were there so little lifeboats aboard the great ship?

A tug boat filled with photographers followed the ship to the pier, and the flashlight of cameras lit up the ship in the night sky to reveal that the decks were crammed with passengers.

The sky was black, rain drizzling endlessly. The fog had cleared as they had grown closer inland but the cold remained. The decks were a blanket of black umbrellas shielding those who stood around from the rain. The liberation was all about, or as much joy which could be mustered for having feet back on dry land. There was a strange calm about, one which was haunting as well as peaceful. One could only muse as to what the atmosphere would have been about if it had been Titanic herself arriving here and not the ship carrying her survivors. It was almost difficult to believe just how much their entire lives had changed in such a short space of time.

The lights of Lady Liberty seemed brighter somehow; almost a beacon to welcome those home or to the City which would no doubt become their home. She moved passed them slowly, and each person stopped their actions to view her; some for the first time and some for the umpteenth but she was still a marvel to witness especially after the tragic circumstances in which each person was arriving back to the States.

Exhaustion clouded the passengers; the events of the week causing an endless disturbance to their rest. Many, even though happy to be home, were too weary to show any further emotion. It was unimaginable.

Beneath a black umbrella, Rose leaned against Jack; his body an endless source of her own strength. The pattering above them on the umbrella seemed to calm and soothe them both as they stood together, the silence between them comfortable. In the hours since they had left Cal out on the decks, they had returned to the corridors in which Jack had laid on that first night to rest; somehow. Could rest come to them ever again?

The events of the day were still very blurred, combining it with the lack of rest and so, Rose simply had leant against Jack with his hands gently stroking through her hair and it had brought such comfort amongst the unsettle of her stomach. Through heavy lidded eyes, they watched the scenes about them, the faces of the lost and lonely and then each other's before returning to the sight of the Statue.

Thunder had rattled the ship throughout their journey from rescuing the survivors to the dock, a sense of God's anger somewhere, most had said. God was angry, but wasn't he the one who had claimed so many lives? The faith lingered about. People had both gained and lost their religious stems but saying that, most prayed for something; anything. There had to be something out there, hadn't there?

Jack's right hand came to Rose's waist, pulling her ever closer into him. Her head tilted to his shoulder; leaning to him as she lifted her chin upwards to find his watchful gaze upon her just as it always was. Beneath his gaze was where she had come to feel the most exposed and also the most alive. Seeing how watchful he was of her ensured her of the feelings which transpired between the two of them. It was deeply profound and honest.

''We are home,'' he smiled, softly. The first words they had spoken in a while. She exhaled, her breathe a cloud about her.

''Yes, we are.''

''A home that I never thought I would see again in a while.''

''A home that I was dreading to return to and now I cannot wait to feel my feet upon dry land.''