The Heart of the Ocean

Chapter Thirteen: Loading The Lifeboats

The Captain was in the telegram room, telling the operator to send out the distress signal, C.Q.D, to any ships in the area. The Captain asked the operator to tell whoever responds that they were going down by the head and needed immediate assistance. The operator in charge was happy that he had decided to fix the telegram that day otherwise that wouldn't have been possible. But he sent out the distress signal, telling anyone nearby what the situation was.

Up on deck, every officer was doing everything they could to get the lifeboats ready to launch while the passengers stayed inside as it was too cold and noisy for them. Mr. Andrews was assessing everything outside before going in to check on the passengers. The band was playing to entertain the people around them while everyone was confused as to what was going on.

Not even Molly could get an answer out of anyone. But Frank, Nathan, and Ruth was so oblivious to the situation that h asked the maids to turn the heating on in their room and wanted two glasses of champagne and a cup of tea when they got back. Katerina and Cal caught Mr. Andrews as he went to check on other passengers. They could see on his face that he was worried and wanted to know the truth.

"Mr. Andrews." Katerina and Cal caught him at the staircase. "We saw the iceberg and we see it in your eyes. Please tell me the truth."

Mr. Andrews took Katerina and Cal away from the crowd to tell them.

"The ship will sink." Mr. Andrews told them.

"You're certain?" Cal asked.

"Yes, in an hour or so.... all this will be at the bottom ofthe Atlantic."

"What?" Alice and Richard asked who was listening in.

"Please, tell only who you must? I don't want to be responsible for a panic." Mr. Andrews told the two, "and get to a boat quickly, don't wait. You remember what I told you, Katerina, about the boats?"

"Yes..." Katerina said remembering all too well. "We understand."

Mr. Andrews nodded and left. Below deck, Jack was being cuffed to a large pipe until they were told what to do with him. A sailor ran in, telling the Master-At-Arms that he was needed up in the Second Class purser's office as there was a big mob up there. Lovejoy and Joseph told the Master-At-Arms to go and that they would keep an eye on Jack. The Master-At-Arms allowed it, locked Jack's cuffs, and left, giving the key to Joseph.

Above deck, one of the telegram operators ran up to the Captain with news. A ship called the Carpathia was going full speed to reach the Titanic. She was the closest ship to them but it would take four hours for them to reach the ship. The Captain didn't like Carpathia wouldn't make it in time but, at that moment, it was better than them not arriving at all. The Captain then left for the lifeboats with his information still in his mind.

An officer walked up to him that the lifeboat were ready to launch and asked if they should load all the women and children in the boat first. Distracted, the Captain didn't answer the officer until he asked again for confirmation. The Captain gave him permission to let all the women and children on first before leaving them to it. The officer called all the passengers forward as the noise outside finally stopped.

He told everyone what his orders were for the lifeboats and started to load the women and children in first. The First Class orchestra came on deck with their instruments. They were told by the Carpathia to play some music to save everyone from going into a panic. All the while, below deck in Third Class, everyone was being ordered to put their life vest on. Tommy grabbed one on his way to the stairs with Fabrizio to escape the flooding.

Unfortunately, the gates to the stairs had been closed to avoid anyone from leaving. The crew members on the other side explained that it wasn't time to go to the lifeboats yet and to stay calm. But Tommy thought it was all a lie. Above deck, Murdoch was in charge of letting down the lifeboats so that everyone could leave the boat safely. But what was interesting on Murdoch's side of things was that he had left men aboard the lifeboats too despite his orders.

He wanted to give some of them a chance too. As he coordinated the launch, other crew members were setting off fireworks. Not for the passengers to enjoy but to signal any ship who hadn't caught who hadn't caught their distress signal. Katerina and Cal watched them go off while waiting to get into a lifeboat. Meanwhile, below, Jack could see the water coming up on the porthole window.

To make it worse, Joseph was leaning against the nearest window as Lovejoy was letting a bullet slide off the table before catching it, showing how tilted the ship had become. Jack looked at Joseph and Lovejoy as he heard their guns before telling Jack that he was beginning to think that the ship would sink. As a token of his appreciation, Lovejoy and Josep punched Jack in the stomach, causing him to collapse in pain.

He couldn't hold his stomach either due to his hands still being cuffed to the pipe. Lovejoy and Joseph took key to the cuffs and left Jack alone. Up on deck, it was time for Katerina, Rose, Alice, Ruth, Molly, and others to get in the boat. Molly encouraged others to get in the boat before she did. Richard asked if there was room for him, Cal, William, Frank, and Nathan but officers said only women and children were allowed. William made up a lie that Rose is with children and he needs to be on that boat. The officers agreed to let him on.

Frank and Nathan selfishly asked if the lifeboats were seated according to class before commenting to Richard and Alice that they hoped that they weren't too crowded. Having enough of their father's attitude, Katerina and Cal told their fathers to shut up. This shocked Frank and Nathan but, before they could say anything. Cal told them about how the water was freezing and there weren't enough boats for half of the ship. Half of the people on that ship were going to die.

Richard and Alice commented that the better half of the ship wouldn't. Katerina and Cal looked at Richard and Alice, shocked at their awful comment. Molly told Frank, Nathan and Alice to get on the boat with Alice and Frank so they did. As Frank and Alice entered the boat, Richard and Nathan made a comment that angered Katerina and Cal to the core. They said that it was a pity Richard didn't keep the drawing Jack made and that it would be worth a lot more by morning. Katerina and Cal realized that Richard and Alice had set up Jack to keep them apart. Molly took her out of their thoughts, saying that it was Katerina's turn to get in the boat.

But Katerina didn't move. Frank tried to get Katerina into the boat but Katerina just bid her father goodbye and left with Cal. They had to save Jack from his watery grave. Richard and Nathan stopped them, asking them where were they going. But they knew that they didn't need them to answer that. Richard asked Katerina if she really wanted to be a whore to a gutter rat and queer man. Nathan ask Cal if he really wanted to be a queer guy to a whore and a gutter rat. Katerina told Richard that she'd rather be Jack and Cal's whore than Richard's wife. Cal told his father that he'd rather be Jack and Katerina's lover than Alice's piggy bank. They tried to leave again but Richard and Nathan kept their grip. Katerina spat in Richard's face then stepped on Richard's feet. Cal used his free arm and pushed his father's stomach then his face, then they ran hand and hand to find. And that would be the last time Frank, Rose, William, Ruth, and Alice would ever see Cal and Kateria.