Splinters started appearing in the floor. Not just tiny ones, they were as big as lamp posts. People were screaming, fleeing for the life boats. Connor whisked round and grabbed Jade's wrist. He propelled her forward, following close behind. The nearest life boat, full to the brim with frightened tourists and screaming children.
"To late." Connor muttered, though she saw the fear gnawing away at his mind. She couldn't blame him, the ship was tearing apart! Jade's her heart was pounding ten to the dozen, the day was clear, this shouldn't be happening.
"This way." He said, yanking her the other way. The last boat seemed like ages away but we hurtled towards it as best we could.We were a breath away now but Connor stopped before we could board.
"What 'ya' waitin for kids, get on before we all die!" Shouted one of the distressed crew members, clearly wanting to get the boat away from the sinking ship. Jade tugged at Connor's arm; he refused to move.
"Well?!" Screeched the attendant, more furious this time.
"No." Connor replied flatly.
"What?!" Jade questioned as shocked as she was the other day. Connor turned to her, eye to eye. His mysterious golden gaze was clouded with concern. Something was wrong.
"Find something buoyant. NOW." Connor exclaimed before he stormed the deck.
"Suit 'ya' selves!" The person shouted, sounding really annoyed. Jade just stood there, she was frozen with fear. People around her were jumping over the sides, hoping for an easy escape while others were holding on to the railing. Screams and cracks were dominating the air, but a close one made her heart stop.
The boat was a long pointed piece of art. It was made of 5 floors and an exceptionally large staircase. Above all the floors was the deck which homed a pool, a rock climb wall, the control room, the life boats and two massive chimney's. These were for burning waste products.
The snap sounded behind her, it was louder and longer than all the other noises. Everyone stopped to stare at the collapsing chimney. It groaned again then lurched towards her. For the first time in her life she screamed. It came out in a high pitched squeal but she truly meant it. All the saw's and all the rides at Thorpe park, none of them stirred her, but to fit in she faked it so this was really something.
People were fleeing from the area but Jade's feet refused to budge. The structure was almost upon her when Connor shoved a multi-coloured beach ball into her arms. He didn't seem to have anything to save him, she opened her mouth to complain when he grabbed her by the waist and pressed her face right next his.
"Sorry." He said blankly but tears were welling in the pits of his precious eyes. Then, without further comments, he pushed her back so that she fell off the edge. The last thing she saw was the chimney crashing down on Connor as she plummeted down to the icy depths of the sea.
As she went under, the freezing water woke her up and hit the terrifying truth at her and it hurt worse than hell. Connor was dead because of her, he died saving her. If only she could have moved, they would both be alive then! Also if he just let us board that life vessel we could be safe and well. But that's not how fate works.
Now she was in the middle of nowhere with no directions to the nearest stretch of land. Even a rock would do better than these hungry waves which threatened to swallow her at every movement. Jade turned to look at the wreck of the Mary Rose. Life boats were escaping from every direction possible but the one they left was nowhere in sight. There was no clear cause for the crash from where she was as there were no rocks or dangerous waves, but the boat was already half way submerged and not stopping. At the current speed of decent, it looked like it would disappear in five minuets.
Studying the deck she pinpointed the fallen chimney and there wasn't a stir about it. Looking to the right of it she could see the remains of the life boat she and Connor could have been on. It was crushed under the weight of the rubble. Well Connor was right to not want to have boarded it as a misplaced wrench was clearly blocking the drop system, leaving those unfortunate people to their doom.
Connor was always unusually smart, and it never occurred to her that she did have feelings for him. Jade did love him but she never knew it. He was always comforting her at school when the big kids picked on her and when she felt sad and distraught. Connor congratulated her when she did things well, when she achieved her goals. He was always in the right place at the right time.
Besides all his support, the one date that would be stuck in her memory for life was that of the first day she met him. Four years ago, on the first day of October 2130. Jade was coming home from a disastrous day at her new school. She had just moved and nobody even acknowledged her existence. As she ran home crying, Jade walked straight into a group of strangers, all of them were big and bulky and their expressions showed that the had no fear for her and that she was in trouble for walking into their patch. Jade tried walking ahead bu the group soon closed the gap.
"Ain't seen you round ere before, and your not welcome!" Declared the biggest of them and from his many bruises and scars he was clearly the gang's leader. "I'm Rat, and your dead!" He spat, slamming his bloody fist into his other hand. Rat took a step closer, grimacing as his comrades repeated his actions.
"What have I done?" Jade cried, flinching as he pummeled his hand again close to her face.
"You entered our turf! That's punishable by death!" Rat tightened his fist, drew back and it flew for her face. Instinctively she shut her eyes awaiting the deadly hit; it did not come. After a few seconds had passed, a calm voice lingered in the air.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." It said. Jade looked to see a boy, about her age, grasping the fist in his bare hand. His eyes were golden, his skin was tanned and he had a good taste in fashion. Rat didn't falter at this, instead he pulled his hand back and puffed out his chest menacingly.
"Why not pretty boy? She your ugly wife?" Rat questioned, followed by a round of laughing from the others.
"No." The boy said flatly. That seemed to piss him off more. Rat kicked out at thin air as his opponent swerved around him. The boy dodged the other attacks and as Rat charged at him he stepped out the way leaving his foot stuck out. The man fell over and his victor swooped over him. Grabbing the man's shirt, the boy pulled him closer. "You think your tough being in a gang and beating up others for fun but guess what, you just got crushed by a kid, RAT!" He let him drop back to the floor and whisked round to face the others. "Let that be a lesson to all of you!" He yelled for them all to hear, then he hurried her away.After that day they became great friends, if only they had known it wouldn't last forever.
An earsplitting crack jolted her back to the present. The Mary rose had split into two and each side was sinking just as fast as the other. All she could do was hope that the waves would drive her to land before she died. Another salty wave hit her but not with water, instead a brightly coloured beach ball bounced off her head. This inflatable was a serious blessing, she reached out for it; it bobbed away. Jade tried again, but the outcome was the same. She did it five more times but it just seemed to be getting further away each time. The more she tried, the further away it got and the weaker she got. Jade gathered all the strength she could muster, then jumped with all her might and landed square on top of it. Wrapping her arms around it, feeling very pleased with herself, Jade finally got to relax. A warmth spread through her body, telling her everything would be alright and that Connor was watching over her proudly.
The day went by slowly, her only companion were the birds and the sea. The night wasn't pleasant either, the southern breeze was extremely cold and the soul draining water wasn't helping either. Dawn was rising with a warmer breeze. The empty red sky was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen and it certainly helped to lift her spirits up.
Another day went by, Jade hadn't had anything to eat or drink, but she knew she would die if she didn't drink soon. All hope was almost gone until Jade spotted a dark shape in the distance. Whatever it was, Jade didn't care, anything was better than these endless waves and now she was safe.
