My Little Bird

Beginning the Horror

"I know the feeling," I replied to Gregory. His eyes were looking straight into mine, kind of like they were boring into my soul.

He smiled at me, flashing his brilliantly white teeth. He really was gorgeous. How did I get someone like this? His eyes sparkled, making them look even more beautiful.

Just then, the ship started shaking. It was an awkward kind of rumble. Soon, I was thrown back against the wall, causing Gregory to be thrown with me. Snow tumbled onto the deck. I looked up at where it had fallen from to be utterly shocked.

"Ruby, please tell me you see that too."

I was lost for words. What stood in front of us was one of the largest icebergs I've ever seen. It was massive. I bet underneath the water, it was hiding its even bigger side. It was breathtaking in both the good and bad way.

A little re streak was left on the ice, showing some paint from the ship had rubbed off on it.

"I've got to get to headquarters!" Gregory stood and started running towards the doors.

"Wait!" I cried, hoping he would stop.

He hesitated, turning a little bit. "Come with me, Ruby! It's not safe out here!" He swiftly ran back over to me, grabbing my hand and pulling me with him through the doors.

The people's faces in the dining hall seemed normal. Did they not feel anything? Did they not know what happened? They stood laughing, having the same postures as I had seen just before.

"Come on, Ruby! Go up the stairs and into your room! Find Scarlett and make sure she's safe and back okay! Get everything important and meet me back here as quick as you can!" He said his words calmly, as trying not to stir up any questions or confusion from the other passengers.

"But what about you? I can't lose you, Gregory!"

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. You just go do as I said, and everything will be alright! I've got to head up to the watchtower now, alright?" He leaned in and gave me a kiss on my forehead. "Trust in me, Ruby. It will all be okay." And with that, he was gone.

~~~

I found Scarlett and Nicholas in our room, practically eating eachothers faces on the couch.

I had gotten their attention and explained what happened. Nicholas went up to the watchtower and Scarlett ran around the room, trying to gather whatever was possible.

"Scarlett, please! Hurry! We've got to go!"

Scarlett had tears streaming down her face and worry in her eyes.

"Everything here has important value, Ruby! How could you not know that? I only brought my whole life with us!" She was beginning to get angry with me.

"Scarlett, please. Just get things of important value. Like this." I bent over and picked up a book covered in different colored strands of ribbon. It was very outdated, shown by the stains on its cover.

"My book!" she yelled, snatching the book from my hands. "How did you know about this?"

"What are you talking about? I just picked it up. It looks like a photo album."

"Oh." She opened it slightly, making sure I couldn't see what was inside.

"Scarlett," I said, "what's in the book?"

"Just, uh, pictures and things," she said hesitantly.

"You're lying to me."

Her eyes looked up, shocked that I would accuse her of such a thing. But behind the shock was a sort guilt.

"Ruby, can I tell you something without you getting mad?"

"Can you say it quickly?"

She sighed loudly. "Ruby. You need to know something." She paused, as if not knowing how to word her next sentence.

"Ruby, I don't think you know why we're here, on this ship."

I looked at her, questioningly. "To see your father. That's why we're on the ship."

"Sort of." She looked even more guilty now. She started fidgeting with her hands, twiddling with her thumbs and such.

"I promised him we would do bad things to help him get money."

I froze for a second. "What kind of bad things did you say we would do, Scarlett?" I gripped her shoulders. "Tell me. Now."

"This book is a list of men who want us. To use us. It's not as bad as it seems, Ruby, we'll go there and find somewhere else to live! It's the only way we could get here, to America!" Tears were spilling out of her eyes by now. "It was for us! For a new start!"

I was infuriated by now. "How do you expect us to do anything, Scarlett? What money do we have? Who do we know in America? Nobody! Where do we stay? How do we stay alive! I swear, sometimes you only think of yourself!" I headed for the door and swung it open.

"Once you're on a lifeboat and safely landed, I want to see you. Only so I get to tell you that I never want to see you again."

"But Ruby! Wait! Where do I-" Her last words were cut off by the door slamming. And with that, I headed towards the dining hall.

I didn't even bother to look back.