Last For A Lifetime

Chapter Two

April 15th, 1912                                                      Jack's POV

Jack stood at the bow of the ship and watched the love of his life sink away. He knew that he should feel relieved that Rose was safe, but it still hurt more than anything to see her leave. There were lots of men like him milling around the deck, unsure of what to do next. Jack made his way to the stern of the ship which was already starting to rise out of the water. He remembered being here with Rose just days ago when they first met. It seemed like a lifetime ago. Now here he was climbing over the rail just as she had, to try and save his life instead of end it. 

He tried not to see the people who were sliding and falling down the deck. He had to concentrate his full attention on knowing when to jump and start swimming, so the ship didn't suck him down. Closer and closer to the water he sank until he jumped and began swimming franticly through the icy black water. He would have thought he was used to the cold now but that was nothing compared to really being in the ocean now. he swam through the crowd of shouting crying people. He looked franticly around for a piece of wreckage he could grab onto and then he saw it.

 A door that had broken off and was floating not far away. He swam for it, praying it would hold his weight. He climbed onto it shaking with cold. He had never been so cold in all his life. not even when he had fallen into Lake Wissota while ice fishing. He'd only been in there for a moment before his father pulled him out. now there was no escape from the frigid water. He lay there trying to stay warm as people all around him drowned and froze to death. He thought of Rose who was safe in a lifeboat and of how he would see his mother, father, brother and sister soon. He hoped it would end quickly. 

Eventually the screams faded away, Jack said a silent prayer for the people in the water and for their poor families waiting on land. He had no hope that he would ever be rescued now and as he lay on the door growing colder and colder, he wondered if he should just let himself sleep. His father had always told him to never sleep in cold weather or you'd never wake up, but Jack figured that was coming anyway. He let his eyes close and felt sleep closing in.

But then, a thin cold light swept across the dark water. A faint shout "Hello, is anybody out there"? Jack's head shot up, a ship! He tried to cry out "I'm here" but his voice was so faint that he knew no one could hear. he looked around desperately, he couldn't die with a boat right there! Then he spotted it, an officer who had frozen to death. there was a whistle in his mouth. It took all his will to slide off the door and his limbs were so stiff and weak from the cold that they could barely move. He just managed to get to the officer and blow, once, twice three times before it dropped from his lips.

He could barely keep his head above water until the boat reached him. The last thing he remembered was strong hands lifting him into the bottom of a boat and a heavy scratchy blanket being pulled over him. He was too cold to feel the blanket's warmth. There were two other men lying beside him, but he didn't try to speak. He felt the boat begin to move, his eyes closed, and he remembered nothing more.