We near the destroyer, and I see the rope netting on the side of the ship. My limbs already ache thinking about how I'm going to have to climb it soon. I think back to the trouble I had with the ladder. This will be infinitely harder, I'm sure. But I will do it.
The boat slams against the side of the destroyer and the men rush up the netting. I grab the rope and begin climbing as fast as I can, men jostling me with every move. I'm halfway up when I hear a gut-wrenching scream. I look down and see a soldier whose leg is caught between the boat and the destroyer. Thankfully he's not one of the three boys I came with, but either way I move downwards.
That is until Tommy stops me, quite literally. I've backed down onto him yet again. "Well, hello," He says playfully. I don't understand how he can be like this right now. There's a man not twenty feet below us who's in immense pain.
"Tommy, I have to go help him," I say, my throat constricted with held back tears. Usually I'm not this emotional, but something seems to have sent me over the edge now.
"Cece, you can't. Someone else will help him," Tommy says. "You need to focus on yourself and get to the top of this ship without getting hurt." He moves his leg up, which forces mine to go up so he doesn't step on me. It goes like this the rest of the way up, me only moving because of Tommy's presence below me.
I reach the top and Alex pulls me over. He steadies me before helping Tommy up. I glance around and see a nurse handing out blankets next to a door that leads below. She hands me one with a slim smile, painfully aware of what I've just been through.
Below deck is noisy and hot. Soldiers are packed like sardines, with nurses handing out tea and bread with jam. Gratefully I take a slice that was offered to me, as Tommy and Alex approach me. They're wearing life vests and Alex hands me an extra one.
I shed the wool coat I've been wearing, the reason I almost drowned and slip the vest on. My fingers fumble with the clasp, shaking uncontrollably. A hand is placed over my own. "Let me help, love," Tommy says. I oblige, letting him close the clasps with ease.
"Where'd your friend go?" Alex asks.
"Looking for a quick way out," Tommy says, glancing at the steel door that's shut. "In case we go down." Fear courses through me. I hadn't even thought of the possibility of the ship going down like the other. Without a word I move closer to the door.
Alex sits next to me on the wooden bench, leaning in close to whisper, "We won't go down, Tommy's being an asshole saying that."
I shake my head. "What if he's not wrong? Gibson's on the deck for a good reason, right?" I look around not seeing the head of wavy black hair. My breath catches in my throat. "Where's Tommy?"
"Can't stay away from your lover?" Alex jokes. I bite back my retort, figuring my energy is not worth a petty argument right now. Unable to explain the feeling I have, I rush to where I last saw Tommy. He's not here.
I spin frantically in a circle, looking for any glimpse of him. I spot him next to a nurse getting a cup of tea. I rush over, grab his hand, and pull him behind me without a word.
"Woah, Cece, what's happening?" I just shake my head, dragging him to sit next to Alex. When he's seated he repeats his question.
"I don't know, I don't know, Tommy," I say. "I just have a horrible feeling." A tear slips down my face and I angrily swipe it away. Alex shoots Tommy a look, who stands up and wraps his arms around me.
I push him away. "I'm fine." He opens his mouth as if he's going to say something, but decides against it and grabs my hand instead. Tommy leads me to the bench and forces me to sit.
"I promise nothing is going to hurt you, not while you're with me." Alex laughs and Tommy shoots him a look.
"It's sweet," Alex says. "She's just not having any of it." He points to my face, which is still in a scowl. I stare at him and his dirty finger when the ship lurches with a boom.
"I told you!" I shout. Water pools around my ankle, and soon reaches my knees. The room fills up quickly and I'm sucked downward. It's pitch black, I can't even see my hand in front of my face. Someone kicks my head and I think, this is how I die.
Light fights through the darkness and I can't help but wonder if it's the way to the afterlife. Regardless I swim towards it, quickly running out of air. I emerge from the surface to find the ship almost entirely on its side. I quickly jump over the side so I don't get sucked back under.
I spin around looking for Tommy, or Alex, or even Gibson. I scream when I see none of them, the ship almost all the way submerged by now. Cries erupt from my throat. I can't be alone. Not after Tommy promised me.
A lifeboat rows closer in the distance. I tread water until it gets closer. "Hey, captain, there's a nurse in the water," a soldier on the boat says.
"Pull 'er up," The captain says. As they lift me up I scan the faces for a familiar one. To my despair, I recognize none of them. More tears leak out, closely followed by sobs.
We row to more men, the boat slowly filling up. Two figures bob in the distance, and hope grows in my chest. The closer the boat comes, the more sure I become. The men swim towards the boat and I see the unmistakable black hair.
"Tommy!" I scream. His eyes snap up to mine. The look on his face is pure ecstacy.
"Cece!" He swims faster, reaching the boat in moments. I grab his hand and try to pull him into the boat, until the captain yells at me.
"There isn't enough room!"
"But- but we can't just leave them!"
"Do you have life jackets?" the captain asks the boys.
"Yes, sir," Alex answers.
"The water isn't too cold, you'll be fine until another boat gets out here." He turns to one of his men and instructs them to start rowing.
Gibson watching all of this go down, grabs the rope at his feet and throws it to Tommy and Alex. "Just hold on," I tell Tommy.
He gives me a crooked grin. "I'll try, love."
"I'm feeling very left out," Alex comments. I laugh a little at his boldness.
"Oh, Alex," I mutter. "You better hang on too." He smiles, his eyes brightening a bit. The journey back to shore I thank God that I'm alive. That Tommy, Alex, and Gibson are alive and here next to me. These men I met less than a day ago have captured my heart, and I have an immense love growing for each of them, though very different.
Alex and I converse a bit, my heart reaching out to the poor soldier stuck in the water. We try to include Tommy, but he struggles to answer, his eyelids drooping. "Tommy, hey," I say, trying to gain his attention, "Tommy, look at me." He finally brings his tired eyes to rest on mine.
"I know you're tired, but we're almost to shore. I can see it," I reassure him. There's nothing I want more than to help him at this moment. He smiles at me, but it's forced, his eyes drooping once more.
What feels like an eternity, but couldn't have been longer than half an hour, we reach shore. The mere thought of being back on solid ground invigorates me. I jump out of the small boat with the help of Alex. "We made it!" He all but squeals in my ear, spinning me in a circle.
I smile at him as I pry myself from his arms. Tommy is a few feet behind us and I quickly make my way to his shaking, drooping form. The best thing for him is to get out of the water that is still knee deep for me. "C'mon baby," I whisper to him, grabbing his hand and gently guiding him to the sand.
As soon as we're far enough from the ocean that the waves won't hit us, Tommy drops down, thoroughly exhausted. "Thank you," he says. "Thank you Cece, for every little thing you've done for me. I would've let go of that rope had it not been for you."
His words render my speech useless, so instead I lean over and embrace him in a hug so full of the love I have for him he can surely feel it. He holds me tight, so that there's no space left between us.
Next thing I know we're lying down, still in each other's arms. "Stay with me," He says breathlessly, already almost overcome with sleep.
"Always," I say, resting my hand on his cheek, brushing the grains of sand off of his perfect-to-me complexion. He's the last thing I see before I fall asleep.
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