The Angel of Small Death || Five Hargreeves

i. the kind of radiance you only have at seventeen

April 10, 1912

Olivia Elsey, also known as Liv, was born in Britain in 1896. Since she was a child, she longed to leave Britain. There was not enough sun for her tastes. There was a type of adventure that was leaving the country she called home, and she always wanted that adventure. Her mother could not be less happy that Liv wanted to leave home. Traveling was too dangerous in her eyes. Her father was more than happy to enable her, him having been adventurous as well when he was a child.

Her father, George Elsey, was born into wealth. His great-grandfather started an automobile business, which allowed the family to have automatic vocations and a decent amount of money. The problem was the Elsey patriarch did not wish to work for the family business, instead wishing to be a boat engineer. His wife and younger brother thought that he was insane to venture into a business that was so new, but his eldest daughter praised him for his dreams. He supposed that was because she had big dreams as well.

George Elsey remained unsure about the business venture until word of a ship journey occurring. A British passenger ship had plans of going from Britain to New York City, a perfect opportunity for the man to see what ship travel was all about. A huge plus was the fact that his daughter wished to accompany him, as she wished to see the city everyone spoke about.

Liv's mother did not wish for her husband and daughter to travel to the United States. Their absence would force her to look after the four remaining Elsey children with very little help. After much persuasion, she allowed the two to go on the promise that they would be back in very little time. Finally, Liv was able to get the adventure she wished for, an adventure she would never forget.

The two Elsey family members exited their car, the area around them full of eager people. People were marveling at the boat, deemed unsinkable by the papers. Her father tipped a footman, trusting him to bring their luggage aboard the ship.

"You really should venture into the boat industry, father. Just imagine owning one of these. You can own it and have it steered to any place in the world." Liv said, looking up in awe at the ship.

"If I had one of these boats, you would never get off. Your mother would not like that one bit." Her father said, looking down to her. "We should board the ship now, we will be laughed at if we miss the departure."

He grabbed her arm, leading her up the path to the boat's first class entrance. "I would never get off, who would? Traveling to every corner of the world would be possible with one of these. You should buy a boat just to make your favorite daughter happy."

"Who is to say that you are my favorite daughter. I seem to remember having another lovely daughter by the name of Florence. She is an awful lot less annoying than you."

"Do not be rude, father. Florence is only less annoying because she spends more time with mother." Liv stepped onto the boat, feeling the wonders of her body moving back and forth with the ship. "This is just what I had dreamed it to be!"

***

April 15, 1912

It was late at night, almost midnight, when Liv explored the ship a bit more. She had explored the higher levels with her father, but never had the opportunity to see the third class floors. Liv had snuck out of the compartment in which her father and she lived as soon as her father fell asleep. The third class floors were rather bland, no carpets in the halls, no paintings on the walls, most of it was a sanitary white. As she walked the long plain corridors, she wondered what it would have been like to be born into a family with little. To have to work for her money. She supposed she would not like it as much as she thought. Little pressure, but little room for adventure.