˗ˏˋ𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫'ˎ˗

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉ℯ𝓇 𝒩𝒾𝓃ℯ

˗ˏˋ𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫'ˎ˗

Elizabeth's POV ~

Bodies are whirled and spun, some limp as dolls, others struggling spasmodically, as the vortex sucks them down and tumbles them. A roiling chaos of screaming, thrashing people. Over a thousand people are now floating where the ship went down. Some are stunned, gasping for breath. Others are crying, praying, moaning, shouting, screaming. Jack and I surface among them. We barely have time to gasp for air before people are clawing at them. People driven insane by the water, 4 degrees below freezing, a cold so intense it is indistinguishable from death by fire.A man pushes me under, trying to climb on top of me, senselessly trying to get out of the water, to climb onto anything. Jack punches him repeatedly, pulling me free.

"Swim, Rose! SWIM!" Jack tells me.

I tried, but my strokes are not as effective as his because of my lifejacket. We break out of the clot of people. He has to find some kind of flotation, anything to get me out of the freezing water.

"Keep swimming. Keep moving. Come on, you can do it."

All about us there is a tremendous wailing, screaming and moaning, a chorus of tormented souls. And beyond that, nothing but black water stretching to the horizon. The sense of isolation and hopelessness is overwhelming.

Jack strokes rhythmically, the effort keeping him from freezing, "Look for something floating. Some debris, wood, anything."

The cold is getting to me, "It's so cold."

"I know. I know." His words keep me focused, taking my mind off the wailing around them. I scan the water, panting, barely able to draw a breath. Beyond the people, I saw something in the water, "What's that?"

Jack sees what I'm pointing to, and we make for it together. It is a piece of wooden debris, intricately carved. He pushes me up and I slithers onto it belly down but when Jack tries to get up onto the thing, it tilts and submerges, almost dumping me off.

"Jack, try again, but slower," I tell him as I move slowly along, giving him more space. He tried again and this time he was able to fit on.

Our breath floats around them in a cloud as they pant from exertion. A man swims toward us, homing in on the piece of debris. Jack warns him back, "It's just enough for us, you'll push it under."

"Let me try at least, or I'll die soon."

"You'll die quicker if you come any closer," Jack warns the man.

"Yes, I see. Good luck to you then," He begins to swim away, "God bless."

Jack and I still float amid a chorus of the damned. Jack sees the ship's officer nearby, Chief Officer Wilde. He is blowing his whistle furiously, knowing the sound will carry over the water for miles.

"The boats will come back for us, Rose. Hold on just a little longer. They had to row away for the suction and now they'll be coming back," Jack tells me to comfort my worried mind.

I nod, his words helping me. I'm shivering uncontrollably, my lips blue and my teeth chattering, "Thank God for you Jack."

People were still screaming for the lifeboats.

Jack and I drift under the blazing stars. The water is glassy, with only the faintest undulating swell. I can actually see the stars reflecting on the black mirror of the sea. Jack rubs my arms. His face is chalk within the darkness. A low moaning in the darkness around them.

"It's getting quiet."

"Just a few more minutes. It'll take them a while to get the boats organised..." I knew Jack was beginning to doubt that any of these boats were coming back for us. I dont move, all I do is just stare into space. I know the truth. There won't be any boats. In front of us I see that Officer Wilde has stopped moving. He is slumped in his lifejacket, looking almost asleep. He has died of exposure already.