Shipwrecked

Chapter 1

There was nothing like staying on a cruise ship. It was so peaceful. Well I shouldn't say peaceful because all of the children were running around, screaming and yelling in a playful manor; but the right word that can best describe this event is: relaxing.

It was relaxing lying down on the chair next to the kiddie pool and absorbing all this sun. I can just feel the UV rays painting a tan on my skin.

I didn't mind the kids at all. It made me smile looking at them and seeing them laughing, smiling, talking and splashing one another. It reminded me of when I was a kid and me and my sister Ruby would play in our uncles' pool. We would have splashing wars, we would play Marco Polo, and we would race to see who was the fastest swimmer and of course I always won because I was older. We would swim for hours.

In the middle of memories the ship must've hit something because it stopped immediately and we all heard a bang. Everyone went to the side of the ship to see what was going on. I sat up and looked too. From my eyes I couldn't believe what was happening, I guess the ship hit a rock and broke a part on the lower deck and the ship was going down fast. Panic started to rise in my throat. Then an announcement came on.

This is your Captain speaking. We hit a rock that was not detected on our radar so the ship is starting to sink. No one panic, there is one raft in each room for emergencies. They all include ores and can fit four people at a time. When the time comes open your raft, get in, then wait. Make sure you bring your valuables, now go. Hurry!

By then everyone started to panic and flee to their rooms. I was one of those people.

Why me? I had the perfect life at home. I had the perfect condo, I had the perfect job as a Journalist but that's all I needed because it was perfect and besides I don't want to die at age 24.

I ran to my room as fast as I can. I gathered up all my clothes in a small suitcase. Looked for the raft and grabbed it off the wall. I also grabbed the life jacket.

I was in a survival camp when I was 15. I tried to remember it. They said something about food. Of course food just in case I get hungry. I went to the mini fridge and grabbed all the food and drinks in there that there was. They also said something about matches for a fire. I didn't have matches but I have a lighter. The last thing I remember is something like a pocketknife. I didn't have that either but luckily for me it was an African themed cruise and there was a machete hanging from the wall so I packed that too. I zipped up my stuffed suitcase and ran to the buffet at the restaurant to get more food because this wasn't enough. A lot of people were already grabbing food so I had to move quickly. I grabbed takeout boxes that were stacked by the entrance table and grabbed waffles and pancakes, hash browns, eggs and sausages. It was still morning so there wasn't anything else. I closed the takeout boxes and put them in my suitcase.

I ran to the kiddie pool area where I was before. I took out my phone to see if I could call anybody. No service it said. I turned off my phone in frustration and looked to see how much time was left. I probably had less than two minutes because the water is almost at the top of the deck.

People already started to open their rafts on the deck and sat in them patiently waiting for the water to come onto the boat so I copied their strategy. I sat on one end of my device and I put my suitcase on the other. It was a nice raft. It was those emergency yellow ones with the mini ores.

I looked around to see more people getting their stuff ready. I see children crying and even some adults crying too. The kiddie pool area was starting to get packed with yellow rafts everywhere. Then an announcement came on.

Attention, this is your captain speaking. The water is almost over the deck so everyone be prepared. You have less than a minute. I have called The Ship Station and I have informed them to send some Helicopters to bring you and your family to safety. Now good luck and be patient.

Some people sighed in relief at the news and so did I. At that moment the water started to rise over the deck. People started to scream and get in their rafts. Some people even prayed but I don't understand why.

I asked a man in his early fifties beside me who just finished praying with his wife. " Why is everyone so worried, the helicopters will be here in a few hours?" The man frowned and looked at me like he was going to give me bad news.

" Haven't you heard of other shipwrecks? Most helicopters can only fit a certain amount of people in them so some isn't enough for around 200 people and by the time they go, then come and look for you, you floated away far enough they can't find you."

My face turned pale. That was usually not true, but there was that one shipwreck that had the same problem.

I thanked the man for the information and saw the deck was already two feet under the water. I curled up into a ball and tried to think positive about the helicopters. I closed my eyes and realized I was really exhausted and drifted off into a deep sleep.