The Iceberg

[2] The Iceberg

Chapter 1: Home-Bound - Alexandria’s POV

The dock was completely solid with people, bodies writhing back and forth, shoving into each other. The smell of fresh paint, sweat and whiskey filled the air, but Alexandria didn’t mind. This was the way home - back to America, on the Titanic - the biggest ship in the world. She pushed her way to the line that was heading up the ramp.

First class people didn’t need to go through inspection, something she was glad of, and she didn’t need to carry her own luggage, with the exception of the suitcase she dragged with one hand.

Someone bumped into her chest, nearly tipping her over. “Sorry Ma’am,” a young boy said, tipping his hat at her, flattening down his wild brown hair, and running back through the crowd, soon disappearing from view.

Alexandria smiled a little bit, as she watched him go. Ah, when she was young. Playing, frolicking, reading. The line moved again and suddenly she was right by the ticket man.

“Ticket please.” The ticket man asked, a grin on his face, and she waved her ticket at him. “Continue, Miss.” He smiled at her widely, blue eyes twinkling with excitement, “And welcome to the Titanic!”

“Thank you,” She told him, and  continued up the ramp, walking gracefully, shoulders straight like her mother had always told her. Had to look prim and proper you know.

It was a warm day, and the breeze made Alexandria’s hair flutter. A small piece blew over her cheek, but she pushed it away quickly with her hand, she didn’t like hair on her face.

Her sisters and parents followed in behind her, but she stepped aside to let them pass.

“Come along girls.” Her mother called, striding across the room, tossing her long brown hair over her shoulder. “We need to get to our rooms and unpack so that we are dressed in time for dinner.”

Alexandria thought that the dress her mother was wearing was much to elaborate for a ship ride. It was a dark green with blue, and a wide hat sat on the top of her hair. Lace decorated the wrist, neck, and waist, giving it a much too formal appearance for Alexandria’s liking.

At the mention of dinner Alexandria frowned. She hated dressing for dinner. What was all the fuss. Dresses, fancy talk. It was all boring. Then the men would go talk in the other room, smoke cigars, and drink brandy, and the women would gossip. Boring. She loathed dinner time, especially a social dinner.

“Find your rooms, girls!” Her mother called before disappearing down a corridor with her father. It was quite like her mother really - take them somewhere new, and then disappear, leaving them to flounder.

Both of Alexandria’s sister disappeared along with their mother, each glancing at their ticket and heading down a different hallway.

Lilette, who was the youngest at twelve went down one of the hallways on the right, her blonde hair bouncing under her wide brimmed yellow hat, and her matching dress fluttering at the pace she walked. Her icey eyes shimmered at the prospect of something new and exciting, and she scrabbled off to do whatever twelve year old girls do.

Charlotte, who was just two and a half years younger than Alexandria herself, at sixteen, disappeared down a hallway on the left, her long chestnut hair gleaming in the light. She to was smiling, but not with her eyes, like Lilette.

Ah, Charlotte. When they were younger Alexandria and her had been so close. Now they barely talked. And when they did it was arguing. Nothing either of them could say would please the other.

Even their mother noticed this, and made sure that their rooms were in separate places to avoid a ‘scene’.

It was ironic really, that Alexandria the oldest had black hair, then Charlotte with light brown, and the Lilette with blonde. Alexandria thought about it all the time.