Terror on the Docks

Three

Wednesday, December 5th 1917

Before explosion

"Chores! What good are they?" Joseph grumbles to himself as he carries in some wood for the fire.

I smile while bundling Alice up in her tiny winter coat. "Don't complain Joseph. Besides, you're almost done."

"About time!" He replies as he puts the last armful down.

"Let's go let's go let's go, to the park! It's almost eight o'clock, we must leave now!" Thomas says excitedly, bouncing up and down.

"Okay, okay!" I laugh.

We stay at the park for a half an hour before we decide to walk back home.

"Wow, look how close those two ships are getting!" Minnie exclaims, pointing down the hill to the harbour.

"Yeah, they look like they're going to collide," Clara says nervously.

"SS Imo and Mont-Blanc!" Joseph pipes up. "Hopefully if they do collide none of the crew will be badly injured."

"Yes, hopefully. Did you say one is called the Mont-Blanc?" I ask.

Henry said something about that ship, didn't he?

"Yes, see the name of it written on the side?" Joseph replies. "Oh! They hit! Come on let's go see what happens!" He exclaims, running down the hill.

Minnie and Thomas, not really caring about the ships, wander off towards our house.

"No I don't think that's a good idea! Joseph come back!" I yell.

What was it that Henry said? 'And my dad said in his letter that they're bring explosives on that ship!'

"Joseph come back here now!" I hear myself screaming.

"What's wrong? He's just going to look," Clara says.

"I, I think the dock area might be a bit dangerous. See? The ships already on fire." I take a step back.

"Okay, well I'm sure it'll be fine, the boats are way out in the water."

"Yes, but-" And then for a moment the world is completely silent. Not one little sound. No whistling wind, no footsteps on the road, no birds singing. And within a second that silence is replaced with the loudest noise I've ever heard, and wind stronger than could be imagined throws me against a brick house. Then the noise stops, along with everything else.