Propellers

This is the first thing I have published on wattpad and I know its not very good. I will edit it and maybe use it for the historical fiction competition coming up soon.

In case you didn't know, the HMHS Britannic was the sister ship of RMS Titianic and was a White Star Line ship. It was intended to be as luxurious as Titanic but was converted to a medical ship in 1915.

Dedicated to the 30 people who lost their lives this way on 21 November 1916.

PROPELLERS

"Would you take this pile of washing down to Belinda in the laundry, Miss. Waits," said Michael to me as I hurried out the room with a polite bob. My boots were new and the heels made a clicking noise as I scuttled down the steps, along the wooden corridor filled with small wards for the soldiers that were really too wounded to be with the others.

Then I reached the main staircase and shuffled down it, holding the large pile of used bed sheets and pillow cases as well as a few shirts and socks. Steam met me as I reached the laundry where Belinda was pouring boiling water into a huge tub filled with blood-stained clothes.

"Room for some more in the bed wash?" I asked, patting her on the back.

"Yeah, just throw it in," she said sighing.

Belinda and I had met 2 years ago at a training session for stewardesses. We'd become good friends since then and it was amazing when we met by chance on the Britannic.

"You know, Vera," she said with a twinkle in her small brown eyes. "I think you've come to like that Mr. Michael Brow haven't you?"

"What nonsense you talk, belly! He's pleasant enough as a friend but that's it, you understand?"

"Yes, yes. Could you bring that basket over here?"

I lugged the huge metal basket filled with shirts, faded from the boiling to remove the blood.

"Here you go." I said panting.

"Pah! Tired after just bringing the basket over here. You're a weak un aren't you?" Breathed Belinda, taking a dirty handkerchief out of the pocket in her blue striped dress and mopping her crimson brow with it. "It's hard work"

"Yes, well. I mustn't dawdle. You haven't perchance seen Violet down here."

"Who's that?"

"You know, Violet Jessop. The girl who survived the Titanic as well. Poor girl, she's still in shock from it. Those dreadful screams as it went down. Still, not to worry, our boat won't sink. We're not even near an iceberg." I said as I returned upstairs to the wards.

I had spoken too soon down in the laundry. I was just going right up to the boat deck to find Violet Jessop as she was wanted by one of the doctors. Then suddenly I heard everyone rushing to the decks and leaning over the edge. Everyone was shouting, some praying to God. Whatever was the matter? Should I go and get Belinda? No, let me see what the commotion was.

"Oh, please miss. Dear God, I beg of you, make it miss." Cried an older nurse.

"What's going on?" I asked puzzled to the frantic lady gazing out into the ocean.

"LOOK!!" she cried.

I looked and wished I hadn't. The blood drained from my face and I suddenly felt my feet rooted to the deck.

Coming straight towards us was most definitely a Torpedo.

"Oh Lord! Make it miss! Please!" I wept. Without really daring to look, I gingerly poked by head over the rails and suddenly fell back with a mighty POW!! As a huge mass of white water was forced up into the air and came down like a ton.

I was lying on my side with many others redeeming themselves after the shock. Most of the Nurses were rushing up to the deck for they too had felt the ship rock.

The alarm was sounded and I could hear stewards rushing through the corridors alerting those that had merely thought the jolt was a sudden stop in the engines. My first thought went to Belinda. Would she know? Surely not. I picked up my starched skirts and ran down the corridors and towards the main stairwell, pushing past all the nurses and doctors who were frantically hurrying the other way in order to obtain a lifeboat seat. With the loss of the Titanic in mind I knew it was essential I did the same. But I just had to find Belinda.

I reached the lower few decks and to my horror saw it filling up with water!

"Belinda! Belinda? Answer me?" I screamed. The water was rising fast. If my friend was still down there....she was dead. Blinking back tears I rushed back upstairs, narrowly avoided the greenish water that was chasing after me. On the busy decks there was total chaos. Nurses and doctors were helping the soldiers into the lifeboats. I could easily see three or four at least already adrift, filled with horrified people. Would there be a seat left for me? I pushed through the crowds trying to find a place where I would be seen. Michael saw me and immediately pushed me forward.

"Let this lady in. She's only young. Come on. You've got room for another in there." he demanded to the lieutenant standing by the winch about to lower away a full boat.

"I'm sorry; she'll have to get on the next boat. This one is full. If we overload them they may tip and then they'd all be dead."

I watched as yet another boat was lowered away into the bubbling waters below. My heart was thudding and I felt sick. We were sinking, sinking, sinking. I could feel the deck was slanted and we were slowly tipping to the left. I rushed to an open boat which was being loaded but was unable to board it as so many nurses were already there. I heard a few crew members shouting to a lieutenant that the captain had decided to dock the ship in the nearby island of Kea just off the coast of Greece. Would it make it that far? I had severe doubts as the ship was taking on water fast. I would not feel secure until I was on a life boat.

I darted across the deck in hopes of finding Michael again. Where was he? I suddenly spotted him helping a frightened lady into a half filled boat. The Lieutenant beckoned me in and soon I was safely sitting next to a stammering lady on a wooden bench in the white rowing boat. How good it felt inside of me to know I would be ok.

Most of the boats had been lowered away and the number on the deck had decreased with just crew members and doctors left. My heart leaped as I thought they could board the last two boats and all would be saved, but came back down to earth with a thud as I remembered how I had not yet seen Belinda or Violet on a life boat.

We hit the water with a subtle splash and soon we were cast adrift. I looked round and suddenly my stomach clenched so tight I thought it would burst and I could feel sweat oozing out of my forehead. I opened my mouth to scream but no sound came out. The other occupants of my lifeboat saw my horrified look and turned around only to make similar faces to my expression of fear.

"SAVE US!!!" we cried out to the deck above. "Help!!!"

Everyone on the deck immediately rushed to the banisters, shouting out to save us. The other boats looked on with horror too.

I looked back, utterly terrified. We were slowly being sucked towards the giant propellers which were churning the water round and round. They were huge, as large as our boat, and we were heading straight for them. My heart was thumping louder than ever. We were all clutching one another and huddled at the rear end of the boat. But we knew there was no way anyone could save us now. They were coming, closer, and closer, and closer. My stomach churned as I anticipated what was going to come next. And then they hacked half of the boat and we