April 15th 1912 Sometime around 2:45 to 3:00 AM
It didn't take long to get to the wreckage. There were some chairs floating as we rowed past, but mostly there were bodies. Officer Lowe made the people who were not rowing check them to see if they were still alive. I handed my oar to help check them. Body after body, and yet not one survivor. One of the other men on the lifeboat asked if we should turn back. Officer Lowe said no, we had to keep checking. Very softly I heard him mutter, 'we were too late. Too late!' . Shortly after he said it, I saw a face in the water I recognized. I let out a yelp. Officer Lowe rushed to my side.
"What is it?"
"It's her sister and brother-in-law. If they're here..."
"Don't give up hope. It's all we got left."
He went back to the front of the boat calling out to see if anybody would respond. I crossed myself and let their bodies go. I didn't want to admit it, but the chances of her surviving if her relatives were dead, was slim.
April 15th 1912 At 3:30 AM
When we headed back we had three survivors. Three men, and one woman. Out of all the people in that water, only four were alive. Then, one of the men died in the boat. That was all we had to show for our efforts of going back. At the congregation of lifeboats the sun was starting to come up. It was the end of the horrible night, and the worry of the morning. What if we weren't going to be saved. Surely the distress signals had been sent out, hadn't they? Officer Lowe and I tried to quell the passengers fears. The truth was we didn't know for sure if anyone was coming or not. I was consoling a passenger when a person stood up and pointed to the breaking dawn.
"Look! Over there!"
Everyone turned their heads. It was a rocket flash. Only one thing could have made that. Another ship was close by. Someone had sent out distress signals, and they were received. Instead of making the weary people row to the boats, we waited for the boats to come to us. At last we were rescued.
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The Aftermath
Historical FictionThe Titanic sinking was a devastation heard around the world. Especially to a particular Officer James Anderson who has lost everything. One of the few reporters on the Carpathia has been trying to collect survivor stories, and Officer Anderson de...
