A New Beginning

Chapter 16: Water Levels Rising

Chapter 16: Water Levels Rising

Emma follows behind Rose as they shove their way through the crowds, going towards the Grand Staircase.

"What's the plan?" Emma asks, nearly out of breath.

"Find Jack before the ship sinks," Rose answers.

"Brilliant." Emma mutters sarcastically.

Rose ignores the comment when she spots a familiar face that can help them. The designer of the ship is checking staterooms to ensure that everyone has evacuated.

"Mr. Andrews! Mr. Andrews! Thank God!" Rose yells, catching the man's shoulder.

"Miss Rose what are you doing?" he asks, utterly stunned by the young girl's reappearance. "Get to a lifeboat."

"Mr. Andrews where would the Master at Arms take someone who was under arrest?"

"Rose," the designer warns.

"Please, Mr. Andrews, someone I love very much is in terrible danger. We need to get him. We will do this with or without your help. It's just without will take longer."

The tired man sighs, seeing the determination in this young girl's eyes. Her brunette assistant is slightly more reluctant, but nonetheless won't let Rose go alone.

"Very well, Take the elevator to the very bottom. E deck. Go left, down the crewman's corridor and make a right."

"Left, down and right, I have it!"

"Hurry my children," he says quietly.

"Yes, sir." Rose nods.

The two girls run towards the elevator. The attendant attempts to stop them.

"Sorry miss, but the lifts are closed..."

Rose so flustered and stressed, pushes the attendant into the elevator.

"TAKE US DOWN!" Rose barks. "I'm through with being polite dammit. I may never be polite the rest of my life! Now, take us down!"

Reluctantly, the attendant does what the redhead wants. Emma closes the doors of the elevator having only just been here a few moments earlier.

"E deck," Emma says in a much politer tone that her counterpart.

The attendant running the lift recognizes Emma and the two give a slight nod of recognition since he'd helped get Peter into the elevator and them to safety. He cranks the handle down and turns to the second passenger.

"You've gotta be some kind of crazy to back down again," he comments.

"Gotta be the hero," Emma smirks.

As they descend, all aboard can hear the tricking of water until the elevator drops right into a lake of cold water, spraying everyone and soaking them to the bone. All three of them shriek at the coldness hitting their bodies. Rose claws to open the gold bars to allow both of them through. Emma takes a few deep breaths in order to allow her body to adjust to the shocking cold. The attendant tries to reverse the lever to go back up, but Rose shoves him out of the way. She manages to open the gate for the two girls to squeeze through.

"I'm going back up! I'm going back up!" the attendant hollers.

Emma manages to lock eyes with the attendant. "Thank you," she says as the attendant disappears upwards.

Rose looks around them, taking in the flooding hallways. The frigid waters of the Atlantic are trickling in at a rapid pace, filling up and reaching the girls' waists.