A New Beginning

Chapter 17: Changing Tides

Chapter 17: Changing Tides

Emma parts with Rose in an attempt to find a way out. The water is frigid, and it makes everything slippery to walk through. The lights flicker constantly, struggling to keep a path for Emma lit, but it is getting harder to do so.

The entire time she searches for an alternate escape route, she thinks of Peter and Sybil, somewhere out on the Atlantic, cold but safe. She's worried about Peter's leg and whether he might bleed out before the night ended and then Sybil would be left more an orphan than ever before. Had the ship called for help at all? Would anyone see the white rockets that had been fired earlier? Emma couldn't tell, and she becomes more and more frightened with every passing moment she's in the flooding hallways.

She makes her way down the hall, searching for a staircase or something that could allow them all to escape. She pushes by an open cabinet door which had probably been opened by the force of the water. Most of the contents are floating at her waist, she is about to take another step when she hears Rose's voice.

"Emma!"

Before she can answer, the ship shifts violently and sends Emma underwater. A current rush of water begins pushing her further and further from where she had heard Rose's voice. She grabs frantically for something along the hallway for support, but the shock of the cold and the suddenness of the jolt left her floating helplessly. The lights are dimming, leaving her in more darkness. The water is forcing her deeper into the ship and even though she is a strong swimmer, it's hard to go against the current. Bubbles are flying out of her nose and mouth as she tries to push for the surface, her heart pumping as much blood as she can to give her body the strength it needs to fight. However, with the lack of oxygen, she cannot concentrate and she's very afraid. At one point she's turned completely upside down, away from the surface. She kicks upwards, but by now it is hard to know which way is up. Emma puts her hand up at what she thinks is the surface and manages to grab a hold of something. She pulls, knowing her air supply is extremely low and makes one more desperate attempt to breathe.

When her head breaks the surface, she lets out a large gasp of air. The cold water stings her lungs badly, it felt like tiny icicles were forming on them. She expels the salty liquid from her mouth through coughing and forces water out of her nose, which burns too. Panting, she catches her breath before talking.

"Rose!" she calls, but there is nothing now. She's too far into the ship to reach her friend or for Rose to hear her. She tries to take in her surroundings, but all she can see is water. The lights are dim, and the water now seems black and threatening. This is her worst nightmare; the one from a few nights ago of being trapped in these tiny hallways with water slowly filling before she drowns.

She feels herself panicking, tears fighting their way to the surface against the cold water. Her head is almost against the pipes above and she will run out of air soon. This is how she is going to die, just like her nightmare told her so.

Then Sybil's face comes into her mind. The happy and joyous face with cute little dimples and lively blue eyes; a face she would never see again unless she did something about it. And Peter, her beloved husband who would die sad and alone. His also lively blue eyes and blonde hair, the smile that drew her to him, she would never see it again, unless she tries to escape this coffin the Titanic was trying to bury her in.

Finding what strength, she has, Emma pushes herself, fighting against the water to swim back from whence she came. She takes a deep breath and dives under, the salt and ice-cold water stinging her eyes and the deep pressure makes her ears pop, but she keeps the images of the family in her mind, the family waiting for her on the surface. She uses the wall to push herself, to give her an advantage and she kicks at whatever is behind her to propel forward.