Burn It and Move On

Part 2: Spring 1912 - Southampton

My sister Aella waved her handkerchief over her head as the ship blasted its horn one last, long time and pulled away from port. "Bon voyage!"

"Bye, you poor simps." Democritus took a swig from his flask.

Aella laughed and took the flask from him, despite having her own hidden in her handbag. Her cheeks were already flash from what she'd already had to drink and her giggle was too giddy for the fate of this affair.

Demi took the flask away from her and offered it to me. I took a sip, let the liquor burn down my throat as I watched the Titanic go off on its final trip. Fifteen hundred people waved back at us, not knowing they weren't going to make it to shore again.

I passed the flask to Galenos and he drank like it's full of water. His red eyes were locked on the deck of the ship as it moved out of the harbor. His lover Martta stood on board, having boarding with naïve excitement.

Demi took the flask away from Gal. "Quit pouting, brother, you know there's nothing we could have done."

"I could have warned her."

"We all know that's bull."

"Martta doesn't deserve to die."

"Come on, Gal," Aella gently touched his cheek. "Just because you two were on the make doesn't mean she deserves to survive."

Gal slapped her hand away, catching the attention of some of the other men in the crowd.

"Alright, time to go." Demi took both of them by the arm and started to lead them out of the crowd. Dutifully, I followed after my siblings, keeping as close to them as I could in the masses.

"When to next?" Gal asked.

"We're not leaving yet, Gal, we're just going to lunch. Want a hamburger? Coca-Cola? My treat.'

Gal pulled his arm away from Demi as we got to the edge of the crowd and shoved his hands into the pockets of his slacks. "I'm not hungry."

"You're not going to survive on a liquid lunch." Aella reached around Demi to poke at him again, but Demi caught her hand before she could touch him again. Aella dissolved into a fit of giggles and leaned onto Demi for support. "You poor lovesick fool, Gal."

He scowled at her. "You of all people should understand."

Her giddiness disappeared in a moment. "Uncalled for."

"Let's just go home, okay? Can you blottos handle that?" Demi wrangled them again. "Keep up, Xenia."

Both Aella and Gal turned to me, remembering suddenly through their drunken fog that I was there.

"Baby sister!" Aella cooed, reaching a hand out to pull me toward her. "How are you? Are you alright? Is this too emotional for you? We can go lie down."

"Xenia." Gal reached out for me too. "Xenia, why did we let Martta get on the boat? You liked her too, didn't you? Why didn't we stop her?"

"Gal, Aella, enough." Demi tugged their fingers from my clothing. "You're acting like fools."

"They're not fools, Demi, they're in love."

Demi glared at me, absolutely exasperated with all of us at this point. "Well I hope you never fall in love, Xenia. Look at what it does."