Death had slept with her that night. As her body still remained laying lifeless on the bed, her hair floated about like a ghostly apparition. Slowly, her body lifted as if she had finally found the way to Heaven. All around her was submerged by darkness.
Eleanor woke with a start. Something had disturbed her. She shook it off, today was her big day! She was to board a ship today with her husband and travel to a new land called America. Because of her cancer, she could not walk. Her husband would take her to mostly anywhere she wanted to go. They were to travel first class, so he happily agreed to come along. Her room was dark. The books on the shelf were dusty and un-touched. The door to her room creaked open. Slowly a maid walked in, she bowed and went to service Ellenore. Even though the maid girl was small, she was strong. She lifted Ellenore's tired body into a wheel chair. The wheel chair was wooden. At the top of each handle was a hand carved head of a lamb. The wheels were cylinders of medal surrounded by rubber. The maid slowly lifted the night gown off Ellenore exposing her old naked body. Her long silver hair poured down her back like a long silky waterfall. A long embroidered gown was slipped of her now partially covered body. A large comb was brought forth from the maids pocked. The teeth of the comb ran through Ellenore's hair and forced it to be straight. Hair pulled tight and gown straightened perfectly, Ellenore left her room. Moving at a medium pace, Ellenore pushed herself down a long corridor towards the front door. A younger man stood at the main entrance holding the door for her. She nodded and continued outside. The air was crisp and the sun was bright. The wind only blew hair enough to gently disturb the leaves on the trees. Ellenore was greeted by her husbands wrinkled face shining like a thousand suns, eyes glistening with the universe. Ellenore had always described him as an old song. This extrordenary man was called Charles Darkwood, husband of Ellenore Darkwood. Once Ellenore was taken down the short flight of stairs and placed in a large carriage, Charles joined her groaning from joint pain. With both doors closed, the couple began their journey to an unsinkable dream.
The air had changed. It no longer smelled like home. The soft sound of the swaying trees was replaced by the ear piercing shrieks of seagulls. The carriage went slower, no longer making Mr. Darkwood nauseous. Finally to his relief, the carriage came to a stop. Charles was the first to exit. Their was a small section of their journey had to be walked, or rolled. The large carriage was not allowed on the dock. Ellenore did not like the bumps on the wooden dock. The wheels on her chair only made the ride more dramatically terrible. This was one of the moments in her life where she wished she was a child so she could talk or sing, listening to her voice bump along with her chair. She might also enjoy the ride as well. Ellenore was probably the last to see it. When it finally did come into her view, she saw it as even more magnificent than any dream. The ship rose from the cold splashing waves and tickled the sky. Grey smoke emerged from each smoke stack on its back while the horn alerted of its up-coming departure. Ellenore felt the jerk of her wheelchair speeding up in her neck. The wind moved faster now, stinging her face and bringing tears to her eyes. Suddenly they stopped. They had reached their destination. The boat rose higher than any mountain, and was longer than any river. Ellenore smiled and looked up, straining her neck to see the almost impossible top of the ship. The ship was not only just a dream, it was Titanic.
The couple had began going up. The board walk felt like a long narrow bridge leading over sure death. The wind had begun to feel much stronger now. After a long trip of up, the deck came into view. The wood was waxed and gleamed like stars. other parts were painted black, white, or gold. Ellenore ran her fingers on the ships railing. The last horn blew announcing the departure of titanic. Eleanor sat and watched the main land disappear. She smiled. This was the beginning if a new life.
The door was stuck. The given key would not go in, and the door just groaned when pushed. Finally, after a man with bulging muscles came and pushed the key in like a knife in butter, the door swung open with a creak revealing a perfect paradise. The wooden walls were tinted a beautiful hue of brown. The floor was covered with a beautiful embroidered rose carpet. Around the room were mirrors decorated to look like windows. The main fire place had flowers all around it in tall vases. The bed was gigantic. It had a long thick comforter that was covered in stitched flowers. Over it hung a red curtain that could cover the bed when needed. Over to the left was one bathroom with a large mirror. Paintings were hung and statues were placed about the room. Eleanor was taken out of her wheel chair and placed on a small couch to the side of the room. Charles sat beside her and they watched the ship workers unpack their things. Charles touched her hand. Even though they had been married for sixty five years, Eleanor still felt a flutter in her stomach when his hand touched hers. She smiled and her kissed her hand.
The sun had just tucked itself in under the blanket of the horizon. The hanging lights had been turned on, ant the band was weaving a beautiful waltz. Eleanor listened to the waltz while sitting on the couch. She had begun to rock back and fourth to the music. Soon, sleep began to over come her. A sleepy Eleanor slipped herself into a wheelchair and began making her way to her bed. She reached over to her bedside light and began to dim it. Before the light was completely dimmed, Charles burst into the room wearing a tuxedo.
"What....what are you doing? Asked a now confused Eleanor.
"We'll In the ballroom and wanted to dance.....I need a dance partner" Charles said, hinting to Eleanor. She sighed and looked at her skinny limp legs.
"I can't walk" she said with a sad tone in her voice.
"You don't have to, I have practice pushing a wheelchair" he smiled and she smiled back.
"Let me get dressed" Eleanor said with new energy. She slipped into her wheelchair and began to get dressed. Charles helped.
Her dress was beautiful. It proofed out on the bottom because she was sitting on it. Her hair was done up perfectly, and make up done like a dream. Eleanor smiled, she was ready to go. Charles opened the door and pushed Eleanor outside. The air was cold and salty. Thankfully the room was not far from the ballroom. Quickly the couple got to their destination. The main entrance was magnificent. A gold statue of an angel child stood in the middle of a split stairway. Everything in the entrance was either gold, marble, or wood. The sweet sound of string instruments filled Eleanor old ears. She was brought down the stairs and wheeled into the ballroom. Two men bowed and opened the door for them. Inside revealed a haven. Women and men danced while children ran around screaming by the tables. Eleanor smiled, the sight of people, older people having fun gave her hope. The air was a grey smog. The warm smell of cigarette smoke drifted into Eleanor's nose. She struck a match and lit her own. When she was young her mother would always smoke. When she would take Eleanor out, she smoked more. She would look at Eleanor and say "You can always tell a person by the brand they smoke. Since then, Eleanor had always smoked the best. Eleanor never smoked at home, only at party's or places of high social status. Charles walked over with refreshments. They smiled, and consumed the liquid.
As the night slowly, got older Eleanor began to get bored just sitting there watching everyone dance. Her husband was talking to a group of other well groomed gentlemen. All except Charles had a smoking cigar in hand. Whenever one took a breath of smoke, Charles would look at them with a look of disgust only Eleanor could distinguish. Soon after one last laugh was shared between the men, Charles left directing himself to Eleanor. The music had become more lively while the two met. All at once, Charles jumped up and extended his arm towards Eleanor.
" What are you doing?" Asked Eleanor confused.
"Is this not how you start a dance?" Said Charles in mock confusion. Eleanor smiled and extended her hand. He took it and swung around behind her pushing her into the middle of the room. Some people laughed and others just satires, silently judging with their eyes.
"Just ignore them," Charles said looking at her, "their just trying to fit in" she looked down.
The music had started to slow, and the song chosen was smooth and poured throughout the room as if the sea itself had spilled into the ship. As Eleanor sat, Charles would dance around her, spinning her chair, and bowing when needed. Charles had begun to go slower now and perspiration was running down his face in beads. Even with his lack of energy, he kept a smile on his face for Eleanor. Eleanor was laughing as her chair was spun and tipped about. Some of the children began to join in on the dancing. Their laughing faces made Eleanor laugh even harder. The people began to dance around her chair. Each time Charles came around, he would smile and wink. At one point Charles didn't come back around. The people had stopped and the children ran to their parents. Eleanor's smile faded. She took her hands and turned around. On the floor was an unconscious Charles, two streams of warm blood dripped from his nostrils.
Eleanor was taken back to her room without Charles. No one would answer her questions and she was constantly being told "he's fine" .Once Eleanor had been brought to her room, she was taken from her chair and laid on her bed. The people who helped her turned and walked away without another sound. Now alone, Eleanor cried. Her salty tears fell from her eyes and burned her cheeks. Eleanor hardly ever cried so her skin was not used to the salt content. Her tears were quickly removed by her tired hand. No matter how hard she tried, the tears became dreams. All she knew was her creams were no relief.
When the sun finally came through the window, Eleanor was wide awake. She had already managed to get to the floor and was working on getting in her wheelchair. This is how he found her. He extended his arm and lifted Eleanor into her chair. The man's name was J. Bruce Ismay. At the time, he was the owner of and passenger of the Titanic. He had knocked to no avail, so he tried the door. Finding it unchained, he walked in. He had only meant to deliver new on Charles but he had made a friend instead. Once in her chair, the two left to visit Charles.
Eleanor had been visiting Charles for three days now. Each morning had a routine. She would wake up and visit Charles, clothed in a nightgown.
Once more, Eleanor was present in the smoke filled room. She was sitting at a table nearest to the exit tapping her finger on the table. She had been sitting at that table for at least an hour, clearly waiting, patiently. With a slight gesture, she brought her small cup of tea to her red lips. Every time she took a sip and an outline of her lips was left, she quickly wiped in off with a napkin. The music had stopped now and the musicians were taking a break. This was when Ismay walked in . He was wearing a suit that matched his greased black hair. His mustache just complimented the outfit more. He smiled and Eleanor gestured for him to come over. Once seated, he pulled out a cigar. He touched his mouth to it an inhaled. Soft white smoke exited his mouth like clouds right after. Eleanor blew out her own smoke too. She always drank tea when she smoked.
"Have you seen Charles lately?" asked Eleanor, raising her cup to her mouth.
"Actually," he said, setting down his cigar, "That's what I came to talk to you about." Eleanor's smile dropped.
"What do you mean?" she said with fright in her voice.
"I mean, the doctors want to keep him longer, and do further tests." He inhaled.
"May I see him?" Eleanor said, while gathering her things.
"You may say goodbye, but he isbheing moved to a "No Visitors" room quite soon.
"Well then, I am sorry I have to cut this meeting short." With that she wheeled away.
The room Eleanor entered was warm and dusty. The little light that shone through the windows illuminated the dirt in the air. There were over 20 beds in each room; ten on one side and ten on the other. Nurses wearing white habit like cloaks were scurrying about the ward. In the back of the room laid a medium sized lump in a bed. Because none of the other beds were occupied by Charles, Eleanor made her way to this one. The small corner of the room stank of sweat and bed pans. The sheets were stained almost a brown color. In the bed lay a weak Charles. Blood was stained down the front of his shirt. His face showed agony as he moaned words in his delirium. Beads of sweat trickled down his face and landed on the pillow beneath his head. Eleanor had come to the medical ward half expecting him to be up and talking. The sight that she actually saw made her heart hurt. Tears rolled down her cheek and landed in her lap. She sat with Charles for at least an hour before he was taken away. Eleanor was taken out by a nurse and pushed to her room. This is where she stayed and cried. She no longer cared for tissues. Her pillow was stained with mucous and lip stick. Her eyes were tired and blood shot. Large dark circles began to form under her eyes. She had been in her dark room for hours before Ismay came to see if she was alright. The light hurt her eyes and forced Eleanor to close her eyes even more.
