Cora Cartmell and New York City

Chapter 18~ Court

Three days later, it was a cool, gloomy Saturday. It was also the day that Jack and Cora would go to court over the titanic.

"Are you sure you want to come along?" Jack asked Cora after breakfast. "It might be boring, and Cal will be there."
Cora puffed out her chest in confidence. "I want to go." She said.
Jack nodded and laughed

On the way out, Cora put on her coat, grabbed her doll, and waved bye to Rose. She skipped down the stairs, but her stomach had butterflies deep, deep down.

After getting off the trolly with Jack, they came to the front of a tall, dark building.
Cora's stomach jumped. She felt a bit nervous, but holding onto Jack's hand, she felt a bit safer.

As they went in, there was a giant door, and Cal was standing right outside it.
As Cora walked by, he tapped her on her shoulder, but she didn't look at him, she just kept walking.

The room was big, there were several sets of wooden benches behind one another, and It had a giant desk in the front of the room.

Some people were already there, and it was getting busier by the minute.

Jack and Cora found an empty Bench that an older couple were sitting at, and Cora sat on Jack's lap, staring at the judge that was in the front of the room.

He pounded his hammer on the desk and called out "court will come to order." He paused and then said "I will now read off a list of survivors."

He read off every name, Cora even heard her own. "Cora Dawson, age five." He read off in a clear voice.

He then read off the names of people who died during the sinking, and Cora braced herself to hear her parent's names.

Cora felt confused when she heard the man say "Rose Dewitt Bukater." But then she realized that Rose had used a different name when asked her name on the Carpathia.

Then the man got to the C's. "Bert and Ella Cartmell, and their daughter Cora Cartmell, age six." Cora heard sad sighs throughout the room.

Cora waited until the man was done, and then she politely raised her hand, just like in school.
"Yes, Miss?" The man said.
"Sir, I'm Cora Cartmell. I survived, I just have a different last name now. My parents are the ones who passed away." She said quietly.
The man nodded sympathetically and crossed her name out of the list of people who didn't survive.
He put his pencil down and looked at Cora and smiled.
"Would you mind telling us your story?" He asked.
Cora looked at Jack. He nodded and smiled, and she slipped off his lap and walked to the front of the room, clutching her doll.

"The gates were locked, and my daddy couldn't find a way out. The water was rising very quickly. We couldn't find a way out, and my daddy and mama and I ran up a long flight of stairs to a gate, with the water rushing behind us, and then the gate ended up being locked, and my mama and daddy tried to open it but it was locked, but then I saw an opening on the bottom of the gate and I held my breathe and slipped under the gate and stood at the top of the stairs, and watched my parents get swept under the waves. I was really scared." Cora said. The man wrote all of what Cora said on a piece of paper.
"Thank you, you can go back to your seat." He said to Cora.
She nodded, and walked back to Jack. He put her back on his lap, and other people told their titanic stories, but Cora didn't listen. She was too busy thinking about that horrible day. She missed her parents so much, and wished they were there with her.

"Court is over. We have provided Sandwiches and glasses of milk for whoever would like to stay." The man said, and he left the room with a piece of paper in his hand.

Cora and Jack went over to the table in the Corner and took sandwiches. As Cora ate, she sat next to Molly and talked, while thinking of her parents. Cora had expected Eva to be there, but her mother had to work and couldn't take a day off.
When she was finished, Jack, Cora and Molly played with Molly's little siblings. Jack chased them around, and tickled them, and Cora and Molly watched and laughed.
The man walked toward them, and shook Jack's hand. Then he bent down towards Cora's level, and shook her hand.
"Thank you for telling your story today." He said.
"Your welcome." Cora replied, smiling.
"I talked to a reporter in the back, and he was wondering if you'd allow me to publish it in the newspaper, so people could hear about the sinking from a child's point of view." He asked.
Cora nodded her head and smiled. "Yes." She said.
"Wonderful!" The man said, walking away.

On the way back home, Cora held Jack's hand, and swung her dolly. She was sad, missing her parents, but was very excited to have her story published in a newspaper!

Editors note: I'm sorry I have not posted a chapter in over a week. I've been very busy with school, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :) Don't worry, you won't have to wait as long for the next one. :)