CAUGHT BETWEEN TWO WORLDS
Chapter Six

Ruth glared at her daughter with renewed hatred. How dare she do this to her…humiliate her like this?

"Just like a little slut, isn’t it?" Ruth strolled up to Rose and slapped her hard across the face. She grabbed Rose by the shoulders and shook her roughly. "Look at me when I’m speaking to you!"

Ruth’s tirade was interrupted when there was a knock at the door. A steward poked his head through the door. "Madame, I’ve been told to ask you to please put on a lifebelt and come up onto the boat deck."

"Not now. We’re busy," Ruth snapped, not taking her glare off of Rose.

The steward came in anyway and took the lifebelts down from a shelf. "I’m sorry, Mrs. DeWitt Bukater, but it’s captain’s orders. Please dress warmly. It’s quite cold outside." The steward looked at Rose, who looked extremely worried. His heart went out to the young girl. "Not to worry, miss. I’m sure it’s just a precaution."

"This is ridiculous." Ruth rolled her eyes.

"Ruth! Rose!" Molly entered the room, Caroline tagging along behind her. "They said something about lifebelts…"

"Yes, we know. Here, Caroline. You may have Rose’s." Ruth handed a lifebelt to Caroline.

"Ruth…" Molly warned.

"Don’t test me right now, Molly," Ruth warned. "And don’t you dare offer her yours! My daughter is going to have to be punished somehow for such indecent behavior."

Molly shook her head in disbelief at Ruth’s coldness towards her own daughter. "Come along, Rose. I’ll take care of ya." Molly put an arm around Rose and led her out of the room, noticing how quick Ruth was to grab the necklace from her jewelry box and how Caroline was hanging onto Jack’s portfolio.

Rose felt like she was sleepwalking as Molly led them into the lively first class lounge. It was like a party there, but something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong. Then she remembered…the ship had hit an iceberg! They were all in some kind of danger! She spotted Thomas Andrews heading up the stairs and immediately headed for him. She was followed by Molly.

She grabbed his arm before he could get away. "Mr. Andrews. I saw the iceberg…and I see it in your eyes. Please tell me the truth."

"The ship is sinking, Rose," Mr. Andrews practically whispered. Rose’s hand flew to her mouth.

"Are you certain?"

"Yes…in an hour or so…all this…will be at the bottom of the Atlantic."

"My God," Molly whispered.

"Please, tell only who you must. I don’t want to be responsible for a panic." Mr. Andrews leaned closer. "Get to a lifeboat quickly. Don’t wait. You remember what I told you about the lifeboats?"

Rose nodded. "Yes. I understand. Thank you."

Mr. Andrews nodded, and then he was gone. That was when Molly grabbed Rose’s arm and pulled her to the side. "Rose, I was going to talk to you about this privately, but I need to tell you this now. It’s about Jack."

"What about Jack?" Rose asked, tears once again welling in her eyes.

"Shh, dear. Don’t cry, because there’s nothing to cry about. You have to go get him out of that mess your mother and that girlfriend of his had set up."

"What?"

"Rose, Jack didn’t take that necklace. I know it, and deep down, you know it, too. Your mother had that necklace planted on him, and all this was probably Caroline’s idea. In fact, when they took him away, Ruth and Caroline were grinning like two Cheshire cats. Now, are you getting my drift?"

Rose nodded, her hand flying to her mouth. "Jack…he must hate me by now."

"Oh, no, Rose. I don’t think that boy could ever hate you. Now, go. Go find him and get him out of this mess."

"But how? Where could they have taken him?" She looked at the stairs, to see Mr. Andrews disappear through a door.

"Mr. Andrews. He’ll know." Rose turned to Molly. "Aunt Molly, you get to a lifeboat now. Do you hear me? Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I’ll see you when we’re all safe and out of this mess." Rose grabbed her aunt’s arm.

"Course you will. Now go, Rose. Go save the man who loves you." Molly embraced her niece tightly, praying for her safety. Rose took one more look at Molly and went after Mr. Andrews, not once looking back at the room full of people.

*****

Meanwhile, Jack was down below decks, and he stared out of the porthole as the water rose, while Lovejoy and the Master-at-Arms handcuffed him to a pipe. This was when a crewman entered the room.

"Sir, you’re wanted by the purser. Urgently."

"Go ahead. I’ll watch him." Mr. Lovejoy took out a gun and brought it in front of Jack’s face. The Master-at-Arms nodded and left with the crewman after tossing Lovejoy the keys to the handcuffs. "Don’t even think about trying anything," Lovejoy growled.

*****

"Mr. Andrews! Mr. Andrews!" Rose cried urgently. Finally, she found him and grabbed his arm. "Mr. Andrews!"

"Rose, what are you doing? Get to a lifeboat!" the Irishman ordered.

"Mr. Andrews, where does the Master-at-Arms take someone when they’re under arrest?"

"Rose…"

"Please, sir. Someone I love very much is in trouble, and I need to get to him. Please. Listen, I’m doing this with or without your help, sir. But without will take longer."

Mr. Andrews sighed with defeat as he saw the determination in her eyes. "Take the elevator to the very bottom. Go left, down the crewman’s passage, and then make a right."

"Left, down, right." Rose nodded. "Got it!"

"Hurry, Rose."

*****

Lovejoy glared at Jack. And moved closer to him. "Since the ship is sinking, I’m leaving, but not before giving you this token of affection from your fiancée." Lovejoy took the butt of the gun and slammed it into Jack’s stomach. "May I suggest next time that you consult your fiancée before you go running off with women you just met?"

With that, Lovejoy left the room with the key in his pocket, leaving Jack doubled over on the floor, gasping from the pain.

As soon as the pain left, Jack stood up and decided to try yelling for help. He had to get out of there and back above deck. Caroline was obviously behind this, and he didn’t want her to be alone with Rose. He had to get to them, but how? He was locked down here. Maybe if he called for help, someone would help him.

He clanged on the pipe and yelled. "Help! Help me! Somebody help me!" But nobody came. Well, that was not going to work. There had to be another way.

"This can be bad." Jack sighed, exhausted from yelling for help. Suddenly, he heard tinkling water and looked to see water seeping into the room. "Oh, shit!" Jack quickly climbed on top of a desk and tried to get out of the cuffs.

*****

Rose finally found a lift and tried to go in, but the attendant stopped her. "Sorry, miss, but the lifts are closed."

Frustrated and angry, Rose pushed the attendant into the lift. "I’m through being polite, dammit! Now, take me down!"

Scared of the fiery redhead’s temper, the attendant immediately obeyed.

"E Deck!" Rose closed the door.

*****

Jack pulled against the handcuffs one more time. He looked around him and saw that the water was now up to his shins. He stepped up on the desk and hoped that help came soon.

*****

Rose screamed as water came rushing into the lift. The attendant tried to pull the lever to go back up, but Rose pushed him back and opened the door before he could do so. Rose stepped out of the lift and took in her surroundings.

"I’m going back up! I’m going back up!" The attendant looked at her before pulling the lever. He didn’t even wait for the door to close.

"Jack!" Rose called, heading for the corridor. She casually threw a floating drawer aside as she moved through the corridor. She was determined to find Jack. "Jack!"

*****

Jack looked towards the door, wondering if he was hearing things. He could almost swear he heard Rose calling his name. But that was impossible. She was probably on a lifeboat right now, heading for safety.

"Jack!"

Jack’s eyes widened even further with surprise and relief mixed with indescribable joy. It was Rose! She had come back to save him. "Rose!" he called, clanging the cuffs against the pipe. "Rose, I’m in here! Rose!"

"Jack!" Rose rushed into the room.

"Rose!" Jack smiled joyfully as she rushed to him and threw her arms around his neck.

"I’m sorry, Jack. I’m so sorry!" Rose cried, clinging to him for dear life.

"Caroline had that butler put it in my pocket," Jack explained.

"I know, I know!" Rose cried, kissing him hungrily. She never wanted to be away from him again. She loved him so much.

"Listen, Rose, you’re going to have to find a spare key." Jack nodded towards the cabinet filled with keys. "It’s a little silver one, Rose."

"These are all brass ones!" Rose exclaimed, hurriedly looking through the cabinet.

"Try the desk, Rose. Maybe there’s a key in there." Jack motioned to the desk.

Rose nodded, yanked a drawer out of the desk, and began rummaging through the contents.

"Rose."

Rose looked up. Maybe he had spotted something.

"How did you figure out I didn’t do it?"

"Aunt Molly helped me realize I already knew." Rose smiled, her eyes filled with love. For just a second, they were lost in each other’s eyes again, but Jack felt the water rising and had to break the moment.

"Keep looking." He motioned.

"Right." Rose finished rummaging through the drawer, but found nothing. "No key. There’s no key!"

Jack took a deep breath, trying to stay calm for Rose’s sake. "All right, Rose. You’re going to have to go for help." Rose looked at him, close to tears. She was worried that it’d be too late by the time she got back. "Don’t worry. It’ll be all right."

Rose looked at him, then splashed through the rising water to give him one more deep kiss. "I’ll be right back." She looked directly into his eyes before splashing out the door.

Trying to make light of the situation, Jack called after her. "I’ll just wait here!"

*****

Rose ran through the corridor and up the stairs. "Hello! Hello, is anyone here? I need help! Hello!"

She ran and ran, hollering until she was hoarse, but no one answered. Finally, a hysterical man ran past her. She tried to grab him, but he pulled away and kept going. She leaned up against the wall and fought tears. Everything she loved was sinking to the bottom of the ocean. Her whole world, taking the man she loved with it. What was she going to do? If she lost Jack now…she might as well go right down with him. She was about to go back down to be with Jack when a steward ran by her. One last surge of hope flowed through her as she grabbed the terrified steward.

"Please, you have to help me! There’s a man stuck down below!" Rose grabbed hold of the steward. To her relief, the steward grabbed her hand, but her relief turned to horror as the steward pulled her along with him.

"Come along, miss. There’s nothing to worry about. I’ll get you to a boat," the steward rambled, looking back at her.

"No, wait! There’s a man trapped down below!" Rose cried.

But the steward ignored her cries. He kept pulling her towards the stairs leading up above deck. "You’re going the wrong way! Listen!" Rose pulled back her fist and landed a right hook in the steward’s face, causing him to fly up against the wall.

The steward looked at her in shock, then down at his hand that had wiped blood away from his nose. He looked at her again. "To hell with you." Then he was gone. Leaving Rose by herself. Alone again and without hope.

Then she spotted the axe in a glass case, a water hose hanging below it. Maybe she could free Jack herself with the axe. She grabbed the hose and sent the nozzle into the glass, shattering it. She grabbed the axe and headed back down to where Jack was waiting for her.

*****

"Jack! Will this work?" She held up the axe.

"We’ll find out." Jack nodded. "Wait, wait, wait!" Jack stopped her as she was about to take a swing with the axe. "Let’s do a couple of practice swings over there!" Jack nodded towards a cabinet. Rose nodded.

She lifted the axe and sent it into the cabinet, leaving a deep slit.

"That’s good, Rose! Now, try to hit the same mark again! You can do it!"

Rose swung again, but the axe landed in an entirely different spot. The water was rising faster now. There wasn’t much time left.

"Okay. That’s enough practice." Jack braced his hands so that the cufflinks were stretched against the pipe. Rose came up to him and raised the axe. "Okay, Rose. Swing it really hard and really fast!" Jack directed. As she lifted the axe over her head, he stopped her. "Move your hands up a little more and widen them apart! That’s it! And Rose, I trust you."

Jack turned his head and closed his eyes. He was preparing himself for the worst. "Okay. Go!"

Rose brought the axe down and a loud clang resonated through the room. Jack looked, and he was free! The axe had worked.

"You did it!" Jack cried with glee. "You did it!" He kissed a laughing Rose. "Come on, Rose. Let’s get out of here!" He splashed into the water and followed her out the door.

Rose gasped when she saw water blocking the stairs she had come down. "This is the way out!"

"We’ll have to find another way out, then." Jack took her hand, and they went in another direction.

Chapter Seven
Stories