EVERYTHING’S NOT LOST
Chapter Twenty-Four

"Anyone in here?" I shouted into a somewhat empty first-class suite. Nothing. I kept the door open and continued down the hallway, my father merely a few feet away from me, checking the rooms on the left. I’m checking the rooms on the right. Somehow, I had been convinced to help my father make sure everyone was where they should be—out of their rooms, wearing lifejackets, and up on deck. I think this was somewhat of a way to insure them a lifeboat and a way off of the ship. Then again, I can’t be sure of anything right now.

"Steward, check the starboard corridor!" I heard my father tell, obviously, a steward.

"Yes, Mr. Andrews," was the only reply I heard. I glanced over my shoulder at him as I opened up another door, the second to last in this hallway.

"Anyone here?" I called in, my voice echoing. Lights were still on in this room, but it seemed to be empty. There was no response.

"Madam, please," I suddenly heard my father beg to some woman, "Put on a lifebelt, get to the boat deck immediately." I watched out of the corner of my eye as the woman eyed him, as if she didn’t believe the urgency in his voice, as she slid on her gloves. Society women. He then opened the door to our room. I stopped short, standing in the doorway of the empty room. "Mary, for God’s sake, put on a lifebelt and set a good example."

"Yes, sir," she said, running back into the room. At least she’ll make it out of here. I can’t say the same for everyone else aboard. I sighed, rubbing my eyes. I cannot believe this. I made my way to the last door on my right before I hit the next hallway and swung the door open.

"Anyone in here?" I yelled. There was no response. Everyone’s been out of their rooms so far. At least they can take a hint. I turned to my father. "I suppose I’m going to start down here…" I told him, gesturing to the other hallway.

"Ann—" He wants me on a lifeboat, I know. He’s given Harry ample time and he hasn’t shown up yet. I won’t cry, I won’t.

"This last hallway and I’ll go," I lied. I began to walk away from the last room until I heard something. What was that? It sounded like someone was in there. But, I had asked if there was anyone there, and no one had responded! I backed up towards the door and cleared my throat. "Anyone here?" I called out once more. That’s when I heard the crying. The muffled sobs.

I ran into the room and followed the voice into a bedroom off to the left of the sitting room. In the corner of the room, beside the bed, looked to be a young child, I can’t tell if it’s a boy or a girl because their head’s down, away from me—clutching a white stuffed animal. I began to panic. What am I supposed to do?

Get him to a lifeboat! That’s what you’re supposed to do, Antoinette! That’s what you’re here for, to help. I hesitantly made my way over to the bed and the little person who had sounded so loud looked up at me. A little boy.

"Hi, sweetheart," I said gently, leaning down to face him. He burst into tears even harder than before, throwing himself at me, wrapping his arms around my neck. "Oh, it’s alright—You’re okay…" What am I supposed to do? Where’s my father when I need him? I glanced over my shoulder at the sitting room, which leads out into the hallway. Where is he? I hugged the little boy tightly, unsure of what else to do, as he held onto me, including that stuffed animal—which turned out to be a white polar bear. "Oh, honey, where are your parents?" I asked him gently.

"I. Don’t. Know!" he managed to choke out between his tears.

"Well, everything’s going to be alright, I promise." I looked around the bedroom frantically, searching for the closet. That’s where all of the lifejackets are stored. Even with my horrible eyesight, I don’t see any there. Please, let there be some there! There aren’t. Oh, no. "We’ll get you onto a lifeboat…" I promised, lifting him up off the ground and into my arms. He held onto me, tighter than before as I went for the closet. I balanced him on one hip as I lifted my free arm above the closet. Just like I thought. No lifejackets. "Alright, alright, baby…" I said softly, trying to soothe him, now holding him with both of my arms. Thank God he isn’t heavy.

I can’t believe there’s a first-class little boy left here to wither! What kind of a parent would do that? I merely know he’s first class because of his attire. No second-class child would be wearing silk pajamas. Of course, class doesn’t matter! What am I saying? Everyone on this ship is important!

I made my way into the sitting room and out into the hallway. My arms feel as though they are about to cave in. I don’t want to drop him. "I’m going to put you down, alright, sweetheart?" He squeezed my neck even tighter, holding on for dear life.

"Don’t leave," he begged into my ear. Where’s my father? I looked up and down the hallway for him, but I can’t seem to find him.

"I’m not going to leave," I said confidently. "I don’t want to drop you!"

"You promise you won’t leave?"

"I promise." He slowly but surely released my neck and me from his grasp and I placed him on the carpeted floor of the first-class hallway. He needs a lifejacket. I threw off my coat and untied my lifejacket, pulling it over my head and off of me. He may need it more than me. I can, at least, swim if I have to. I hope I don’t. "What’s your name?" I asked him, holding the lifejacket between my fingers.

"Steven," he replied softly.

"Alright, Steven, I’m going to put this on you and we’re going to go up to the deck, alright?" I told him placing the lifejacket over his head. Okay, so it’s a little big—Nothing’s perfect.

"What are we going to do then?" he asked between his sniffles. I pulled out a handkerchief from my coat pocket, still on the ground, wiping his eyes and nose before throwing it to my side.

"We’re going to put you on a lifeboat, little guy," I said, bringing the two front parts of the lifejacket together as tightly as I could and double-knotted it.

"Why?" His wet eyes gleamed at me. I know I can’t lie to him—He’ll see the ship go down if he’s on a lifeboat. I’m not a good liar. Why can’t I be a good liar?

"Because the ship…" My voice trailed off. "It isn’t safe for little boys, anymore." Or anyone for that matter.

"ANTOINETTE!" I stood up immediately, whirling around to see where the voice was coming from. Harry! Thank God! He ran towards me, jumped over my coat and hugged me instinctively, kissing me on the cheek. There was this long silence and he was squeezing me so tightly, I’m beginning to see stars.

"Harry," I managed to choke out.

"Yes, Love?"

"You’re depriving me of oxygen." He glanced down at me, letting go of the embrace before managing a laugh as I picked up my coat.

"Oh." He gestured around us as I threw my coat on. "What’s going on? People are getting lowered into lifeboats—" Steven tugged on Harry’s pant leg.

"Didn’t you hear?" he asked Harry. "She said it wasn’t safe anymore." I glanced around us, realizing no one else was around.

"What isn’t safe anymore?" He glanced up from Steven to me.

"Harry, Titanic…" I lowered my voice. "We’re…sinking." He stared at me, his forehead furrowed in confusion.

"What?" he asked in disbelief. Is he kidding me?

"Where have you been!?" I exclaimed suddenly. "Did you just come back from the dead!?"

"Nobody woke me up!" I sighed, shaking my head. "I sleep soundly, Antoinette."

"Harry, we hit an iceberg," I said in a serious tone. "The ship is sinking—right now." He stopped, and I swear to you, the lights flickered. Then again, it could just be the corset.

"Right now?" he asked, still in disbelief, looking around us. I nodded. "Oh. My. God." He suddenly gestured to me and Steven. "Dear God, we need to get you on a lifeboat! And him, too!"

"I was looking for you!" I stopped myself, merely because I’m ready to burst into tears. Before I knew it, I found myself in the warmth of Harry’s arms again. I think I threw myself at him. "I wasn’t going to leave without saying good-bye to you," I said into his ear. "I love you too much to leave without saying good-bye."

"Oh, Antoinette…I love you, too, so much…" His voice trailed off, before kissing me on the cheek again. "I thought you were going to look like a wet sewer rat!" Wow, that’s love. In the middle of a crisis, he has to talk about my appearance, of all things?

"What—?" Did the man I love just call me a sewer rat?

"Will said you looked so disheveled when I asked him how you were and…"

"He exaggerates?" I asked in fake shock, with a slight smile. I let go of the hug, even though I want to hug him again, and allowed my arms to fall to my sides. Steven automatically took my hand. "What happened to me is a long story, one that we can talk about later." I eyed Steven and then Harry. No need to discuss violence right now—especially with a vulnerable little boy in the picture.

"Ann!" Yet another voice? I turned and there was my father, coming from the other hallway. He stopped himself when he saw Harry and sighed a breath of relief. At least, I think it was relief.

"I found one person who seems to have been overlooked," I told him, holding up my hand, which Steven squeezed even tighter than before. My father glanced down at him, and then to me. "Steven, this is my father—Thomas Andrews." Steven’s eyes seemed to light up and he smiled at him. I think he knows who my father is. "We need to get him on a lifeboat," I said aloud to both of them. My father stifled a nod.

"Yes, we do," he said. "And you need to get on one, also, Antoinette." I stopped myself from telling him no, but I realize he held up his end of the bargain. He let me stay on the ship long enough to see Harry. Before, I told him I couldn’t possibly leave without seeing Harry. Now, I merely don’t want to leave him or my father behind. Who knows what chaos was occurring on the deck above us. I managed a slight nod at my father, blinking back my tears.

"He’s right," Harry concluded, who now looks just as upset as Steven did when I first found him—Only now, there’s no one to comfort him. "You need to get on a boat right away." I’m going to be gone, nobody will be here for either my father or Harry.

"I know," I said softly. There was this eerie silence…footsteps and some mild creaking from Titanic made the only noise for what felt like hours as all four of us stood in the ship’s hallway. I know, in reality, it’s only been seconds. I took a deep breath, glancing at Harry and then my father. I held back my tears, with more willpower than I thought possible. "I know."

Chapter Twenty-Five
Stories