THE GRACE OF THE SEA
Chapter Ten
April 14th
A Ship's Last Night
"Want another drink?"
Tommy shouted to Grace over the music. She nodded her head and accepted the
glass Tommy handed her. "How many is that?" he asked, sipping at his
own mug.
"I lost count after the
fifth." Grace giggled. Tommy looked at her with concern, but she replied
with a straight face, "It's only my second. Relax."
Tommy said, "You've already
had one, and we haven't danced yet? Last night you dragged me out there after
only a few sips!"
"What a marvelous
suggestion, Mr. Ryan!" Grace giggled as she grabbed his arm and led him
into the midst of the people dancing. Tommy happily spun her around on the
dance floor and continued to do so for a length of time.
It was getting late, around
11:30. Tommy approached Grace and discovered she was consuming yet another
drink, and clearly becoming tipsy. "I think you've had enough," he
said, putting the glass down and gently kissing her rosy cheek. "And it's
gettin' late."
"No, I'm fine," Grace
protested, reaching for her glass again, losing her balance as she did so. She
looked at Tommy, who only smirked at her. Then she gave in. "Perhaps we
should call it a night."
The hallway outside was
dreadfully quiet compared to the common room as the two slowly walked
hand-in-hand back to Tommy's cabin. They had just opened the door when the
floor began to shake. A horrible grating noise was heard coming not far away
from them, from the bow of the ship. Grace grasped Tommy's hand tighter and
looked around for any sign of something explaining the noise. Tommy searched
around also as a few heads poked out of their cabins to observe the scene as
well. Just as these people shrugged it off, Grace and Tommy did the same.
Grace lay down on Tommy's bottom
bunk. He kneeled down on the floor, facing Grace, and slowly traced her jaw
with his rough thumb. She let out a small laugh, then leaned in and kissed him.
He returned the gesture and whispered, "I love you."
"I love you, too," she
whispered back, feeling Tommy's hand grip her own. The wear of the night was
beginning to set in on her as her eyelids slowly closed and she drifted into a
light sleep. Tommy laid his head on the side of the bed and allowed sleep to
overcome him as well.
*****
"Grace! Wake up!" Tommy
said, a hint of panic in his voice. Grace hesitantly sat up, her head throbbing
as the beginnings to a decent hangover began to form. She rubbed her eyes and
turned to Tommy as he was towering over her.
"What is it?" She yawned.
She swung her legs over the side of the bed, and her heart stopped as her
stocking feet landed in water. The coldness of it was immediately sobering.
Tommy didn't answer her as he was quickly stuffing his few belongings into a
large bag and a suitcase. "Tommy?"
He glanced over and told her to
put on her shoes, which she did speedily. "I woke up and water was comin'
under the door," he told her. "I dunno what it is, but it doesn't
look too good. We should get movin' and try to figure out what's happenin'."
Grace nodded and looked out into the corridor, where many people seemed to have
the same idea as Tommy.
"Let's go," Tommy said,
coming up behind her and nudging her to go. At the bow of the ship, the cabin
doors hung open, as their occupants had already deserted their rooms. Tommy
grabbed Grace's hand and hurriedly dragged her along, as she was still dazed
over the quick succession of events. He led the way, eventually losing his
suitcase among the maze of hallways and acquiring Fabrizio in its place.
They came to a long and crowded
hallway that led to one of the stairwells. A steward was standing against the
wall handing people lifebelts. Tommy dropped his remaining bag as he lunged
ahead and grabbed the steward's last lifebelt. He thrust it over Grace's neck
and then continued into the mob.
Tommy shoved his way up the
stairwell to the locked gate, with Grace coming along behind him. Commands to
open the gate came in different languages from all around. The crewman on the
other side held his ground.
"You can't keep us locked in
here like animals! The ship's bloody sinkin'!" Tommy shouted at the man.
He seemed to contemplate Tommy's
words and the pleas from all around. "Bring forward the women and
children!" he yelled to the passengers.
Tommy moved Grace in front of him
so that she would be at the opening in the gate. "No," she said to
him.
"Grace, don't argue. You
have to get out. This may be your only chance," Tommy told her. She opened
her mouth to protest again, but was abruptly cut short as the crewman grabbed
her arm to drag her outside of the gate. Tommy stood against the wall and
reached through the gate to hold Grace's hand as she stood in front of him,
tears beginning to well up in her eyes.
The handle of an ax came down
upon the heads of many men trying to escape from the sinking ship. The handle
collided with Tommy's arm as the crewmen fought for control over the crowd. His
arm retreated back through the iron gate.
"For God's sake! There are
women and children down here! Let us up so we can have a chance!" Tommy
shouted. Then, he calmly said to Grace, "Go find another stairwell. I'll
meet you there." He pointed his finger threateningly at the crewman
manning the gate, then disappeared into the crowd. Grace turned around and ran
down the hallway, trying to find a stairwell that led to the deck below.