A SIMPLE KIND OF LIFE
Chapter Seven

April 15, 1912

It had just turned midnight when Jack returned to Rose’s stateroom with the news that the ship had struck an iceberg.

Up on deck, people played soccer with chips of ice and men laughed as they threw the ice chunks to each other.

The berg itself was said to have been big, but had not done the ship great damage. The commotion in the corridor had turned out to be people actually wondering what had happened. No one seemed to really be in any sort of a panic. Jack found it a little hard to believe the ship wasn’t damaged, but the steward who he had spoken to up on deck had insisted the ship was unharmed.

“Could the berg have done much damage to the ship?”

“I don’t know, Rose. I was told we were fine. We may just turn off the engines for the night and continue our journey at dawn.”

At that moment, a steward knocked once lightly before he burst into the room.

“Miss DeWitt Bukater, I have been asked to tell you to put on your lifebelt and come up to the boat deck immediately.”

Rose rubbed her head. She felt it throbbing vigorously. All of this was too much to take in. The steward took a look at Rose and smiled.

“It’s probably just a precaution, Miss.”

“I was told we were all right,” Jack interrupted. He would not mess around if his or Rose’s life was in danger.

“It may just be a precaution, sir. It’s just captain’s orders. Now, please dress warmly. May I suggest top coats and hats?” The steward proceeded to the wardrobe, grabbed two lifebelts, and placed them on the sitting room table.

Jack shook his head. “This is ridiculous.”

“Sir, what is going on?” Rose asked a little forcefully from her growing impatience.

The steward just shrugged before leaving the room.

“Perhaps we should do as he says. It may just be a precaution, Jack.”

“Or not. I will not fool around, Rose.”

With that, he stalked to the wardrobe and pulled out a warm-looking coat for Rose.

“Put this on. We’ll go up on deck.”

Rose dressed herself in a floor-length navy blue day dress and a black coat. She took Jack’s hand as he led her out the door.

As they walked down the corridor, people seemed to stare endlessly at the fact that they were holding hands, but they didn’t even care anymore. They had admitted to each other their feelings, so other people would just have to come to terms with it.

As they approached the Grand Staircase, passengers were standing around in their top coats and hats. Some wore lifebelts. Others didn’t. The orchestra was playing the usual beautiful tunes and a steward was offering the passengers brandy. Some people took one graciously.

Most of the people were annoyed at being awakened at past midnight. They all thought this nonsense was just a drill, but to Jack and Rose, it was beginning to look a little more serious.

Thomas Andrews, the master shipbuilder of the Titanic, approached the staircase. He seemed to be staring off into a world of his own. Rose approached him, hoping to find out some answers.

“Mr. Andrews?”

“Oh, hello, Rose.”

“What’s going on? Please tell me the truth.”

Mr. Andrews nodded and pulled Rose to one side. He hesitated a little, but knew he would have to tell her.

“We’ve struck an iceberg, Rose. The ship will sink.”

“For certain?”

“Yes. In an hour or so, all of this will be at the bottom of the Atlantic. Please tell only who you must. I don’t wish to be responsible for a panic.”

Rose’s hand slowly rose to her face in shock. How could this great ship sink when she was dubbed unsinkable?

“The boats are limited, Rose. There aren’t enough for everyone aboard. Please, please save yourself.”

Rose nodded, absentmindedly.

“Yes. Thank you.”

Mr. Andrews turned away and continued his way up the steps. Rose turned to Jack, whose expression matched hers.

“Jack…” was all Rose could manage. She was frightened.

“Come on, Rose. We have to collect a few belongings and get you a warmer coat.”

Rose nodded, trusting Jack. The pair ran back to Rose’s stateroom, where she donned a large fur coat, the most expensive garment she now owned. She found a pair of gloves and Jack helped her pull on her lifebelt. Rose opened her jewelry box, took out a few pieces which held special meaning to her, and placed them inside her pockets. Jack took his portfolio and stuffed it into the inside of his jacket.

Rose took one last look around her stateroom. The luxury and beauty of this once floating palace would soon be under the Atlantic Ocean.

Jack led Rose to his suite, where he, too, pulled on the largest jacket he owned, then pulled on some gloves and a hat. He fiddled with his inside pockets before taking some cash from his suitcase and stashing it in his coat.

“It will get us started in New York,” Jack said in a rush.

After they left their staterooms for what would be the last time, Rose and Jack found their way up on deck through the crowds of people. The air was cold and biting. The noise was horrendous and the cold wasn’t much better.

The first lifeboat which was to be lowered was Boat 7. First Officer Murdoch was in charge of lowering.

Several newly wedded couples were loaded into the boat first. The Dickinsons had been honeymooning in Europe and were traveling home aboard the Titanic.

Jack could feel Rose’s trembling hand as he held her tightly. She was shivering from the cold and he wished there was something he could do about the whole situation, but he knew that Rose’s safety would come first. Even if she was to board a lifeboat alone, she was all that mattered. Jack was a survivor. He would find a way to see her again, and if he didn’t…well, that that was something he didn’t even wish to think about. Jack and Rose were almost at the front of the lifeboat crowd when Rose felt someone grab onto her hand and almost drag her forward, Jack along with her.

“Step aboard, madam, sir.” The officer held onto Rose’s arm as he dragged her forward to the edge of the ship and towards the loading lifeboat.

Jack turned to look at Rose. She grabbed his hand. Rose stepped up and into the rickety lifeboat. Jack followed still confused. Rose sat in the boat and glanced around. The boat was filled with newly wedded people clinging to each other.

“That’s the lot,” Rose heard a man say. Suddenly, the boat jolted and all of the women aboard screamed. The lifeboat began its agonizing journey toward the water eighty feet below. The davits didn’t look strong enough the hold the boat and Rose gripped Jack’s hand for dear life. She couldn’t bear to look down at the great drop into the water below.

“Jack…” Rose gasped, noticing that she could see her own breath in the freezing air. Jack wrapped his arms tighter around her body.

“We’ll be all right, Rose. I swear it.”

They watched as the Titanic grew further away as their boat was lowered into the water. The boat contained just nineteen passengers and was launched at 12:43 AM.

Amongst the people in the boat were a woman and her young child, three couples, and some elderly women. There was plenty of room for more people, but it was thought the boat could buckle.

Once the lifeboat reached the water, Rose’s heart beat faster. She was terrified of what might happen. She prayed in her mind over and over that this was some sort of bad dream or that in fact it was just a drill and they would all be safe and back on board by morning.

Two men took charge of the oars as the lifeboat began its journey away from the Titanic. A distress flare went off above the boat and Jack thought how Rose had never looked so beautiful underneath the angelic glow. He tightened his grip around her, preparing for the worst.

They were unsure of what exactly they were rowing away from or what they would do if the Titanic did sink, which seemed impossible.

Would they all be left frozen and deserted in the ocean for eternity?

The band could be heard playing the Wedding March up on deck, which had a calming effect on most people. Why would the band continue to play if anyone’s lives were in danger?

“This is such nonsense.” Rose turned to hear a woman bitterly complaining. “By the time we return I would like a brandy and a long bath in hot water. How can the damned captain go to such lengths for just a drill?”

Rose turned to Jack and saw the same fear in his eyes that she felt. They both knew this was more serious than anyone else thought. Jack was just thankful he was with his Rose. The officer had confused them for newlyweds, not that it mattered now. The boat was a lot less than half full and Jack knew that the boat could have held many more passengers.

“I intend the write a strong worded letter to the White Star Line about this,” one old man chimed in.

Another gentleman took an oar and began to row.

“Pull faster and together,” Quartermaster Rowe ordered. He huddled himself in the front of the boat and stared endlessly into space.

Boat 7 rowed as far away from the sinking ship as it could. The black ocean was calm, and as the oars moved in the water, the smallest ripples went across the surface. More lifeboats were being launched from the starboard and port sides of the ship. They, too, rowed away from the ship as fast as they could.

After a while, the ship’s tiny portholes could one by one could be seen bobbing underneath the water and then disappearing altogether. This was the only clue the ship was actually sinking. Distress flares were sent flying up into the starlit sky and then crashed back down again, landing everywhere.

The ocean was black and almost like glass. The boats were pitch black except for a few green lights being lit inside other boats.

Boat 7 had only two green lights and only one woman had been kind enough to bring a pocketful of crackers to eat while in the lifeboat.

A lady sat shivering violently while her two children wept gently. The lady didn’t look much older than Rose. She said silent prayers to herself and by the look of her garments she hadn’t had much time to dress herself warmly. She wore just a nightgown, a raincoat, and slippers. She seemed to have dressed her children first and then headed to the lifeboat with bare legs.

Rose could hear the woman’s shivers and looked over in her direction a few times, wondering how she could help the woman.

“Would you like my stockings?” Rose asked. She had no need for them, as her gown was long, unlike the woman’s.

The lady looked at her as if she were crazy, but Rose proceeded to peel off her stockings, surprising all in the lifeboat.

“Thank you,” the woman managed to speak through her chattering teeth. “Thank you so much, kind lady.”

Rose smiled the best she could before settling herself back into her own seat and pulling Jack closer to her. The poor woman was obviously freezing and hadn’t had time to dress warmly. Rose felt she had no need for her stockings when the lady was wearing far less garments than she.

“It’s so cold, Jack.” Rose could barely speak. Her teeth chattered uncontrollably. She could no longer feel her body from the numbness. She thought she had dressed warmly enough, but she was wrong. Jack took her gloved hands in his and cupped his hands around them tightly.

“I know, darling. I know.”

Jack gazed upwards at the great ship. She was sinking slowly by the bow, plunging into the deep, dark waters of the North Atlantic slowly. He could make out the figures of men plunging themselves into the freezing water below. He knew that most of those men would die a cold, terrible death. Men whose lives could be spared if they were in their lifeboat.

His attention turned to Rose, who clung to his hands for dear life. Her hair was limp and her face was pale. She leaned her head on his shoulder weakly.

He thought of earlier and how different things were now. How could such a perfect evening be ruined by such a tragedy? The consequences of this disaster were unthinkable. How many innocent people would die? His friends Helga, Fabrizio, and Tommy. Were they able to get to a lifeboat safely? How about Molly and the Astors?

The other people in the boats had now realized this wasn’t just a drill. This was in fact a terrible reality. The Titanic was sinking. Distressed expressions appeared on each and every one’s faces, as they couldn’t bear the terrible sight of the Titanic sinking. The band’s music could still be heard playing melancholy songs, the tunes almost haunting amongst the screams of the people as they plummeted to their deaths as the Titanic sank from under them.

Men comforted their wives, mothers comforted their children, children who shouldn’t have even been brought to witness such a tragedy, children who would be forever haunted by the night they lost their fathers.

Rose and Jack considered themselves lucky they could be together. The silence was deadly. No one could bear to tear their eyes away from the ship. The moans were haunting. The looks which Jack and Rose shared were of pure terror. How could this be happening? Everything was so perfect just hours before. The ship was to have arrived in New York in the next three days.

The ship’s stern began to rise up, pulling the bow vertical beneath the water. Seconds later, the ship split into two halves. The electricity on board flickered before disappearing. The whole ocean was now in complete blackness. The screams and moans grew louder as the stern section of the ship fell backwards and crashed thunderously into the water below. Women prayed for their men, who were most likely clinging to the railing or in the freezing water.

Slowly, as if in slow motion, the ship began to plunge into the ocean. After a few seconds, the Titanic disappeared from sight completely beneath the cruel ocean, where it would lie for eternity.

Rose’s body was wracked with sobs as the screams of well over a thousand people shrieked and cried out for help.

“Return the boats!” one man cried while blowing a faint whistle.

“We can’t go back. They’ll swamp the boat,” Quartermaster Hitchens said forcefully.

“But there’s plenty of room for more. My husband…could be there…” A woman’s voice cracked as she mentioned her husband.

“Do you want to live or die, madam?”

“My husband…” Was all the woman managed before sitting back down, nestling her face in her hands, and sobbing heart-wrenchingly. Just seeing the woman cry for her obviously lost husband was too much for Rose to take. How could a boat with just nineteen people sit and watch as fellow passengers drowned? Sure, the boat couldn’t hold a lot more people, but more could be saved.

“I think we should go back for more,” Rose uttered quietly. Jack’s eyes widened. “We only had to row away from the suction. but now we can go back.”

“Are you out of your mind?”

“There’s plenty of room for more people.” Rose stood her ground.

“They’ll swamp us. They’ll pull us under, too. Is that what you want?”

“Knock it off. You’re scaring me. They’re people, not monsters.”

“We’re in the middle of the North Atlantic, madam. If we don’t keep rowing, we’ll be pulled under by the lot of them. Someone else will go back, but it’s our lives now, not theirs. So, pull the damned oars.”

With that, Rose took her seat again, staring at the man in charge with nothing but contempt. Jack said nothing as he simply pulled Rose to him. He was proud of her for trying to go back, but maybe the man was right. It was their lives now. But what would happen to them? They had to just sit here and wait. Wait to die. Wait to live. Wait for help which might not even come. All they could do was wait.

As green lights were lit in the boat for guidance, they could hear the gasps and cheers of some other people in lifeboats, thinking that help was there, but obviously, it wasn’t. Each time one was lit, false hope was given. The screams of the people in the water eventually died down…leaving nothing but blackness.

Chapter Eight
Stories