CAL’S PLAN
Chapter One
Almost every boat had gone, most
of them only half full. Second Officer Charles Lightoller was in charge of one
of the few left. He was helping a little girl into the boat with her mother and
her sister. Their father, who couldn’t get into it because only women and
children were allowed, was saying good-bye to his family. In that moment, Rose
realized that those girls would probably never see their father again, nor
would she see Jack. She turned around to talk to the man who was with her.
"I’m not going
anywhere."
"What?" he asked.
"Rose, you must get into that boat."
"No. Not without you."
Jack kissed her on the forehead.
He couldn’t believe that she was willing to risk her life just to have a couple
of hours more with him. He loved her so much; he couldn’t let her do that. She
must live, he thought. I have to make her get into that boat, but how?
"I’ll get the next
one," he said, desperately watching as the lifeboat got crowded.
"Jack, there is no next one.
There aren’t enough boats. Half the people on this ship will die. You can’t
die, Jack. I would be lost without you."
"I’m a survivor, Rose. I’ll
be fine. I swear. I just need to know that you’ll be okay. You get into that
boat, and I’ll get into another. When a ship pick us up, we’ll be together
again, and that ship won’t sink, I promise. Rose, we’ll be together for the
rest of our lives."
"Are you sure?" she
asked, still not knowing if he was being honest or if he was just trying to
save her.
"Totally." He tried to
sound as convincing as possible.
"Come on, miss," Second
Officer Lightoller said. "We’re almost full."
Jack kissed Rose one last time on
the lips, wondering if he would ever see her again. While the boat was being
lowered, Jack stared at it. He wanted to believe what he had just told Rose. He
really wanted to. He wasn’t a woman or a rich man, so he had hardly any chance
to get in a boat. He also knew that once the Titanic sank and left him in water
that cold he would only last a few minutes, so he would have to depend on the
boats, and whether they came back or not.
After what seemed like hours,
Rose and the other women in the boat reached the water and started rowing away
as fast as possible. Suddenly, there was a loud noise, and Jack realized where
he was.
At least I have to try, he thought as he started running to the
back of the ship.