STARS
Written by Anne Blair
Based on some situations originated by James Cameron.
The ship was sinking fast. Rose grabbed
Jack's hand frantically.
"What's happening, Jack?"
"I don't know!"
The ship was almost completely submerged.
Jack instructed Rose to take a deep breath and not let go of his hand. A few
moments later, the ship disappeared beneath the surface, taking them with it.
Rose felt herself being pulled away from Jack
by the suction as the great ship headed for the ocean floor. Against her will,
she was pulled away from him, and began to struggle to the surface alone.
Rose reached the surface a moment later.
Taking a deep breath, she screamed Jack's name, but got no response.
Suddenly, she was pushed underwater by a man
trying to keep himself from drowning. Rose struggled to the surface and
screamed, but the man pushed her under again. Then, suddenly, Jack was there,
hitting the man, driving him away from Rose.
They made their way to a board that still
floated after the rest of the ship had gone down. Rose climbed on the board,
but there wasn't space for both of them, so Jack remained in the water, holding
on to the board. After a time, the screams and cries for help around them grew
fainter.
************
Rose lay on her back, gazing up at the stars.
Faintly, her lips almost frozen, she sang, "Come Josephine in My Flying
Machine." At that moment, she noticed a boat making its way through the
water, searching for survivors.
Rose forced herself to roll over on her side.
Shaking Jack's hands, she whispered, "Jack, there's a boat." There
was no response. She shook his hands harder. "There's a boat, Jack."
At last the realization that he was dead sank
into her, and she turned over onto her back, not bothering to try to attract
the attention of the lifeboat still searching for survivors. She turned her
attention back toward the sky, waiting.
A shooting star flashed overhead, and the sky
was filled with light.
**********
The next morning, the Carpathia arrived to
pick up the seven hundred survivors of the Titanic. After bringing them on
board, the ship circled the area, searching for any remaining survivors.
Several people noticed a tragic, and yet
moving, sight.
A young red-headed woman, dressed in the
clothes of a first-class passenger, lay still upon a board, her eyes closed.
Beside her, in the water, hands still entwined with hers, was a young
blonde-haired man from steerage.
Their faces were peaceful in death, their
heads together. Their faces were turned upward, toward the sky and the vast,
endless reaches of the stars.
The End.