THE AFTERMATH
Chapter One
April 14, 1919
From the Diary of Rose Dawson
It was freezing cold that
night. All I can recall clearly was that it was freezing cold. I was lying on
top of a piece of wood of some sort with the man I loved with all of my heart
clutching my hand for dear life. I saw lights, and then heard, "Is there
anyone alive out there? Can anyone hear me?"
I called out my love’s name
repeatedly but, to my horror, realized that he had frozen to death. I realized
that I had to keep my promise to him to survive, but I didn’t want to leave
him. I also realized that our hands were frozen together. I pulled, and after
what seemed like hours, disconnected my hand from his. I saw a frozen officer
nearby and saw a whistle in his mouth. I had to get that whistle, but to get it
I would have to let Jack’s body sink to the bottom; he wasn’t wearing a
lifebelt.
I whispered that I would never
let go of my promise and let Jack’s hand slip from mine. His body, frozen yet
limp, sank. I crawled off the door and slipped into the cold water. Shivering,
I made my way over to the officer--and his whistle.
I snatched the whistle from
the officer’s lips, shoved it into mine, and blew as hard as I could. The boat
turned around and came back. Someone lifted me into the boat and covered me
with a blanket. I thought of Jack, of our passionate kiss on the sinking stern,
and of how he had changed the course of my life. What I didn’t know in that
moment was that I had not lost anything at all.