THE
WOUNDED SOUL
Written by Michelle
Based on some situations originated by James Cameron.
Jack stood on the deck of the Carpathia. He
was watching all of the survivors being brought on board. He was looking for
Rose. They had been separated in the water, after riding the Titanic’s stern
down. He had not been able to find her in the water. He had finally given up,
and had swam to the overturned lifeboat he had seen. There had been people
standing on it, and he had waited in the water until there was room for him.
Ironically, he had noticed the baker who had rode down with him and Rose. The
baker spent the whole night in the water, and claimed that all the alcohol he
had drunk was keeping him warm.
After making sure that all of the survivors
were aboard, Jack turned and walked down to the steerage area. He did not see
Rose at all. He did see her mother, and then, later, he saw Cal. He was lucky
enough to recognize them before they saw him, and he had hidden until they were
shown into the dining room. He found an empty bench to sit on, and sat. He
thought about Rose, and how he couldn’t accept the fact that she was dead.
After being given a mug of hot broth, Jack got up and went to stand at the
rail. He listened to all of the women who were crying for lost loved ones. He
felt like crying, but he couldn’t bring himself to cry for Rose. He had to look
for her. She had to be on this ship. He couldn’t imagine being without her. He
heard a steward going around and asking people their names. He vaguely
remembered that someone had asked him his name when he had first gotten on the
rescue ship. He didn’t give one then, and now he thought hard about what name
to give. If he gave his real name, Cal would be sure to see it on the list, and
might come after him.
"What’s your name, please?"
"Olaf. Olaf Gundersen." That was
the name on his ticket.
"Could you spell your last name?"
"Sure. G-u-n-d-e-r-s-e-n."
"Thank you."
*****
Jack stood out on the deck as the Carpathia
entered the harbor. He looked at the statue and remembered Fabrizio’ s dream.
He hurried down the gangplank, one of the first to get off after the Carpathia’s
passengers. He ducked his way past all of the photographers and made it to the
street. He started to walk to a boardinghouse that is owned by a friend of his
mother’s. She took him in the last time he was in New York, and he hoped that
she would take him again.
*****
Jack was one of the first people outside of
the White Star Line offices in the morning. The list was posted, and Jack
looked at it for several minutes. No Rose DeWitt Bukater. No Rose at all. No
Fabrizio. No Tommy Ryan. No Cora Cartmell. No one who Jack cared about had
survived. Jack left and made his way back to the boardinghouse. Jack went to
his room and sat on the bed. Finally, the tears he was holding back came. He
cried great sobbing tears, like his heart had been pulled out. He was not aware
that he was crying so hard. He had lost everything, again. He’d lost the only
woman he had ever loved, and the best friend that anyone could ask for. He
ended up curled on the bed, sobbing. Finally, his tears stopped. He simply
didn’t have any left. He fell asleep, but he didn’t find any solace in it. He
was whimpering in his sleep.
The End.