Page 139 of The Girl Out of Time
With a punch, the emergency exit door flew open, and Emmeline and Theo burst out on deck. He took a deep breath first, the cold night air expelling the stale, warm fumes of the shaft from his lungs. They were by the foot of one of the funnels, next to a conglomerate of fans and exhaust vents. Theo leaped on top of one for a better vantage point.
From this high up, the ship’s downward angle was clear, the decks leading steadily to the inky black ocean lapping at the sides. No, worse; it overcame them already, now spilling over the deck where Emmeline had found Theo only a few days ago. He gazed at the spot, mind unwilling to comprehend what his eyes were telling him.
They really were going under.
Yet, despite this clearly oncoming doom, there was less panic on deck than he’d expected. No rushing, and barely any cries. He swore he heard music; notes of a violin, drifting through the air. A waltz?
It was so wildly different to the time their little ship went down in the Channel, and Jean-Baptiste with it, and Theo almost, as well. No storm,no enemy here—just the sea, as clear and polished as a mirror, and the stars sinking into it—but still, his chest squeezed, and he had to shake off the memories.
Focus on the now.
“Your family would probably have been evacuated through one of the first class entrances onto the deck,” he said to Emmeline. “We have to get down.”
She made no complaints, but she shivered as she nodded, hugging her middle.
He climbed off the fan. “Here.” He took off his jacket and enveloped her in it, regretting he’d exchanged his much warmer woolen coat for it. “Are you all right?”
“Y-you might want to reconsider our wedding preparations.” She stopped her teeth from chattering and smiled. “I think I’m getting cold feet.”
Even in this situation, he couldn’t stop himself from smiling back. Here they were, freezing in the middle of the Atlantic, and she was making a joke.
God, he loved her.
“Come.” He took her hand and helped her from the roof and over railings to the deck below, taking a moment to orient himself. Something was off about the deck. It used to feel more boxed in, but now it was too spacious, too empty …
Because the boats were gone.
The side where they used to be, spoiling the passengers’ views, has been cleared off. Only a few people milled about, not seeming too upset about missing their ride. As they ran past them, Theo caught a lady complaining about “Those fools going into the tiny boats, when the ship is so muchsafer.” But Emmeline took initiative, and pulled him toward one of the junior officers, wearing a dark blue, almost black sweater.
“Sir, please,” she said. “My parents. Have they boarded a boat already? They’d have been here. Our cabins are just below.”
“I’m not sure, miss, I wasn’t in charge of loading them,” the officer said. “You’ll have to check with Officer Murdoch. He’s gone aft to load the rest.” He pointed down in the direction they came from. “Go fast, miss. There aren’t a lot left.”
“Thank you.” They took off running again; at least, Theo figured, it kept them warm and their blood flowing. They passed the compass platform where they’d hidden once, now cast in shadow, and the side of the promenade where they’d played shuffleboard, the chalk lines worn away by the many feet that must’ve passed them, lost with the sunny days.
More people gathered at the aft deck, but as they were about halfway to it, a shot rang out; then the second, and the third.
Emmeline yelped, looking at him with wide eyes. The shots came from further down, but he saw no other commotion, and no clear signs of people wounded.
“It’s fine. It’s fine.” He caressed Emmeline’s hair. “Let’s go.”
No boats were being loaded on this side either, but a larger crowd had gathered on the port side. Emmeline ran to another officer, beginning her descriptions once again as she tried to catch her breath.
“My mother—curly red hair, petite, she’d probably be wearing her dark blue coat—then two boys—”
“One with red hair, one with black?”
“Yes!” Emmeline jumped, pressing her hands to her chest. “Yes, that’s them!”
“They’d all boarded a while ago. Number three it was, I think.” The officer was called away, and Emmeline slumped her shoulders in relief.
“They’re fine. Thank God.” She leaned onto him, trembling as though she was about to collapse. He wrapped his arms around her, soothing her with caresses down her back.
“You should get on the boat, dear,” a voice said from nearby. Theo and Emmeline shifted gazes to an older woman, her graying hair styled in a perfect bun, a fine silk dress peeking from under her coat. “It’s the last one on this side.”
The boat in question had been swung over the side, and passengers crowded around it, but it was mostly men, and the officers held them back.
“You’re not going?” Emmeline asked.
