Chapter 17: Retreat

Finally ending a difficult obstacle that costed lives and another one more recently in the group. The survivors of nineteen met the other side through the bulkhead door. The struggling lights on the floor-ceiling flickers, the place is dry; no water haven’t yet touched here.

“Let’s keep on moving forward and then we’ll see what are looking for,” Snowdon said.

The crewmen deck plan shown leads straight forward to the bow engine room with a series of more watertight doors. From the looks of it, not even Sidney Jennings as a steward, never have been this deep part of the ship. The deck plan showed nothing more than ballast and fuel tanks between the corridors; the corridors are left in plain white walls everywhere. Upon reaching the end of the corridor they met with a plain blank bulkhead, or wall of steel.

“This can’t be right,” Rycroft said. “What did that deck plan shown?”

Once again, another plaque of the deck plans placed on the wall near a steep staircase appeared which Rycroft kneeled to eye-level. This one was interesting, unlike the one earlier which only covered the engine room but left the bow section almost blanked, this one shows more detail of this specific deck. Almost the whole group looked at it, finding the red dot of “You Are Here”.

“I see,” said Kershaw, “this area doesn’t lead forward to the bow.”

“Then, what are we gonna do, sir?” Sasha asked.

Looking at the deck plan, it showed only three levels before deck zero, they are in the “Second Level Basement” deck. After climbing up from deck zero, they were in “Third Level Basement” before climbing further through the catwalks. In this area after the Main Engine Room, there are no watertight doors from here. “We must climb down one deck,” Rycroft said at the group.

Strangely, there wasn’t a complaint from a certain someone, but still, the group was taken aback and surprised of the mentioned of going back down a deck. Though, they have done this before on deck zero by swimming through deck one.

“What!?” cried Killian Maxwell, “This cannot be! I’ve been keeping on track and we have climbed like eight or nine decks and now we have to at least climb down?”

“It’s what it says on the deck plans, Maxwell.” Said Rycroft. “We cannot doubt what it says on the maps. That staircase there will lead us down to the deck below. Third Level Basement is the deck that will take us to the very end of the bow thrusters.”

“I agree with this one.” Said Rico. “So, what does that deck plan says?”

Snowdon fills that one in, “The storage rooms.”

That’s when Sidney remembers, “That’s it! I’ve been there a lot of times, the storage rooms are always right under deck zero, you know when it was right-side up. That’s the farthest part of the ship I’ve been to and I have seen engineers wandering through the corridors.” He walked at the upturned staircase that was paralleled against the wall, he looked down with the flashlight through the opening of the deck below; there wasn’t an underside stair that could help them easily climb down, but the safety railings under it can help, so Jennings took action and climbed down the stairs, leaps down on his feet and looked up above. “This is alright. Come down!”

This didn’t take too long, the entire group climbed down in an orderly fashion. Back at the deck of Third Level Basement, the corridors they are now in are the storage supply area, like a basement under the workings of the crewmembers on deck zero. A few doors appear on some corners with signs placed underneath the threshold. There were some bodies around lying in some alleyways or right close to them. The party marched ahead; they were getting closer to their destination. Passing by every door of types of storage from food to flowery and supplies to engine parts. At last, they found another watertight door at the end, Snowdon pulled up the lever and let the door slide through. There was a small sense of excitement and building tension. The heavy door clears up, letting the whole group pass by—but only to be stopped on their tracks.

“Wait a minute.” Kershaw noticed what appeared in front of them. “Stop!”

“Whoa!!!” Sasha slipped when he tried to stop and slid down on the water. His father grabbed him back to his feet.

“Easy, Sasha.” Said Joshua.

“W-what is this?” Rico worried.

The long corridor has revealed an unnoticeable angle, it was sloping down ahead and the water always levels itself. The water covered the floor and ceiling in a long angular slope like a beach. Kershaw made the conclusion, “The bow’s underwater.”

Pricilla Forrest weakly asked, “What does that mean?”

“The bow thruster room is under there,” Snowdon answered.

“How far? Maybe we can swim.” Gwen Kershaw asked.

“No, it’s too far.”

“But there’s something we can do right?”

“We’re not even close there.”

Killian Maxwell groaned, “No, no, no. NO!”

“Killian, calm down.” Zoey rested her hands on his shoulder, but the cat-man had enough.

“NO! This cannot be! We made all this way without His help!” He meant God. “All those people in the ballroom all they did was sit and wait for a miracle to happen and all they got was a watery death. We came all this way for on our own and this Greek god we call Poseidon decided to mess with us. All I fucking wanted was some fucking holidays with my new wife, can’t you see I had enough of losing one!?” He stopped himself and Zoey was saddened of his late lover, and the situation they are in. He slumped down against the wall. Zoey remained by his side. “Zoey, I don’t want to lose you, I don’t want to lose another life, and I don’t want to die together like this.” Killian started to sob and voice cracking. “I love you so much that I want to live my life with you.”

“Oh, Killian…”

“I should have told you about Valerie, shouldn’t I?”

“That’s all in the past now, but you will always remember her in your heart.” Killian nodded quietly at her.

“Alright,” started Kershaw, “let's find another way out. Any way out.”

Snowdon almost remained still in silence at the sight, water quietly lapping every cover of the corridor, blocking anyone who is capable to swim furtherly deeper to hold your breath. Snowdon knows well that its suicide to reach the bow engine room thrusters. Aubrey was close behind him with one hand on his shoulder, “I’m sorry.”

“We were so close…” he whispered.

The faint echoes of the ship creaking and groaning continued at a wonky interval. The group very little could do nothing but wandering around the corridors and alleyways of the storage areas. The revelation of the ship’s condition taking on water by the bow was the ultimatum, seal of the truth of the possibilities for surviving this disaster. Little of hope is left for them…

“Found anything?” Lani asked anyone. The group had split up around the storage corridors for anything.

“Nothing.” Sylvester replied. “just… no way out.”

The party then discussed the alternatives of another way out; by going back through the engine room and all the way to the rising stern since it’s now likely above the surface. But this means staying there and wait for anyone outside searching for them, and not to mention its double-bottomed hull. Torching it through until meeting another layer of steel and taking too much precious time. This was the reason why the bow thrusters were the perfect exit point. It’s the main purpose for quick access while drydocking for the technicians, mechanics, and engineers to fix any mechanical problems and regular maintenance. Now in this situation, it became a hope for survival.

Another alternative was opening a door that was underwater and swims through it to the surface. Deck zero, the closest deck under them, but finding one was hard to locate. Jennings and Snowdon explained that these four doors are only accessed through deck one in the tender service area and head down by stairs, furthering it more through two decks deeper, risking more the chances to get out. The tender service is when the ship arrives at a call that doesn’t have a large pier to dock, so anchoring the ship by is the solution, and to get to shore is by using the ship’s lifeboats, specifically the tender type lifeboat that provides to ferry the passengers to shore. The said four doors open down at 90 degrees, turning into a platform marina for the boat tenders to let board the passengers. Even attempting to open one of these doors can be tricky and dangerous.

Ending the alternatives of discussion, the group reunited back and away from the flooded part of the corridor and moved near the storage room door full of still fresh food. Sidney and Lani got out fallen boxes with bottles of water and snacks. Mostly were pastries that British travelers craved for every hour of teatime like macaron and cookies still fresh in their packages.

“I never have one of these.” Said Pricilla after taking a bite of a strawberry flavored macaron. She was somehow very calmed at her state. “They’re really sweet.”

“Mom always bought me some.” Said Clover. “I never have a favorite flavor they were all very delicious.” She took a bite of a vanilla-flavored macaron.

“I like them, too.” Said Sasha taking a peach flavored. “Chocolate is my favorite.”

The mood is quiet, a sense of defeat of an almost given up battle. Maybe rescue is on their way and finding a way to get inside the hull of the beast, creating a safe path to reach them. It just that they don’t know what is happening in the outside world. Countless of helicopters, search planes and ships looking for a 165,000-ton passenger ship somewhere near the Tropic of Cancer miles away from the northeast of Hawaii since midnight of New Year’s Day. The stern route is still a plausible decision maybe after early breakfast snaking which Snowdon might be considering it sooner or later.

Kershaw made towards the lonely polar bear who was standing a little further from the group and still looking at the flooded corridor from afar. The lion man tapped his shoulders which he responded without a sound; he was disappointed but still in his space of thinking what’s next. But Kershaw seemed just to want to talk to him.

“You know, there’s nothing fair about who lives and dies.” He said. “As a former fireman, I know how much it means to give people a chance to live… and you gave everyone here a chance. You did great.” Snowdon all could do is nod at him quietly.

The third highest rank of the ship behind Chief Officer and Captain, First Officer Snowdon has done a perfect record in his maritime career from being a local fisherman in Saint Laurence to a high-ranking Officer of a great passenger ship as Poseidon. He made friends throughout despite his reserved personality, they all see him as a man always on duty. Now, this ill-fated voyage turned into a life-changing event for this new year. How can the families handle the tragic news that nearly everyone on this ship perished beneath the sea? The families of the crew of 1,200 men and women from different nationalities around the world will be shocked sooner when the news reaches to them. It’s so unfair, he knows what Kershaw just had said, but it’s depressing just now when he’s now collecting every familiar individual colleague onboard. Not only Jennings had lost friends and colleagues here, but his own men too. Captain Sterling Whiteford, he was soon to become Royal Trident Lines’ new Commodore, just like Snowdon, he too soon to become a ship captain on one of the ships this year. Chief Officer Hunter Nadir who was likely to take over Poseidon as the future captain. Second Officer Ryan Greyson, his friendly rival, and decent seamanship with great honorability of the cruise line, not thinking his flaws, Snowdon knows him well he was just right for the job he had been looking for. He can call him a true friend in good and bad times. His only true friend.

At this point, the ship’s trim is listing a little more forward or furthering down by the bow, probably around six to seven degrees and quietly rising, or submerging. Sylvester, who was close with Jett and Stephanie with the Forrest girls, he looks back on his shoulders and sees his wife Carolyn having some space away in an alleyway corridor. He stood up from them and excused himself. The way she was standing, leaning on the wall with her tail curled around with her left leg and completely turned away on her back from others. She was having a lonely moment. Sylvester has an idea of what she’s feeling now.

“Carolyn?” Sylvester spoke softly. She turned around to meet him face-to-face and cross-armed, she’s a little sadden. “Everything all right?”

“You think we’re going to die?”

The tiger-man scoot closer to her, “I don’t know, we might.”

She sniffled, “I’m not ready to say goodbye.”

“But I’m ready to say something that I now regret not saying to you,” Sylvester announced.

“W-what’s that?” She wondered as Sylvester scoots a little closer to her, both faces near kissing. He holds one of her hands from he crossed arms as she relaxes. The other caressing her cheek. Sylvester blushed just as he was about to say, “I love you.” He was too corny to say such things, but he knows how much he values his wife and children. He gave her a kiss on the lips which made her let tears of relief.

“I love you too.”

“If we get out of this, I’ll cherish you every day and be closer with our kids. You’re the love of my life.” The two felines passionately kissed again behind from rest from knowing. It was just the two of them alone in the hardest and darkest times.

Even the married Maxwells have their moment together as husband and wife, caressing each other’s hand. Killian is one of the few who have experienced the aftermath of a disaster back in Seattle, he lost his first wife who was on that subway derailment years ago. “Valerie was a great woman like you, Zoey. I was afraid of bringing her up.”

“It’s all right, Killian, I always respect that, you loved her very dearly—she was your first love,” Zoey said.

“I cannot believe the past is coming back to me. It all feels so familiar to what I’ve been. Looking desperately to find her alive. I’m so glad Tony was there when I need it. And right now,” he glances at her as she was resting her head on his left shoulder, “I’m happy that you’re still here alive and well, together.” Zoey responded by nuzzling him his black-furred neck. It was one of the things she can do to comfort her husband.

But comfort, it was completely absent for Kale Summers, he was empty and quiet but still accompanied by Rico Marrero by this side. Rico had seen hurt men, and himself included, on losing someone you cared so much. He was almost devasted when hearing the news about his younger cousin on falling the stairs and break his leg in the prosses. What he regretted the most of it now was not coming to see him. In the pictures he saw online he always looked happy at the hospital with a casing on his right leg with signed names of his friends and family with colorful markers. As always, he was an optimistic boy. Maybe when he comes back home, he can sign his name on his casing. That boy has a future and he cannot let a broken leg impede his life into a bothersome hindrance. Aside from Tiago, Rico had realized just how much he appreciated that wolf-man by cheering him up during the early days of the cruise when he was heartbroken by Clara. Traveling alone was his poor decision and planned on ending his travel when arriving at Hilo, much to Ryder’s protest of staying here. He did in fact, during the ballroom party, asked him if he wanted to change his mind and stay on the ship and hang out with them. He hasn’t yet given him an answer tonight nor this morning.

“Kale?” Rico spoke.

Kale replied quietly, “Yes…?”

“Remember when Ryder asked me to stay for the rest of the cruise back at the ballroom?”

“Yeah?”

“If he was still here, I’ll tell you both that I’m staying. There’s also a reason why I’m was traveling alone, I was doing this for my cousin, he really wanted me to go, even if he cannot go after hurting his leg, and send him some videos and pictures while staying touch as usual. He really enjoys my travels when I’m chatting up with him online. He’s one of the reasons I get myself motivated get out of bed and all. Is this how it feels like to be a father? And Ryder… He’s a great guy, he is a good match when you met him, and I understand how much he meant the whole world to you and I’ll never forget him for what he did for me when I needed.” Rico’s voice weakens when he mentioned Ryder. “He’s a good friend.” He placed both hands on his face, hiding his sorrows. “I’m so sorry.”

Kale was staring him, he responded to him by comforting him by his left shoulder. A gesture for all is forgiven and sympathetic understanding.

Almost finishing their breakfast snacking, Rycroft walked to Snowdon to see if he’s having any thoughts on continuing the journey. “Snowdon, listen, we might as well try to go to the stern if there is any chance of being found while the ship remains on the surface. Even if it means to wait for rescue, once we have done our part, the rescue will find us sooner than their expectations.”

Snowdon finally turns away from the bow side flooded corridor and looks at Rycroft, “Okay.” His response was calmed and willing to try again.

Upon almost deciding to try to reach the stern section of the ship, Snowdon was about to make an announcement to his party when something is aching deep through the ship. An absorbed, muffled explosion echoed towards them that flickered their ears and wondered, “What was that?” Red asked.

Facing the aft side corridor with nothing but pitch-black and dimmed lights flickering in and out, somewhere the ship is acting up and she’s suffering an indispensable pain that needs to let out, and it’s going to be a big one. It’s no other than the ship’s climax; the final plunge. If it finally goes, they are done for. And soon, they are joining with the others soon.

“Is this it, isn’t it?” Rico wondered, fearing the eventual fate.

“Probably,” Snowdon confirmed.

What sounded like a series of explosions which might be the absorbed echoes through the caverns of steel roared way beyond to them. It didn’t harm them where they are, they are too far away. The ship jerked by the shockwaves and rattled her steel structure which the metal creaked aggressively along with other non-metallic materials. The survivors were confused, scared, and bracing what will be their last moment together. But just then, they felt a sense of strange air pressure escaping before they first heard a great bang that dominated the entire ship. It felt powerful, it could be engines that spilled her fuel along with short circuits and sparks or a high voltage of malfunctioning auxiliary backup power. It’s a mystery but a chain of events was successfully completed and made the entire ship shuffle.

The ship moaned and groaned like a giant angry leviathan about to attack from an eternal slumber. That was then when they noticed the sudden movement and the sound of rushing water. Snowdon shouted, “Everybody, hold on!” They hurriedly and randomly came up what to brace for. The rest followed on both sides of the corridor’s walls and saw water rushing like a raging river, making last decision to hide through the alleyways until a foam of splashing water rushes on everything on its path until it got more aggressive and rise right up to everyone’s shoulders. Screams followed and they go themselves washed by the element’s wrath, losing their grip and foreign objects hit them by surprise and found themselves being taken by the currents. That rush of thousands of gallons ceased all the sudden, and it all lasted almost a minute.

Recovering, Snowdon finds himself near the new position where the calmed water went to. It’s now flooded by the aft side corridor. He got dragged away from the group he was, he stood up and shouts his party. “Everyone okay?” He runs to them and the others along the way who were almost washed away, picking them up and checking if they are all right.

Rico was shivering, “Fuck! That was cold!”

“What was that!?” Stephanie panicked.

“Snowdon!” Kershaw shouted he realized he had lost his ax from his pants. “That cleared the bow, this is our chance now!”

“Sasha?” Joshua Parkinson wanders his eyes for a young shepherd dog-boy, he just suddenly screamed. “Sasha!”

“Jett? Where’s Jett?” Stephanie looks around the struggling party. “Mom, I think Jett has been washed away!”

“What do you mean?” She could have sworn he was close to him and the next he was gone. Taken away by the current. She shouted at the aft side corridor, showing her uneasiness, “Jett, Sasha, speak to me!”

“Where’s Sasha?” The shepherd dog-man kept shouting.

“Parkinson, calm down.” Rycroft cried.

“Where did those boys went to?” Carolyn feared.

“We’ll find them,” Sylvester assured. “Snowdon, take them to the bow and I’ll go find Jett and Sasha.” He looked deeply at his wife. “Carolyn, take Stephanie with you and the girls.”

“Please, find them.” Carolyn turned at her daughter and the Forrest girls, “Come on, we must go.”

“What could have happened to them?” said Pricilla.

Sylvester turned at Joshua, “Let’s go, they cannot be too far from here.”

“I’m not gonna leave here until I find my boy. I have so much to tell him.” Joshua was desperate with great fear in his eyes.

“Save it for later—let’s go.” The pair went down the flooding aft side corridor, opposite where the remaining group is heading to.

Giving no time, the party ran through the corridor all the way to the cleared-out bow. Snowdon and Kershaw leading ahead of the group to the hopeful exit. It was a long way and they met up with a closed bulkhead door, but this one was different, it has curves on the corners and a valve right in the center to lock and unlock it. Snowdon put his hands on the valve and spun it counterclockwise, it let out a heavy unlocking sound and water leaked out through the lower part of the doorframe, it opens outwards as both Kershaw and Snowdon pushed the door against flowing water on their feet, the flow weakened quickly and the door was swung open. The party carefully passed under the overhanging rails of the upturned catwalk. They were standing on the bare steel metal with pipes and three inches of remaining, flowing water cascading down to the stern, the entire room they are now inside is drained and drenched from floodwater. It was a weird-shaped room, the bulkhead walls of port and starboard are angularly like that of an attic house, but what stood out the most in the room was a horizontal cylinder of steel and looked as if was standing on the two squared-shaped machinery on both sides end to end, and an upside-down number four was painted on the white tube. Upon closer look, behind the first tube was another set of giant tubes following in numbers of three, two, and one, each one was shorter than the last by the narrowed shape of the bow. Like before through the main engine room, it was dark with red alerting lights and the infamous emergency buzzer.

“This is it, right?” Aubrey said.

“Yes, this is the bow engine room thrusters,” Snowdon confirmed.

“So, what are we looking for a way out in here?” Lani asked.

“That tube over there.” Snowdon pointed, “See the number four? Right next to it is the hatch.” He made his way towards it at full optimistic hope, almost he was smiling as he pants his way. He climbed on a ladder where two paralleled catwalks made easy access to the tube and hatch, the group followed behind until Kershaw and the rest heard something strange.

“What is that?” Red asked. Everyone quieted, the water had quieted down but aside from some sound of metal banging, they hear a whirling with a heavy feeling of vibration at this close. Kershaw looks up and saw Snowdon already has his hands on the hatch and proceeded to open it by the small valve.

Kershaw shouted and tried to run towards him. “NO! Snowdon, wait!”

The hatch popped open and swung with sheer forces that struck the polar bear-man’s face and muzzle, it knocked him out cold and lost balance, falling on the ground and rolling off from the catwalk. Kershaw, Red, Rico, and Aubrey saw this and catch the falling Snowdon. He was unconscious and blood splashed on his face.

“Snowdon? Can you hear me?” Aubrey cried.

They carried him up and rested him away from the howling wind of 500 miles per hour. Stephanie and Carolyn checks on him, looking for a pulse. “He’s breathing.” Said Carolyn. Snowdon coughs out, he tried to stand up, but Carolyn kept him from moving. “Snowdon, don’t move, you’re hurt.”

The party are now left but stranded. Inside the number four tunnel were two active propeller pods standing like office desk fans, generating winds about those of a powerful cyclone. And further from there, was a light of early blue morning sunrise.