K.M Roberston
06-30-2009, 11:19 AM
This is another school project I had to do. It's not as good as some of my others because i wrote it in one night (yes the night before it was due) So it's kinda dry and loosely put together, but i hope you enjoy anyways!
Lillian took a deep breath and stepped onto the boarding plank.
“I’ve been waiting for this for so long. Finally, the chance to start over again,” Lillian thought to herself. She and her family were crossing over the great ocean from England to America in the hope of finding a better life. It was very difficult to earn the money to buy the tickets for the journey, but finally they had saved enough. Lillian’s uncle in America had found a better job for her father, Mr. Frederick Goodwin, one that paid enough so Lillian wouldn’t have to work as a servant again. America was their new beginning.
The whole Goodwin family boarded the Titanic together, scared, but ready to start their new life. Lillian was especially anxious to begin her own life in America. She had heard wonderful stories of it from the letters she received from her cousins.
As soon as the family had settled in their cabin, the two youngest boys ran to go on deck. Lillian followed them up. When she got to the top she could see the higher deck above them, where pretty ladies in big dresses laughed and danced. Their own deck seemed dull and boring in comparison, but Lillian was used to getting the lesser of everything.
Lillian was not made for the sea and she knew it. Her feet belonged on stable ground. Her stomach flipped with the tide and soon she found herself leaning over the guard rail staring down at the murky green waters of the ocean. She held her stomach and slowly started her way back down to her family’s cabin.
As she shuffled down the narrow hallways below the ship, she used her hands on either side to steady her. As she was running her hands along the wall for support her left arm fell though a partly opened door. Lillian stumbled in and only stopped when she hit the wall. She stood up and looked around; she observed a fairly small storage room crammed with paper sacks that were filled with potatoes and other foods. The sacks were stacked in such a way that there was an ideal place for Lillian to crawl up and sit. She lay back and kept her eyes on the skyline that was visible through a small round window.
“I should really write this down, for this is my new life, the beginning of something great!” Lillian sat up, and looked around. She tore a corner off one of the potato bags and from the folds of her tattered and stained underskirt, she pulled out a pencil that her former master had given her.
Wednesday, April 10th, 1912
My name is Lillian Amy Goodwin and I am on the great ship Titanic bound for New York along with my whole family. This is an account of my journey. Several hours ago we stopped in Cherbourg Harbour to pick up the passengers waiting there. Although we were docked for quite a while we were not allowed to get off. We third class passengers are barred from most of the ship. Even our deck is roofed by the bottom of the higher deck, where we are forbidden to go. I write this in a storeroom on the ship; the boat’s deck is not meant for me. I belong down below on this journey, and I rather like this little room. I haven’t seen a person in here yet, and that is fine with me.
Seeing as the sun has set I am going to retire now to my family’s very cramped cabin.
Lillian crawled down off the mountain of potato sacks, stuck the paper in her dress and made her way back to the cabin. The ocean waves rocked her back and forth as she fell asleep, dreaming of a better life, one where she could truly live.
Lillian rose with the sun; the waters were calm, absolutely placid, so smooth that one might think the ship was skating. She sat on deck for a long while, just listening. For a short time no one else was around and she listened to the oceans morning lullaby. But soon its calm tune was interrupted by the laughter and shrills of the younger children running around and the 1st class passengers getting up for their breakfast. She could hear the musical laughter of rich ladies, forks and knives clinking on empty plates, and the ship building up speed. As the Titanic started to take on a more defined rock she went back down below deck. On her way to her bunk she checked the door to the storage room; sure enough it wasn’t closed all the way. She poked her head in and looked around; apart from a couple of bags missing, nothing had changed. Lillian smiled and walked in and stretched her arms out, sighing. She liked this little room, it felt as though it was her own.
Lillian took her seat on the sacks she had indented with her body the day before. She stared out the little round window into the air watching the clouds pass by and sun travel across the sky, until her eyes grew too heavy to keep open……..
Lillian woke with a start, she hadn’t meant to fall asleep for so long. The Titanic must have stopped already in Queenstown, Ireland to pick up its last passengers before heading out over the Atlantic Ocean. Lillian’s face was red and warm, and her back ached from sleeping in the uncomfortable position that she was in. She got up to stretch the cramped muscles in her back and as she walked her stomach gave out grumbles of complaint for being left empty for so long. Lillian hadn’t realized how hungry she was; she had after all missed breakfast and lunch. She strolled over to the dining hall just in time for dinner. The eating area was very well furnished, but nothing in comparison to the houses she served in. The food was quite good; there was rice soup, corned beef and cabbage, boiled potatoes and fresh bread. Lillian brought her bread back with her to the storage room, she ate it slowly as she recorded more on her journey.
Thursday, April 11th, 1912
This is the second day of our journey, and the waters are calm. The bedrooms are very nice for people such as ourselves, but where we are allowed to go about on the boat is very strictly enforced.
I am glad I have somewhere I can go to be by myself, I really cannot stand crowds. This will be quite the story to share with my cousins, my children, and even my grand children one day! My father found a kind of pride starting off his new life on the Titanic. There was talk of this great ship for months and I am sure he never dreamed of sailing on it. I wouldn’t have cared if I was on a cow ship, as long as I got out of England. I would have died if I had to stay there a day more.
Lillian went back to their living quarters to find her smallest sister sick in bed. Her mother was leaning over her small body wiping her brow with a dampened cloth.
“Mama what’s wrong?” Lillian placed her arm around her mother.
“Lillian! Where have you been? I sent the boys out to find you, and they couldn’t. I thought you fell overboard!” It was not a strict, annoyed tone that possessed Mrs. Goodwin’s voice, but a tired, strained one.
“I am sorry mama, I saw the boys in line for dinner, but I guess they didn’t see me.” Lillian knelt down beside her mother. “What’s wrong with Sidney?”
Lillian started to stroke three year old Sidney’s hair, dampened by perspiration.
“She has a high fever, sea sickness is all the Doctor said it was, but I do not think so.”
“Will she be alright Mama?” It wasn’t uncommon for Sidney to be sick. She always was ill as a baby.
“I expect so” Mrs. Goodwin gave a sigh of exhaustion.
“You go to bed Mama, I’ll watch Sidney.”
“Thank you lovely.” Mrs. Goodwin stood up and kissed her daughter on the head and then proceeded to bed.
Lillian dozed on and off right there at Sidney’s bedside. She spent the entire next day tending her little sister, until she finally fell asleep, tired out by the exhausting hours of nursing her sister.
Finally Lillian got away to the storage room, and sat up on her normal seat, which had notably shrunk in size.
Saturday, April 13, 1912
It is the third day of our voyage. I couldn’t take the time to record anything yesterday as my baby sister, Sidney, was sick, but fortunately her fever has gone down considerably. Mama says she’ll be fine, and we’ll be off this ship in a few days so there’s nothing to worry about. I cannot wait to be on solid ground again, I’ve been on this ship for so long I don’t think I remember what solid ground feels like anymore……..
Lillian put down her pencil; she could hear music, sweet soft notes drifted down from the room above to her ears. It was a violin. She loved the violin. Her Grandmamma always played it for her so she could fall sound asleep when she was little. Lillian sat back and listened, it was beautiful; she hadn’t heard anything much like it before. The ballad was just building up a remembered emotion, when Lillian heard her brothers running past the door, laughing and amused by something Lillian couldn’t see. She put away her things and went off to find her brothers. She searched in all the common rooms but they were no where to be found; the only place left to look was on deck. Lillian didn’t think she was quite up to going up there, but her brothers seemed to be having such a good time with something. Even though just about anything would amuse them, Lillian was so desperate for something to do that she figured just about anything would please her.
She came up on deck to find a crowd of children gathered around in a circle. In the center were some children beating out a rhythm on the ground and others were dancing. Soon enough everyone was singing old English tunes and having a good time. Lillian even brought little Sidney up to watch. None of the Goodwin children were used to having to sit around for so long, so this entertainment was welcomed by them. All five Goodwin children went to bed that night exhausted, but very happy.
The next morning Lillian got up before any of her siblings; she even beat the sun. She went to her storage room, and sat there enjoying the sun rise. She had put on her best shift for today, because it was Sunday - the Lords day. Her skirt might have even been able to be compared to those of the 1st class girls. It was big and beautiful, with rich reds and a grand gold. Her skirt was spread over the sacks and she looked like a princess sitting in stable.
Lillian was staring up into the skies, and out there she felt the closest she had ever felt to God and heaven. She closed her eyes and held her breath and just sat there in the absolute stillness. Soft, quiet notes rose up and surrounded her. Lillian smiled; she was not the only one enjoying the beautiful morning. The late night before took its toll on her and she fell asleep humming along with the sweet violin notes.
Lillian’s eyes fluttered open as the sun’s rays were just starting to dance upon her face. She got up and smoothed out her skirt. On a normal Sunday back in England, Lillian would meet her father in his study – the back corner of their living room- before any siblings were up, and have a good chat with him. She hadn’t seen much of her father since boarding, so she decided to keep up their little morning routine. She had seen her father in the smoking room when passing by in the morning – her father stayed in another cabin than the rest of her family, because there wasn’t enough room. She checked the smoking room first, and sure enough there he was bent over a book. Another man occupied a chair in the far corner and, from the looks of it, he had spent all night there. Normally Lillian didn’t like the smell of smoke, but since it was still early the smell wasn’t as pungent.
Lillian nudged her head in the swinging door, the creak of the hinges caught her father’s attention and he looked up. “Hello Goosey, come have a seat.” Mr. Goodwin patted the empty chair next to him. Her father had called her Goosey as long as she could remember, and even though during the day he addressed her by her proper name, he still used her nickname in the mornings when they were alone. Hearing him call her that, made Lillian feel like a young child again. She skipped over to the chair next to her father and sat down.
“Come for a story, have you?” Lillian’s father put away his book and crossed his arms.
“Yes, Pap” Lillian grinned as she liked her father’s stories.
“Well,” Mr. Goodwin made himself comfortable “Here’s a fitting one. Let me tell you a little bit about this ship’s history. It is after all a great boat. I do believe that the original idea of the Titanic was adopted by J. Bruce Ismay in about, oh I’d say 1907, and you were just a wee thing then. They started building it in 1908 but the ship was only completed in February of this year. As you can see it is a huge boat. There are nine decks and three smoke stacks. I’ve heard that the 1st class passenger’s rooms are beyond imagination, and they have an elegant dining area. Even our rooms are much better than I had imagined they would be. There are about 2228 people abroad right now! Not everyone is going to New York to have a better life as we hope to, some are just here because of the great publicity about the ship - after all it is unsinkable. You should be highly honoured to be a passenger on this ship. It will be quite the story to tell your cousins once we get to New York.”
“It will be Pap, tell me again the story of how you and Mama met.” Lillian leaned in on one hand.
“That story again! Alright, well I was just seventeen when I met your mother for the first time ……”
By the time they were done their morning chat the smoking room had attracted more men, and the air became thick with smoke again. Lillian left to be on time for lunch.
Lillian entered the dining room and saw her mother and younger siblings in line for their food.
“Good morning Mama.” Lillian came up and hugged her mother.
“Afternoon is more like it, where have you been Missy?”
“I was with Pap.”
“So I figured. You and he are like two peas in a pod, inseparable.”
“Unsinkable! Just like this ship.” Lillian boasted with her newfound knowledge.
“Unsinkable or not, I don’t want you missing breakfast again, you be here tomorrow.”
“Yes Mama.” Lillian took Sidney from her mother’s arms, and held her all through lunch.
When all the Goodwin children had licked their plates clean, Lillian got up to go and record all the new information about her journey. Just as she was leaving for the door her mother grabbed the back of her dress.
“Not so fast there, you’ve been by yourself a lot lately. It’s time you spent some time with your siblings. Take them on deck and play something with and keep them out of the way.” Lillian groaned as Sidney was placed back in her arms.
“Alright, come on, let’s go..” Lillian gathered up her sisters and brothers.
It was not until everyone was asleep that Lillian got away to the storage room to write. She brought with her a candle for light for there was no moonlight.
Sunday, April 14, 1912
Lillian set down her pencil; she was too tired to write. She was just getting comfortable enough to close her eyes, when there was a large jolt that slammed the door closed. Lillian immediately ran to the door to try and open it. It was locked. At first she just sat there, someone had to come for potatoes eventually, right? But when water started flooding in from under the door, she started pounding on the door and yelling for help, screaming until her throat was raw. After being unsuccessful she climbed up onto the potato sacks and started to bang on the part of the roof where she had heard the violin music coming from. No response. The water was rising faster and had already reached the first potato bag. She looked out the little round window and saw there were lifeboats being lowered into the sea. Panic took hold of her. Her siblings, somebody had to get them out, somebody had to know they were down here. There was a lifeboat close to the ship – the water was reaching where she knelt high on top of the potato sacks. She started banging on the window and screaming. A girl about her age turned around and when she saw that Lillian was stuck she started yelling at someone up on deck. The window was reaching water level; Lillian knew she couldn’t be saved. When she looked more closely at the girl who was still frantically screaming for help she saw her adjust a bundle that was on her lap; it was little Sidney. Lillian knew that the rest of her family had to be with Sidney. With just enough of the window left visible she gave a faint smile to the girl holding her darling little sister and she touched the glass. It was the closest she could get to Sidney. Then Lillian looked up into the black sky. She let the water swallow her.
Lillian took a deep breath and stepped onto the boarding plank.
“I’ve been waiting for this for so long. Finally, the chance to start over again,” Lillian thought to herself. She and her family were crossing over the great ocean from England to America in the hope of finding a better life. It was very difficult to earn the money to buy the tickets for the journey, but finally they had saved enough. Lillian’s uncle in America had found a better job for her father, Mr. Frederick Goodwin, one that paid enough so Lillian wouldn’t have to work as a servant again. America was their new beginning.
The whole Goodwin family boarded the Titanic together, scared, but ready to start their new life. Lillian was especially anxious to begin her own life in America. She had heard wonderful stories of it from the letters she received from her cousins.
As soon as the family had settled in their cabin, the two youngest boys ran to go on deck. Lillian followed them up. When she got to the top she could see the higher deck above them, where pretty ladies in big dresses laughed and danced. Their own deck seemed dull and boring in comparison, but Lillian was used to getting the lesser of everything.
Lillian was not made for the sea and she knew it. Her feet belonged on stable ground. Her stomach flipped with the tide and soon she found herself leaning over the guard rail staring down at the murky green waters of the ocean. She held her stomach and slowly started her way back down to her family’s cabin.
As she shuffled down the narrow hallways below the ship, she used her hands on either side to steady her. As she was running her hands along the wall for support her left arm fell though a partly opened door. Lillian stumbled in and only stopped when she hit the wall. She stood up and looked around; she observed a fairly small storage room crammed with paper sacks that were filled with potatoes and other foods. The sacks were stacked in such a way that there was an ideal place for Lillian to crawl up and sit. She lay back and kept her eyes on the skyline that was visible through a small round window.
“I should really write this down, for this is my new life, the beginning of something great!” Lillian sat up, and looked around. She tore a corner off one of the potato bags and from the folds of her tattered and stained underskirt, she pulled out a pencil that her former master had given her.
Wednesday, April 10th, 1912
My name is Lillian Amy Goodwin and I am on the great ship Titanic bound for New York along with my whole family. This is an account of my journey. Several hours ago we stopped in Cherbourg Harbour to pick up the passengers waiting there. Although we were docked for quite a while we were not allowed to get off. We third class passengers are barred from most of the ship. Even our deck is roofed by the bottom of the higher deck, where we are forbidden to go. I write this in a storeroom on the ship; the boat’s deck is not meant for me. I belong down below on this journey, and I rather like this little room. I haven’t seen a person in here yet, and that is fine with me.
Seeing as the sun has set I am going to retire now to my family’s very cramped cabin.
Lillian crawled down off the mountain of potato sacks, stuck the paper in her dress and made her way back to the cabin. The ocean waves rocked her back and forth as she fell asleep, dreaming of a better life, one where she could truly live.
Lillian rose with the sun; the waters were calm, absolutely placid, so smooth that one might think the ship was skating. She sat on deck for a long while, just listening. For a short time no one else was around and she listened to the oceans morning lullaby. But soon its calm tune was interrupted by the laughter and shrills of the younger children running around and the 1st class passengers getting up for their breakfast. She could hear the musical laughter of rich ladies, forks and knives clinking on empty plates, and the ship building up speed. As the Titanic started to take on a more defined rock she went back down below deck. On her way to her bunk she checked the door to the storage room; sure enough it wasn’t closed all the way. She poked her head in and looked around; apart from a couple of bags missing, nothing had changed. Lillian smiled and walked in and stretched her arms out, sighing. She liked this little room, it felt as though it was her own.
Lillian took her seat on the sacks she had indented with her body the day before. She stared out the little round window into the air watching the clouds pass by and sun travel across the sky, until her eyes grew too heavy to keep open……..
Lillian woke with a start, she hadn’t meant to fall asleep for so long. The Titanic must have stopped already in Queenstown, Ireland to pick up its last passengers before heading out over the Atlantic Ocean. Lillian’s face was red and warm, and her back ached from sleeping in the uncomfortable position that she was in. She got up to stretch the cramped muscles in her back and as she walked her stomach gave out grumbles of complaint for being left empty for so long. Lillian hadn’t realized how hungry she was; she had after all missed breakfast and lunch. She strolled over to the dining hall just in time for dinner. The eating area was very well furnished, but nothing in comparison to the houses she served in. The food was quite good; there was rice soup, corned beef and cabbage, boiled potatoes and fresh bread. Lillian brought her bread back with her to the storage room, she ate it slowly as she recorded more on her journey.
Thursday, April 11th, 1912
This is the second day of our journey, and the waters are calm. The bedrooms are very nice for people such as ourselves, but where we are allowed to go about on the boat is very strictly enforced.
I am glad I have somewhere I can go to be by myself, I really cannot stand crowds. This will be quite the story to share with my cousins, my children, and even my grand children one day! My father found a kind of pride starting off his new life on the Titanic. There was talk of this great ship for months and I am sure he never dreamed of sailing on it. I wouldn’t have cared if I was on a cow ship, as long as I got out of England. I would have died if I had to stay there a day more.
Lillian went back to their living quarters to find her smallest sister sick in bed. Her mother was leaning over her small body wiping her brow with a dampened cloth.
“Mama what’s wrong?” Lillian placed her arm around her mother.
“Lillian! Where have you been? I sent the boys out to find you, and they couldn’t. I thought you fell overboard!” It was not a strict, annoyed tone that possessed Mrs. Goodwin’s voice, but a tired, strained one.
“I am sorry mama, I saw the boys in line for dinner, but I guess they didn’t see me.” Lillian knelt down beside her mother. “What’s wrong with Sidney?”
Lillian started to stroke three year old Sidney’s hair, dampened by perspiration.
“She has a high fever, sea sickness is all the Doctor said it was, but I do not think so.”
“Will she be alright Mama?” It wasn’t uncommon for Sidney to be sick. She always was ill as a baby.
“I expect so” Mrs. Goodwin gave a sigh of exhaustion.
“You go to bed Mama, I’ll watch Sidney.”
“Thank you lovely.” Mrs. Goodwin stood up and kissed her daughter on the head and then proceeded to bed.
Lillian dozed on and off right there at Sidney’s bedside. She spent the entire next day tending her little sister, until she finally fell asleep, tired out by the exhausting hours of nursing her sister.
Finally Lillian got away to the storage room, and sat up on her normal seat, which had notably shrunk in size.
Saturday, April 13, 1912
It is the third day of our voyage. I couldn’t take the time to record anything yesterday as my baby sister, Sidney, was sick, but fortunately her fever has gone down considerably. Mama says she’ll be fine, and we’ll be off this ship in a few days so there’s nothing to worry about. I cannot wait to be on solid ground again, I’ve been on this ship for so long I don’t think I remember what solid ground feels like anymore……..
Lillian put down her pencil; she could hear music, sweet soft notes drifted down from the room above to her ears. It was a violin. She loved the violin. Her Grandmamma always played it for her so she could fall sound asleep when she was little. Lillian sat back and listened, it was beautiful; she hadn’t heard anything much like it before. The ballad was just building up a remembered emotion, when Lillian heard her brothers running past the door, laughing and amused by something Lillian couldn’t see. She put away her things and went off to find her brothers. She searched in all the common rooms but they were no where to be found; the only place left to look was on deck. Lillian didn’t think she was quite up to going up there, but her brothers seemed to be having such a good time with something. Even though just about anything would amuse them, Lillian was so desperate for something to do that she figured just about anything would please her.
She came up on deck to find a crowd of children gathered around in a circle. In the center were some children beating out a rhythm on the ground and others were dancing. Soon enough everyone was singing old English tunes and having a good time. Lillian even brought little Sidney up to watch. None of the Goodwin children were used to having to sit around for so long, so this entertainment was welcomed by them. All five Goodwin children went to bed that night exhausted, but very happy.
The next morning Lillian got up before any of her siblings; she even beat the sun. She went to her storage room, and sat there enjoying the sun rise. She had put on her best shift for today, because it was Sunday - the Lords day. Her skirt might have even been able to be compared to those of the 1st class girls. It was big and beautiful, with rich reds and a grand gold. Her skirt was spread over the sacks and she looked like a princess sitting in stable.
Lillian was staring up into the skies, and out there she felt the closest she had ever felt to God and heaven. She closed her eyes and held her breath and just sat there in the absolute stillness. Soft, quiet notes rose up and surrounded her. Lillian smiled; she was not the only one enjoying the beautiful morning. The late night before took its toll on her and she fell asleep humming along with the sweet violin notes.
Lillian’s eyes fluttered open as the sun’s rays were just starting to dance upon her face. She got up and smoothed out her skirt. On a normal Sunday back in England, Lillian would meet her father in his study – the back corner of their living room- before any siblings were up, and have a good chat with him. She hadn’t seen much of her father since boarding, so she decided to keep up their little morning routine. She had seen her father in the smoking room when passing by in the morning – her father stayed in another cabin than the rest of her family, because there wasn’t enough room. She checked the smoking room first, and sure enough there he was bent over a book. Another man occupied a chair in the far corner and, from the looks of it, he had spent all night there. Normally Lillian didn’t like the smell of smoke, but since it was still early the smell wasn’t as pungent.
Lillian nudged her head in the swinging door, the creak of the hinges caught her father’s attention and he looked up. “Hello Goosey, come have a seat.” Mr. Goodwin patted the empty chair next to him. Her father had called her Goosey as long as she could remember, and even though during the day he addressed her by her proper name, he still used her nickname in the mornings when they were alone. Hearing him call her that, made Lillian feel like a young child again. She skipped over to the chair next to her father and sat down.
“Come for a story, have you?” Lillian’s father put away his book and crossed his arms.
“Yes, Pap” Lillian grinned as she liked her father’s stories.
“Well,” Mr. Goodwin made himself comfortable “Here’s a fitting one. Let me tell you a little bit about this ship’s history. It is after all a great boat. I do believe that the original idea of the Titanic was adopted by J. Bruce Ismay in about, oh I’d say 1907, and you were just a wee thing then. They started building it in 1908 but the ship was only completed in February of this year. As you can see it is a huge boat. There are nine decks and three smoke stacks. I’ve heard that the 1st class passenger’s rooms are beyond imagination, and they have an elegant dining area. Even our rooms are much better than I had imagined they would be. There are about 2228 people abroad right now! Not everyone is going to New York to have a better life as we hope to, some are just here because of the great publicity about the ship - after all it is unsinkable. You should be highly honoured to be a passenger on this ship. It will be quite the story to tell your cousins once we get to New York.”
“It will be Pap, tell me again the story of how you and Mama met.” Lillian leaned in on one hand.
“That story again! Alright, well I was just seventeen when I met your mother for the first time ……”
By the time they were done their morning chat the smoking room had attracted more men, and the air became thick with smoke again. Lillian left to be on time for lunch.
Lillian entered the dining room and saw her mother and younger siblings in line for their food.
“Good morning Mama.” Lillian came up and hugged her mother.
“Afternoon is more like it, where have you been Missy?”
“I was with Pap.”
“So I figured. You and he are like two peas in a pod, inseparable.”
“Unsinkable! Just like this ship.” Lillian boasted with her newfound knowledge.
“Unsinkable or not, I don’t want you missing breakfast again, you be here tomorrow.”
“Yes Mama.” Lillian took Sidney from her mother’s arms, and held her all through lunch.
When all the Goodwin children had licked their plates clean, Lillian got up to go and record all the new information about her journey. Just as she was leaving for the door her mother grabbed the back of her dress.
“Not so fast there, you’ve been by yourself a lot lately. It’s time you spent some time with your siblings. Take them on deck and play something with and keep them out of the way.” Lillian groaned as Sidney was placed back in her arms.
“Alright, come on, let’s go..” Lillian gathered up her sisters and brothers.
It was not until everyone was asleep that Lillian got away to the storage room to write. She brought with her a candle for light for there was no moonlight.
Sunday, April 14, 1912
Lillian set down her pencil; she was too tired to write. She was just getting comfortable enough to close her eyes, when there was a large jolt that slammed the door closed. Lillian immediately ran to the door to try and open it. It was locked. At first she just sat there, someone had to come for potatoes eventually, right? But when water started flooding in from under the door, she started pounding on the door and yelling for help, screaming until her throat was raw. After being unsuccessful she climbed up onto the potato sacks and started to bang on the part of the roof where she had heard the violin music coming from. No response. The water was rising faster and had already reached the first potato bag. She looked out the little round window and saw there were lifeboats being lowered into the sea. Panic took hold of her. Her siblings, somebody had to get them out, somebody had to know they were down here. There was a lifeboat close to the ship – the water was reaching where she knelt high on top of the potato sacks. She started banging on the window and screaming. A girl about her age turned around and when she saw that Lillian was stuck she started yelling at someone up on deck. The window was reaching water level; Lillian knew she couldn’t be saved. When she looked more closely at the girl who was still frantically screaming for help she saw her adjust a bundle that was on her lap; it was little Sidney. Lillian knew that the rest of her family had to be with Sidney. With just enough of the window left visible she gave a faint smile to the girl holding her darling little sister and she touched the glass. It was the closest she could get to Sidney. Then Lillian looked up into the black sky. She let the water swallow her.