Ship of Dreams

Prologue

I sensed a change coming.

I wasn’t a self proclaimed psychic or anything, but I just had a feeling whenever big changes were about to happen. And that day, I felt it.

I felt it right before I found out I was going to be a big sister. I felt it before my grandmother died. And most recently, I felt it the day my parents decided to go to the Titanic Exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

I sensed something would happen, so naturally, One would think that what did, in fact, happen wouldn’t have surprised me as much as It did. But this…this was beyond anything I’d ever dreamed.

Ok…he was beyond anything I’d ever dreamed.

But still, the entire situation was pretty phenomenal.

And when I tell you, you’re probably not going to believe me, which is fine, because I barely believe it myself.

Nevertheless, I’m telling my story, Anabella’s story, because someone has to.

And, lets just say, I have a feeling it’s me.



Chapter One

I woke up early that morning.

Don’t ask me why, I hadn’t been an early riser for three years now. I just had an urge to see the sun rise I guess.

Ever since my Grandmother died, I stopped waking up early. We always watched the sun rise together. When she died, I wanted to erase every memory I ever had of her. So, I intentionally stayed up late watching infomercials for useless products until 2 o’clock every night. I was fourteen then. After several sessions with Dr. Kramer, my shrink, I realized that forgetting the one person who ever understood me, wasn’t the way to deal with her death. However, by then, I’d gotten used to sleeping late, and it just kind of stuck.

But today, I woke up at 5 o’clock, full of energy. It was as if the world wanted me to see this sunrise. I wrapped myself up my chenille blanket, and stepped out onto the terrace of our Manhattan penthouse. Sitting in the Papasan chair that Mom put out there, I saw my first sunrise in three years.

This may just be a bias because I’ve lived here my whole life, but I think that New York City sunrises are the most beautiful.

Darkness and stillness until the very tip of the sun appears. Then, in all her orange and yellow glory, she begins to rise. Her brilliant color reflects from the windows of New York’s sky scrapers. That is when the city gets his energy. The sun’s reflected rays bounce in every corner, illuminating and recharging New York for another glorious day.

Then, people begin to flood the streets, and the sea of endless yellow taxis begins to emerge, losing the moment. The sun and the city become disconnected again, blocked by exhaust fumes and black suited entrepreneurs. They shall be separated until next morning.

“They are star-crossed lovers,” my grandmother would say, “The city and the sun,”

I’d ask how, and she’d explain, “The morning is when they have their secret meetings, and share their love for the other. But, in the end, the sun must rise and light the world, and the jealous city has to love her from afar,”

Grandma had such a beautiful way of describing things. I could listen to her talk for hours.

I yawned, as if my body remembered how early it actually was. Rising from the Papasan chair, I turned and went back inside. Unable to hold back my sleepy tendencies, I curled up in bed and fell asleep.

Normally, I don’t remember my dreams, but this one I recall quite vividly. I saw the face of a girl my age and who kind of looked like me. She had long red hair and pale skin, but unlike my traditional green eyes, she had bright blue, aquamarine ones. As the dream progressed, I realized that we were on the deck of a ship. Her _expression was one of sadness. She reached out her hand to me and spoke softly, just above a whisper, “Save me,”

With that, I jerked awake with eyes wide open. Even though the dream had ended, my heart was still pounding, and I had the strange feeling that this wasn’t just a dream.

What a strange morning I was having! First the whole sunrise thing, and now this cryptic dream. Glancing at my clock, I saw that it was nearly eleven. Unable to fall back asleep, I got up and made my way to the kitchen, where the smell of french toast was making my stomach grumble.

“Morning, Anna! Sleep well?” My mother asked as I sat down at the table.

I thought about the odd dream and the sunrise.

“Sure,” I said, “Could I have some french toast, Lola?”

Lola was our housekeeper, but she had been working for us so long, I thought of her as a second mother.

“Of course dear! I put in extra cinnamon just like you like,”

I smiled at her. Lola’s french toast would always perk me up.

Right then, my four year old brother, Peter, decided to run in. Of course, I’d hardly seen Pete walk anywhere since he was two. I loved Pete, but getting used to not being an only child after fourteen years was tough. I was never good with kids. While all my friends babysat to earn money, my parents just gave it to me, so I never needed to deal with children. Fortunately, Lola was there to do most of the dirty work with Pete, so I never had to change diapers or anything.

But, it was mostly the events surrounding Peter’s birth that made me slightly cold towards him. Peter was born the same night as my grandmother died, in the same hospital even. I had to choose between telling my grandmother goodbye and seeing my new sibling born. I chose my grandmother. It seemed unfair to me that a life that was treasured must go, while an unwanted life must enter. I try to forget this, and play with Peter whenever I can, but he, like the sunrise, reminded me of her, and it never seemed to go away.

Still, I only had one week until I was going off to college, then I wouldn’t

have to deal with him every single day!

My dad came in moments later in his Saturday attire; jeans and a T-shirt, contrary to his normal work wardrobe of a full suit and tie. He and Mom were both stock brokers.

As my dad greeted everyone, he sat down at the table with his coffee and newspaper.

“Hey look,” He said, pointing to an ad, “The Met’s having a Titanic exhibit all week!”

Great. There was just one more week until school and all I wanted to do was lie around. Now suddenly, Dad decides to do something educational!

“Why don’t we all go today?” Mom suggested, “As a last hurrah before Anna goes off to school!”

I rolled my eyes. For heaven’s sake, I was going to school in Jersey, and hour away via subway. ‘A last hurrah’ sounded like I was going to a third world country!

“Fine,” I said, “As long as we leave Peter at home,”

Museums and children never mixed I figured out early on.

My parents agreed and Lola said she could watch him for the day.

With that, I finished my breakfast and got dressed.





Chapter 2

      The subway ride seemed slower for some reason. I watched the lights fly by, one after another, until it was just one solid beam of light.

      My parents hated the subway. They were more taxi cab people. But, I loved it! You met such interesting people and heard the strangest conversations. Plus, I always thought it was very peaceful. It’s strange, because the subway is one of the most crowded places in New York.

      I smiled as my parents sat nervously on the yellow plastic chairs next to a young college student wearing headphones and drumming on every surface with two pencils.

      Although, I had to admit it was nice of them to take the subway just for me. Before Pete was born, we’d go to museums together all the time; it kind of felt like old times again.

      The subway slowed and stopped at Central Park, and the crowded mass began to maneuver towards the door, like a heard of cattle trying to get through a doggie door.

      We made our way out of the subway station and walked a couple blocks to The Met. It was a beautiful white building that always reminded of the early 1900’s, lovely and elegant, in contrast to the dull grey buildings around it. Today, it had two large red banners advertising the ‘Titanic Exhibit’.

      I wouldn’t call myself a Titanic expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I remember I loved learning about the individual people aboard the ship and their stories, in history class.

      We entered, paid our admission, and received our little pink visitor button. The person at the front desk instructed where to start the exhibit, and told us that guided tour would begin shortly.

      As we entered the room, a person in period costume thanked us for ‘boarding the Titanic’ and handed us our ‘tickets’. I Guess they were trying to make it seem realistic, or whatever.

      “Hey look, I got first class!” I said as I glanced at my ticket.

In addition to my class, there was a name of a passenger who was aboard the actual ship. As I ran my finger across the name, it seemed oddly familiar.

      “Annabella O’Shea,” I whispered, trying to make sense of the name.

      “What’s that honey?” My mom asked.

      “Nothing, it’s just my passenger name,” I told her.

      “Oh, I heard about this,” My dad piped in, “At the end of the tour, there is a list of who lived and ho died, and you look and see if your passenger made it or not,”

Well, that was rather morbid.

      “Who are you, dad?” I asked him.

He glanced at his ticket, “Harry Steinburger,”

      “What about you, mom?”

      “First class, Tatiana Kincaid,”

As soon as I heard the name, I felt my face heating up and a churning in my stomach; the same feeling I experience when I’m around someone I really hate. What was wrong wih me today? I shouldn’t have strange feeling for names I’ve never heard before!

      We, and the other people on the tour, gathered in a small room, presumably a recreation of a room in the Titanic, waiting for our tour guide.

He entered a few minutes later in his captain’s outfit. Poor guy. He looked just about old enough to have actually been on the Titanic! Shouldn’t he be retired in a fishing boat somewhere?

      He began to speak in his old shaky voice, “April 10th, 1912. The RMS Titanic sets out on her maiden voyage from South Hampton…”

      He then began to rattle off facts about the ship, none of which I paid attention too. When he finally stopped, he opened two double doors and had each person show him their ticket. He greeted each person as their passenger’s name. Although, he was so old, he might have actually thought that these were their real names! It wouldn’t be outside the realm of possibility. Anyway, as I walked up to him and gave him my ticket, he looked down at me. His old eyes studied me intently. Then, when he looked at my ticket, his eyes widened to twice their normal size.

      “Annabella?” He whispered.

Ok, this was getting way past creepy.

      “It’s her…oh my god…it’s her…” He began to mumble to himself.

      “Umm…can I go in now?” I said after a few more seconds of mumbling.

He looked up finally, and gave me a small smile. I could swear I saw his eyes getting misty.

      “Of course young lady,” he said, and handed me my ticket.

Just as I was about to scurry away as fast as I could, he grabbed my elbow and turned me back around and added quietly, “Don’t lose that ticket,”

      “Sure…” I said before turning around slowly and dashing away from the creepy old man.

      I glanced at my ticket again and turned it over as if there was something I’d missed.

      Nope. It said ‘Compliments of the Metropolitan Museum of Art,” and a coupon to Taco Bell for a free burrito, like all the others.

      “Anna? Are you coming?” My mom asked walking up to me, “What’s taking you so long?”

      “Sorry, Mom, I was just looking at…”

At that moment, I saw an old painting hanging on the wall. The whole room was full of photos of people who’d been aboard the Titanic. The picture was of a girl about my age, with red hair, and who bared a striking resemblance to me, except one thing, her blue eyes. It was the girl from my dream! She sported the same sad _expression, as she did in my dream. I felt my throat run dry as I read the caption under the picture.

Annabella O’Shea

Born February 8, 1896

Died April 14, 1912

      “Honey are you alright? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost!”

Maybe I had.

It couldn’t be. How could I have a dream about someone who I’d never seen before, oh, and who was DEAD! It didn’t make sense. This wasn’t logical! And the fact that I just happened to get her name on my ticket? No, there was something strange going on, and I was going to get to the bottom of it.

      Not daring to look at the creepy face again, I followed my mother to the first room. It had different pieces found in the ship’s wreckage, dishes, cups, saucers, some old toothpaste. It was chilling to think that these were the once in the hands of people who dies tragically.

      The next room described the sinking of the Titanic. The centerpiece of the whole room was a giant block of ice. Apparently, it was the same temperature as the water that night the ship sank. People were going up to the giant ice cube and touching it. Mom and Dad, of course, ran up and couldn’t wait to feel it. I rolled my eyes and followed them.

      As I stepped up to the block, I noticed a handprint someone had made in the ice. Just out of curiosity. I reached up and fit my hand inside the handprint. Right then, the searing cold penetrated my skin, and I felt my blood freezing in my veins. When I tried to remove my hand I found that I couldn’t! I looked around for help but I found that the entire room was frozen. Not like the ice, but almost suspended in time. I tried to scream, but my voice was mute, almost like those dreams where you as hard as you try, no sound comes out. I closed my eyes, and I felt like I was in water, freezing cold water. I felt myself flailing and kicking, fighting to stay above. But it kept rising, faster and faster. I was drowning! Although, instead of seeing my life flash before my eyes, I saw her. I saw her beautiful face and her sad eyes. Like in the dream, she whispered, “Save me…Save me…Save me…”

      With the now excruciatingly painful cold over taking me, and the water covering my face, unable to breath, I felt my eyes roll back in my head, and it al went black.





Chapter 3

“Help me…Help me…” I heard myself mumble.

      As I began to gain consciousness, I heard people muttering and speculating about me. Great. Now I would be the weird girl who passed out when she touched the giant ice cube.

      “Annabella…it’s your mother, are you alright?”

Except it didn’t sound anything like my mother. This woman had a slightly Americanized, but still present, Irish accent. And, my name wasn’t Annabella.

      I opened my eyes and I found myself staring into the concerned face of an older red haired woman. As I remembered what had happened, the museum, and feeling like I was drowning, and seeing the face of Annabella, I realized that I wasn’t in the museum. I was outside…on the ground.

      Then I looked around me, and I didn’t see the faces of New York tourists, I saw people dressed in early 1900’s era clothing. The women had giant feathered hats and bustles, while the men had top hats and silk foulards. The woman in front of me however, had just a plain white high collared shirt, and a long brown skirt. As I looked down at what I was wearing, I found I was wearing something very similar.

      “Okay…what’s going on?” I asked slowly sitting up.

      “Well…you fainted, dear,” The women in front of me said.

Suddenly I heard the rustling of fabric, and I noticed a parting in crowd of people. A very large woman in a crimson red dress, which only served to make her look larger, appeared. Though, I’d never seen her before, I got the impression she was trying to look younger than she actually was. She had a heavily made up face, with rouged cheeks, and pink lips. But her prominent feature, besides the large mole or her upper lip, was a scowl that could make the bravest man quiver in fear.

      “What is the hold up, Elizabeth?” She yelled in a voice that matched her scowl.

      “I…I beg pardon, Madam. Annabella fainted. The sun is rather hot today…”

      “I don’t want excuses, Elizabeth!” She screeched, coming closer to us, giving me a look like she wanted nothing more than to pluck out my eyes.

      “Of course not Madam…Annabella, please apologize to Lady Kincaid,”

Forgetting that I was supposedly Annabella, I just sat there trying to comprehend the whole situation.

      “Why, the insolence!” Lady Kincaid screamed. “I have half a mind not to take you with us on the Titanic!”

      On that note I let out a small cough, “The what?”

It was right then I realized that impossibly massive ship looming over us. It was a glorious white with red letters spelling out on the side “RMS Titanic”. It couldn’t be! How on earth could I be in 1912? How could touching an ice cube transport me back in time, and as somebody else? It had to be a dream, right?

      Then I remembered the dream, Annabella had been saying I had to save her. Save her from what, dying? How could I do that? Unless I stopped the ship from sinking, and that was impossible! Wouldn’t that create a rift or something in the space time continuum? Oh, what was I thinking? The extent of my knowledge on time travel was all three Back to the Futures!

      “Very well! If you are going to be saucy with me, I shall have you ride in steerage!”

      “I…I’m sorry, Lady Kinc—er—Madam,” I said quickly.

She gave me an appraising look, as if to see if I meant it, or not. Finally, deciding that I did, apparently, she let out a horrible noise.

      “TATIAAAAANA!”

On that note, a smaller version of Lady Kincaid, appeared beside her.

She was chubby and short, like her mother. Her obviously ruddy complexion had attempted to have been concealed by layers and layers of make up, like her mother. She had mousy brown hair and a chubby face that looked like she had an allergic reaction to a bee sting. Her voice was high and piercing.

      “Yes, Mother?”

It was then I remembered her name. Tatiana Kincaid, the name on my mother’s ticket. I felt the same instant loathing I had felt upon hearing that name that I did now that I had seen the hideous creature.

      Lady Kincaid turned to me.

      “Annabella, carry Tatiana’s bags aboard the ship,”

Tatiana’s eyes lit up with a rather evil pleasure behind them.

      “I…um…sure, I guess,” I said, standing up slowly.

I made my way over to the girl, and she gave me look that reflected pleasure, anger, and dare I say jealousy?

      “My bags are over there,” She said coldly, gesturing to a pile of luggage that was taller than I was.

      “Which ones are yours?”

And with a smirk, she replied, “All of them,”

With that, she and her mother left in a flourish, with ‘my mother’ following closely. But not before the kind woman turned and gave me a sympathetic look. I instantly felt better somehow.

I trudged over to the huge luggage pile. How on earth was I going to move this?

      “Would you like some help, miss?” A familiar voice asked.

I turned around and saw none other than our tour guide from the museum! Oddly enough, he looked just as old as he did at the museum. Was he transported too? If anyone would know the answers to my questions, it would be him.

      “Look buddy…You are going to tell me what on earth I am doing here, or I’m going to—“

He let out a small chuckle. Well,  glad to know he was enjoying my insanity.

      “You are so much like her, you know?”

      “What…who? Okay, can we just start from the beginning and you tell me what’s going on? The last thing I remember is touching that block of ice, then I wake up in 1912” I said in an urgent whisper.

He gave me a knowing smile.

      “Of course, but not here,”

He gestured for me to follow him. He led me to the back alley of an old building…or I guess since it was 1912, it was a new building.

      “You have been sent back in time.”

      “But…but how? Why? That’s impossible! This has to be a dream!”

He heaved a sigh, as if he was getting ready to tell a long story.

      “Annabella O’Shea was seventeen years old when she boarded the Titanic,”

      “Oh yeah…and who is this Annabella O’Shea person, and why does she keep—“

He gave me an impatient look, and I was quiet.

      “Her mother was Elizabeth O’Shea, and her father was Calvin, but he died when she was 7. Elizabeth took a job as a maid to the Kincaid family, and when Annabella was old enough, she too became a maid to Tatiana, the daughter. The Kincaids were aboard the Titanic because they were on their way to America. Tatiana was engaged to a British banker’s son, and they were going to America to plan the wedding,”

      Someone actually proposed to that horrible girl? He must have been uglier than her!

      “The night the ship sunk, Annabella’s mother and all of the Kincaids survived, but Annabella died a tragic death. That is where you come in. You’ve been sent back in time to right history,”

      “I…I…what?” Was all could manage to say.

      “You’ve been sent back as Annabella to save her!”

      “But…how can I save her? I have to stop the entire ship from sinking?” I asked incredulously.

      “I’m afraid I can’t tell you that. You’ve been sent back because you are very much like Annabella, brave and free spirited. You must decide what’s best,”

“But—”

      “That’s all I can tell you for now. Now, do you still have your ticket?”

      “My…what? You mean my ticket for the Museum?”

I checked in the pocket of my long skirt, and to my surprise pulled out my ticket to the exhibit! But when I turned it over, instead of seeing a coupon, I saw “Property of RMS Titanic,”

      “Hey! How’d you—”

But when I looked up, the old man was gone. I never got to ask him why he was here! Although, I was glad he was.

      Though I wasn’t completely sold on this whole thing, I decided that if it was a dream, I might as well try this whole saving the future thing.

      As I made my way over to the large pile of luggage I still had to haul on board, I groaned. I still loathed the idea of being a maid to the horrible Tatiana Kincaid, but I guess if someone’s life depended on it, I could suck it up. I bent to pick up several large hat boxes and piled them up on my arms. As I started to make my way to the ship, I realized that I couldn’t see a thing in front of me! Trying to maneuver around the large crowd, I felt myself run right into a large body. Needless to say the hat boxes went everywhere, and I fell flat on the floor.

      “I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you…”I began.

      “No…It was my fault entirely,” A British male voice responded.

Then I saw him. He was absolutely perfect. He had blonde hair, long but still tame, blue eyes that made me want to get lost in them, and the face of a Greek god. Of course the fact that he had a proper British accent, pretty much made me nearly drool right on his shoes.

      But the oddest thing was, that when he looked back at me, something in the way he looked at me, made me swear that we’d met before, or that we would meet again.

      “Have we met…?” He said, looked at me curiously.

I shook my head no, and stood up slowly, forgetting about the hat boxes on the ground. We stood exchanging an odd look until, I heard from behind me, “Annabeeeeeeeella!”

      Oh boy.

      “Annabella, what on earth are you doing?” Tatiana asked coming up to me.

      “Oh…I’m sorry I just ran into…”

      “My fiancé,”







Chapter 4

“You’re…what?”

Tatiana sneered that horrible sneer of hers, and latched on the boy with her chubby little arm.

         “Oh, that’s right! You haven’t met him yet! May I present Lucas Atwater III? Lucas, this is my maid Annabella O’Shea,”

I hated her emphasis on the word, ‘maid’, but I nodded obligingly.

         “It’s a pleasure, Miss O’Shea,” Lucas responded, and gave my hand a small kiss.

Ok, I hadn’t known this guy long, but I knew that Tatiana obviously didn’t deserve him. Even after Tatiana introduced me as her maid, he still treated me as if I were the most precious thing he’d ever seen. Combined with his obvious good looks, I’ll admit, I swooned.

         Although my moment was quickly lost when Tatiana knocked my hand out of his and chided him, “LUCAS! She is a maid, not the queen of England!”

On that note, she tugged on his arm, and hauled him off as if he was the catch of the day.

But, as they walked off together, I noticed Lucas turning and giving me an apologetic look.

         Well, this time travel thing was turning out great so far! First I find out I’m serving the most horrible girl on the planet, and now I find a totally perfect guy and he’s engaged to Cruella DeVille! Life is so unfair.

         Groaning, I picked up the hat boxes and remaining luggage and hauled them aboard. After, stopping to hand my ticket my ticket to the man standing before the platform to board, I entered the ship, and was amazed. Of course I’d heard about how huge the ship was, but something about seeing it in real life floored me completely! I wandered up to the ship’s deck and for the first time saw South Hampton in 1912. It was amazing how much it resembled New York City in the 2000’s. People were still running and bustling to get somewhere, always in a hurry. Taken by the sheer magnitude of everything, I had completely forgotten I was still holding Tatiana’s luggage.

         Finding someone who was dressed in white and resembled a cocktail waiter, I asked them where the Kincaid’s rooms were. He pulled out a small leather book, and flipped though it.

         “Cabin’s 1A through 3A, first class,” He replied.

Going below deck again, I found the first class hallways, and proceeded to look for the rooms. 4A….5A….6A…then all of a sudden…BAM!

         The luggage went flying again, but this time I managed to remain standing. However, lo and behold who happened to be standing in front of me. It was none other than Lucas Atwater III himself.

          I grinned. “We have got to stop meeting this way…” I said.

He smiled back at me, which consequently made my heart beat faster inside my chest.

         “I’m so sorry…please you must let me help you with those! Where is your cabin?” He said, bending to pick up the luggage.

         “Um…1A through 3A, I’m not sure which is Tatiana’s…”

His face reddened furiously.

         “It’s 3A…she told me,”

I picked up the remaining luggage, and followed him around the corner to 3A.

         “I apologize on behalf of her,” Lucas began, “She just doesn’t realize that money doesn’t make her better than anyone…”

I knew he was talking about Tatiana. Now I was for sure, that she didn’t deserve him!

Thanks…Luc--er--Mr.Atwater…or Master Atwater? What exactly am I supposed to call you?”

         He smiled one of those delightful grins of his and replied, “Well, I believe you’re supposed to address me as just ‘Sir’, but I really prefer Lucas…if you don’t mind,”

I shook my head, and smiled a goofy grin.

“Well…I really should be unpacking these things for Tatiana,” I said, turning to leave, expecting Lucas to leave too.

“Here, let me help you!” He insisted, “It’s the least I can do after running in to you twice already,”

“You really don’t have too…I mean, you probably need to be somewhere else right now…”

“Are you trying to get rid of me, Miss O’Shea?” He asked, with a playful look in his eyes.

“No! I just…I mean…are you typically this friendly with all of Tatiana’s maids?”

A curious look went across is face right then. As if he had just remembered who I was.

         “No, that’s the strange thing…with you I feel, as if we’ve met before…”

Then returning to reality, he quickly added, “But, I suppose that’s impossible,”

I thought about how I felt when I first saw Lucas. It was like I‘d met him before…but not in this life, a past one perhaps. But that was impossible! Then, I WAS time traveling…something I had thought, up until recently, was impossible.

We entered Tatiana’s cabin, and I was floored! My family and I had gone on a cruise once, and our cabin had been essentially a floating hotel room. But this was beautiful! There was cherry wood paneling all over the walls, and a glorious Persian carpet on the floor. Silk draperies hung on the walls and around the canopy bed, and a gilded vanity sat in the corner. All I could do was gasp.

Lucas, obviously noticing my expression, gave a small chuckle. 

“Impressed?”

I nodded slowly, still taking in the room.

         “ANNABELLA O’SHEA!”

To my complete disappointment, I whipped around to find Tatiana and her mother standing in the doorway.

         “What on earth are you doing in my cabin with Mr. Atwater?!” Tatiana roared.

Before I could reply, Lucas ran forward and apologized profusely.

         “I’m terribly sorry Tatiana, I just felt bad for running into Miss. O’Shea a second time…and I just felt I could help...”

           Tatiana’s mother decided to speak up them.

         “Lucas! You know it’s highly inappropriate for a young man of your position to be seen gallivanting around with servant girls!”

         “I...I know, I apologize Lady Kincaid, and to you Tatiana. I wouldn’t want to do anything to compromise our engagement,” he replied.

Except it didn’t sound like the Lucas Atwater I’d just been talking to. It sounded like a lifeless robot, repeating his default response.

“Now that’s better,” Tatiana sneered with a horrible grin, “Now, tell my maid ‘good day’ and let’s go to the deck to watch the ship launch. We’ll be expected to make an appearance, you know?” She finished with a tug on his arm.

He looked like a puppy that had just been whipped, but still replied emotionlessly, “Yes, of course. Good day…” Then he looked at me straight in the eyes, “Anna,”

He called me Anna. Not Annabella. At that moment, though it was only a few seconds, I felt something pass between us. As if he knew I wasn’t from this time. As if, he knew who I really was…Anna Cooke from New York City. But as soon as it started, it ended with Tatiana yanking him out the door, like he was no more than her disobedient toy poodle. 

I sighed dejectedly, as I began to open and unpack Tatiana’s entire luggage collection.

         “Annabella?” I heard a gentler voice ask.

I turned to find the kind red headed woman who was supposed to be my mother. I smiled at her. Although, I’d only seen her once before, she had that air about her that made you feel instantly better about yourself. 

         “Are you alright, darling? You seem…not quite yourself today,”

Well, that was the understatement of the year.

         “I…suppose I’m just, um, nervous I guess…” I said, busying myself with unpacking.

         “Here, let me help you,” She said, taking a gown from the chest, and hanging it in the closet.

         “Thanks…um…mother,”



Ok, this was really awkward.



After several moments of silence, Elizabeth murmured quietly, “I saw what happened with you and Lucas,”

“Oh...” I replied, focusing my concentration on the dress I was hanging, before thinking out loud, “I wonder what Lucas sees in her,”

Elizabeth gave a laugh that sounded like a wind chime blowing in a summer breeze, and replied, “Nothing, I believe. It’s a marriage of convenience for the both of them. The Kincaids and the Atwaters have been business partners for years, the marriage of their children it the perfect symbol of their merging companies. It’s been in the works since they were born,”

I gasped, “You mean, neither one of them wants it?”

Elizabeth gave a small grin.

“Oh, I wouldn’t say neither one of them wants it. Tatiana wants to be the wife of a handsome wealthy future business man, and Lucas wants to make his father proud,”

“But…they don’t want it for the reasons they should!” I said, forgetting about the luggage.

Elizabeth nodded sadly.

“It is such a waste too; Lucas is a very kind and caring individual,”

“I know…” I said, wistfully sinking into a nearby chair.

“He acts different around you…do you know that?” she asked, abandoning the unpacking task, to sit at the foot of the bed, facing me.

I nodded slowly, “I noticed. When he’s around Tatiana, he’s so…lifeless,”

“That’s why it is such a waste…imagine what a lifetime of being married to her will do to him,”

She was right. I hadn’t known him for even an hour, but I felt deeply saddened by the loss of that bright eyed and caring boy who’d called me Anna. What would he be after a year of marriage to her? A lifeless robot, like I’d seen earlier? I knew I had to do something. But I was there to save Annabella…not Lucas! However…the old man never said I couldn’t have a side mission…

“Are quite sure you are alright?” Elizabeth asked, interrupting my thoughts.

“What to you mean?” I asked, feigning ignorance.

“I don’t know…just something about you seems…different. Ever since you fainted this afternoon, it’s like you woke up a different person,”

Wow…nothing got past this woman. Even in the 1900’s mothers still knew everything!

I briefly considered telling her the truth, but then I realized if they locked me in a room the entire trip because they thought I was insane, I wouldn’t be able to save Annabella.

“I’m fine…really,” I said, finally.

“Alright…if you insist,” Then adding quickly, “How would you like to see the ship launch?”

I was taken aback for a moment; Elizabeth seemed like the type of woman who followed the rules to a tee. Technically we were supposed to stay below deck and unpack for Tatiana.

“Shouldn’t we be—?”



“Oh, honestly, Annabella, you always tell me I should be more adventurous,”

And before I knew it, she had grabbed my hand and was leading me out of the cabin to the upper deck of the ship.

“Now, the Kincaid’s and the other first class passengers all congregate on the east end of the deck, if we just remain on the other side, we should be able to avoid them,” Elizabeth said to me in an urgent whisper as we approached the deck.

As I always loved an adventure, I grinned, following her lead. We made our way through the crowds of elated passengers to find the railing on the edge where people were waving good bye to loved ones.

It was amazing! At least millions of people were on that dock, all waving and smiling. The cheers were positively deafening. It was like I was at a parade or a sporting event. I couldn’t help but be caught up in the moment and started waving too. Sure, I didn’t know anybody, but who cared? Then the ship let out a horn so loud, that it made the cheering crowd seem like nothing more than pin drop, and I felt the ship lurch beneath me, and saw that we were drifting away from the masses on the dock. This was it! It’d just witnessed the launch of the greatest ship in the world! I smiled and laughed as I hugged Elizabeth and other strangers around us.

Then it hit me. This ship was going to sink in three days!



Chapter 6

Of course, any logical time traveler would realize that boarding the Titanic would mean that they would sink with it too. But with the whole situation with Lucas and Tatiana, I completely forgot!



“What’s the matter darling? You’re as white as a sheet!” Elizabeth asked, putting a hand on my shoulder.



“I…I…have to go,” I said quickly before turning and running below deck.



Where exactly I was going, I’m not quite sure. I needed someone who knew what was going on! Man…I should have paid attention to the tour guide! Then I remembered…The tour guide…the old man! He was here! Although he had a tendency to appear and disappear at will. I made my way through the hallways looking at every person who looked like worked on the ship. I went down a stairwell and noticed that the quality of the rooms seemed to get progressively worse and worse as I descended. Finally, as I was about to exit the stairwell, I ran into a young woman with four crying children, two girls and two boys, in tow. Even in the 1900’s I couldn’t escape children!



“Oh, I’m sorry miss,” She said quickly and herded her children out of the stairwell in to what I guessed was the 3rd class hallway.



I was following  the woman into the hallway when suddenly one of the boys, a litlllw blonde one who remarkable resembled Peter, escaped from his mother’s grasp and ran to embrace my knees. He looked up and gave me a toothless smile.



“Jeffery! Jeffery, stop that!” His mother scolded. Then looking at me with an apologetic smile, she added, “I’m so sorry! Jeff loves people with red hair…always has I’m afraid. You see his father…” Then she drifted off and a sad expression came over her.



“No, it’s alright,” I said quickly, “I have a little brother named Peter, Jeffery reminds me of him,”



The woman’s frazzled expression relaxed a bit, and she sighed. I noticed she had some luggage, and forgetting completely about my quest to find the old man, I offered to help. Who knows what came over me. I’m usually not the type who offers to help anyone. Something about this woman though, made me think she needed it.

“No, I couldn’t impose. Surely there’s something else you need to be doing!”

“I think I need to be doing this,” I said grabbing a large carpet bag from her hand, and peeling Jeffery off my legs.

Her eyes lit up, and she gave me an appreciative smile.

“My name is Joanna…I don’t think I told you that,”

“Nice to meet you…I’m Anna…Bella,” I added quickly, remembered my pseudo name.

“Oh what a pretty name…our room is up here on the left,”

I followed Joanna to her room and wondered how old she was. She seemed to be about 24, but was prematurely aged by some wrinkled on forehead and around her eyes. I couldn’t imagine having four children at 24! It felt rude to ask, but I also wondered what the story was with her husband.

The third class rooms were a far cry from the opulent luxury of Tatiana’s room. It had four times as many beds crammed into the space with two sets of bunk beds pushed up against the walls.

Joanna’s expression on seeing the room was one of sadness and disappointment but acceptance. “It’s lovely.” She declared finally.

As soon as the children saw the room they ran in began claiming their beds, but were soon stopped when Joanna chided, “No children, we don’t have all the beds, just two,”

Two beds for the five of them? I felt that foreign feeling of pity welling up in me again.

“Where do you want me to put this?” I asked, gesturing towards the carpet bag.

“Oh, I’ll take it…Thank You,”   

As it seemed my job there as done, I told Joanna and her children goodbye and made my way down the long hallway again.

Suddenly I heard a familiar voice behind me, “Good…Good…you’re right on schedule…”

I whipped my head around to find the Old Man looking down at me approvingly.

“You! I have some questions for you buddy!” Not waiting for his response, I went on, “One: How the heck am I supposed to stop the ship from sinking? Two: If I don’t will I die too? Three: Why do I feel like I’ve met Lucas Atwater before? Four—”

“Wait!” He interrupted, “Did you say Lucas Atwater?”

I nodded.

Suddenly he calm eyes turned wild with anger, “No! Stay away from him! Do you hear me? Nothing good can come of this! You’re supposed to change the past…not repeat it!”

I just stared at the old man with my eyes wide and my mouth open, I’d questioned his sanity before but now I was sure the man was nuts! Lucas was the only person who was kind to me, who wasn’t related to me, this entire time! Plus…he was really hot!

“Will you relax? Lucas is not that bad! In fact, he’s really great!”

“No!” He roared louder than before, “It’s happening already! You MUST stay away from him! YOU MUST!”

Then before I could respond, he ran off in the other direction muttering incoherently to himself. 

Well that was loads of help! Instead of having answers I just had more questions!

After my bizarre encounter with the old man, I tried to piece together what he meant. He said I shouldn't repeat the past, but change it, and implied that Lucas was part of the past that I shouldn't repeat. So did that mean Annabella and Lucas knew each other? It wouldn't be totally illogical, since she was his fiancé's maid. And that also might explain the weird connection between us. Technically we would have already met then, just in another time period!

Wow…this was getting complicated.

As I was pondering all this time traveling business, I decided to go back up on deck again to see if Elizabeth was there. Maybe she could help me decipher Annabella's past. The only problem was trying to do, while also pretending I knew all of it already!

The deck had cleared out more since the last time I'd been there so it was easier to scan the crowd for Elizabeth. I made my way to the railing on the edge of the deck and found myself looking at the clear blue ocean. When I was younger, my parents would take me to Coney Island every on my birthday and I'd look out and just look at the Atlantic from The Boardwalk. Though I was in awe of it then, I still felt disconnected with it, being grounded on land. But on the ship, I felt a part of this same ocean would take this colossal ship to it's death. I felt…betrayed.

Of course with all these deep thoughts running through my mind, when a hand gently touched my shoulder, it sent me into complete surprise.

I flinched and gasped and turned to find a pair to confused blue eyes looking down at me.

"Lucas! What are you doing?" I asked him, still reeling from the shock of his touch.

"I apologize for startling you, I said your name three times, but you appeared to be in a trance-like state,"

I guess I was thinking harder than I thought.

"I came up here to escape Tatiana and her mother for a brief moment,"

I nodded understandably.

Determined to get Lucas' side of the story on his engagement," I asked him, "If you're engaged to her, you must enjoy spending time with her?"

Lucas gave a melancholy smile and replied, "One might assume that those element go hand-in-hand, but not in this case, I'm afraid.

Naturally I was eager to hear more, but at that moment I saw Elizabeth running up from below deck, and on noticing me, veered in my direction.

"Annabella! Tatiana is ready to begin getting ready for the ball tonight, and she is asking for you! Come with me."

I sighed, and gave Lucas an apologetic look, "Good day Mr. Atwater," I said like a true early 20th century dweller, and turned to follow Elizabeth below deck.