Chapter 11: The Breach

The ballroom survivors. Possibly over four-hundred people. The Christmas tree is still left where it is. Snowdon’s group had left long ago. Time passed. Survivors continued on with their miserable sojourn what was once a place where they had dance leisurely, celebrated New Year’s Eve party and finely dined in luxury. Now is nothing but a giant cage full of livestock sitting around and waiting for help. Living in a nightmare of sorrow as they are just waiting for a miracle to happen.

The control freak of a Hotel Director, Nicolas Collins took full charge. Checking on Dr. Daxner’s report on the injured. With many critical and some had already passed away in silence. The still standing with minor injuries continue their cooperation to help the needed, but as time passes they are left but sitting around in quiet around the corner. Some just took a short stroll around the same giant room a few times. Some few chats here and there and nothing more and the rest are just voices of pain and sobbing of the terrified ones.

Some people, both crew and passengers, have asked the hotel manager to go ahead to others that had left with the First Officer. The human glared at anyone who brought that proposal. Replying sharply at them.

“No one is going to leave! I said to stay here and wait for help.” And taking as far to state by pointing at the Christmas tree. “Those people who went on that tree are already dead! No one is going to get out of here alive if they had listened to me!”

Survivors are left to doubt more than ever by the cold statements of Nicolas Collins. Going up and meet up the expecting rescue team or stay in their safe-haven.

During their wait, they have experienced rocking movements of the ship and muffle explosions that came somewhere on the ship. It scared them, but the crewmen and Security Officer Thomas Furlong kept them calm and staying put. Dr. Daxner, fixed with a makeshift sling on his arm, quietly sits near the injured. They were all covered with table cloths as bandages with pieces of leg chairs on their limbs for support. There’s even a line of covered bodies with white table cloths, and blood stains and dirt on it.

The ship rumbling again from a distance made the giant room go silence, a little later they all go back to their pacing mindlessly. Then a muffle explosion was heard and felt below them. A strange sense of pressure in their ears could mean that air was moving somewhere but upward. Dr. Daxner looks at his right at the black windows, bubbles rising to the surface, more and more increased.

Another muffle explosion; this time, it was closer below them. Enough to shake and feel it their feet. A dying groan of metal roared into a sharp, banging thud. It followed a sound of spray, the St. Bernard dog-man startled on his feet, stepping back at the windows. One was letting water leak all around the steel frame. The flow increases, and another followed and repeated with the rest. The thick glasses cracked everywhere from the curved corners of the squared frame, stopping by the two steel bars that each one has that covers safely the windows. It along keep spraying mist of water.

Hundreds witnessing what the windows are doing. Their inner panic that they have recovered from the initial disaster, came back to take over them. Water was coming to them. Furlong tried to take control the ensuing panic, but they all ran to the Christmas tree. Surrounding the bottom of the tree, they all climb like swarming bees to reach the top. Furlong pleaded to keep in an orderly fashion, but the tree shakes with many people having a hold with their weights.

Mr. Collins climbed at the blocked main entrance of the ballroom. He took a hold on the leaver to open the watertight door – it exploded gallons of water rushing out, throwing the human in the process into the ceiling-floor. Drenching over him while unconscious.

The doctor, and others defeated, stayed where they were. Accepting their watery fate. He closed his eyes as he kneeled on the ground. The countless panicking voices rise.

Surrounded by water. One of the windows gave away.

It was loud. Enough for a heart to skip a beat. The thick glass breaking as of thousands of powerful snipers all at once. Scream was their natural reaction. Billions of tiny bubbles ricocheting out through the window. The first burst followed by more breaking windows imploding. The engulfing white tsunami kicked up the debris and everything. Including alive people. They disappeared between the rushing water. The remaining people holding onto the tree, too much weight down below than top. It right itself up in a swift swing. One by one fell and let go their hold and jump off from the tree into the water. The tree splashed onto people. Lying broken with people trying to hold it dearly.

Not one made it to the top.

Surging water went wild around them, washing in circles and disorienting them. The giant ballroom floods with hundreds of screaming livestock. The lights went out as crying, bellowing, snarling, screeching, and roars fought through the darkness.

It echoes all the way to the survivors in the atrium. The group stare at the opposite side where they came from. It was a distance sound that they make up to it as distressed cries. When the group first heard it, they froze. For hundreds of voices calling out for help, they felt helpless. Nothing what they can do. Their faces fell in mourn, sorrow, and grieve.

Sasha was the quietest. His father smelled his fear. He kneels down to face him assuringly. “We’re gonna be okay, son.” He softly said.

Joyce Blake the rabbit was sobbing in silence. Stephanie hugs with Jett to what felt like the first time they have hugged in years as siblings. Zoey and Killian hold their hands silently together and share their distraught feelings. It felt like it was the first time the group learned how serious they were in and that there is no place to be safe. Their ship, Poseidon, is sinking. Pacific’s salted water is invading and claiming lives.

Portia was the same as everyone else but wanted to leave immediately. She knew if she says anything too far from the line, it was too soon and too late to make up the damage.

Luckily, she kept her mouth shut. Killian the cat spoke first. “I think it’s time for us to go, Mr. Snowdon.”

Officer Snowdon finally spoke since hearing the agony voices. “Let’s go.”

The group move forward, Megan helps Pricilla to stand up. The beagle-girl looks distraught, not looking at anyone. Just facing down. Clover on the other hand stayed closer to her without even touching her, just as scared as her after Isaac disappeared.

Marching ahead, the corridor leads directly forward at the ship’s theater. Still on Deck 3, the group wonders on how to keep climbing up to the next level. Along with the fading screams from earlier, a heavy rumbling sound as if the engines were still working at full speed. It sounded close as a giant cascade, water perhaps has found a way in. A different way in.

Upon moving ahead, tax-free shop’s goods –when the ship is in international waters– are scattered around the new floor. Flickering lights buzzes under them and carefully not to step on the fixtures. Souvenirs: t-shirts with the trident logo, key-chains, pens, umbrellas, postcards, and a resin-made replica ship model of the same ship, it’s all messed. The other shop was a boutique and a rental shop, glass shattered like a robbery bank and headless mannequins with dresses piled up close to one another but one still hanging on the ceiling with the gown down, revealing the white female legs with no underwear underneath.

The group was quiet for a while, meeting four set of elevators on either port and starboard. Left intact with no signs of damage from the initial capsizing and no bodies nearby. Exactly much ahead a closed watertight door with black and yellow stripes and one flashing yellow light below, sending anyone to pay precaution.

Foxley said. “Through that door it leads to the theater. I don’t think there’s anything we can do if we go there. It’s a giant room after all.”

Aubrey said, “There are some pathways and trapdoors for the performers that leads further into the crew member areas.”

Then Lani filled in, “But those accesses are too high to reach since we’re upside-down.”

Picturing a giant upside-down theater was just like the ballroom and everything else on the ship. The black stage above, the two levels of the audience seats hanging above intact, the great royal red curtains sprawled all over wrinkled, and all the equipment and props trashed upon the former ceiling. Likely to be dark in there. No show was in place during the New Year’s Eve party event.

“Sounds like a dead-end to me.” Ryder the wolf said. “This is the furthest part of the bow as passengers.”

Sylvester, while staring at some set of staircases that were facing each other both starboard and port like the elevator doors were, he said. “The theater may be a dead end, but, let’s go climbing those stairs.”

Stephanie glanced at one of the stairs before turning at her father. “How?”

The now port-side stairs that’s facing the opposite stair on the new starboard side is showing the red-carpeted steps. The shiny rails hanging in parallel with the angular steep slope, and on both sides of the middle hanging stair are two shorter, shallow slope which reach half-way to the taller sloped stairs to Deck 2. Somehow, no matter how it looked beside being upside-down, it felt like it was still right side up but with no steps. And still, how can they climb up without sliding down?

Sylvester replying his daughter, “We’ll figure it out.” The tiger-man went in first, easily climbing up the shallow short slope. Standing on the half-landing, he faced the steeper slope. It was cleaned and white and three aligned lighting fixtures. And five tracks of blood trailing down from above. A hand from an unknown beastmen is exposed at the top, Sylvester couldn’t make up the rest as it rests hidden from view than just a hand. He knows one thing to do: get rid of it before Stephanie sees it.

Snowdon and Kershaw followed him behind. The polar bear asked Sylvester, “You think you can climb?”

“Might as well.” Sylvester said. He grabbed a hold of one hanging railing with both hands and pulls himself upward against the risen slope. Physical strength is easy for someone like him and some others are lesser to climb it. Sylvester reaches the top, and stares at the dead body, a giraffe-man. He picks it up by the underarms and drags it out of sight of Kershaw and Snowdon.

“What are doing, Rycroft?” Snowdon asked. The tiger put his index finger on his lips at them.

Kershaw got the message. “He doesn’t want his daughter seeing dead bodies.” He whispered him. The lion-man wasn’t in the scene but remembered hearing Stephanie screaming from earlier.

Rycroft came back. “I found another fire hose! Well, come on.” He ordered both below. “Climb up!” Snowdon went first, doing the same as Rycroft did.

Before Kershaw would go next, Killian Maxwell went to see their doing up closer. “Well, isn’t that bad.” He said. “I’m sure I can climb it.”

“Easy for you as a cat.” Kershaw said. “But others don’t have the enough strength climb up this ramp.”

“I see.” The tuxedo cat nodded. He crouched down and thrust himself up, hands extended forward, as he leaps, grabs the top right at the edge as his both legs meet with his hands. He stands up like nothing happened, keeping his proper posture. “Zoey, come on!”

“Coming.” She steps up at the half-way with Kershaw and sees her husband now above. Then Carolyn followed along to see. Zoey leaps up and reaches the top. Pretty flexible for light felines.

Carolyn seeing this, she asks the lion-man. “How do I climb, Mr. Kershaw?”

Sylvester drops the fire hose in a ring form and tied up. “Sweetie, bring the kids!” The tiger shouted above. “Tie it around your waist through the hoop. I’ll lift you up to the top.”

Kershaw picks the hose and place it above her head and onto her waist. “Hold the knot firmly and let your husband carry you.” He instructed. Carolyn nodded.

“Ready? Up we go!” Rycroft and Snowdon pulled as Carolyn is dragged upwards. She holds one hand on the railing above and the other on the hose and steadying her legs against the slope. With minimal difficulty, Carolyn reached the top of the slope.

“Jett. Stephanie. It’s your turn.” Carolyn ordered.

Snowdon then said to Rycroft. “I’m going to take look around. It won’t take too long.” He turns to Maxwell and asked to help with Sylvester and pick up the rest down below.

Now on deck 2, five decks had been climbed. The First Officer finds one of the directional maps of the ship placed on a wall. Deck 2 is shown with the red dot indicating “You are here”; in the sets of staircases and elevators, just ahead towards the bow the first level of the theater is shown. Before there, is a corridor that leads to the purser’s office and conference rooms. Snowdon knows that there is way to get to deck zero, but he’s feeling a dead end soon enough. He rarely had used the crew members’ “secret” passages, so passengers cannot see the crew going-ons. He must think bolder.

He went back to the group, so far; Stephanie, Jett, Miss Blake, Foxley, Sasha, Joshua, Gwen, Red, and then Aubrey climbed by herself without aid. “See? I can do it.” The horse-woman said.

“Foxley, I need you. Come with me?” Snowdon ordered.

“Yes, sir.” The fox-man moves at his own pace with an injured ankle. “What is it?”

“I hope your knowledge of this ship is taking us somewhere no one has ever been.” The bear said. “Listen, I think there’s no way around here beyond the theater, so is there another sets of stairs?”

Foxley thinks. Thinking on how to get to deck one and zero, he knows there is a set of stairs near to deck 1; the sick bay and the tender service area. The fox-man moves at forward, Snowdon follows, the lights ahead are dimmed darker. A door with a sign “Crew Only” shown below next to a door. “This is another vertical access for crewmen. I think our problems are solved.”

He opens the door, but same as earlier in the kitchen, there’s a pile of mess of anything that can be imagined as debris. Even the stairs are twisted-mangled. It’s incredible that the force of the ship made everything looked destroyed and confusing. “Bugger me.” Foxley muttered. His black ears lowered. Turning at Snowdon, “There isn’t a way to get through.”

Snowdon sighed, “There has to be. Come on, think!”

Foxley is just a steward. He may have earned his topography of the ship, but the deepest bowels of the ship are not his business; he’s not an engineer. The fox-man was left in his mind. His lips began to move. He spoke. “There’s some kind of air shaft tunnel that meets every deck on the ship.”

“Pardon?”

“There was one time when I met a fellow crewman at the mess hall whom talked about fixing the air conditioning unit and had to find the faulty fan in a giant shaft. I don’t think you have seen it for yourself.”

“And how do you get there?”

“I cannot believe I’m saying this, but we must go find a ventilator shaft.”

Back at the stairs, Sidney helps Lani without the hose as it was Clover’s turn, it was buying them time. Ryder did the same and picks Kale’s trembling hand. “Come on, sonny. I’ll pull you up.” Doing as he’s told, meets up with his wolf-man. “Why are you shaky?”

“It’s nothing. I guess from earlier. I’m glad we crossed it sooner.” Kale said. “We…uh…come this far. So far…”

“It’s okay.” Ryder held him close. “It’ll soon be over.”

Snowdon and Foxley found a ventilator a little further in the dimmed lighted corridor. The squared, grilled cover is screwed on the wall where once was seen over close the ceiling, now lowered close to the new floor. “This is it.” Foxley said. “We need the axe that Kershaw is holding.”

“And Sylvester has a flashlight.” Said Snowdon.

The two suddenly turned their heads at the group near the stair, someone is screaming. Snowdon ran back at the group. The rest aren’t panicked but startled. The bear-man looks down the slope; Kershaw, Portia, Rico, Megan and a screaming Pricilla are still down the on half-way landing. On their feet, rushing murky liquid covers their shoes.

Portia shouted, “The water’s coming!”

From their view, Rico saw the lights of deck 3 dimming, then flickering and out when the sound of rushing water emerged out of the darkness.

“Hurry!” Megan shouted.

Sylvester and Snowdon dropped the hose. Megan grabbed it. Fastening, she cried, “Pricilla, hurry!” Lending her hand.

The beagle-girl is howling in terror. Petrified at the cold-water surging under her. Portia grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her out of her stress. “Shut up!” She yelled. “Come on! Get up this goddamned ramp!” She got control the canid-girl when Megan fastened her with her.

“Pull!” Kershaw ordered. This time two at the time with five or seven pulling the fire hose at the same time, the girls reached the top in a swift. Quickly getting them off and proceed the three remaining down the slope.

“Hurry!” Portia screamed. Water risen at their knees. They dropped the hose again, Kershaw picks it up and fastens Portia first. Then to Rico. “Come on! Pull!” She shouted.

“Nobody can be as composed as you are, miss.” Rico said.

“Shut up, Ricky! Come on!”

“The name’s Rico!” The group above pulled them and the two didn’t used the hanging railing and walked their feet against the slope, but they got dragged instead when nearer at the top. Kershaw climbs ups by the hanging railings and almost slips his wetted footing before Red holds his wrist and pulled him up.

“Oh, my god!” Portia cried.

“Pricilla, are you okay?” Megan asked. She nodded.

“Kershaw, bring your axe with you!” Snowdon ordered. “We must get going, group!”

“Son of a bitch!” Portia started. “All of this is a bunch of crap! We’re sinking and nothing’s going to keep us from drowning!”

Rico shouted at her, “Would you shut up! You’re safe now, alright?”

Snowdon ordered. “Everybody keep moving!” The group marched on ahead.

“It’s all right, Miss Matthews.” Miss Blake said, trying to calm her. “There are air pockets all over this ship.”

“AIR POCKETS???!!!”

“Yes, of course,” said Sidney Jennings, “just because that deck is flooded, it doesn’t mean that this one will.”

Aubrey, following behind Snowdon, she asked in a worried. “Mr. Snowdon, how long do you think we’ll stay afloat?”

“Long enough.” He said without turning at her.

Sasha’s voice stepped in as walking next to his father behind them. “I’ve learned in history that the Andrea Doria took ten hours before it sank.”

“Hah, what do you know.” Said Ryder. “It’s a big ship; then we still have time.”

A few yards ahead where Foxley was left waiting, the group stopped their pace when Snowdon half kneeled next to the square, grilled frame. Everyone was puzzled.

“What’s this?” Maxwell asked.

“We can’t go in there!” Said Stephanie. “We don’t know where it goes.”

“This is our way to get to the next level, whatever it takes.” Snowdon said. “Kershaw, can you do the honors?”

“Certainly.” The old lion-man picks his axe and bust open the screwed frame. He hit it multiple times and pulled the whole thing out, ripping it. A black square hole is on view. Sylvester kneeled and used his flashlight before Kershaw used his phone as flashlight. Inspecting the dark, cold vent; there is some connecting vents on both sides. Just directly, Rycroft can make up something ahead, like, light being interrupted by a passing shadow.

“There’s something just ahead.” The tiger said and stands up. “It better not be a dead end.”

“That has to be the vertical funnel shaft.” Said Foxley. “A ladder will take us to every deck above.”

“How do you know about that?” Jennings asked.

“What your fellow Americans say; I know a guy.” Foxley stated.

“I’m going in first.” Kershaw announced.

“You?” Joshua doubted. “W-why not Mr. Maxwell? He’s slimmer than most of us.”

“Why I should be first, sir?” Said Maxwell.

The lion-man already sent his head in and pairs of legs disappearing. Banging and rumble was heard. The group could not believe it. Sylvester leaned in with the flash light and the aluminum vent was dented outwards, slightly widen as Kershaw was grunting his way.

“Hey, Red! Come on over here!” The lion-man shouted, the voice echoed back in a muffle.

“Might as well give him a chance to kick me in the head.” Red chuckled at Gwen. The young lion-man bends down and went inside the vent. Gwen went after.

Snowdon turned to Sylvester, “Rycroft, think you can guide the rest at last row? I want to be sure everyone is present.”

“Sure, no problem.” Rycroft said. “Who wants to go next?”

“I’m next!” Portia said. “So, if big-assed horse gets stuck in there, I won’t get stuck behind her.” She squeezed in and disappeared through the vent, thumping against the cold ventilator.

Ricardo quietly looks at Aubrey with disbelief at what she had said. The brown horse-woman replied to him, “Well, there are times that I have this allusion that maybe my thighs are a little too big. Not to mention: at the Christmas tree.”

“Don’t let her get in the way.” Rico said.

“She’s just desperate.” Stephanie stated.

Sasha was next, then his father behind him. The vent was dark, humid with moist all over it. The air conditioning system is absent after the initial impact. “Are you okay, son?” Joshua said.

“I think so…” Sasha said. Crawling on all fours like fast-food playground tunnels, but not so colorful and playful. It’s rather scary and cramped.

Jett, Stephanie, and Carolyn went inside after Joshua. Ryder and Kale slides in before Snowdon followed and let Rycroft take care the rest of the group. Rico then slides in and then Aubrey kneeled as her turn.

“Miss Blake, take your turn.” Rycroft said.

“I’ll wait till last.” The rabbit-woman said.

Aubrey stopped and lend her hand. “Come on, darling. We mustn’t wait.”

Miss Blake went in first before Aubrey crawls inside. Zoey and Killian were directed next. Then Rycroft eyed at the younger girls. “Come on, little miss, your turn.” He said to Clover.

The young beagle-girl nodded and went in. Then Rycroft turned to the older beagle-girl. “Your turn; get in.”

She was shaking, she shook her head. “No, I can’t.”

“Pricilla,” Megan said, “we must to get in. The water is coming.”

“I said I can’t!” She cried. “I’m claustrophobic!”

Rycroft could not waste time. He signaled at Foxley to go in; he obeyed. Rycroft whispered at Sidney for a little hand. He nodded. Sidney told Lani to go ahead and she crawled inside the vent. The four remaining were in a high tension of slowly rising water.

One more time, Sylvester asked Pricilla. “Pricilla, we’ll be behind you. Get in the vent.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t.” She whined.

“Pricilla, please. Clover already went in. She’s gonna be worried.”

“You’re lying! She doesn’t! She left me here!”

“I’m not gonna leave you here. You would have gotten in if it were Isaac helping you instead. He would’ve done the same way.”

“I’ve told you I can’t!”

“Then might as well stay here until you make up your mind.”

“Or just now!” Rycroft said. He grabbed her around her waist, she yelped. Before she could kick, Sidney already hold her legs and both hold her like a log. Megan saw their actions, she went inside first as Rycroft took her in behind her. She was screaming as darkness ensues in the ventilation. Rycroft and Jennings kept her from escaping, the beagle-girl is banging a lot. Speaking in frustration again and again.

“Leave me out! Leave me out! Leave me out!”