The Courageous One by Kellie P. (e books free to read TXT) 📖

Tears trailed down Ruth's face as she gripped her husband tightly, wishing never to let go. She could feel his racing heart and stone cold hands as he clutched her passionately against his chest. 

Never, in her whole life, had she imagined it would end like this. They were supposed to raise William, the tiny child clinging to her skirt, together! Ruth could see every joyful moment in the life she dreamt of being viciously smothered and drowned, as the "unsinkable ship" beneath her feet slowly sank into the icy grave it had been destined for. 

She could compose herself no longer. The tears that began rolling down Ruth's face gave way to sobs and a great heaving in her chest.  

"I don't want to leave you, John. I don't!" 

"And I don't want to leave you either, my dear," John echoed, gently releasing his shivering wife as he held her hands tightly. "But you must go. Go, and give our darling William a chance to live." 

"Come with us, please John. Please," she begged.

"No." John replied resolutely, kissing his wife gingerly on the cheek. "I can't. And I would never be so selfish as to take another's place simply because I could."  

A wave of women and children surged forward as Ruth gripped her son's chilled fingers.

"Women and children first!" a man shouted frantically as he ushered an old, frightened woman into a lifeboat. "Women and children first!"  

Ruth could feel her body being dragged along with the crowd, though she wished to stay at her beloved's side. But she had to go, she had to be strong for William's sake. A forced resolve filled her chest as she took the heavy steps away from the one who loved her so much. 

It took so much strength for the young woman to turn and leave another to die instead of her. It seemed as if the wind were resisting Ruth and pushing against her, compelling her to lift William up into her arms and cradle the darling child with the last of her waning strength. 

If she could only get one last glimpse of John, then she might have the courage to continue on without him. But she must not turn back, or she would surely faint! She would surely faint… perhaps only a small glimpse, for William, so she could remember. She looked back and saw him standing there resolute and unwavering, frozen in time. Nodding his head in assurance, John whispered,

"I love you."

Before she could even respond, the crowd pressed in on Ruth and she found herself being pressed towards the lifeboats as her beloved's face faded into the crowd. It was as if she were in a trance, unable to move her own body. 

The starry sky seemed to mourn for her as she stepped into a wooden lifeboat and set her crying child down upon her lap. The child was crying for his father, unable to understand why he was not coming with them. Ruth clutched her child's tiny body, feeling the same pain, while the tears flowed like a trickling stream down her own flushed face.  

The boat was lowered into the icy waters. A splash of the ocean's cold tears slapped Ruth across the cheek, as if to jeer at her. But the young woman ignored its heartless affront, and leaned over to protect her sobbing child. 

The sinking Titanic's stern slowly lurched upwards, as water surged mercilessly over the deck. It was a nightmare come true, a nightmare which every person aboard must surely have thought of, but never believed could be true. Ruth raised her eyes up toward the sinking giant, searching for just a glimpse of her beloved before he would disappear, forever… for her sake.

Text: K.D.
Images: K.D.
Editing: K.D. & W.P.
Publication Date: 05-16-2012

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