Titanic: True Love Forever

Chapter 20: Chasing

We were coming out of the cargo hold of the Titanic, which meant we were close to the bow of the ship, and above the cargo hold would have been third class, in fact, if we saw the stairs going up the theory was that we would be able to see the people in third class. But why would I choose the right path for them? My smile remains unchanged as I choose a corridor to keep moving forward, to hell with it, let's all just get lost together.

I walk quickly, the pain of my feet rubbing against my shoes can keep me awake at this most exhausting of times. My ankle-length beige dress was flying against my legs, and my long, naturally curly hair had been messed up like a madman after all the groping I'd just done.

The closer I got to tomorrow, the more anxious I became. Missing tomorrow's disembarkation, coupled with my status as a thief, made it almost certain that I'd be tied up in a jail cell waiting to drown. Maybe I should think of something more optimistic; I could actually get rid of the old poodle's gun and slip away. And Calhokely, forget it, he wasn't in the way of my escape, and was it hard to see how he could risk being spurned by the upper-class social circle by chasing a poor woman all over the ship with a gun? Even if the woman was a thief, it wasn't his place to make the arrest. It was already an incredible thing that he would even show up.

Carl was having a particularly hard time following in my footsteps, easing back didn't mean it didn't hurt at all, and he stumbled a bit as he walked. The old poodle tried to help him along, only to be pushed away.

I made a rough calculation of where I had walked, and realized that I was taking them further and further away; if we had just been in the bow, then where we were walking now would have been in the center of the ship, and where we had stepped, below decks was most likely either the coal bunker or the boiler compartment close to the engine room.

The short answer is that we are still wandering around the bottom deck. The old poodle finally realized that something was wrong; even if the corridors were similar, the environment and feel of the upper decks and the lower decks were simply worlds apart. He drooped and turned his head to look at me like a dying guard dog extraordinaire, "Looks like the tip wasn't big enough, miss."

I looked at him noncommittally, it was hard to see how he could pull a gun and threaten me again for a road.

A male stewardess holding a pile of sheets suddenly approached from the end of the aisle, he was going to walk down another corridor and turned his head to see us and inquired very curiously, "What are you doing here?"

Lovejoy immediately walked over to us and with a serious look on his face he inquired, "We are passengers on the ship, can you take us to the upper deck?"

"You are guests in the upper deck? How did you get here." The steward clutched the sheet in his hand with some effort as he said politely, "I'm sorry, sir, I'm working now. Why don't you wait a moment and I'll tell the chief steward."

"The chief steward in third class?" Lovejoy continued to ask deeply, as if having someone from third class lead the way would nag at him.

Since he had to climb in with the stewardess, he was leaving my side, even with his body turned back to me. We were standing at a T-intersection where three white corridors intersected, and I could see a white iron ladder going up at the end of another corridor. If I could run there and go straight up the stairs, it would be a snap to get rid of these two guys in this maze-like place.

Provided it wasn't a locked hatch waiting for me on the stairs. Otherwise it would be a bad deal for me to run up there at the risk of the old poodle pulling a gun.

Life is an exercise in risk-taking, and when the odds are only half and half, it becomes torture when you have to choose.

"Yes sir, this is close to third class." The stewardess was still smiling, the Titanic's staff were well trained in pre-industry and made sure to make sure all upper class guests were treated like they were at home.

My foot knocked down on the floor with the customary light, gentle force and barely a sound. I didn't have to think about my answer; if I didn't take a chance now, would I wait until the ship sank?

"Well, you tell him to send a waiter over to lead the way." Lovejoy pulled an American dollar bill from his suit pocket and shoved it into the steward's hand, which was still clutching the sheet.

The magnitude of the gesture turned into a gap in my eyes, and I suddenly whispered to the man next to me, "Carl, thank you for your hospitality, and may you and your canine teeth remain in love forever."

Carl's attention was taken away by the stewardess, and he said, somewhat unresponsively, "What ...... what?"

Almost in half a second I lifted my obstructing skirt with both hands as hard as I could and in one sharp turn made a mad dash for the end of the corridor. Immediately behind me came Carl's reply back, "Damn, damn thief, get after him."

"Stop." That was the response of the old poodle who had finished stuffing his tip and realized the thief was gone.

I'd be an i***t to stand still, I didn't even have to turn my head back to know that the two guys behind me were catching up again. The surprised voice of the stewardess set the intense chase to appropriate music, "Sir? Wait, what are you doing?"

What are you doing?

Running for their lives.

I ran to the staircase, without hesitation, not even to think about whether the old poodle has drawn his gun, three steps synthetic step up to leap up. Unsuitable shoes at this time is simply a damn shackles, I a step in the air, hands hastily grabbed the iron ladder handrail, turned my head to see the old poodle has already come to the bottom of the stairs, almost without stopping, I step in the air feet a dance kick movement will throw shoes out, smashed into his face.

Lovejoy raised his hand to protect his face and with his other hand he very deftly slapped the shoe away. Carl had just run up to him, startled by the shoe.

I saw Lovejoy move his hand away from his face and immediately retract his unshod foot, and in the next second shift his weight to bring his other foot up in a motion to kick. The old poodle reflexively reaches for his face and I'm already running quickly up the hill on one bare foot.

The stairs turn two corners to the upper deck and I barely stop my speed before I reach up in one jump and pull the rest of the shoe off my foot, without looking back I fling my hand and throw the shoe up the stairs behind me, immediately followed by the angry sound of Carl's startled voice. I ran barefoot down the long hallway, grinning as I did so, "Shoes back to you, Mr. American Money."

I was already running up Scotland Road in second class, a corridor that ran the length of the ship where most of the employees on the Titanic rested. The walkway was still wet as I ran forward, and a couple of stewardesses were crouching to wipe down the corridor as they watched in amazement as I ran quickly away. Around a corner I saw stairs going down, then I jumped down them, saw a single open door and flashed in, closing it softly. Just as the door closed, there was the rattle of two stragglers descending the stairs from outside.

"Where did she go?" Carl gasped, anger making his voice particularly shrill.

"Probably ran back to third class, I'll find her out, she can't run as long as she's on board." Lovejoy's voice didn't change a bit, as if this intense running didn't burden him.

"You go ...... ahead and find her out." Carl didn't sound so relaxed, he said fiercely as he gasped for breath, "Make sure you get her back, I've never ...... never been insulted like this, I want her to pay, make sure she pays."

I clasped my hands to my chest and leaned against the wall next to the door in boredom. Head next to the wall looking upwards without making a sound. Hopefully they're done talking and get the hell out of here, or I'm stuck here with no way out. Even if there were stairs that led down to the lower level, the old poodle's alertness would have allowed him to hear the noise as soon as he moved. Now they're not paying attention because they think I'm going the other way, so they don't come over to check the door.

"Mr. Hockley, would you like me to walk you to your room first?" Lovejoy looked a little worried that he wouldn't be able to take care of his employer if he walked away.

"Go get someone first." Carl said grumpily.

I continued to crane my neck and tilt my head, looking at the light bulb glowing brightly above my head. After waiting a while, a footstep went the other way, presumably Lovejoy. Kalhokri, on the other hand, was still panting in place, and I continued to wait patiently for him to move away. After a minute or so of waiting, he finally slowed back down to mumble something in a low voice before moving his feet with the intention of going back.

I breathed a sigh of relief and slowly exhaled the carbon dioxide that I had been holding in my lungs, and was just halfway through when the door beside me slammed open and Carl bent over and stuck his face in.

I had just looked down when he happened to look up, and we were looking at each other face to face. Slowly, I swallowed back the half-breath again, then flashed a friendly smile and greeted him, "Hi, sir."

This wasn't really a good scene at all, Carl's otherwise expressionless face suddenly twisted a bit, I think he was surprised to see me. I lifted my feet and ran after I finished speaking, behind him he hurriedly intoned a command, "No running, stop."

I'll stop, and when I see a chair or an axe I can move, I'll stop right there and let you lie down.