Three Varieties of Tragedy

Titanic Survivor
Apr 14, 1912
4 min read

It is a lovely, warm day in April 1912. The 10th of April, to be precise. It seems as if the entire town of Southampton are cheering standing on the docks, in front of the RMS Titanic. If only they knew.

He takes his first step in the First Class Grand Staircase. The smell of the freshly painted walls tickles his nostrils, and the heat from his suit is too much to handle. He quickly throws a glance at the clock on the wall, before he then looks down at his own pocket-watch. Half past eleven. Only 30 minutes until departure.

“Focus”, he says to himself quietly.

This trip should only take about seven days, no need to worry. Nevertheless, the solid oak carved paneling of the staircase is bothering him – who do they think he is? Does a man travelling first class not deserve more luxury? This business trip is not worth the struggle.

She takes her first step in the Third Class Smoke and General Room. The smell of smoke coming from the cigars hits her nostrils, and the heat from the large crowd is overwhelming. She looks down at her daughter holding a small suitcase, making sure their belongings will not disappear.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart”, she says to her daughter, as she squeezes her hand gently.

This trip should only take about even days. Nevertheless, the oak paneling and the teak furniture is so pleasant, are they really on the correct floor? Do they really deserve all this luxury, after being used to poverty? Even though the luxury is far from first class, it is still a great way to start their new life in America.

He shakes hands with Captain Edward J. Smith and constructor Thomas Andrews. His third glass of whiskey is starting to influence his mind, and he no longer feels worried. Andrews briefs about the ship.

“It does not sink, Sir. We have designed 16 watertight compartments, so if the ship fills up with water, it will only fill some of the compartments. 269 meters of strong materials – or, I am sorry, do you prefer the inch-measurement? Anyways, we have designed four chimneys, but only three of them are actually fully functioning. The last one is meant as an illusion of stability.”

The night slowly fades away, and so do the other nights. He sleeps tight, despite the tacky seventeenth century design of the ship.

She holds hands with her daughter, praying. Her first glass of water this evening is fresh, and her daughter is no longer crying. She no longer feels worried. They are both tired, yet still agog with excitement. Despite this, the ship’s safety is concerning. Apparently, there are 20 lifeboats. In case of emergency, they are supposed to carry 2223 passengers. However, the ship cannot sink, right?

The night fades slowly away, and so do the other nights. She sleeps tight despite the crowded room and her worries lurking from beneath.

It is a starry night, yet foggy. He can feel his chair shaking as a sudden movement of the ship occurs. His cigar falls down on his suit, leaving a stain. Panic spreads amongst the crowd as he yells violently at the servants, telling them to remove the stain. However, the real panic is still to come. He looks at his pocket-watch; 23.40. Perhaps the ship losing a propeller blade caused the shudder?

She can feel her bed shaking as a sudden movement of the ship occurs. Her glass of water falls down onto the floor, breaking it into sharp pieces. She quietly cleans up the mess. The shaking is probably normal, she tells her daughter who also awakes. After all, this is their first time on a ship. She looks up at the clock; 23.40. But deep down, she knows they struck something.

He prepares to board a reserved lifeboat, as the ocean takes over the ship. Thousands of men, women and children are screaming, pushing each other closer to the lifeboats. He enters the boat along with 19 others, completely ignoring the screams and misery. There was room for 40 more people on the lifeboat. Still, his worries lie with his expensive belongings.

She carries her daughter on her back, running towards the lifeboats. All of their belongings are long gone, and the cold water is getting closer and closer. She feels the floor beneath her bending slowly to the side, pulling them lower. Even though the lifeboats are full, even though she knows there is no hope, she steps onto the railway, squeezing her daughter tight before they jump.

He looks over at the ship sinking before it breaks into two pieces. All of the passengers in the lifeboat are completely quiet. No words, no sounds, no screams. They are shocked. He then looks down at his pocket-watch; 02.20.

She looks around, frozen bodies everywhere. Her daughter is gone. The water feels like a thousand sharp knives stabbing her body, and the injury from the fall has damaged her feet and her head. But the pain is soon to be relieved, and the knives will stop stabbing her. She falls asleep on a pillow of waves. She does not know the time; 02.20.

One survives, and one dies. And the value of the social classes sinks along with the RMS Titanic, fading into a starry night painted with human lives. It all sinks at 02.20, on the 14th of April 1912.