Titanic Sacrifice Part Two

Hello, everyone! Sorry this is a day late. Here’s the part two of Titanic Sacrifice. Also, here’s part one if you need a refresher. Enjoy!

Part Two

The voyage went smoothly for the first few days. My 3^rd-class compartment, though very small and a bit cramped, was enough to suit my needs. I saw Mr. Barstable once or twice, but it was always from a distance, and I slowly began to forget my anger towards him once more.

            Then, one night, I was awakened by someone knocking at my door. I sat up and slid out of bed, then drew back suddenly as my feet encountered cold water on the floor of my cabin. My mind raced, wondering what was going on. I hurried to the door, pulling a robe over my nightgown and hoping to find someone who could explain. Sure enough, a steward stood outside.

            He nodded politely. “Miss, everyone is to come up on deck as soon as they can. You’re to wear your life preserver. Please be quick.” He nodded again and hurried away before I could ask any questions.

            I hastily pulled on a jacket and a life preserver over my nightdress. Was the ship sinking? No, it couldn’t be sinking. It was called unsinkable, after all. But if it wasn’t sinking, why was there all this water on my floor?

As I hurried through the passages, I looked for anyone who might have answers, but saw no one. Finally, I decided that I’d have to wait until I reached the deck to find out.

When I arrived on deck, I found it crowded with people, many of whom seemed unsure of why they were there. Over at the rail, people were being helped into lifeboats by the crew. I frowned. “What’s going on here?”

            An all-too-familiar voice came from behind me. “Miss Smithson! Why are you not on a lifeboat yet?”

            I turned and saw Mr. Barstable standing just behind me. I frowned, putting my hands on my hips. “What is going on here, sir? Does anyone know?”

            Mr. Barstable began guiding me towards the lifeboats. “I do not think we are supposed to know, Miss Smithson, but the Titanic is sinking. Women and children are to leave first. You must get on a lifeboat at once.”

            I frowned, noting the small number of lifeboats remaining. “Sinking? It can’t be sinking.” I remembered the water in my cabin and in the passageway and almost took my statement back. Maybe it was sinking. “And what about you; aren’t you getting on as well?” Even if I didn’t like Mr. Barstable, he didn’t deserve to be drowned.

            He shook his head. “It is sinking, Miss Smithson, and I shall follow later if I can. If not, well, Christ died for man. I can do no better than to follow His example.”

             Before I could protest, I was helped into the last spot in one of the lifeboats. The boat was quickly lowered away from the ship. There were several minutes of confusion after we reached the surface of the water, but eventually, several people decided to start rowing. I, however, sat dumbly, not quite believing what was happening.

            Before long, I heard a strange noise behind me. I looked back to see the ship oddly cracked in half, one end pointing up towards the night sky, one end pointed into the sea. I watched, fighting the urge to cry out, as the ship sank into the dark waters. I knew that Mr. Barstable would not have been able to escape. He died to save me and all of us here. Why? Why would he do that? I straightened up, pushing back the tears. I had to be strong; I could grieve later, when we were safe, if we were ever safe.

            After several long hours drifting in the darkness, another ship arrived and picked us up. I was given a blanket and a hot drink, and taken with the others to a large room. I was too exhausted, mentally and physically, to recognize anything about the room, save that it was warm, dry, and hopefully safe. I curled up in a corner, and finally allowed myself to cry. He died. They all died, everyone back on that ship. They sacrificed themselves for me and the others here. Why? Why would they do that?

            I bit my lip, remembering Mr. Barstable’s final words to me. “Christ died for man; I can do no better than to follow his example.” I knew a bit about what he meant. My parents had both been Christians, but I’d never really cared. Now I wondered if maybe I should’ve cared all along. Bringing to mind a few of the things I’d heard from my family years ago, I bowed my head and whispered a prayer. “Jesus, I don’t know much about You, but I’d like to learn more about who You are. I’m sorry for my hatred of Mr. Barstable and all the other things I’ve done. Please forgive me. Amen.” I looked up, glancing out a nearby porthole towards where the Titanic had sank. I won’t forget. I’ll never forget. 

What did you think? I’d love it if you’d comment and tell me. Thanks for reading!

-Sarah

The Merchant's Daughter Review

Author: Melanie Dickerson

Characters: Very good. The good characters were likeable and realistic, and the bad characters are a pleasure to dislike. I especially liked Lord le Wyse.

4/5

Location: Not bad, but a bit confusing. I had a hard time visualizing where some places were in relation to other places.

2/5

Plot: Very interesting! This is the first time I’ve read a remake of “Beauty and the Beast” and I very much enjoyed it. The plot is fairly suspenseful, with a nice amount of action.

4/5

Other: I will note that this book is probably more for older teens, and there is quite a bit of romance involved.

Overall Rating: 3/5

Titanic Sacrifice part one

Hello, everyone! I apologize for the lack of stories being posted lately. However, I've finally decided on something to post. This is Titanic Sacrifice, a short story I wrote a few months ago for a contest. As a note, this contest, which is hosted by Vision Forum, is the same contest I wrote Knight's Quest for. Anyway, without further ado, Titanic Sacrifice Part One!

Part One

I stared up at the great ship before me, the Titanic. They’d called it the unsinkable, the greatest ship ever built, and incredibly, I’d be traveling on it to America. I could hardly take in the thought. What was more, this would be its maiden voyage, which made the whole thing twice as incredible.

            “Impressive, isn’t she, miss?”

            I turned to see a wealthy-looking gentleman standing behind me. He wore a black top hat and overcoat, and had a round, rather reddish face. I nodded, trying to hide my embarrassment at being caught staring. For a moment, I wondered where I’d seen the gentleman before, but then I shook it off and answered his question. “Indeed, sir. Will you be traveling on her as well?”

            He nodded. “I shall. But I have not introduced myself. I am Richard Barstable.”

            I frowned slightly, my brown eyes sparking with hidden anger. I knew the name all too well. Mr. Barstable had been employing my father when he was killed. I had always blamed him for what had happened. Still, I hid this. “I’m pleased to meet you, sir. I’m Elisabeth Smithson.”

            Mr. Barstable nodded thoughtfully. “The pleasure is mine, I’m sure. Smithson, you said? Where do I know that name?”

            I swallowed hard. “My father, perhaps? William Smithson? He worked for you.” I bit back tears, remembering how Father had been killed after falling from the roof of a building on Mr. Barstable’s property where he’d been repairing the roof. Mother had died soon afterwards, leaving me on my own at the age of seventeen. Now, three years later, I had finally earned passage to America so I could leave these memories behind.

            Mr. Barstable nodded. “Ah, yes. Your father. A good man. I am quite sorry, miss.”

            I nodded, not quite sure how to respond. Finally, I picked up my bag and turned towards the ship. “I need to get on board, sir.”

            “Of course. Perhaps I will see you on our voyage?”

            “Perhaps. Good day, sir.” I hurried away, hoping that I never saw Mr. Barstable again.

            The voyage went smoothly for the first few days. My 3^rd-class compartment, though very small and a bit cramped, was enough to suit my needs. I saw Mr. Barstable once or twice, but it was always from a distance, and I slowly began to forget my anger towards him once more.

What will next? You'll have to wait until Thursday to find out! Thank you for reading and for your patience.

-Sarah

 

The Healer's Apprentice Review

Author: Melanie Dickerson

Characters: Very good. Rose, Wilhelm, and the rest seem interesting and realistic. The good characters are very likeable; the bad characters a pleasure to dislike.

4/5

Location: Not too bad, though I did get a bit confused in some places. Also, I didn’t realize until about halfway through the book that this was actually set on Earth, not in another world.

2/5

Plot: Very good. The plot is an interesting twist on Sleeping Beauty, and though it isn’t as action-packed as some stories, I still enjoyed it. I will note that, being a remade fairy tale, it has a bit more romance than some of the books I read, though it doesn’t have anything bad in it.

4/5

Other: No other comments.

Overall Rating: 3/5

Hello, everyone! I’m back, with an update on what I’ve been doing lately.

·        First of all, I’m sorry for the fact that this is late. I meant to post an update last Sunday. However, I ended up spending Sunday in bed with an upset stomach. Thankfully, I’m much better now.

·        Until last Sunday, my story was going very well. After Sunday, however, I kind of took an unexpected break from it because I didn’t feel well enough to work on it on Sunday and after that I just never got around to getting back to it. However, I did get back to work on it yesterday, so I’m hoping that it will start going better soon.

·        What could possibly impede that is the fact that I have five new books to read: The Healer’s Apprentice and The Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson and the first three books in The Auralia Thread by Jeffery Overstreet. I’m looking forward to reading them and hope to post reviews of them on my blog.

·        School is going fairly well. I’m currently reading Ben-Hur for one of my subjects, and so far it’s been fairly interesting. Of course, I haven’t gotten very far, but in my experience, if a book starts out interesting, it’ll usually be interesting the rest of the way through too.

Well, that’s about it. Thanks for stopping by!

-Sarah

The Charlatan's Boy Review

Author: Jonathan Rodgers

Characters: Excellent! If there’s one thing I’ve come to expect from the books by Jonathan Rodgers, it’s that the characters will be colorful and full of flavor, and the cast of this book fully meets that expectation.

5/5

Location: Good. The setting was easy to visualize, and I didn’t get confused about where the characters were. The one thing I didn’t like was that it took me half the book to figure out whether the story takes place before or after The Wilderking Trilogy.

3/5

Plot: Very good. The storyline is interesting, with plenty of humorous and exciting sections. The only thing I disliked was the way the story ended. It seemed to be over a little too quickly in my opinion.

4/5

Other: This is an excellent book. I very much enjoyed it, and I can hardly wait until Fall 2011 when the next book in the series comes out!

Overall Rating: 4/5

Dragons of the Watch Review

Author: Donita K. Paul

Characters: Very good! The characters were interesting and realistic. The only thing that disappointed me was the general lack of characters from previous books in the series, since until the very end, Bealomondore is the only one.

4/5

Location: Very good! There was just the right amount of detail, and since most of the story takes place in one area, it was easy to keep from getting confused. The whole concept of the city was also very interesting.

4/5

Plot: Fairly good. Though not as exciting as other books in the series, the plot was interesting and enjoyable, with plenty of mystery.

4/5

Other: I wish this book would’ve lasted longer, since I finished it in one morning. Other than that, it was excellent.

Overall rating: 4/5

First Post of 2012

Hello, everyone! Sorry for taking forever to post. I finally have an update on what I've been doing lately. But first, let me say that this is the first post of 2012! (Too bad it's late, ha-ha.)

• My story has been going fairly well. It's slowed down a bit in the New Year, since I've had school to do. However, that's to be expected, and since I'm writing something, I'm happy. Currently, I'm mostly just trying to figure out how to keep the plot moving along to where I know what I'm doing again.
• Christmas and New Year's Eve both went well. We spent Christmas at home, as usual, and we went to the Christmas Eve service at our church. New Year's Eve was spent at the home of our friends, which I very much enjoyed. If there's one thing I like more than writing, it's hanging out with my friends. That fun is doubled when cool games and food are involved, which they were.
• I've been doing a lot of reading in my free time. I've mostly been rereading books, but I got Dragons of the Watch for Christmas, which was exciting. I plan to post a review on it this coming week. I'm also planning to read The Charlatan's Boy, which is by the same person who wrote the Wilderking Trilogy. (I posted review for these books around the beginning of last year.) 

Well, that's about it. Thanks for stopping by!
-Sarah

Christmas Eve

Hello, everyone! I’m back, with an update on my life!

·        After a week of not working on Breaking Chains, I finally decided (with some help from my family) that if I wasn’t interested in writing it at the moment, I wasn’t going to write anything I liked. So, since I know that there’s no way I won’t write it, I’d wait until I wanted to write it to work on it more.

·        What am I writing instead? The answer to that is a new novel about two teens who end up falling into another world when a summer trip takes a wrong turn. This novel is an idea that I’ve been playing around with since October, when one of my sister’s writing assignments gave me the idea for a random scene. However, I hadn’t figured out enough details to actually start on it until the 17th, when a few final pieces fell into place and it was ready to be written. It’s going very well, though my main character, a girl named Lani, probably wouldn’t agree since she’s currently in need of rescue.

·        On Friday, December 16, our Bible Study had a potato bar, ice cream bar, and Christmas play. I had a lot of fun, and enjoyed both the food and hanging out with my friends. The Christmas play also went well, though I don’t think I’ve ever heard King Herod played with a British accent.

·        I’m very excited for Christmas and the Christmas Eve service at our church tonight. I’m also glad that the sore throat I had all last week went away and that I found my parents’ Christmas cards, which I put in a drawer and then forgot where they were. However, since I did find them, and I finished all my Christmas shopping, I can relax.

Well, that’s about it. Thanks for stopping by. Merry Christmas, everyone!

-Sarah

The Reason: A Christmas Story Conclusion

Hello, everyone! I'm here with the conclusion of The Reason: A Christmas Story! Here's part seven if you need a refresher. Enjoy!

Conclusion

Angel turned away, weeping, as Kayla was carried away. After a while, Dustin came in. He found her curled on Kayla’s bed, sobbing silently. “Are yu alright?” he asked, gently.

            Angel raised her tearstained face. “No, I’m not ok. Why’d Kayla have to go? Things were just getting better?”

            Dustin sighed. “I don’t b’ knowin’ why this happens t’ anyone, Angel. The only things I b’ knowin’ are that she’s with the Great King and we have t’ go on with our lives.”

            Angel shook her head. “The Great King can’t be real. If he’s real, then why were my parents murdered? Why did my aunt turn me out of her home? Why did Kayla get sick and die?” Angel suddenly became angry. “I haven’t cried in years! The last time I cried was when Mother and Father died! I was tough! But if the Great King was real, I wouldn’t have to be tough! I wouldn’t have to beg just to get a few crusts for Kayla or learn to fight so that the bigger boys wouldn’t beat me and take my only food! But all that did happen, so he can’t be real! He just can’t!” She scowled. “I survived by knowing what’s real and what’s not, not by believing in fairy tales. I don’t plan to stop that now.” She sniffled, her anger dying into despair. “Why even celebrate Yuletide? There’s no real meaning in it. It’s just a time for rich people to flaunt their money and poor people to feel worse than they already do.”

            Dustin had no answer for Angel’s rant. He just sat on the bed and held her as she cried, getting out her sadness at everything that had ever gone wrong in her life.  

            Angel continued to mope for almost a week. Although Dustin did his best to comfort her and she could see for herself how Sir Connor, at least, was working to help the poor, nothing could console her. She ate little, and soon became ill. Then the letter came.

            Dustin knocked on the door of Angel’s room. “Angel? Might I b’ allowed in?”

            “I guess so,” came the forlorn reply.

            Dustin opened the door and walked in. Angel was sitting on the bed, her knees draw up to her chest. She wore a simple, blue dress that her hosts had given her. “How are yu today?” Dustin asked.

            Angel shrugged.

            Dustin pulled a letter from his pocket. “This letter came for yu. Do yu want t’ read it?”

            Angel shrugged again. “I suppose.” Dustin handed her the letter, and she broke the gold wax seal and unfolded the piece of paper. Suddenly, she gasped.

            Dustin forced himself to not dash to Angel’s side. “What is it, lass?” he asked.

            Angel just shook her head, gazing at the familiar handwriting. She slowly began to read it, each word seeming like a miracle.

“Dear Angel,

                Why are you still weeping, Angel? I am not dead, or it does not seem that way to me. In fact, I am more alive here that I ever have been. I am with the Great King now, Angel, and while I cannot come back to you, I am not dead, so don’t cry for me. I am happier than I have ever been! I cannot even begin to describe the country here. It’s absolutely beautiful.

                When I was still with you, you once asked me why I thanked the Great King, and I could tell that there were many other questions hidden behind it. I’m sure one of them was “Why do you believe.” Angel, you need to believe in something! The Great King is the One who helped me to stay cheerful in my despair, and were it not for Him, I really would have died. If you now feel an ache, I am sure that it is not only for me but for Him as well. I hope that my letter has brought you hope. Your Friend,

                                                                                                Kayla”

            Tears once more ran down Angel’s face, but not tears of hurt. These were tears of sorrow for herself. Kayla’s simply written letter had made an incredible impact. She was right all along and I thought her crazy! I must be the most despicable of friends. She must be alive. Only Kayla knows what I asked her, and she could not write the letter if she was dead. How in the world was I so blind? Words rose unbidden from her heart to her lips, and she whispered “Great King, You know that I never believed in You, but I do now. Please forgive me, though I am not worthy.”

            All at once, joy flooded Angel’s heart, washing away all the anger, hatred, and sorrow. She felt strangely light, and a strong, kind voice whispered in her heart. “You will never want, my child. I will keep you safe.”

            Angel smiled then, a real smile like she had not smiled in years. “Kayla was right. He is real!” she said.

            Dustin smiled. “Aye. That he b’. The Great King is more real than any o’ the other things people believe in this cold, hard world.” He sat down beside Angel, and she fell into his arms. “And He is the reason we celebrate, Angel. We remember what the Great King did for us and what He is doing for us. That is the reason for Yuletide.”

            As it turned out, Angel became an enthusiastic follower of the Great King. She was adopted by Dustin, and they both were active in helping the poor. Lady Leslie also came around, and she and Sir Connor did quiet a bit, funding orphanages, starting the first soup kitchen in the city, and much more besides telling others about what needed done. But none of them ever forgot Kayla, the little girl who, through her departure for the Kingdom of Light, changed more lives than could be imagined.

Thanks for reading, and merry Christmas!

-Sarah