Chapter 171 – Mother Nature’s Fury

My perfect hindsight review begins. Why are we going to Islay? Why did we choose this ship? Was our delay a sign of problems yet to come? Those ‘what if’ analyses will have to wait until safety.

I spin through all the information collected, including the way to the lifeboats. The crew signal us to the boats, with the wind and rain blistering our faces, “I will carry Lewis and Adair if you take Arabella and Duke?” I shout to Emelia.

I know there are enough spaces on the lifeboat, and we need to make it. We shepherd the children towards the ship’s bow, where the lifeboats reside; however, crew and passengers storm past us, pointing towards the vessel’s rear.

Emelia turns around to ask what we should do?

“Keep going forward. We need to get to a lifeboat.”

We push against the tide of people continuing to the stern and find two crew members, desperately bailing water with their hands. To my horror, the lifeboat is already quarter full. I turn around and look back. The scene is horrendous, with the ship’s stern starting to rise out of the water. Instinct determines I am out of options and tell Emelia to get in with the children.

“You watch the children and keep their heads above water.”

I will return.