It was dark, and the rain continued to come down. It was near 11 PM New York time, and
most of the crowd had left. But, there was still a great amount of people left, and most
reporters were still hanging around waiting to talk to any of the survivng crew.
Rose began to descend the gangplank, glancing around to be sure that no one reconized her.
She walked into the wall of people, and began to try and make her way to the other side.
**POOF** A flash went off in Rose's eyes. Startled, Rose fell back, and on the ground.
She cried out in pain as she felt her elbow slam into the ground. People began to trample her,
not knowing she was beneath their feet. Rose began to cry, for now there was no one to rescue
her like Jack did. Now, she was alone, and there was no one that cared about her anymore.
People began to tromp upon Rose, not hearing her cries for help below them. Everyone was in a
mad dash to see the "poor people" that had survived that awful night, and those "poor people"
have had their fill of boats, and were in a rush to get off of the Carpathia. Rose screamed
out when she felt someone step on her exposed calf, and began to cry when she felt a burning
sensation shoot through her leg, and then felt a sudden POP. Dizzy now with white hot pain,
Rose tried to sit up once again, but as if it were playing in slow motion, she saw a big man
with a camera coming towards her, trying to get a picture of the Carpathia, and Rose could tell
he didn't see her beneath him, but before she could get a word of warning out, he kicked her in
the head, and just as his foot was growing larger in front of her eyes, she passed out into
blackness.
Rose began to stir, and called out to see if Jack was still alive next to her in the water.
As she came to, Rose relized that she was still laying on the wet damp concrete, and there was
unbearable pain coming from everywhere. Her head, leg, and abdomen were screaming the loudest,
pulsing with every heart beat. Rose summoned up all her strength, and screamed with all her
might. Rose then began to cough violently, and couldn't stop. Still, no one noticed her...and
they continued to step on her. Rose kept coughing, and eventually screamed when she noticed the
blood coming out of her lungs.
Rose once again tried to get up, when suddenly, a grimy
hand reached down to her and lifted her up. The man pulled her up and cradled her. Rose looked
up into his face, and saw his friendly eyes. Rose began to cough again, and the man hugges her
closer, and rushed her through the crowed to the ambulances waiting at the edge of the crowd.
Just as he was gently laying Rose down on a stretcher, Rose finally got out,
"Thank you....May I ask your name?" The man smiled and said, "my name's Fred Barrett... You are
the young Bukater girl... I remember you runnin thru the boiler room with that young man. Yer
Mom will be so happy to know you are alive...She has been worried sick from what I've heard..."
Rose looked striken, knowing that someone knew that she survived. "Mr. Barrett, do me a favor and DO
NOT tell anyone that I survived! It is very important to me. I must have your word that you
will not tell ANYONE!" Fred, with a look of confusion on his face agreed, kissed Rose on her
forehead, and watched her leave with screaming sirens.