06 Women and Children First

Chapter 06 Women and Children First Annie led everyone down the hall to the stairs, away from the cold sea water. As she and Lucy helped William up the stairs, Jack and Teddy followed. Halfway up the staircase, Teddy let out a yelp. Jack looked back. The water was creeping up the stairs, step by step. “ Come on, Jack! ” Annie shouted.

Jack ran up the rest of the stairs. He and Annie led William and Lucy through the smoky room. The men were still playing cards. “ To the lifeboats! ” Annie yelled at the card players. “ Right now! Hurry! ” The men smiled at her again. “ Little girl, ” one said with a laugh, “ even if this ship does sink, it will take all night. There’s plenty of time for everyone on board to be rescued. ” “ Indeed. Many ships are on their way right now, ” another man said in a soothing voice. “ There’s nothing to worry about. ” “ Not true! ” said Annie. Lucy turned to Jack. “ This doesn’t sound so bad, after all, ” she said.

“ It is bad. Please trust me, ” said Jack. “ We have to keep going. ” They went outside. The crowd on the third-class deck had grown. Many wore life belts. But no one here seemed very worried yet. Jack and Annie pulled Lucy and William along. They hurried through the crowd and down the first-class hall. They came to the end and trooped up the grand staircase. On the top deck, the Titanic was as bright as a Christmas tree. A band played lively music. With a hiss and rush of light, a rocket streaked into the sky. It made a loud boom! Then it burst into many colored balls. Shivering in the cold, William laughed and clapped.

“ Fireworks! ” he said. Lucy smiled at Jack and Annie. “ This is a trick, isn’t it?” she said. “ You’ve brought us to a party. ” “ No, it isn’t, ” said Jack. “ Don’t you remember the water downstairs?”

Lucy’s smile faded. “ Women and children first! ” someone shouted. “ That’s you! ” said Annie. “ Come on! ” She pulled Lucy and William toward a lifeboat.