TEMPUS CHAPTER TEN
During bad circumstances, which are the human inheritance, you must decide not to be reduced. You have your humanity, and you must not allow anything to reduce that. We are obliged to know we are global citizens. Disasters remind us we are world citizens, whether we like it or not.
Maya Angelou
“Watcher let’s board a ship.” At Quebec City, he walked up a steep gangway onto the ship and went to his State Room to have a look. The air aboard the ship was stale. The poorly designed ventilation system would be a downfall, during the collision. Too many portholes were open too close to the waterline.
They left at four-thirty in the afternoon. A band was playing somewhere on the ship as they pulled out of port. He tried to enjoy the view from the upper deck as they travelled down the St. Lawrence River. He found he could not.
A little girl was tugging at his long coat “Hey Mister you look sad. Did you lose something?”
“No, I did not” looking down at her as he said the words.
“My dad says that stuff never really gets lost. That it just travels to some other place or becomes something else.”
“I see, your father is a wise man. What is your name little girl?”
“I am not little, I am seven, my name is Grace Hanagan. I am exactly the right size.”
“You certainly are.”
Her parents were close by listening to the conversation.
“I’m sorry, is Grace bothering you? She is a very inquisitive young lady and very outspoken.”
The woman was dressed in Tunic covering a long dress. Her tunic had a Capital S on each side of her collar. Her Husband wore the male version of the same uniform. Seeing the look on his face she volunteered the answer before he could ask.
”We are members of the Salvation Army Band, travelling to England for an engagement.
“Watcher that’s fucking GREAT why would God would let this happen?”
“I don’t know how to answer Cristian.”
“That is interesting, you must be very excited,” said Cristian.
“Yes, my husband and I are very excited.”
“Cristian this child is from the future” Watcher remarked.
“Are you sure Watcher?”
“Yes.”
“Tell me about Grace?”
“She is the most wondrous child. I thank God for her every day. She is very smart and very intuitive. It seems that she knows things sometimes we can’t explain.”
“I have been rude my name is James Stewart.”
“Edith Hanagan and my Husband Edward.”
“Pleased to meet you and you Gracie.”
“Would you join us for dinner, Mr. Stewart? Grace seems to have taken a liking to you. We are travelling second class. I am guessing by your clothes you are not.” Grace was still hanging on to his coat as this was said. Edith was a little blushed at the words she had just spoken.
“James or Jimmy would be fine. Dinner sounds fine. I never liked the snooty people in first class.” He turned to Grace’s Father to make sure this arrangement was all right with him.
“Call me Ted, we would be pleased to have you sit with us.”
“And it is OK by me too,” said a little voice from closer to the deck.
They parted ways and Cristian was walking along the upper deck and he saw the Captain standing at the guard rail looking out over the water.
“Captain?”
“Yes.”
“My name is James Stewart, I am going to give you some information, you may think crazy? I need your word that you will never tell anyone what I am about to tell you. No matter what happens.”
“Go ahead Mr. Stewart I give you my word.”
“You are going to sink your ship and kill a thousand souls tonight.”
Great another nut the Captain thought. “And what do you suggest I do Mr. Stewart?”
“Do nothing Captain, do nothing and you will save everyone on board.”
“I will take that under advisement Mr. Stewart. I need to be on my way.”
Cristian knew the Captain didn’t believe a word and there was nothing he could say that would stop the Captain from causing the collision.
He would order a full stop after losing sight of an oncoming ship in the fog. That isn’t what causes the collision. He then orders a full reverse that spins the ship around into the path of the oncoming ship. If he did nothing the collision would not have happened.
They all sat at the dinner table, Grace beside him and her mother and father across from him. They talked about the trip and the band. Ted was the bandmaster, and the rest of the band was also on the ship. They were on the way to Salvation Army’s third international congress.
“Jimmy, will we be okay?” Asked Grace.
“I promise you will be fine Gracie” he meant what he said he already made up his mind to save her. He couldn’t save everyone but he could save her.
“I won’t sleep by the window, I mean porthole.”
“Why not Gracie?” Cristian asked.
“Because that’s where the water will pour in.”
“Grace we talked about this, the ship will be okay,” said her mother.
He cringed at the thought of what was going to happen. She knew, how was that possible?
“Cristian it seems that she has had a premonition or some foreknowledge.”
“Watcher we will save her.”
“She is listed as one of the survivors Cristian.”
“And I will make sure it stays that way.”
“Where are you staying?” he asked.
“We are near the waterline in 4S.” said Ted.
With dinner finished, good nights were said. He shook the hand of Ted and his wife. He looked into their eyes. He knew they were not going to make it.
Grace ran up and gave him a hug and said “you promised.”
“Yes I did and I always keep my promises, Gracie.”
“See you later,” she said as she left with her parents.
James went back to his cabin and lay on the bed with his jacket and shoes on. He tried to sleep.
“Cristian it is 1:30 am. It is time to get up.”
“Where is the Ascalon?”
“Flying beside us fifty yards off the port side amidships.”
“We have to get to the Hanagan’s Cabin.” He pounded on the door when he got there.
“What is it?” said an angry voice from the inside of the door.
“Ted it’s Jimmy, please open the door it’s urgent.”
The door opened and a sleepy-eyed angry man opened the door.
“What could be urgent at this time of night?”
“Ted, Gracie’s premonitions are correct. In a few minutes, there will be a collision. The ship will sink.”
“Are you mad?”
“Ted listen to me, in less than five minutes the accident will happen.”
“You and Edith may not make it. I can save Gracie.”
“How is it you know this? How can you save her?”
“Let’s just say God has sent me here to this very moment to save Gracie? Come with me and I will show you how.”
Ted’s head swam with this information. He believed him and got Grace out of bed wrapped her in a ship’s blanket and woke Edith up.
“Grace, Jimmy is here to keep his promise.”
“I know father, God told me. He told me that you and mother must go to him tonight. A tear welled up in her eye. We will be together again.”
Cristian took Gracie’s hand in his and they went up to the upper deck. Her parents followed. No one was up there. Ascalon was now parked nearby. He thought the ship visible.
“Gracie I want you to close your eyes until I tell you to open them.
“Okay, Jimmy.”
“This is how I can save her. My ship and I are from the future.”
“Will she be safe?” Ted asked.
“I give you my word.”
Edith started to cry.
“It is the only way. I have to leave now. Find a life jacket it may be your only hope. I will stay with her until she is safe.”
He carefully put Gracie inside then he climbed in. He immediately thought the ship to five hundred feet above the fog, high above the screaming of people being crushed and drowned in the icy waters below. Over 1013 lives would be lost. He was angry at God.
The collision happened as history said. The fog rolled in the captain of the Empress ordered a full stop. The horns sounded three times and then two times to signal the ship reversing her engines. The Storstad struck the Empress and tore a 350 square foot gash. Within 14 minutes the ship and most of the passengers were gone.
Gracie was not one of them. “Open your eyes, Gracie.”
“Are my parents gone?”
“I think they are with God now.”
“He will take care of them. Where are we?” asked Grace.
“We are on my ship the Ascalon.”
“I can see the stars right through the ship.”
“Yes, you can.”
“Did God send you? Are you an angel?”
“No Gracie I am just a man. Maybe God made sure I was here to take you off the ship.”
“Are we flying just like Orville?”
“Yes, we are. Gracie, there is something we need to talk about.”
“Yes Jimmy” He was so amazed at her bravery.
“I am from the future and so are you.”
“I know Jimmy.”
“I am going to take you to where the survivors are going to be in a little while. You will have to tell them a little story about your rescue.”
“I understand Jimmy, I cannot tell them about the Ascalon or you, can I?”
“No Gracie there are people out there you would want to hurt you if they found out.”
“What should I say?”
“That your parents woke you and took you up to the upper deck, then the ship tilted and you fell off with a bunch of other people. You fell in the cold water near some wood that was floating. You lost sight of your parents and a little later you saw a lifeboat. You yelled at the lifeboat for help. They pulled you out of the water. Tell them that is all you remember.”
“I will tell them.”
“Can we fly first?”
“Yes, Gracie.”
“With that, he took her above the Earth into space so she could see her planet.”
“The Earth, it’s so beautiful.”
“Take care of her Gracie and she will take care of you.”
A few minutes later he took her to the shore.
“Why here Jimmy?”
“You can’t show up dry Grace. The water will be very cold. The ship will keep you warm. I will go into the water with you and keep you safe.”
“I know you will Jimmy. What about you, what will I tell them about you?”
“Tell them my name, about dinner and that you never saw me again.”
The water was cold as he walked in until it was up to his knees. Grace knew what to do, she completely submerged herself without letting go of his hand.
“That was very cold Jimmy,” she said shuddering a little.
“Wrap the blanket around you, Gracie.” The heat came on when they were back in the ship.
“Where to now Jimmy?”
“The lifeboats are dropping off survivors at the other ship. We have to sneak you on board. When we get there I will find someone to take care of you, after that I will have to leave.”
“Will I ever see you again Jimmy?”
“I promise I will see you before you go to see God.”
Onboard the Storstad he took Grace below and found her a bed. She immediately fell asleep. He asked a female survivor to take care of her.
“Of course” She answered. She was covered in a blanket still shivering. “Who are you?” He asked.
“Mrs. Atwell” He gave Gracie a hug and left.
“Watcher that was an ordeal, no more disasters.”
“When to Cristian?”
“The day before Gracie dies. Wake me up when we get there?”
“Have a good rest Cristian.”
A day before her 88th birthday, a man walked into her room. She looked up and said, “Jimmy, you kept your promise.” She cried and held him tight.
“Gracie, it is good to see you.”
“Am I going to see my mother and father?” She asked.
“Tomorrow Gracie.”
More tears rolled out of her eyes. “I have missed them. Where have you been all these years? You are still young.”
“For me Gracie the ship incident just happened. I came here straight away. I promised. This is the suit I wore that day.”
“How is the Ascalon?”
“She is fine Gracie. On the roof.”
“I am glad Jimmy.”
“My real name is Cristian.”
“You will always be Jimmy to me.”
“Thank you for saving my life. Were you the one who sent me money all those years?”
“Yes, Gracie I will. I wish I could have done more.” She thought of her mother, somewhere deep inside she believed that her mother survived the sinking. Her body was never found. She knew her father was dead because she helped identify him in Toronto.
“Jimmy I am tired now. I will see you when you come to see God.”
“Goodnight Gracie” It was hard knowing that tomorrow Gracie would see her parents.
Once again his eyes leaked for a bit. He quickly wiped away the tears. Real men didn’t cry. He couldn’t remember where he learned that bit of stupidity.
Back in the Ascalon, he thought about the events that had gone by. He felt thankful that he had been able to save Gracie.
“Let’s go home and take a day off Watcher. I miss the cats and I need some two-wheeled therapy”