Twist in Fiction - The Unsinkable Cat

The Unsinkable Cat

My fourteen-year-old owner, Esmeralda Berkley, is an heiress. She has always lived a life of luxury, but despite it all, she is kind and loving. Her parents try not to deny her, because she seldom asks for anything extravagant. When there was news of the world’s best ship setting sail to the Americas, Esmeralda made a rare request to go. Her family talked about it and decided they would send her with her friend Rose Bukater. Rose was getting married in America, and Esmeralda was to return home after the wedding.

I am Esmeralda’s favourite pet. Granted, I am her only pet, but she loves me very much. I am a fluffy ginger cat, sprightly on my feet and very huggable. Esmeralda wanted to take me with her so her parents convinced the Captain to let me on.

The day the Titanic was to set sail, my tail was twitching. It was a bad sign and I tried to tell Esmeralda. It was futile, because she was in love with ship already.

“Oh Ginger,” she exclaimed. “Look how grand it is.”

It was certainly majestic, huge and full of promise. Back then I could never imagine it would be an iceberg that would lead to its destruction.

I looked over at Rose’s fiancé, Cal Hockley. Haughty and condescending, he was exactly the kind of person I loved to bite. He wanted to marry Rose so she could be a trophy wife, but Rose was too free spirited to be happy with that. Unfortunately, her mother was a pushy woman who did not want to be poor. I can understand her sentiment though, a cat like me could never adjust to a life in the dumpsters, eating scraps.

I watched as Rose and Esmeralda excitedly boarded the ship. They had a nice time exploring the large ship before they had to settle for a long day of socializing with the upper class. It was immensely dull to sit through discussions on gold prices and unfair criticism of the poor. All I wanted was to steal the caviar from Esmeralda’s plate, but she kept pulling me away every time I got close.

Rose looked so trapped throughout dinner, as Cal talked all over her. The poor girl looked like she wanted to run away from this life. I was relieved when Rose finally asked to be excused. Esmeralda and Rose went back to their rooms to sleep. I, however was energetic enough to sneak out and survey the ship. I followed the intriguing smells from the first class to the third class.

There was an interesting man sitting by the edge, a cigarette in his mouth. He was drawing on a piece of paper and occasionally looking out at the ocean. He noticed me walk up to him and gave me a lopsided grin.

”Hey there.” He said scratching my ears. I liked him already. “What are you doing here all alone?”

Before I could answer, I saw Rose hurtle past the empty deck and make a beeline for the railing. She started to climb over it. I tugged at the man’s shirt cuff to get his attention.

He noticed her trying to jump and rushed to help. I watched he tried to reason with her. He said his name was Jack. He told her about what it meant to be alive. I could see it in Rose’s eyes then, that she wanted to climb back in.

She slipped a little, but Jack pulled her back up. They fell onto the deck just as Cal come sauntering over.

I may be a just a cat, but I know Rose felt a bigger connection with Jack in the third class than she would ever have with Cal. Like any good cat, I escorted Rose back to her room before curling up next to a lightly snoring Esmeralda. She would of course, hear about all of this tomorrow.

Over the next few days, Rose would sneak off to see Jack quite often. Esmeralda and I were the only ones she told before she left. In all the years I have known Rose, I finally saw her smile touch her eyes.

I followed them sometimes. They were always doing fun things like Irish dancing in the third class cabin after three rounds of beer or trying to stand at the tip of the ship with their arms spread out. I could tell they were deeply in love.

The good times ended soon after Cal found and threatened Rose. He made her cry and I wish I had got close enough to bite Cal. I couldn’t and the mean man framed Jack for theft and locked him up. Rose tried everything but couldn’t get them to release him.

It seemed luck was running out for us all when later that night, the ship hit an iceberg. Water started to fill up through the bottom rungs. Children and women were to be given priority and the Captain did a commendable job of keeping his head amidst the chaos.

Esmeralda held me close as she was escorted onto the lifeboats. Rose was missing, perhaps she was helping Jack escape.

I waited till Esmeralda was safely on the boat with Cal and Rose’s mother before I meowed an apology and jumped back onto the ship. Esmeralda started to cry as she watched me run back. I wanted her to know I would be safe, so I turned and wagged my tail. She quietened at that. We have a connection deep enough to know these things, and it was probably at that moment she knew I’d bring Rose and Jack back with me.

I searched and searched for hours, but there was still no sign of Jack or Rose. The ship was almost empty now with many out on boats or afloat on errant pieces of wood.

It was getting darker, and the air colder. I knew I needed to leave now, if I wanted to survive. Just as I turned back to escape the sinking ship, I saw out in the distance, Rose shivering on a plank, handcuffed to Jack, who was almost freezing in the water.

He was going to die of hypothermia if I didn’t do something soon! I quickly found a tiny floating tea table and hopped on. Using my small paws to steer the table I quickly reached them.

“Meaowwww” I said indignantly. Even though they were freezing, they managed to look shocked at the sight of me.

“Ginger!” exclaimed Jack through chattering teeth. “You made it!”

“Meaow! Meow!” I said frantically pointing at the plank of wood Rose was lying on. As a fluffy cat, I knew enough about aerodynamics and buoyancy to tell that the wood could hold them both without sinking.

“Jack, I think she wants you to climb on.” Said Rose, hurrying to make room.

“But you might drown!” protested Jack.

It was then that I got close enough to Jack to lick his face. My warm tongue hit his icy nose and knocked some sense into his head.

“Let’s try.” He said and hoisted himself up, as Rose pulled.

Voila! He did it! They both heaved sighs of relief. The plank hadn’t sunk and they pulled my tea table close so I could be near them.

“Thanks Ginger,” said Rose and she covered me in kisses. “You saved us!”

I licked her happily. I knew Esmeralda would soon send help for us. Jack, Rose and I huddled close to each other for warmth as we waited. The majestic Titanic sunk slowly and completely by the time we awoke.

Sometime in the early hours of the morning, a rescue ship reached us. They took us aboard and carried us straight to North America.

At the docks, there was a register full of names of the Titanic survivors. I watched Rose and Jack sigh with relief when they found Esmeralda’s name beside those of Cal and Rose’s mother.

Jack and Rose dropped me off at Esmeralda’s hotel at midnight to avoid her mother and Cal. Esmeralda squealed in delight when she learned we had survived. She agreed to keep the secret and said she would miss Rose terribly when she went home again.

The girls hugged and bid their goodbyes as Jack scratched my ears one last time. They were good kids, all of them, and I wished them well.

Esmeralda and I returned to England two weeks later, safely on the more reliable Stallion Cruiser. We were treated to many letters by Rose over the years.

“Oh Esme, Jack and I are married!”

“Esme, would you believe it, we own a bakery now! Jack and I are running a business!”

“Esme would you give Ginger a hug and a snack from me please? I love her so much.”

I treat myself by curling up for a nice nap in Esmeralda’s arms after each letter. After all, cats like me are hard to come by.

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