Titanic by Tom Bradman Read Free Book Online

orders at the men, and Billy could see they were anxious. But as yet they seemed to be concealing their worries from the passengers.
    â€˜What is this all about, young man?’ said an elderly lady, addressing Mr Lightoller, the Second Officer. She was clearly wealthy, and also very cross at having been woken up, told to put her fur coat on over her nightdress and go up on deck in the freezing night air. ‘Is it some kind of drill? I really don’t think this is the kindof thing I should have to put up with, not at my age.’
    â€˜Just a precaution, ma’am,’ said Mr Lightoller. ‘Hurry along, please.’
    Mr McElroy detailed the boys off to various parts of the boat deck, and Billy soon found himself carrying a bag for a rich American lady. They were in a queue shuffling towards a lifeboat, but there seemed to be a problem.
    â€˜What are you doing, you damned fool?’ an officer suddenly yelled at a seaman. ‘You can’t start lowering the boat till the passengers are in it!’
    â€˜Sorry, sir,’ said the seaman. ‘But I’ve only lowered it a little way.’
    â€˜Say, are we going to get in this boat or not?’ said a man beside Billy, the husband of the lady whose bag Billy was carrying. ‘I’m freezing my butt off standing here in just my PJs and my suit coat.’
    â€˜Language, Wilbur!’ snapped his wife, and the passengers around them laughed, seemingly unworried. ‘I’m sure they’re doing what they can.’
    Another seaman opened a small gate in the handrail above the lifeboat, and he and Billy began to help passengers climb down into it.
    A moment later Billy heard a whooshing noise and he looked up. A rocket rose into the black sky above the ship and exploded into a starburst. ‘That’s a distress flare,’ somebody said, and the words seemed to send a shiver of fear through the crowd.
    â€˜Right, that’s it, stand back everybody!’ yelled the officer. Billy could hear an edge of panic in his voice. ‘Lower away! Move on to the next boat, men…’
    â€˜But that boat is less than half full!’ a man said.
    Billy peered over the handrail and saw that he was right. The lifeboat was descending slowly to the dark sea below, jerking occasionally as the winches snagged, its benches half empty.
    â€˜Can’t be helped!’ said the officer. ‘There’s plenty of room for everyone!’
    Billy knew that wasn’t true, but he didn’t think it was his place to tell the passengers. He moved away, intent on finding someone else to help.People pushed past him roughly, voices were raised, and he realised things were beginning to get out of control. That was no great surprise. The ship was shuddering and groaning and creaking and the bow had tilted down much more noticeably. A second distress rocket went up and a woman screamed.
    Billy knew how she felt. He was trying hard not to think about what would happen to him if he ended up being one of the many people who didn’t make it into a lifeboat. But he was definitely scared, panic clawing at his insides.
    â€˜There you are, Billy!’ said Mr McElroy, emerging from the crowd. ‘Go back to the Marconi Room and see if there are any messages for the bridge.’
    â€˜Aye, sir!’ said Billy, and ran off, dodging people going the other way. The only messages were from ships that were too far away to help. On the bridge, Captain Smith read them silently and turned to look down at the chaos on the boat deck. Billy waited, but the Captain said nothing. So Billy left, heading for another lifeboat – and saw something very disturbing on the way.
    Three seamen with their arms linked were standing across a door to a gangway that led below. They were facing outwards, and behind them was a heaving mass of humanity, third-class passengers trying to get out on deck.
    â€˜Why are you holding us back, you rogues?’ roared