Free Titanic: April 1912 by Kathleen Duey

demanded.
    â€œI’m not going without you,” the woman was saying to him. “Why won’t they let the men go?”
    â€œWe’re going to be all right,” he answered her, glaring at Karolina.
    Karolina shrugged apologetically. “Have you seen a little boy with dark curly hair?”
    The man’s face changed dramatically. He looked into her eyes. “You have lost a little brother?”
    â€œA friend’s child,” Karolina told him.
    He shook his head. “I have seen no little boys,” he said. “Do you know what is wrong with the ship?”
    Karolina took a deep breath. “I think it’s going to sink. You should get up to the boat deck.” As the man embraced his weeping wife, Karolina turned away.
    Most of the doors were closed, but Karolina could hear more and more voices. As she passed the locked stairwell, she reached out and tried the door once more, but it held fast. The main stairs were going to get crowded, Karolina knew. Maybe someone would be down to open these eventually.
    â€œDavey?” she called, then took a breath and shouted louder. She reached out and touched the wall, suddenly feeling slightly off balance. She shoved herself forward, barely avoiding two people who stepped suddenly in front of her from room fifty-­six. The woman was wrinkled and faltering. The man looked younger. They had on thick woolen coats and were carrying baskets with wooden ­handles. Karolina asked them if they had seen Davey. They both looked at her with kindly expressions, but neither answered. She repeated the question, but they only shook their heads. Embarrassed that she hadn’t understood more quickly that they spoke no English, Karolina walked on.
    She turned down one of the narrower corridors that ran at right angles to the main passage. “Davey?” she called. “Davey!”
    The doors were all closed except one that stood ajar. Karolina knocked upon it, but there was no answer. The strange feeling of dizziness came over her again as she knocked a second time. Still, no one answered. She pushed the door open cautiously. “Davey?”
    There was a sudden babble of voices from farther up the corridor. Karolina looked up and saw a family coming out of their stateroom. They were all so blond their hair looked almost white. The parents were each carrying a small child. Three little boys walked close to their mother’s skirt. They all looked terrified.
    As they got closer, Karolina stepped into the open doorway to let them pass. Once she was inside, she looked around. There was no one inside the cabin. The berths were rumpled, but there was no ­luggage—and no Davey.
    â€œKarolina, where are you?”
    At the sound of Gavin’s voice, Karolina whirled. “Here!” she shouted, stepping awkwardly back into the corridor. Gavin was walking toward her.
    â€œI put your cases in your room. I’ll help. Tell me where to start.”
    Karolina gestured. “Back that way. I was heading toward the stairs. Have you seen Emily?”
    Gavin shrugged. “No. But I could hear her calling when I went by with the cases. So she hasn’t found him.”
    Karolina took a step and felt herself leaning to one side. She stopped, shaking her head. “Something is wrong with my balance. I feel like I can’t walk straight.”
    â€œIt isn’t you. The ship is listing to starboard,” Gavin said.
    Karolina stared at him. “Listing?”
    Gavin nodded. “It just means the ship is tilting a little.”
    Even though he was trying to keep his fear out of his voice, Karolina could hear it. She swallowed hard. “We have to find Davey and get out of here. Aunt Rose is going to be frantic.”
    â€œWe’ll find him,” Gavin said, and Karolina could hear the unsteadiness in his voice again.
    A crashing sound from inside the cabin made them both turn. Karolina shook her head, puzzled. “I was