Distressed Cruise Liner (Page 30)

~~~(POV: Dannon Mayer)~~~

~~~(Location: Umatilla County, Oregon)~~~

~~~(Date, Time, Year: May 27th, 10:37 AM PST, 2022)~~~

~~~(Current Age: 21 years)~~~

KKKRRRRRRAAAAAABBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!

The burst from my take-off roars through the air, and I ascend into the stratosphere. I take a moment to see the world from this view. Up here, it's calm and unassuming. Looking at Earth from here, you wouldn't think there were any problems.

Alas, this brief moment of calm has to end. I focus on the specific tonal signature of the screaming girl on the news. After a second, I isolate her through all the noise and chaos. I look down toward the Atlantic Ocean from where I'm at.

It's beautiful from up here.

My neutral grey suit and cape glide and billow behind me as I float. The time to act has now come, and I shouldn't waste more time. I lean my body forward and fly down toward Earth. The sound barrier breaking as I do it.

The world around me is a frozen blur momentarily as I move at speeds I've never moved. I level out over the ocean as the water stands still, and drops of water are frozen in place from crashing waves. 

I slow down inside the time of a second, and the world returns to almost normal speeds. The cruise liner is slowly sinking as I approach. Coming to a complete stop over the ship's deck, I take a moment to inspect the damages from above with my X-ray vision.

"Ahhhh!"

"Billy, get over here!!"

"Babe! Where are you!?"

I have to filter out the cries of panic and the calls of people searching for their loved ones. Once I'm able to focus, I can see the damage to the ship. It's obvious from what I can see: This ship doesn't have 2 hours; it has 30 minutes at the most.

"Up there!! It's Dannon!!"

"He's showed up!!! We're saved!!"

"Don't worry, pumpkin, Dannon is here..."

My eyes turn to a group of passengers on a viewing deck, who are pointing at me and spreading the word that I'm here to people nearby. I watch as the windows to the connected restaurant slowly fill with people wanting to see.

Hundreds of phones are pointed up at me.

"Please, help us!!!"

"Do something!!!"

"We're going to sink!!! We don't have much longer!!!"

My head turns to another part of the ship, and another group of panicking people forms. Many of them have their phones out. Not wanting to rush into this and make it worse, I turn my body in the air and glide gently to view the side of the cruise ship.

People are trying to prepare the lifeboats, but it's taking too long. As I hang in the air, looking at them from my point of view, they all stop what they're doing. All eyes turn to me.

I turn my attention away from them and move through the air again. I float over the ship with a single intention.

To find the captain.

"What are you waiting for!?!"

"He's just watching!! Why is he just watching!?!"

"Mommy!!!"

It takes me a moment, but I watch a woman with slight strings of grey and white hair step out of the crowd on the viewing deck. Members of the crew accompany her. From what I can see, she's the captain of this ship.

There is a look of control on her face, but I can hear her racing heart. I'll give her credit for keeping it professional. Now that I've found who I must talk to, I slowly descend toward the viewing deck.

My grey cape blows in the wind behind me. I land with my left foot first and then enter a slow and steady walk for a few steps.

Stopping in front of the captain of the ship.

She looks into my eyes with many different emotions, as does her fellow crew. Most of the people around us have their phones out, either recording or live-streaming what's happening.

The height disparity between me and everyone else makes it easy to spot me.

My eyes stop scanning the crowd, and I look back at the captain. A calmness is over me. It seems to put those in the direct vicinity of me at ease. Knowing that I'm calm is helping them, too. I take a small breath. What I say most of the world will hear.

"I heard the calls for help."

My voice is even and calm but not devoid of emotion—a hint of concern. That's because I am. Once I know the situation, it'll be easier for me to help. The captain removes her cap and slides her sweat-covered loose hair behind her ear.

"Thank you for answering the calls from the passengers. There isn't any time for introductions. We're sinking too fast, and we've already lost crew and passengers overboard from panic. I don't know what you can do, but we'll take anything."

She elegantly keeps control and composure despite what I can see from her blood pressure and heart rate. She's a good captain.

"The damage to your ship is far worse than you realize. There are only 30 minutes left before it's under the water."

As those words leave my lips, panic and cries and screams come from the crowd. I watch as a man and woman push through the crowd. As they break through, I see they have two little children in their arms. Scared and crying themselves.

The mother herself collapses in front of me with tears falling from her eyes. Arms holding one of their two children. The father leans down and tries to help her up. Holding the other child in his arms as he does.

Once the distressed mother locks eyes with me, I can see the desperation on her face. The need to save her children no matter the cost.

"Please... I don't care what happens to me... Just save my kid... You can do that, right? You can take them to safety. Please, I'm begging you! Save my kids!"

My eyes move from hers to the captain's. She's looking at the mother with such pity. The crowd's eyes, with their phones, bounce between the fallen family and me. People are becoming stressed and angry at my lack of a response.

Instead of saying anything to the crowded viewing deck and connected restaurant filled with people. I take a step toward the mother and father. Hope enters their eyes as I do this. The more seconds that pass, the more people begin to show up.

There is a moment of silence before I decide what to say to her.

"Don't worry. No one else is going to die."

As those words leave my lips, I stand up and turn to the captain. The woman holds her children tightly as her husband helps her up. They're standing next to one of the ship's officers.

The captain looks at me. Waiting for me to continue.

"Spread the word to the crew and passengers that everyone should find a secure place to sit or hold on. You've got three minutes before I do what I must for this ship to not sink."

As those words leave my lips, I gently lift off the wood of the viewing deck. Ignoring gravity as I do so. I watch from above the ship as their captain gives the crew orders. Soon, everyone from the viewing deck or in the restaurant is moving.

Leaving to other parts of the ship to warn those who weren't there for my direct warning. It's been two minutes now, and I can hear everyone on the ship rushing and moving. The message is spreading faster than anything I've seen in person before.

Three minutes are up, and it's time I do something to stop this ship from sinking anything further into the cold waters of the Atlantic.

People are recording me still, and their phones move as I do through the air. I move to the middle of the ship and float over the edge. I calmly and steadily float down into the water, moving to the underside of the ship.

I place my hands on the metal that separates water from people. From death. I'll try to save as many as I can. Hopefully, my actions won't cause people to panic and jump off. They might think it's safer in the water than going through what I'm about to do.

The metal groans as I push up. Forcing the ship to lift out of the waters of the Atlantic slowly. Making sure it's even and steady as I do. To keep as many people from panicking as I can.

After a few seconds, I'm no longer submerged in the water.

In my hands above my head is a giant cruise ship. It's the heaviest object I've ever lifted. But even this feels like I'm moving a cardboard box the size of a dog.

Water pours from the massive gash the iceberg created. I look above me with my X-ray vision, and I see that most people are remaining calm and staying in secure locations. Now that everyone is where they need to be, it's time for me to get this cruise ship to safety.