They are plunged in the frigid water, pain piercing their skin all at once, as if their bodies were set on fire. Su-Ryeon grips Logan's hand firmly but the pressure is too strong and they end up getting separated.

Her eyes burning, she runs her hand through the cloudy water, where he was mere seconds ago.

 

Logan’s last words are circling through her mind as she keeps fighting against the ship’s pull which is dragging her deeper and deeper.

“No…no…no…it is not supposed to end like this… you have to let me go…I need to find him”

She is starting to suffocate, if she needs to do something, it’s now. She beat her arms and feet furiously, swimming upstream. But she might as well be flailing her arms in thin air, because she isn’t moving away at all.

She throws a glance toward the ship who keeps sinking slowly in the ocean, her dark mass almost invisible in the cloudy water.

“Let me go, dammit. I didn’t tell him yet, these words are so simple…I have to…”

Su-Ryeon is on the verge of giving up when she is flung upward by a rush of air. The surface keeps getting nearer and she is welcomed by complete chaos when she emerges.

Light-headed, her sight obscured by spots, she takes a huge gulp of crisp air, her lungs burning by the mere act of inhaling.

 

She cast her glance around in hope of recognizing her lover amongst the sea of people who twist and turn in the icy water, screaming in despair. The cloud of vapor of their rushed breath join the fog floating above the waterline, and Su-Ryeon is unable to see more than a few meters in front of her.

The piercing pain has not subdued, the freezing water is scorching every inch of her skin, with a growing numbness in her limbs. Her motions are heavy as she swims between people.

“Where are you Logan ?” she laments.

This is when she notices something floating in front of her…

---

Meanwhile, Logan was dragged away quite far* from Su-Ryeon when they were put under and is searching for her desperately, diving in the water before coming up for air again. But he cannot go very deep, the cloudy water makes it impossible to see anything. His breath grows into gasps, the stinging feeling in his body intensifying and his anxiety shoots up.

 

He scans another area when he crosses paths with the cook who was next to them when the Titanic sank.

Holding onto a chair, he is beating his feet calmly in the water.

“Son, you shouldn’t exert yourself like that, you will lose energy and warmth faster” he says, his speech slurred.

“Great, receiving advice from a drunkard cook, now” thinks Logan turning his back to him.

“I am searching for my woman…we were separated when…the ship sank” Logan stutters, his face frozen stiff.

“Oh that young lady…son, you didn’t realize, but we were dragged away from the sinking spot, didn’t you notice there are fewer people here ? she is probably over there” says the man, pointing where a collective wailing from disembodied voices are coming from. Logan is overcome by panic.

“I…need to go !”

The man grabs him by his lifebelt.

“What are you talking about ?! this is straight-up suicide to swim over there”

“Like I care ! let go of me!” He attempts to break free but he feels too weak and the cook holds him firmly.

“Stop it…son, you’ll exhaust us both”

“Let…go”

The cook squints his eyes in the distance, toward a dark mass….

---

Su-Ryeon grabs onto the wooden debris, her fingers devoid of any sensation.

Her body weighs tons as she climbs onto it but her hands slips and she falls back into the water, her scream muffled by salty water surging into . She punches the water surface, tearing up in frustration. She grabs the edge again to haul herself up. She finally settles on the plank on the verge of exhaustion. She curls into a ball on her makeshift raft.

“Logan…everyone…where are you ?” her tears cloud her vision, flowing freely on her frozen cheeks.

 

---

Back to Logan…

“Dear lord ! This is a lifeboat, right ?” says the man, his smile a grimace.

“We need to put ourselves to safety first before thinking of saving others, trust me” he stutters. Logan looks in the direction the cook pointed earlier, where she could be right this moment. He gauges his options, which are very limited.

What his companion of infortune says isn’t devoid of sense, Logan won’t be able to stay much longer in the water, only holding onto a chair. He can’t feel his legs anymore and keeps getting weaker. In these conditions, finding her is close to impossible, so saving her ?

If it’s really a lifeboat and they manage to climb on it, he could stand a chance…but at the same time, there is no guarantee he will be allowed on board and worse, that they will accept coming back to the sinking spot either…

His next words cost him greatly, this is a dangerous bet he is making.

“Alright, let’s try”

They swim in the direction of the mass with some other passengers.

When they approach, a beam of light lands in their eyes, blinding them and someone stand up.

 

Yoonchul would recognize his friend from miles away. He stands up abruptly, the other men in the boat looking at him in confusion.

“Here…over there…it’s my best friend ! we need to go back” Junki squints his eyes toward the horizon.

“Are you sure ?”

“Of course I am…let’s hurry, quick” Someone jerks his head toward him.

“If we get any closer…they will swamp us, dude”

They had managed to hop on the last remaining lifeboat, the Collapsible A as the ship was foundering and escaped death in extremis. They weren’t really keen on risking approaching and being surrounded by desperate swimmers. They protest vehemently.

“Don’t call me dude and go back or I will drown that boat, mark my words” snaps Yoonchul. Junki grins beside him despite the exhaustion.

“That guy over there is always so sweet mannered…if he gets angry you better listen to him…we still have room to take in some people…”

Contrary to what they expected, apart from a dozen swimmers, mainly men, nobody approached them and worse, it has already gotten quieter around them. They managed to pull 12 other passengers in the boat with them.

When they reach Logan and the cook, Logan is almost totally out of strength and they have to pull him up.

“Here my friend…it’s okay now” says Junki, helping him sit between him and Yoonchul.

“Su…Su-Ryeon-ssi…we…”

“Don’t talk…” stops Yoonchul, straightening his coat around him.

---

 

Su-Ryeon is humming “Heartbeat” to fight unconsciousness.

Her hair spread on the panel is quasi-frozen, forming an icy crown around her head. Her body is completely numb and she wonders how she can still move her lips as her whole face is paralysed. Her tears keep flowing but she doesn’t feel them on her skin.

 

Fear, despair, agony, even resentment and blind anger…all these people in the water fighting desperately for their lives, hearing their screams was terrible, until came the deafening silence around her which is even more horrifying.

She fears she will join them soon. She carries her hand to , trying to chase away the cold settling around her neck. “Like death’s embrace itself” she says, her voice only a murmur at this point.

She grows oddly calm and breathing isn’t as painful as before.

“Ha…so that’s it…I was always supposed to end up in that icy ocean from the beginning…I was only given a short reprieve…and I could meet you…it look like a punishment if you really think about it…because I wanted to jump, because I didn’t take life seriously…I was shown a short glimpse of what I could have…the irony of meeting someone so bright and warm and meet my end in that dark and cold place…if only I was stronger, braver…but it’s too late”

Cold settles into her but she isn’t scared, her eyelids are heavy, it’s too tempting to close her eyes…

 

---

Earlier, the lifeboat n°14 commanded by the 5th officer Lowe encountered n°12 and n°4 decided to come back to fetch the survivors and they crossed paths with Collapsible A. Yoon Hee who was in n°4 was relieved that Yoon Chul, Logan and Junki were still alive, but Su-Ryeon had been separated from Logan and her life was probably in immediate danger or worse.

They transferred as many people as possible to make room in one of the boats.

After getting the remaining blankets they had on hand, the lifeboat n°4 and 12 rowed toward the sinking area.

“Please be careful…don’t hit them with your paddle” commands Mr. Lowe, looking in the water with his flashlight.

“They all look…dead, sir” says one of the crewmen.

“We can’t give up ! We need to keep looking…we have to” shouts Mr. Lowe.

Logan stirs at this moment. He had collapsed earlier and was resting on his friend’s shoulder. Someone wrapped him in a blanket but he didn’t realize.

“Su-Ryeon-ssi…we need to find her” he starts.

“Calm down…we will…we will” reassure him Yoonchul, casting a glance toward Junki who shakes his head.

 

They keep progressing into an ocean of death and debris and movement to their right grabs their attention.

On his all fours on a chair, his knees deep into the water and shaking uncontrollably, Mr. Jo lifts his head toward the group. He is unable to talk at this point. He grasps Mr. Lowe’s hand weakly.

He rolls into the lifeboat, drained of his remaining strength after they help him in the boat.

 

Logan sits up, puffing under the effort. How could he collapse when Su-Ryeon could need him right now ? Yoon Chul grabs his arm.

“What are you doing, will you stay calm ?”

Logan shakes off his hand and falls onto his knees, the lifeboat rocking in response.

“If it was your woman, would you stay calm ?!” Yoon Chul lowers his eyes and stays silent.

Logan grabs the edge of the boat, scanning the dark water.

“Su-Ryeon-ssi ! Are you here ?!” his voice comes out too weak, he needs to make himself heard, she has to be here somewhere, alive.

 

On their way they manage to save 3 survivors in addition to Mr. Jo. But still no trace of her.

Logan has lost track of time. How much time has passed since the sinking ? since they started searching for survivors ? Dread and sorrow drives him on the edge of insanity as minutes pass. With each discovery of a young brown-haired woman his heart misses a beat and blood chills in his veins. He already knows their ghastly features and lifeless eyes will stay forever engraved in his memory.

And with it the guilt who is eating him from inside because he is relieved they are not Su-Ryeon. But until when ? What if they find her too late ? or if they never find her at all ?

 

---

Su-Ryeon opens her eyes and is surprised to be still alive. Around her everything is silent and even the water is immobile, like a frozen pond in winter.

“Logan…I hope they found you and you are feeling warm…you’re not supposed to be cold at all…it doesn’t fit you” she thinks, turning her head.

Something is flickering in the distance.

“A light ? there is no way…nobody will come…nobody” she thinks, her vision blurry.

She hears a distorted sound next and can’t give it an intelligible sense at first. She has no idea of what it is, where it comes from. Isn’t everybody around her already gone ?

“Is someone there ? Can you hear me ?!”

When it gets nearer she is finally able to recognize it's a man's voice.

“They…they came back…oh god…oh god…someone is here” she thinks.

It’s a boat, but it suddenly changes direction.

“No…please…come back” she says, her words coming out in muffled gurglings.

“Come back…come back…” she repeats, her voice breaking.

“No…don’t go…”

---

The boat led by Mr. Lowe keeps searching, their flashlight scanning the water and its victims.

Bent over the edge of the boat, Logan keeps calling for Su-Ryeon.

“Su-Ryeon-ssi…Shim Su-Ryeon…” he carries his hand to his chest out of breath.

Junki and Yoon Chul grab him by the shoulders. His eyes switch between his two friends and the cook who is also staring at him with resignation and compassion in his eyes.

“You all…don’t look at me like that…don’t look at me with pity. She isn’t gone. I can’t lose her, not like this…she is still here and she is waiting for me” he mumbles, clenching his fists, his eyes shut to suppress his tears.

“We got it, we got it” answers Yoon Chul, patting his shoulder.

 

---

The boat keeps getting farther from Su-Ryeon.

Desperate, she rolls on her stomach.

She gasps under the effort, propping herself on her trembling knees when something slips out of her coat.

The horn whistle Yoonhee gave her earlier is dangling on her chest.

Her arm weighs tons when she grabs it, and blowing on it robs her of her remaining strength.

 

---

Yoonhee inclines her head.

“I know that sound…”

The group looks up at her when she stands up, her voice shaking from excitement.

“I am sure…it’s my whistle…it’s Su-Ryeon-unni” Logan grabs her by the shoulders, his fingers digging in the fabric of her coat, making her wince.

“Are you sure ?!”

“Yes…but”

He releases her, something filling inside him.

He is exhausted and the cold is still devouring his skin, numbing each of his movements, but she might be alive. He has to do something. Su-Ryeon could be waiting for him.

“Give me that paddle, we need to hurry,” he says to Yoon Chul.

Mr. Lowe jerks his head toward him.

“We are going, but I will ask you to keep calm”

The whistle keeps getting louder and finally they see her, hunched over a wood panel.

Logan is exhausted beyond limit but he keeps his thoughts focused on Su-Ryeon.

“Su-Ryeon-ssi…I am coming, so you need to hang on” he thinks, ignoring his muscles aching under the effort.

“Let’s switch, give me that” says Junki, taking the paddle from his hands.

 

Yoonhee stifles a cry when they stop in front of her friend.

Logan stumbles beside Mr Lowe who extends his hand toward Su-Ryeon.

“Miss, please take my hand”

Bent over her makeshift raft, relief flashes on Su-Ryeon’s gaunt features when she spots Logan but her arms won’t respond at all and she stays listless.

“I can’t…” Logan leans on the edge of the boat, outstretching his arm.

“Come…here…come here”

The panel wobbles when she lifts her hand toward him, threatening to make her fall into the water again. She curls up on the wooden plank, whimpering.

“No…no…I can’t” she says, quivering.

Mr Lowe and Logan lean in further, their bodies hanging in the air.

 

“Of course you can, give me your hand. You have to. Just look at me and try again” says Logan, locking eyes with her.

“We will definitely catch you, so don’t be afraid,” adds Mr. Lowe.

Su-Ryeon looks up again at the two men and her friends behind who all nod at her.

Su-Ryeon fixes their gaze on them, ignoring the panel bending dangerously under her weight when she finally grabs the two men’s hands.

Su-Ryeon’s legs give out when she steps into the rocking boat. Mr. Lowe and Junki help Logan support her. Yoonhee kneels in front of Logan who is gathering her in his arms.

“Su-Ryeon-unni…Unni…”

“Give us a blanket, quick” shouts Mr. Lowe.

“Thank goodness…thank goodness…” repeats Logan cradling her in his arms. Yoon Hee pulls away hair covering Su-Ryeon’s face, her eyes tearing up. Yoon Chul squeezes Logan’s shoulder, their smile as radiant as it can be given the circumstances.

 

Her cheeks pressed against Logan’s chest, Su-Ryeon feels fingers caressing her hair and someone covering her with a blanket. Finally it occurs to her, she was saved, she is going to make it alive and so will her friends and him. Her face is still numb but her trembling lips curl up into a strained smile.

“Thump…thump” she counts into her head, her consciousness drifting away.

 

Su-Ryeon’s breath gets regular against Logan’s chest. She has fallen asleep.

She shifts in her sleep when he kisses the top of her head. Her hair is stiff under his lips and smells salty but this is the best feeling in the world for him right now. She is alive and breathing in his arms.

“Son, your woman is no joke” says the cook. He hands him a flask.

“It will warm you up. The night isn’t over yet” Logan accepts after hesitation and takes a mouthful. The strong liquor burning him inside, he carries his hand to his chest, his stomach flaring.

“Cheers” Junki says when he gives him the flask.

Yoon Hee gulps a mouthful after Yoon Chul.

“This tastes awful, is that kerosene ?” she asks, coughing violently. Yoon Chul taps her back, making the cook grimace a smile.

“It slaps you right back into sense, right ?” Logan extends his hand toward him and they all shake hands.

“I am Logan Lee”

“Ha Yoon Chul”

“Baek Junki”

“Oh Yoon Hee"

“Well…I’m Charles Joughin*”

“American ?” asks Logan, tilting his head.

“British”

“Nice to….” They all grow silent and are brought back to reality when Mr. Lowe casts his flashlight on a woman cradling a baby in her arms. Their expressions grows grave.They were saved but hundreds of people lost their lives that night. Many they never even meet or talk with, but in this ocean filled with lifeless bodies, it falls upon them, minutes or hours ago these people were breathing just like them, filled with hope for the future. And the sinking robbed them of that instantly. Logan rests his chin on Su-Ryeon’s head, each intake of breath she takes precious to him.

 

At around 4.00am, emerging through the fog like a ghost vessel,The Carpathia came to the rescue.

Shivering from head to toe, their complexion pasty and their expressions haunted, the survivors began to board with the assistance of Carpathia’s crew. All huddled together, Logan’s group was waiting for their turn in their lifeboat.

They are staring, their expression blank as the sky’s color grows lighter, from a midnight blue filled with stars to a lighter cobalt blue, the setting around them eerie with a dull grey undertone at first. The fog gets thinner as the sun rises in the horizon and tints the sky in deep red and orange hues. Su-Ryeon stirs in Logan’s arms and opens her eyes slowly, squinting under the first rays of morning.

---

Their turn comes a little after 7.00am and they are helped across the footbridge by Carpathia's crew. The gangway door is just in front of her and she recalls how just a few days ago she embarked aboard the Titanic and the doors closed on her just like a giant maw ready to swallow her.

Her heart is pounding too fast, sending sharp pain through her chest and she grows light-headed. Her legs like jelly, she loses her footing.

She is caught by a crewmember and Mr. Lowe. In front of her Logan spins his head around after hearing surprised gasps.

She feels arms catching her and hears his panicked voice before she loses consciousness…

 

---

Author’s notes

 

After doing some research, being “pulled down” by a sinking ship’s suction (even a massive one like the Titanic was debunked, but there are testimonies of survivors (Lightoller being the most impressive because he was pulled down two times) and Archibald Gracie, I made some additional research on sea currents (undertow, rip currents and whirlpools, not of desire this time unfortunately) Whirlpools can :

“Whirlpools are not, in fact, bottomless pits. Experiments have shown that whirlpools often pull objects to the bottom of the sea bed. They may then be moved along the sea floor by ocean currents. If the object can float, it may come back to the surface a long way from where the whirlpool is located”.

Source : https://www.phenomena.org/ocean/whirlpool/

About Colonel Gracie :

“ I looked around, and the same wave which saved me engulfed everybody around me”

“The undertow caused by the ship's sinking pulled Gracie down; he freed himself from the ship and rose to the surface near the overturned Collapsible "B"”

Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archibald_Gracie_IV

https://www.titanicinquiry.org/USInq/AmInq11Gracie01.php

Undertow or rip-current typically occurs near the beach and can drag swimmers away but a ship sinking might create opposite currents if the right circumstances are met maybe ?

I used it to drag Logan away from the sinking spot with another survivor (Charles Joughin) who really existed but climbed on the Collapsible B (who was upside down). He is the cook next to Jack and Rose in the movie, but he didn’t get pulled under by the ship at all and his hair didn’t get wet (so he debunked the ship suction theory himself) He survived long hours in the icy water not because alcohol made him warm, but because he didn’t panic because he was drunk :)

 

I think everything is up to timing and location, because some passengers were pulled back into the ship or were dragged down with it, but others just next to them didn’t, which could explain why Su-Ryeon is trapped underwater while Logan is “ejected” a little far from the other in the ocean.

And also because I wanted to save him so what is the problem ? :)