Miranda asked, "Practice? That sounds interesting. What practice did you have?" She was putting her book down on the table now.

Jack climbed out of the pool and picked up a pool side towel. Drying off a bit, he took a chair on the other side of Kae.

"It's nothing," She shrugged, "Um.. What book are you reading?" She bit her lip, hoping Miranda would get the hint. She didn't like to just babble off her life. It took time, even if it was something as simple as what she is doing with her life. It was more interesting to learn about others, anyway.

Before Jessica could answer, the ship shook under their feet. Shayera would have been knocked to the floor if she hadn’t already been sitting on the couch. Explosions were heard across the ship, making it shake harder and harder. Screaming, Shayera fell to the ground, flattening her hands against her ears and squeezing her eyes shut.

Without really thinking, Jessica threw herself over her new friend, using her body to protect the girl. She felt a glass vase slam into her back, but she refused to move.

Jason spun around in the pool, looking in the direction that the girls had disappeared in. He swam to the side of the pool and swung himself up onto the pavement around the pool. He scrambled to his feet, looking around for anyone in trouble.

Miranda fell off the chair. Jack was on the other side of Kae and stumbled for balance before reaching over and steading Kae. Miranda gasped out, "What is happening?" The whole place was shaking with loud wrenching sounds. Had there been an explosion?

"I-I don't know. Maybe we hit a pile of rocks or something? Ships can do that, right?" Kaeori quickly stood up, grabbed Miranda and Jack by the arms, and tried pulling them toward the ships railing. They had to grab onto something. What if the ship had a huge accident? People could be killed.

Shayera couldn't stop screaming. She had felt her friend fall ontop of her. She must have been hurt! "We have to get out of here!" she cried, trying to get out from under Jessica's weight. It was like the Titanic but instead of watching it from the safety of her home, she was right in the middle of it.

Jessica scrambled to her feet as soon as the ship was enough for them to walk. "Get back out in the open by the swimming pool," she yelled to Shayera over the noise. She turned and raced deeper into the ship and towards her room. She could say why but she just had to get her backpack.

She reached her room and smacked into the door when it didn't open. She shoved hard against the door and finally got it open just as the lights flickered and another explosion shook the boat.

Miranda was able to get her balance with Kae helping her. She could see Jack on Kae's other side. Both of them looked so strong. She looked at the approaching railing trying to get her shaken and confused mind to think past the panic. It was hard though. She just wanted to cry and could feel tears starting to well up.

Jack grabbed the railing as they reached it. The whole place was tilting. He looked around, trying to see what the staff were doing. That would give him an idea of what to do next. Would they have to abandon ship? He would get them to the first row boat that was lowered if that was the case.

Kaeori turned her head toward Miranda. It was obvious that things weren't looking too great.
"Hey," Kae reached over and grasped Mirandas shoulder firmly enough to keep her safe, but gentle enough to not seem harsh, " It's alright. Don't be scared, okay? Everything has to get worse before it gets better. Soon enough, someone will come help us." She smiled faintly. Oh god. Who was she kidding? The ship was literally sloshing back at forth with the waves, and tilting sparratically left and right. Things weren't going to get better any time soon. What was happening?

Jessica froze when she heard the comforting rumble of the engines shutter and go silent. Her room was a mess but she finally found her backpack and slung it over one shoulder. She spun and started scrambling towards the door when everything went black. She fought the urge to scream as she tripped and fell, feeling something sharp break her flesh and bury itself in her shoulder. This time she couldn't hold back the scream, an agonizing scream of pain as fire shot down her arm from her shoulder.

Screams came from all over the ship as people panicked, trying to figure out what was wrong. Why was Jessica heading back to the cabins? And why did she want Shayera go to the pool? Deciding it would be safer to just stay close to Jessica, Shayera tried to run after her new friend, but came to two different hallways. There was no sign of Jessica. Shayera thought she was going to cry. I never should have come here! On a hunch, she ran down the one that would take her toward her own room. The lights went out as she ran passed it, falling down when the ship shuttered again. Suddenly she heard an ear-piercing scream. It came from ahead. Struggling to her feet, she stumbled around the debris toward the sound. She stopped at the only open door on the hall and saw Jessica lying on the floor with a huge screw buried in her shoulder. Blood was everywhere. Instead of being passing out like she usually did at the sight or smell of blood, Shayera held her breath and tried to gently help her to her feet, avoiding the mutilated shoulder. "We've got to get to the lifeboats!" She cried as she helped Jessica as they picked through the cluttered hallway toward the nearest lifeboats.

Jack agreed with Kae, "She's right Miranda. The ship's crew will have a plan in place for this situation. Just hang onto that railing..." A large wrenching sound split the air. Metal screeched as if being twisted. The ship began to lull to one side. A lot of stuff, deck chairs and pool water, went sloshing across desk towards them. Miranda gasped and stepped sideways as a lounge chair crashed into the railing. Jack grabbed the one that was heading towards him and Kae. Turning, he looked over at the other two, "These will float. Each of you grab one and jump. We have to get away from the ship if it starts to sink or we could get sucked under."

Kaeori nodded. "You two go ahead. I'm going to go find others and help them off the ship. Maybe once we're off we'll all meet up again. Try not to get lost at sea, kay?" Kaeori bolted towards the cabin hallway, yelling loudly over the noise for any other remaining people on the boat. "Stick together." She directed toward Miranda and Jack before running down the hallways and directing lost passengers toward the dock. There were several large pieces of debris that had fallen, which she easily vaulted over. Guess several years of gymnastics training really payed off at a time like this. She ran as far as the captains quarters, which lead off into a 'hospital room' of sorts. There were several bandages and medical supplies lying there. Would they need them? Kae began dumping random boxes of medical supplies into her sack. Bandages, rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and several other medicines lined the brim of her bag. She then made her way back to the deck area, grabbed one of the chairs that Jack suggested and leaped off the side of the ship.

"We've got to get off this ship," Jessie muttered through teeth gritted in pain. The boat tipped to the side and she fought to stay on her feet. She grabbed one of her t-shirts off the floor and ripped it into strips. She folded several and put them over the screw stuck in her arm. "Don't want to take the screw out right now," she gasped out as she worked. She rolled the last two strips of cloth and handed them to Shayera. "Tie one on each side of the screw, over the other cloth."

Bile rose in Shayera’s throat. Forcing it down, she grabbed the strips and did as Jessica instructed. “Ok,” she breathed as she finished, “now we ca– “Her words ended in a shriek as the ship lurched again, throwing Shayera head-on into the door frame. Metal screamed in agony, somewhere glass broke as if a soprano hit the highest note possible. Shayera shook her head to clear the stars as she rose to her hands and knees. She slowly looked toward Jessica, seeing her on her knees, too. Demanding her muscles to move, Shayera moved to lift her friend to her feet and start heading again out of the tilted room. “How do we get off the ship?” she asked breathlessly. “We’re pretty far from the lifeboats…”

Jack watched Kae take off, yelling an unheard warning after her, "You don't have time to get your stuff. Leave it!" She was gone. He sighed, and reached over to Miranda. Taking the shocked looking girl around the waist, he turned them towards the ocean. "We have to jump. Can you swim?" He saw her simply nod and took that as good enough. With the tilted ship, it was easy to jump past the railing and out into the ocean.

Miranda felt the cool water engulf her body. As her face submerged into the salty water, her brain kicked back on. Swimming up, she gasped for air and saw Jack surface beside her. He looked at her concerned, but appeared to be satisfied with what he saw. She gave a small smile and the two of them started swimming for the lounge chairs. They pushed several together so that each could lay on two, their bodies holding them together. She realized she had lost her book. It had probably fallen overboard when the ship tilted. A part of her wanted to cry at that thought, but she shoved the tears away.

"Get to the rail...and jump?" Jessie muttered through clinched teeth, trying to keep her mind sharp through the pain. She spied a couple life jackets and grabbed them, handing one the Shayera. "P..put it on. It will help keep us from drowning." She begin to struggle into her life jacket. A crazed passenger came racing by, slamming past Jessica, his shoulder connecting with her eye, and knocking her to the deck.

"Hey! Wait!" Shayera yelled at the frightened man. She sighed with frustration as he fled deeper into the quaking ship. Struggling into the life jacket, she helped Jessica to her feet and headed them both toward the rail a few yards away. Shayera struggled to keep both of them upright as the ship shook violently. When they finally made it, Shayera couldn't believe what she was seeing. The ship was tipped - it was sinking! Looking down at the water, she froze. She couldn't swim and Jessica was in no condition to help her. They were doomed....

Jessica read the fear in Shayera's face. "Our chances are better in the water, and the life jackets will keep us afloat," she said, staring into her new friend's eyes. "Come on!" She grabbed Shayera, and tugged the frightened girl over the railing with her. They hit the water hard, knocking the breath out of Jessica. The salt water soaked into the bandage and burned. She clenched her teeth against the pain and began to swim, towing Shayera away from the sinking ship.

ooc: Let's give Ettilai: a chance to post please...

occ: Didn't mean to leave anyone out.

occ: Oops, I'm sorry

ooc: no worries, we just have a nice posting order for awhile and then everyone kinda got excited and rushed ahead

occ: Its just so hard not to get excited.