Part 1: The Crossing
Grayson glanced up at the starry night as he wrapped the oversized lapels of his peacoat tightly around his neck with gloved hands. The ocean liner was only a week from port and ever since the new year, it was now 1921, the stars seemed extra bright that night; looking like each one was blinking in time with a song each its own. As Grayson exhaled, his breath turned into a white cloud that blew back in his face then back behind him in the stiff breeze.
Grayson turned his attention to the horizon and it was difficult to see where the shining stars ended and the still ocean began. The night was eerily quiet and cold.
He walked into the bridge cabin and clapped his hands together as he kicked the cabin door closed with one boot heel. "Good evening, Henry," Grayson said, "did you get that telegram you were hoping for?"
Henry, a tall man standing at the ocean liner's wheel, was staring straight ahead through the glass as he gently moved the large, wooden wheel ever so slightly to the left, then to the right. He shook his head in response to Grayson's question. "No, sir. Nothing today."
Grayson unbuttoned the top button of his peacoat as the room began to warm up slightly. "Well, we are only a few days out. You should hear something soon."
Henry nodded with a slight smile. "Yes sir, I think-"
RING! RING! RING!
The sound of the three sharp bell rings split the tranquil night air like a hammer through glass. Both men's eyes opened wide and stared ahead into the darkness in front of the ship. The bells were a signal from the lookouts in the lookout tower, warning of an object in the ships path. Grayson turned and pulled the phone off of its hook on the wall, turned the handle on the side of the box a few times to provide power then pressed the button to talk.
"Bridge. What do you see?" Grayson asked, his heart pounding in his chest.