CHAPTER 24: OUR FINAL DESTINATION

The silent night became a purge of mass destruction. Everyone was damaged, the ship was ablaze. Everyone inside was bombarded with shrapnel and debris. The workers were in panic, civilians were decimated and lives were taken away.

The situation continued to worsen. The ship started to sink and intake water. It was fire and water aboard one boat.

The said ship of dreams was now ablaze and rapidly sinking. Thousands of people rushed out trying their best to flee the flames, many jumped off the ship into the cold waters of the arctic. 

Unfortunately life vests weren't able to be distributed due to the massive panic aboard.

As many burned, many drowned. The presence of Armageddon was definitely found here. Lifeboats were scattered and some were damaged from the explosion.

On the stern of the ship Caleb was blasted away towards the  unveiling crack on the ship's interior. Gabriel saw this unfold and took hold of the falling Caleb with his right arm. "Caleb! Hold on!." Gabriel shouted. "No matter what you do, don't let go! We'll figure something out." He desperately tried his best to handle the situation.

Caleb felt every inch of his body ache from all the immense pain. He looked at the chasm below him. He was frightened. "It's alright right? We're gonna be fine."

Gabriel's body ached from the explosion, as he shouted for help. "Help! Nicollette! Tristan! Joshua! Anyone!" Gabriel shouted desperately.

Smoke soon filled the air mixing with the arctic fog. "Shit! Damn it… Where is everyone?" Gabriel said to himself. A sudden epiphany behold Gabriel, he remembered the time when Caleb saved him when they were back at the orphanage. He began to flashback

"Caleb… I know this might be the wrong time, but what other choice do I have? It seems like we don't have long, so don't mind me narrating it to you one last time…" Gabriel said, holding on for dear life. 

"Director Mikaela told me that one day the time would be right for me to tell you… But I guess this is my last chance… That windy day we we're both playing around the playground, and to be honest you were the best friend I ever had. 

No one would talk to me, but you gave me hope. You managed to seep into my heart. You had the key… I knew I wanted you from that day…

We were playing tag together, when I accidentally tripped on myself. Little did I know I was on the road. A car speeding then came rushing towards me. You pushed me aside in place of my demise. I couldn't move.

You bled, and severely injured. I shouted for help and cried along the way. The greatest person I knew was in dire condition… Because of me… Director Mikaela heard my cries and came quickly rushing you to the hospital.

  You were the greatest person I've ever met. I thought that day was when I would lose you. The doctors came and said you were gonna be in a coma. It would be for weeks or so. I was heartbroken, Trapped inside me. Blaming myself for everything.

2 weeks passed and you were still tied to the bed. I felt numb. I said my final goodbye to you… that was the last day I saw you, I was then taken away to my foster home.

So you see Caleb, no matter what I won't let go! So hold on! We'll make it."

Caleb in awe, eyes ready to burst. The growing revelation kept him nunb. Memories of what happened began flashing. The numbness was all.

"Caleb I don't know how much long I can hold on… But make it for me. By this I hope I can repay everything I owe you… Lead them home…"

Gabriel pulled Caleb up with all his strength, unfortunately the gravity pulled Gabriel to his demise, falling unto the chasm of darkness below.

"Life is limitless… I have witnessed beauty in wealth, beauty in poor, beauty in family, beauty in friendship and beauty in life. You open my eyes and see the beauty in everything, continue on and don't forget about me… teach them to live life with no regrets…"

The chasm eventually swallows Gabriel, killing him in an instant. Caleb, still stunned, looked below to see the chasm in disbelief. He cried and anguished at the loss of his childhood friend Gabriel. He remembered the memories but now vanished once more in the darkness below.

Nicollette shouted for Caleb searching for his whereabouts in the midst of chaos. "Caleb! Caleb! We're over here!" Nicollette shouted helplessly accompanied by a cough from inhaling all the smoke. The fog began to clear, and Caleb saw the group was on a lifeboat safe and sound awaiting for Caleb to finally release it to the waters below. Unfortunately Caleb was too weak, with the fog clearing dead bodies soon revealed themselves. Amidst the corpses was Drew's body, fainted and ravished with scars. 

Caleb felt weaker and weaker, his eyes felt dizzy and his head felt nauseous. Within a few seconds, another Bomb detonated. Caleb was blasted off the stern of the ship into the Ice cold waters of the arctic. Everyone watched in horror, as the explosion mercilessly blasted Caleb into the freezing arctic.

Tristan brave as can be jumped forward to attend to Caleb's rescue. Fortunately Nicollette was able to grab hold of him. "Tristan! What are you thinking? Stop, even Caleb would say you're acting recklessly!" Nicollette frantically grabbed Tristan. "Caleb!... Don't you understand he needs our help!" Tristan practically shouts. "It's no use, the smoke is too thick , we have no visual of him, I don't want to call it but for now let's lower the ship and try searching for him once everything calms down." Nicollette responds, shaking, practically holding tears.

The group lowers the life boat safely onto the arctic waters, slowly they paddle away from the burning ship. Immense flames ravish the ship as the group helplessly watches. It seems that only they were once able to seek solace from the chaos that engulfed. Nicollette and Tristan tended to their wounded peers, Joshua had multiple bruises all over his body, and Lady May was exhausted, not to mention her condition progressively getting worse and worse. Beverly provided aid to her wounded peers, she noticed the coldness between Nicollette and Tristan. Because of this, she attempts to initiate a conversation to lighten up their spirits. "Cheer up, Caleb and Gabriel would not be happy seeing us like this..."Unfortunately, the atmosphere was still cold.