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technomizer — The night of my life: a Marvel one-shot
Published: 2012-01-08 02:14:10 +0000 UTC; Views: 743; Favourites: 5; Downloads: 3
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Description Tape recorder begins to play:

"This interview is preceded by myself, reporter, Stanley Ryan for the (augmented sound)…date is April 15th, 1940. I'm speaking with Misses…forgive me, ma'am, I've forgotten your name."

"Elizabeth (augmented sound)…rom Massachusetts but now, here, in New York."

"Thank you for that, ma'am."

"Please, call me Elizabeth."

"Of course. Now, Elizabeth, you have come here claiming that you had encountered one of the individuals responsible for the fiasco that occurred two weeks ago, correct?"

"Yes."

"Now, would you say that your previous encounter was personal or something else entirely?"

"Well…I wouldn't say 'personal'…but it was still and experience when it happened."

"For the record can you say who it was and when this encounter occurred?"

"Well since that one, that human—whatever he's called, only appeared recently it was obviously (augmented sound). And…well the date was April 14th, 1912. I was twenty, then."

"And…where was this…exactly?"

"I think it should be clear, Mr. Ryan. It was during the sinking of the RMS Titanic."

"I…see. Well then, Elizabeth, would you care to elaborate as to what occurred that night, and how you came to encounter him?"

"I would…yes, but…it's just that…it's been nearly thirty years, and when I saw him…on the television…he…he barley looked any different from when he did then. (Sound of her whimpering.)"

"It's alright, Elizabeth. Take your time. If you want we can save this for…"

"No. No…I'm fine. I came to you, so I figured I'd not waste your time. It was at the point where the stern of the ship had broken from the rest of the ship. I remember the sense off it all; the fear that was creeping in my mind and soul. It was in everyone who was still alive. I can still recall…I was wearing my best dress…my best shoes and dress gloves. I was supposed to join my father and in meeting some of the wealthier members of the first class. But then I remember how, at first, how awkward I felt with a large coat and a life vest over all of that. This was before…the panicking and the sense of…dread had driven everyone over the edge. I remember they were letting women and children off first; especially the first class ones. I felt so stupid because…when it came around to my father and I, I ran back to my room to get my mother's bracelet she left me when she died. The shipmate, handling the boats assured my father that there would be other boats letting people off. But…by the time I made my way back…it was chaos. People from the lower classes had made their way up to the deck and were clamoring to get to the lifeboats. I searched for my father…but the people were grouped and rioting all over. I remember trying to reach one, but when I was trying to make my way through the crowd, this girl grabbed my hair and started pulling me back. I remembered seeing her before, while I was walking around the deck one day. She seemed so nice, so harmless. At that point…she looked like a ravenous animal."

"The panic of trying to survive can do that to people."

"That's what I told myself. Anyway, she pulled me back, calling me…well…vulgar names. I don't know if she made it or not, but…when I was being rescued by the boat, I remember seeing what almost looked like her face…floating in the water. Still, at that point, before, the ship was already starting to tip. I was like the rest of those still stuck aboard. Not knowing what to do, trying to find some other way of getting off, looking at all my other options. Nothing helped. I started to follow everyone else and make my way back, towards the stern. I was having such a hard time moving around that I had to loosen my lifejacket. Then, for the rest of the time, everything that happened, happened. I was hanging on for dear life on the rails. We were completely in the air, and it boded for a moment, like a cork. I looked around at the others with me and I saw so many scared people. A man trying to help another and his wife up on the rails, a man holding on to his daughter, even a young couple who were holding each other hands tightly. I think I recall the girl saying to him how it was the place they first met…but I can't be too sure. But then I came to that point, when we slowly began to sink. My body tensed as the cold water came closer and closer. Then, when I finally went under, I was hit with such a sensation. I felt like my body was poked by a thousand cold needles that practically dug into my skin. The suction was the first thing that started to pull me down. I knew that if I kept kicking for the surface, then I would eventually make it. But then I felt my ankle caught on one of the ropes to the lifesavers. It was still attached to the ship. The sudden thrust of it pulled so hard that my lifejacket slipped off. I knew then and there: I was going to die. I stilled struggled to swim, but it was pointless. I felt the last bits of breath slowly start to escape me as I went further down. But then I felt something…something grabbing my leg and unloosing the rope around it. I looked down…and there he was. A boy, with black hair and burning blue eyes. He must have been no more than my age, maybe younger. At first I thought he might have been one of the passengers…but then I noticed…his ears were pointed and he had…wings, actual wings on his feet. I didn't know whether to be grateful or freighted by it. He noticed I was still struggling for air, yet he seemed to be breathing normally; as if he was not bothered by drowning. That's when he…he…"

"Yes, Elizabeth?"

"He kissed me. I know he was helping me by doing so but…still. Then he took me under his arm and started to swim to the surface. We went so fast…I thought I was just my imagination, but he seemed to rocket through the water. He managed to grab my lifejacket on the way up. When we finally reached the surface, he put it on me while I was still gasping for air. When I finally settled, he went back under the water for a moment. He seemed to swim around me and then through the rest of the people who were in the water. I thought he might have left to help any others. Only a few moments went by before he came near me again. I could see his figure in the water. He swam around me underneath for a while before he resurfaced in front of me. I think he could see that I was freezing from the water, so he embraced me with his arms, warming me with his heat that never seemed to change despite the cold. I was still to shaken and weak to say anything to him. I was clutching onto my mother's bracelet the whole time.  And for, what seemed liked the longest time in my life, it was just he and I, floating in the water. By the time it had become so quiet that it felt like there was nothing else alive in the world, I finally asked him why he saved me. And…he said to me 'I've never cared for your people before. But amidst all this chaos and death, out of these other humans, I saw you. You, who are like a shining star that has fallen from the heavens, and landed in my waters.' I…felt so confused by it; I didn't know how to feel. I asked for his name, but then we both heard the sounds of the search boat; the people calling out for survivors. He kissed me one last time before diving back under the water. He never came back up. When we reached the rescue ship I found my father had managed to make it off in time. They say that men had to restrain him on the lifeboat because he insisted on coming back for me. But then I asked if the boy had survived. I gave his description, minus the wings of course, to the sailors but none of them had seen him. They assumed he must've drowned and, admittedly I thought so too. But then when we returned home, after what could only be considered 'the night of my life', I kept looking out to the ocean near my home, hoping to see him again. For five years, almost every day, I sat, and watched and waited, but I never saw him again."

"Until last week, of course?"

"Yes. And it was then that I had found out his name: Namor. Namor the sub-mariner, that's what they were calling him."

"How did you fell when you saw him?"

"Shocked, at first, but then I had a strange felling. It was the kind of feeling that told me to find him. I followed him and that…Torch android all over New York, while they were fighting. I kept hoping that he would see me or notice me, but he didn't."

"Or he couldn't; given the situation."

"I suppose so. But now, I'm not sure I want him to see me now. He barley looks any different from when he did, back then…and I'm so old."

"And you claim you never spoke of this to anyone before?"

"Yes. Not even my husband or my son, Franklin. But seeing him again…just brought back so many…memories."

"I see. Well, Elizabeth, I want to thank you again for coming to me to let everyone know of your experience; not only as a survivor of one of the greatest tragedies of mankind, but also to have known Prince Namor of Atlantis. Would you like to say anything else before this is over?"

"I only hope that your editor does not try to use his eccentric ways to try and say that he was responsible for the Titanic sinking; and that…if you are listening to this, Namor…thank you. (Sound of her leaving the room.)

"Well, Jonah, there's your story. That was Mrs. Elizabeth Storm's important tale to tell. You should have found this tape on your desk because you've got me working on that Stark interview early in the morning so i got to get there a.s.a.p. I'm not entirely sure what to make of the situation myself, but let's hope it gets some attention. But please go easy on the woman, Jonah; she's had it rough enough.  This is Stanley Ryan, for the Daily Bugle; signing off."

End of tape.
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mirzjiles [2014-04-25 23:53:08 +0000 UTC]

here

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