Super Storm Sinks a Giant Cruise Ship

By Peter PAERGAMON

A family is ready to take a trip on the biggest cruise ship in the world. A giant of the seas, a palace, a floating city that can bring on board 10,000 passengers and 5,000 crew members. Never ever seen.

This ship is almost twice as large as any cruise ship ever built. A technological feat but also a revolution in mass cruises.

The little family discovers the happiness and ecstasy of a cruise, its luxury, the impression of being a princely family. They live a daydream, perfect holidays.

But soon a storm is coming. A struggle between nature and the huge steel ship engages.

The invincible ship fights a first time and then changes course to the north.

But the storm is going to intensify further and is also heading north ...

• Language: English
• Publisher: PAERGAMON
• Release date: Dec 2, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386887430

Book preview

Copyright © PAERGAMON 2018

Introduction

A provincial family bought tickets for a cruise. It's their first cruise. A week on the largest, most luxurious cruise ship. According to commercials, it is the best cruise never built. On the brochures, it's the most incredible palaces on sea. They succumbed to multiple promotional offers for a dream trip. Patrick, Audrey and their two children did not expect an adventure as strong in emotions whose tragic outcome would never have been imagined and yet ...

Chapter 1 - Departure

5:30 is the big departure for the family that is about to leave. They have been waiting for this moment for months. Even if it is very early, they take a breakfast because the day will be long today. Time flies and they hurry. They run everywhere in the middle of suitcases. The luggage was prepared in advance the day before but excitement and panic reign in the small house. The boy has found his toy but the little girl's favorite mermaid is missing. Everybody have to stop what they do to find the so precious one. If they do not find it, the girl would cry so much that the trip would already be ruined. The house is searched and all are looking for this mermaid. Suddenly, a cry of victory from the mother. The stuffed is found in .... the fridge. After a little argument between Audrey and Patrick on the location of the passports which have disappeared at the last minute, they are ready to leave. Naturally, Patrick criticizes the number of Audrey's baggage as usual.

A taxi is waiting outside for a long time now and finally they run out of the house. Time to put all luggage in the trunk of the car and they can leave.

Audrey stops the taxi just left to check if doors of the house are closed.

Finally they manage to leave in haste.

Chapter 2 - Flight

They arrive at the airport. Direction boarding baggage. Audrey has a phobia and precisely the phobia of the plane. She tries to pretend that everything is fine but she is very pale when entering the airport. Patrick tries to reassure her without ever really succeeding. They wait quite a long time and finally it's their turn to record. But the employee lays on desk a sign and leaves. On the panel is written: bomb threat, please wait. For Audrey, it's a terrible blow. Panic seizes her mind and her body. Patrick sees her break down in front of him. He tries a joke but it does not work and she is very pale. He knows her, she wants to cancel everything, drop everything, run back to her house. Whatever the money spent, she just wants to feel better. She struggles internally to not cancel this trip and she just does not talk. Despite everything, her physical rigidity speaks for her. She is hard as a piece of wood.

Kids are out of control as usual and run in the middle of the airport despite Patrick's warnings. It's very difficult for Audrey. She struggles strong.

After few minutes of intense anguish, the employee comes back and removes the panel. He says it was a false alarm. Audrey is relief and they can register.

After having passed the numerous security passages they arrive at their plane and board quickly.

They sit on the plane and Audrey does not speak, she is still very anxious. The children are agitated and they disturb the passengers in front of them. The boy speaks a lot, a real blabber mouth but nobody understands what he says. The girl kicks the seat in front of her. The passenger in front of her is very upset.

Then comes this fateful moment of takeoff. The plane is getting a lot of speed. Patrick is impressed. He loves this speed. Audrey is tense at the opposite of Patrick she clenches her teeth and closes her eyes.

The plane take full speed and lifts its nose and flies into the sky. Audrey grinds Patrick's hand. She is so much scared. After a few minutes of flight, Patrick thinks that Audrey would relax a little. But she not seems to be. She is very worried. The slightest tremor of the plane becomes a source of anxiety. She looks carefully at the wings of the plane through the porthole as if they are going to come off.

Audrey - look at wings Patrick,  do not you think they move a lot?

Patrick looks out through the porthole. He had never noticed that the wings of a plane were moving. But that does not worry him at all, unlike Audrey. He has fun with it.

Patrick - oh you're right, it's amazing, the wings move indeed a little bit if we keep watching.

At each jerk she squeezes Patrick's hand very hard. She is very anxious.

For Audrey everything is suspicious. The behavior of the plane, the noise of the engines, the expressions of the hostesses.

Audrey - Patrick, ask the stewardess if all is well. I'm sure she's hiding something from us. Do not you think she looks suspicious?

Patrick - no! No way. I do not want to be ridiculous.

But after a few minutes Patrick is sad for Audrey. He calls the flight attendant.

Patrick - excuse me. Is everything alright ?

The flight attendant sketches a broad smile.

The stewardess - everything is fine sir.

Patrick - you confirm that there is nothing suspicious. No fuel leak or engine failure.

The stewardess - there is no problem sir, the flight is going very well.

Do you want a refresh?

Patrick - yes, for the children please.

The hostess leaves and Patrick tells Audrey

Patrick - you see, there are no problems.

Audrey - at the same time she is trained to lie to you in case there is a problem.

The flight goes smoothly and soon they are warned of the landing.

The end of the nightmare for Audrey who stiffens even more in the descent of the plane to the runway. The plane finally touches the ground and Audrey relaxes a little bit. It's the end of her nightmare. The plane slows down on the tarmac and she finally takes a breath. To believe that she was in apnea all the flight. She gradually regains color on the face but is exhausted from this trip by plane. They get off the plane and Patrick decides to take a break so that Audrey can recover from her ordeal.

Chapter 3 - The big city

From the airport they see the big city. It is gigantic. It's the excess. It fascinates them and they feel very small at the same time. This airport is so big and so vast that it's almost a city. They are quickly lost among thousands of passengers who walk in all directions. Drowned in the crowd, they struggle to find their way. They walk very long time in this airport.

Patrick - well, here is the baggage exit of our plane. Kids, try to find our luggage.

Kids are very happy and they are thrown into a treasure hunt. It's very exciting for them. They are good because they manage to find all the luggage of the family rather quickly.

Meanwhile, Patrick went to get a cart to transport all the suitcases.

They leave at last. For 20 minutes they walk to get out of this big airport.

Now they have to go to the port. He is on the other side of the city.

They are waiting for a taxi but the family has a lot of luggage and it takes a big taxi to transport everything.

Finally a taxi with a big chest arrives. All luggage went into the trunk of the car with difficulty. Audrey's big suitcase is so heavy. The driver has never seen such a heavy suitcase. Patrick is sad for the driver’s back when this one tries to carry on the big luggage of Audrey. But not for his own back this time.

They finally leave this airport that looks almost like a space base. Hundreds of people cross each other like an anthill. Airplanes take off every ten seconds and as many land. The airport is itself a real architectural artwork. Built like a glass pyramid, it is visible from far away.

They cross this huge and magnificent megalopolis that makes them dream. Everything here is extraordinary. The roads are so wide that it is rather highways that crisscross this city from side to side. They roam several neighborhoods so different from each other but still with the same dynamism and this crowd everywhere. They are impressed and admiring, their faces glued to the windows of the car. What incredible architecture, all buildings are modern and beautiful. What a hectic and interesting life must have all the inhabitants of this beautiful contemporary city. Patrick loves this city a lot.

Patrick - Audrey, kids, we will absolutely have to come back to visit this city.

They now cross a large modern bridge