Eighteen Minutes

Eighteen Minutes

Suzanne Marsh

Eve Kelly, her flaming red hair; stood out in every crowd. Today, she did not want to stand out, she wanted desperately to speak with Professor Kent McMaster. She required his aid to give closure to her Great great aunt Annie Kelly family, herself included. Eve heard through the “grapevine” and her room mate Jenny Long, that Kent McMaster was a history jumper. Jenny and Eve exchanged stories of their families. Jenny, was a direct descendent of General James (Ole Pete) Longstreet. Jenny then proceeded to inform Eve of how Professor McMaster and she had gone back to the third day of battle at Gettysburg. They overheard General Robert E. Lee and General James Longstreet arguing about Pickett's Charge. Eve, disclosed the story of Annie Kelly, and how she longed for closure for herself and her family. Jenny urged her to speak with Professor McMaster, so her she sat. Jenny also told Eve that the professor could not alter history but he could go back in time to listen and to help clear historical events up to modern standards.

Eve, heard someone whistling off key, Professor Kent McMaster entered his outer office, his briefcase full of term papers that had to be graded, something he did not look forward to. He opened the door to his inner office, stared at the red haired beauty. He had no idea of who she was, she was not in his class:

“Good afternoon, Professor”; came the voice with a barely distinguishable Irish lilt.

“My name is Eve Kelly, my great great Aunt Annie went down with the Lusitania. I realize that

that was a hundred and five years ago, but I want to give closure to our family. Would

you consider helping me? I know you can not alter history but if I could just take a peek

at what happened to her. Oh, please professor.”

He could not turn down a plea from such a beautiful girl. Eve, glanced at the blue oval stone Jenny had spoken about. Before the professor could get the words out of his mouth, Eve had rubbed the stone. Suddenly they found themselves being propelled back in time, both landed with a hard thump on the deck of the RMS Lusitania. Fortunately for them it was foggy and no one was on deck. The professor decided that he was going have to keep that stone out of reach of people or he would no doubt sooner or later fracture or break something, this was getting a bit dangerous.

The professor grabbed Eve's hand as he led the way below decks hoping to find either a store on board or some cabin that was open with clothes readily available. They found two empty cabins on D deck, one appeared to be a female's room D30. Eve entered it, to her amazement she found a shirt waist and skirt, an extra pair of shoes, corset, all the items she needed. Her flaming red hair was frizzy from the ocean spray, she fought with it to put it into a Gibson Girl style. Kent McMaster knew everything would fit, since that was part of being a history jumper. He quickly changed, he and Eve had only six hours to find and meet Annie Kelly. They made their way to the dining saloon, where third class passengers ate. Breakfast consisted of oatmeal porridge, smoked herring, fresh bread, potatoes, ham and eggs, tea or coffee. Eve, continued looking around for aunt Annie, while the professor devoured his breakfast. Once they finished eating they began looking for a young Irish girl, with flaming red hair, and blue eyes, and the distinctive “Kelly nose”. Finally they located Annie, she was in the midst of a group of young men, the Celt bagpipes were playing as well as several fiddles. Eve smiled as she realized how much Annie loved life.

The professor urged Eve to go over and meet Annie. He knew there was nothing he could do to alter the sinking of the Lusitania, he also knew that they had a little less than four hours before the torpedo sunk the ship. There were unanswered questions. Eve walked over and introduced herself to Annie, saying that she had heard there was another Kelly on board. Annie smiled her contagious smile and they began to speak. The professor took the opportunity to go further down into the ship's cargo hold. There he took a quick inventory of the munitions that Lusitania had in her cargo hold. There were forty two hundred cases of Remington.303 caliber bullets, twelve hundred and fifty shrapnel shells and eighteen cases of fuses. The professor then hurried back to find Eve.

2:12pm May 7^th, 1915

Lunch began shortly before one o'clock in the afternoon for most third class passengers. The lookout in the crows nest spotted a lone torpedo. The words barely out of his mouth when the torpedo struck the Lusitania. Captain William T. Turner order the life boats lowered from the davits. He prayed silently that there would not be fatalities, knowing there would be. Tables began falling against each other. People began to panic. The professor, grabbed Eve's hand:

“We have to get out of here now. That shudder was a lone torpedo striking the ship.

People are already screaming, we have to get up to the first class area.”

Eve nodded her assent as they began to move toward the staircase that led from third, to second class. From there they would have access to the first class. They began the ascent as rapidly as possible. The professor had the blue oval stone in his pocket, that was their ticket off Lusitania before she went down. They continued up into the second class finally they spotted the first class stair case. The mayhem that greeted them was frightening. Woman were screaming as the ship began to list. Women were passing their babies to others in the life boats. The life boats were tipping, people were pouring into the sea at an incredible rate. The life preservers made of cork and canvas were not much help.

2:20pm May 7, 1915

Eve, clung to the professor as they began to slide off A deck. The ship began to go down by the bow. One thousand one hundred and ninety eight men, women and children died that day. The professor and Eve were in the water struggling, when the professor reached into his pocket, rubbing the oval stone frantically. They traveled back to the twenty first century, their clothing dripping wet.

Eve, once she was dry waited patiently this time for Kent McMaster:

“Professor, thank you. I think now I understand what happened to my Aunt Annie.

Do you think the reason Lusitania sunk so quick because the ammunition were aboard?”

Kent McMaster, his hawkish face flushed:

“I think it contributed but the torpedo struck further away from the ammunition, than

anyone realized. I think once the fires broke out then the ammunition exploded.”

Eve smiled as she stood up:

“Eighteen minutes, that was all it took Kent to sink that beautiful ship.”

Kent agreed with her, eighteen minutes from the time Lusitania was struck by the torpedo until she sunk. Eve gave Kent a light peck on the cheek, smiled and walked out the door of his inner office.