Ada stood at the gangway, head tilted back slightly to stare up at the ship that would bare her away. A much needed vacation from the chaos of New York? She was glad to snatch up the chance. A chance to seek new places. An opportunity to fill her pages with new writing. ADVENTURE! Her mother would be turning in her grave. 

The woman had always thought her too energetic, and far too excited to run off into the unknown. It was a problem. At least that’s what she’d heard the woman say. Adeline could almost hear that thick Irish accent as the small woman cooked in the kitchen. ‘She’ll get ‘erself in trouble one day, you watch.’ 
Ade didn’t know what trouble was. Okay, correction she knew what trouble was she was just rather good at outrunning it. Today was the day that she was going to finally step beyond that unseen boundary. She’d ask for forgiveness in the life after. 

“ Madam?” The man in the funny little round hat had leaned slightly to look at her. Adeline realized that perhaps drifting in her thoughts in public was a bit much. Smiling brightly, she cleared her throat, the brim of her dark hat covering one bright blue green eye.
“ Sorry. I was struck with how large she is!” There was excitement in her voice as she’d lifted on her toes. 
A smile bloomed across the man’s face and he chuckled, “ No harm done madam. She’s quite a sight. One of White Star’s best!” 

Ada had flashed another smile at him and she delved into her handbag, fishing out her ticket. It was taken with another polite smile and she tilted her head, “ Miss O’Connor. Your bags have been taken up to your cabin. Please enjoy the voyage.” She was waved through and the red head took a breath to steady her resolve and then headed up the walk to board the ship. 

That had been almost a week ago. The voyage was going well. The money she’d spent for her place in the lavish first class quarters had been everything she had, but it was worth it. She was sailing across the sea, in a ship that was going to put her somewhere in the tropics. A perfect possible setting for a book! She’d spent most nights plotting. Sitting in her bed with a bottle of wine seemed a good way to waste the nights when she didn't know anyone well. But knowing that she was going to be having breakfast with a small group of ladies who had invited her after seeing her alone on the deck, Ada had fallen asleep earlier than usual. 

It was perfect, at least until she rolled out of the bed as her entire state room listed to one side. The mirror swayed dangerously and her bag slid across the floor. Light flashed outside the porthole window but the groan of metal flexing drowned the sound of thunder and rain. The ship tilted again and this time she slid across the floor, scrambling for something to hold onto. Ada could hear the sound of people screaming somewhere down the hall. This time, as the ship canted, it did not right. Something was wrong and the red head grabbed the dressing gown from pile near the door, now tipped oddly on it’s side. People were scrambling from doors, or trying to. Some fell out into the inverted hall. Her heart pounded away in her ears and the young woman stumbled along clumsily until she had to catch herself on the frame of the door, staring down into the churning angry sea. Rain stung at her face, and wind whipped her shirt curls about her face, ripping at the soft robe she wore. Lights were flickering and people were already floundering in the water. 

Someone planted hands against the small of her back and before she could protest they pushed, sending her tumbling wildly across the vertical deck, narrowly missing the railing before the cold water sucked the breath from her lungs. Everything after that became a blur. A desperate bid to stay above the water even as the waves crashed across her. Adeline wasn’t even aware of seeing the ship grow farther and farther away, only the floating piece of what looked like a crate that she clung to for buoyancy. Only when the waves died down did she consider sleep, and she woke with her feet dragging against the sand as she floated towards a shore line. 
The sun was beating down along her face. 
Adeline fell from her make shift raft and she waded through the water onto the sand. She could have cried in relief, if not for the uneasy feeling of being on foreign soil without so much as a clue as to where she was. 

First was first. Looking for any sign of life would be a good way to go, right? So, the red head started down the beach. Before she set off into the trees she'd look around the places nearest the water. Less chance of getting lost.