River Race — Christopher Charles

Rose could not move. She watched the paddles coming towards the wheelhouse.
Captain De La Rosa saw them coming only an instant. He pulled the fog horn cord again. The loud sounding blast filled the night air.
On the Shanadoa Rose was trying to turn the wheel rapidly to the right trying to take them away from the riverboat.
Ted looked back at the Shanadoa's paddle wheel. It was swinging away from the other boat. The hard-left turn had changed the direction of the stern. "Turn back!" He yelled. “You have enough room!"
It was too late. Rose felt the giant paddle strike the boat. Huge planks flew from the wheel as it devoured the bow of the Shanadoa. The giant wheel was coming for the wheelhouse. She saw the raft. It was caught in the wheel. It was coming up towards her.
Gripping the wheel, she dropped to the deck and covered her head. She closed her eyes as she heard the side of the wheelhouse coming apart. The noise was deafening, but she hung onto the wheel. She felt the roof being torn loose. The devil wanted her soul! She screamed, but the loud noise from the paddle wheel drowned it out.
Suddenly it was quiet and dark. Rose looked slowly around. She was covered with wood. The left side of the wheelhouse along with the roof was gone. She worked her way up through the debris. Somehow the left smokestack remained, but everything else was gone.
There were no longer any windows to look out of. The wheelhouse was level with the wheel. She could not see the bow.