Chapter 3 – Emily
Boarding the plane takes forever, and all I want to do is sit down. But a large, elderly man is blocking the aisle as he tries to heft a too-large suitcase into the overhead compartment, and I’m stuck behind him.
I wait a few seconds, hoping he’ll get his luggage stored and move out of the way. But after several moments, he’s still struggling. If my hands weren’t already full, I’d help him. “Excuse me,” I say.
The man doesn’t move, doesn’t even acknowledge that I said anything. Annoyance flares inside of me. I sigh loudly, hoping he’ll hear that and move out of my way. But he doesn’t. So, I try again. Only this time, a handsome, knowing smile catches my attention. It’s Aiden. He’s in the window seat, watching me try and fail to get past the old man. He smiles and then winks. Heat creeps up my neck and face, and I’m sure my cheeks are beet red. I look away quickly, and he chuckles.
We spent the last four hours together, eating, talking, laughing, exploring the airport. He’s hot and funny and smart. And so nice. He’s a lot nicer than Matt’s ever been to me. Maybe getting forced to go to Alaska isn’t going to suck as much as I thought. I wanted to ask him all about his high school and what it was like, but I really have no idea how long I’ll be in Alaska, and I don’t want to get his hopes up. Or mine. Just because we spent a few hours together doesn’t mean it will be anything more.
I take a deep breath. Finally, the guy ahead of me moves down the aisle, and I follow, eager to get to my seat, but I can’t stop myself from glancing back at Aiden, who’s still watching me. I arrive at my seat, which is smack dab between two old people. The man in the aisle seat happens to be the same man who was blocking my way a moment ago.
“Excuse me,” I say. The man doesn’t move. “Excuse me,” I say louder.
Eventually, the old guy guarding my seat looks up. “Oh, sorry.” He wobbles to his feet, and I move past him to sit, noticing the massive hearing aid hanging from his right ear. Apparently, he really can’t hear me.
I drop my carry-on bag to the floor and kick it under the seat. Plugging my headphones into my phone, I close my eyes and rest my head on the back of the seat. Sleep is a lost cause, but at least with my eyes closed, I can pretend I’m somewhere else. And I can think about Aiden and his vibrant blue eyes. His dark, wavy hair. His goofy smile. Our hands touched briefly while eating, but he didn’t try to hold my hand or touch me in anyway after that. Too bad, because I would’ve let him.
There’s a tap on my shoulder. A pretty flight attendant smiles down at me. Splotches of red lipstick color her otherwise white teeth. “I’m sorry, miss, but I’m going to have to ask you to put away all electronic devices until the captain announces they’re allowed to be used.”
I take my earbuds out, sigh, and turn to look out the window only to realize the woman sitting next to it has the shade pulled down. This is going to be the longest flight ever. Seriously, why can’t I be stuck in the seat next to Aiden?
“Hello, and good afternoon. My name is Christopher Lakin, and I’ll be your pilot during this flight. Captain Brandon Franks is co-piloting with me. We should have clear skies and a safe arrival in around four hours. Thank you again for flying Sun Dun Airlines.”
As soon as the pilot stops talking, the pretty blonde flight attendant who told me to shut off my music stands in front of my section and begins the obligatory safety demonstration. I yawn. Boring.
Finally, after a few more minutes, the flight attendants make their way over to the back to buckle in, checking to be sure everyone’s seats are in the upright position and tray tables are up and locked. I don’t understand why we can’t just get on the plane, buckle our seat belts, and go. All this extra stuff is such a waste of time. The plane makes its way onto the runaway, and with a throttle, the plane tilts its nose in the air, and we begin take off. I hate this part.
As soon as the plane is in the air and the fasten seat belts sign goes off, I breathe a sigh of relief and relax a little. But just as quickly, my heart is in my throat. I’m going to stupid Alaska. To stay with my grandparents. I bet Alaska doesn’t even have WiFi or cable. Do they even have cell phone reception?
How can my parents expect me to go from fashionable city girl socialite to backwoods nobody who has to wear a parka? No one looks good in a parka. I don’t mind the snow we get during a New York winter, but I hate the cold, and Alaska is cold all the time. I bet my neighbors will be real-life Eskimos.
All of this because I went to a party I shouldn’t have. I’m not the one who threw a beer bottle at the cop. Nor am I the one who got into a fight and killed a kid. Yet, I’m the one getting banished to a no-name town in Alaska. Because I’m not lucky enough to be in Anchorage. Oh, no. I’m in a tiny town south of there. It’s like the armpit of Anchorage.
“The captain has turned off the fasten seat belts sign, so you’re free to move about the cabin. We’ll be starting our complimentary beverage service in a moment,” the flight attendant says.
It’s only then I notice how dry my throat is, and thankfully, it doesn’t take them long to reach my seat. I get a soda and a tiny bag of cookies. I really should’ve bought more snacks to bring with me, ones that don’t taste like cardboard. I open the soda and take a sip. Flying always gives me a headache, so I close my eyes and try to rest, but it’s not helping all that much.
I have no idea how much time has passed, but the hum of the PA system jolts me awake. I rub my eyes and yawn. My tray is still down, and my half-eaten bag of cookies sits next to my cup of now flat soda.
“Attention, folks.” The pilot’s voice fills the cabin. “There’s some congestion on the runway, so we’re going to circle around a few times to allow ground crews to get things cleared up. Please be patient, and we’ll land as soon as possible.”
Whoa. I really slept the entire flight? That never happens. I stretch my arms over my head and arch my back, trying to work out the kinks. I yawn again. “Are we in Anchorage already?” I ask the elderly man seated beside me.
He nods. “There’s a herd of moose on the runway.”
“Seriously?” I laugh. Only in Alaska. I settle back in my seat, hoping it won’t take too long to land. I need to get on solid land again, and a small thrill of excitement shoots up my spine at the thought of seeing grandma and grandpa. Without Erik around, I’ll be the one they spoil. Not to mention, I really want to talk to Aiden again.
Thirty minutes pass, and then an hour, and we’re still circling the airport. My stomach rumbles, and I swallow hard. My throat is dry and scratchy, and my temples throb with an impending headache. I really need to get off this stupid plane. I take a drink, and the warm liquid turns my stomach.
What I really want to do is go back to sleep, but that’s not going to happen, so I turn on the small television and flip through the channels. I settle on a bad 80s high school drama. The acting is horrible, and the special effects are even worse. I settle into my seat, the ache in my head getting worse.
The plane shakes, and the captain’s voice comes over the intercom again. “We’ve run into a bit of turbulence, folks. Nothing to worry about. We’re going to make a larger loop back around, and hopefully, we’ll have clearance to land by then. Thanks for your patience and for flying with Sun Dun Airlines.”
I groan inwardly. We’re never going to get off this plane at this rate. I close my eyes for only a second, and then the small TV screen goes totally black. What’s going on? I look over the seats in front of me and see their screens are blank, too.
A tall man with black hair, wearing a suit, rushes up the aisle, and from the corner of my eye, I see a flash of silver. A badge. The air marshall? He disappears into the cock pit. What on earth is going on?
A second later, the flight attendant’s calm voice surrounds me. “It appears as though the pocket of turbulence we’re experiencing is larger than we originally anticipated. The fasten seat belts sign is back on, and we ask that everyone remain seated with the seats upright and the trays closed. Please stay calm, and we’ll be out of this in no time.”
No sooner does she quit talking than the plane dips sharply, rises, and then shakes violently. My cup tips, spilling soda all over the tray and onto my lap. I yelp with surprise. Another rumble shakes the plane. I grip the arm rests and squeeze my eyes shut. A frantic woman in the back screams, and then other passengers begin to scream, too. There’s so much crying and shouting.
“Are we going to… to die?”
“Shut up. It’s just a little turbulence.”
“I just want land. I’m getting very nauseous.”
“Oh, God! We’re all going to die! Lord save us.”
My temples feel like they’re ready to implode, and my stomach lurches. I grab the first thing my hand touches — the old man in the seat beside me.
He raises his eyebrow and pats my hand. “It’s going to be all right. We’re in the best of hands. Just relax.” He smiles. “My name is Theodore. And you are?”
“Emily.” I return his smile. The plane shakes again, and I whimper. This type of turbulence doesn’t qualify as fun in my mind. I take several deep breaths. It’ll be okay. The likelihood of this plane crashing is slim. Besides, we’re flying around the airport. We’re so close to landing. It’s perfectly safe, and I’m fine. It’ll all be fine.
“Maybe I can be of some help. I do have some—too many—years of experience and knowledge. I’m willing to listen if you’re willing to talk. You’ll be surprised by how much better you’ll feel.”
It’s nice knowing there’s someone willing to lend an ear in a time of need. Talking to Theodore does help, and for a few moments, I forget about the turbulence and the rocking plane. What can it hurt to talk to him? But before I can open my mouth, the teenager with a blue Mohawk sitting in front of me shouts, “She’s dead!”
I turn to see what he’s pointing at. A woman in her mid-thirties is lying in the aisle on her back. Unmoving. I squeeze Theodore’s arm. Each breath is like swallowing razor blades—sharp and excruciating.
What is going on? Did she… Is she… dead? How is that even possible? Wasn’t she wearing her seat belt? I tighten my own.
The pilot’s voice fills the cabin again, still as calm as ever. “Looks like this turbulence is going to hang with us until we can safely land. Please remain calm and seated with your seat belts fastened. We’re working to get this under control.”
His words offer me no comfort.
“Captain, we’ve just lost all ground communications and control of engine one.” The PA systems suddenly goes dead.
This is it.
I’m going to die.
I close my eyes.