Standing Still

“Journey!”

Hearing my name I groan out loud and yelled to my dad that I was up before slowly peeling my eyes open. I stare at the ceiling before glancing at my alarm clock. It is only 4:00 I still have an hour and a half before my flight leaves to Paris, France. I sit up and slip my batman slippers on. I head to the bathroom and brush my teeth. As I was walking out of the bathroom, I glance in the mirror to see nothing unusual.

I am still 5’4” with my plain curly brown hair that is way to frizzy no matter what I do reaching the middle of my back, and some light freckles spread across my cheeks and over the bridge of my nose. The only thing that really stands out are my stormy grey eyes. My dad says that I get it from my mom, but I wouldn’t know. I snap myself out of my train of thought knowing where it was going and not liking it.

I look at the clock, and realize I had been standing there for a while, and it was now 4:30, and we need to leave by 4:45. I quickly change and grab my two suitcases that were already packed. I rush downstairs to see my dad waiting by the door.

“Hurry up and get something to eat so that we can go.”

I reply with a quick okay and rush to grab a granola bar. I walk back to the front door and step outside into the nice crisp weather. We got in the car, and he started driving. When we got to the airport, my dad pulled up to the side and let me out.

        “Be safe and tell your grandmother thank you for me. Be safe I love you. Oh and don’t talk to strangers. I love you.”

He kept repeating himself and talking so loud that people were starting to stare. He was just grinning at me innocently like he didn’t know what he was doing, but I knew he did.

        “I know. I love you too. Bye.”

I quickly walked away from the car before he could say anything else to embarrass me. I was confused on what to do, so I wandered around until I found someone who worked here, and they helped me until everyone was boarded on the plane. On my left I sat by a guy in his mid 40’s with a comb over, nasty yellow teeth, and a beer belly, but he had nice clothes.

On my right was the window. Shortly into the flight the man next to me fell asleep and I could smell his dirty breath. I could hear a baby crying somewhere on the plane and the ride was starting to get unbearable. I would do just about anything to get off this plane quicker. Then the plane started shaking a little bit, and the pilot’s voice came in over the intercom.

        “We have hit some unexpected turbulence. Please fasten you seat belts.”

Everyone fastened his or her seat belts except for the man next to me. I decided that it’s likely nothing bad would happen. The airplane started to fly smoothly, and I thought nothing would happen when suddenly it dipped. It was falling fast. The man next to me woke up looking confused and glassy eyed.  I was trying to tell him to buckle his seatbelt, but it was hard to talk over everyone who was screaming. I buckled it for him.

        That proved to be difficult trying to reach over his big belly, but he understood what I was trying to do, and he grabbed the belt from my hand and buckled himself. Then the Pilot’s voice came over the intercom again this time telling us to put our oxygen masks on. Everyone did and suddenly all the lights were out. At least I think the lights are out, but I can’t hear any screaming or anything at all. It feels like a lifetime, but it can’t be more than a few seconds, and finally I can see.

The plane isn’t moving anymore. We had landed. As I look around the plane all of the passengers had fearful looks plastered onto their faces. The only difference is that I was moving, and they were not. It seemed as though everything was frozen. I cautiously unbuckled my safety belt and peered over the seat in front of me. I could see no one moving, so I started scooting my way in front of the fat man to get out of the confined space between him and the window.

Slowly walking down the aisle, I decided to go to the cockpit. Looking around while walking I was getting really freaked out. The look of terror on their faces was unsettling. I sped up my pace and was at the cockpit in seconds. I called out for the captain. No one answered so I started banging my fist, and decided that I needed to find a way out. I tried to open the door but it was locked. I needed to find a way to get in. I remembered that I had bobby pins in my hair.

I carefully took out all of the bobby pins in my hair. I only had two and I started using one. As was bending the bobby pin to hard and it broke. I grabbed my last bobby pin and prayed it would work. It took a few times but I got it open.  Once I got into the cockpit I quickly shuffled into the room and started looking through the pilot’s stuff. While looking for something to help get me out I found a manual.

It was very thick so I went to the table of contents and found “Exits”. When I got to the page it said to go to the emergency exit and open the door by pulling the latch. I quickly walked around the plane trying to find the door when I finally did. I pulled the latch as hard as I could and it opened. When it opened it was hard to adjust to the bright light of outside. I looked down and saw an inflatable slide leading from the door to the ground. I sat down on the top and slide all the down.

Once I got to the bottom I started looking around and saw the airport when I got in there everyone was frozen. I walked up to a lady who had a baby on her hip and tapped her. She didn’t move. I started jogging to the doors to the airport and got outside. Nothing was moving, no one was moving.

To Be Continued...