Chapter Six: Diane

"So, Diane," Tina starts, "If you don't want a 'big party', what do you want your seventeenth birthday to be like?"

"I haven't given it much thought, but-" I try to say.

"Wait wait wait. You don't want a party, but you don't know what you want?" Tina interrupts.

"Oh let her finish Tina." Gracie, always having my back. I continue.

"Well, I've always-" the plane starts to shudder, "-wanted to-"

"Are you three buckled in?" A flight attendant asks right when I was going to finish. She is holding the seat in front of Tina to keep her balance. The plane was really moving.

"Yes." Gracie answers for us. The attendant smiles and nods to us. She starts to move to the next row.

"Um, is everything alright?" I ask. She looks back at me with that overly friendly smile.

"It's just turbulence. Don't worry about it." She replies. I have a funny feeling she's lying. I don't think she knows at all what's happening. I rest back in my chair and squeeze my eyes shut.

Don't worry Diane, planes are the safest ways to travel. The plane gives a large groan. I clutch my arm rests out of fear. The next shudder spills soda all over Gracie's legs.

"My skirt!" She wails, starting to wipe it off.

"Folks, we have a bit of a situation. Prepare for a bumpy landing." The pilot tells us passengers. Then the entire plane jolts up. The masks come out above us. I've never been in a plane crash, but I was listening to the crew explain the manual. I slip it over my head. Gracie wasn't listening though, so I help her. In turn, she helps Tina.

Then we fall. I feel the plane arch down. I squeeze my arm rests even harder. I look out my window. The peaceful blue water below now looks threateningly dark and scary. That's what I am, scared.

A baby behind us starts crying. It's mom tries to calm it down. She says it will be alright and there's nothing to worry about. Why are people saying that? Nothing is alright! We're going to DIE!! We're going to die.

That's the reality. I can't believe it. But looking out my window, I know it's true. I try to calm down. Everyone screaming around me doesn't help, but I try.

Through the mayhem, I hear someone's raspy gulping between screams. I look over to see it's Tina. Her mask isn't on correctly. It's too far to the right.

"Tina, you need to move your mask." I try to inform her. But with all her hysteria she can't hear me. She's frozen with fear and oxygen deprivation. I ask Gracie to help her, but again, she can't hear me. For some reason, Gracie is still fumbling with her skirt. She reaches for a napkin to continue wiping the drink, but it falls to the floor. So, she does a stupid thing.

Gracie takes off her seat belt and looks for the napkin. I try to reach for her, screaming at her to get back in her seat. But she pushes me away and continues to search. The plane falls faster and Gracie comes back up and clicks the belt into place. She didn't find the napkin. But she is air sick. She's always is when going fast.

BLESH! She throws up in her oxygen mask. That almost makes me puke. But I keep my Pepsi down and close my eyes to block out the picture. I hear a huge whooshing sound. Something is breaking beneath us. My last thought is: You won't have to say goodbye this time mom.

Author's Note

I wrote this one.