Reality | Teen Ink

Reality

April 9, 2010
By .Escape.From.This.Afterlife. GOLD, Short Hills, New Jersey
.Escape.From.This.Afterlife. GOLD, Short Hills, New Jersey
10 articles 0 photos 92 comments

Favorite Quote:
"bad blood is more satisfying to spill across the floor..."


Some people claim intuition can warn you of a tragedy in the making, like everyone has got a little clairvoyance in their head. If so, I’m missing out on some vital brain cells, because the only thing on my mind was lunch. I doubt a few moments notice would have changed anything, or have saved anyone. It’s probably better no one knew; dying in peace rather than panic. Thinking back, it’s good lunch was the final thing on my mind.

I’ve never been one of those people who freaked out on a plane. For some reason, I’ve always felt totally calm all those thousands of feet in the air, like I were lying in my own bed. Maybe that’s why I wasn’t expecting what happened next, no one ever anticipates their bed suddenly going up in flames. So I sat there, contently staring at the television screen built into the chair before mine. Other than the light from the functioning TV’s, the entire first-class cabin was pitch black. I would have been asleep had the movie not been so gory. Not that gore keeps me awake; I found it more…amusing than anything. If only the real thing wasn’t so different.

Whilst I watched the gore of the movie unfold, the stewardess came stumbling down the aisle, clearing the way with a metal cart. She clearly wasn’t experienced when it came to service, the way she carried herself was jerky and unsteady. Like a new car with two flat tires, she came billowing down the clearing between seats with a smile plaster across her nervous face. She was pretty, not that airbrushed fake pretty that people find intimidating rather than attractive, but the gentle, comforting pretty. She had a face that I felt like I could trust. Despite that, I didn’t pay the slightest bit of attention as she rammed her metal deathtrap into me.
“Excuse me…SORRY!” She apologized anxiously. I turned at the sound of an unfamiliar voice.
“It’s fine.” I replied blandly, hardly bothering to make eye contact, and then refocused on my movie.
“If you don’t mind me asking,” Her uncomfortable voice muttered, recollecting my attention, as if it was a rope in a tug-of-war with the television. “What’s your name?”
Her question more of less surprised me, I’m not used to random strangers confronting me.
“Fiona.” I responded, removing the headset that suffocated my ears.
“Well, Fiona.” Her smile was warm, an authentic display of happiness. “I must say; you have quite a set of unique eyes there.”

I couldn’t help but smile; the beauty of my eyes was one thing I couldn’t deny. I have different colored eyes, one blue, and one green. It’s a rare; totally only one of a kind characteristic that pretty much defines who I am. Without it, my personality might as well cease to exist.
“Thank you.” My grin was gladsome; I couldn’t hide how happy my eyes made me. If arrogance lied anywhere in my mind, it had to do with my eyes. Blue and green eyes were my favorite, and having both just made my day, every single day.

By now, you’re probably curious what someone like me is doing on a plane alone. What motive would propel a high school student to fly halfway across the globe in the middle of the school year, all on her own? The truth is, if I saw anyone else doing this, I’d think them crazy. But somehow, my predicament seems to justify the situation. Recently, my mother passed away in one of the worst ways imaginable, suicide. No one really understands why, but it hit me harder than anyone else. I just felt totally destroyed, totally torn and incinerated. My mom was the only person that I could really relate to…in my family anyway, other than my grandmother. Sure, I had my dad and older brother, but they might as well have been complete strangers, especially in times of crisis and grief. And the way my family functioned was so…dead, so completely lifeless and horrific there was no way I could possibly handle it. So, I hopped on the next plane the hell out of there.



The stewardess made her uneasy way past, knocking into a few other passengers on the way. It wasn’t long after that I became unusually hungry. I don’t eat much, but I’ve always been one of those people unable to wait for a meal. I just wanted things the second I craved it; my impatience has always been incredibly annoying. My dad used to say ‘patience is a part of life, rushing things will only cause strife’. I never believed any of that; I think I have to wait long enough to age. Why wait for anything else?

The awkward stewardess was long gone, so I intolerantly rose from my seat. The plane was teetering oddly, and the pilot was instructing us all to stay seated, but I never took any of that seriously. I knew nothing would happen. One thing about adolescence, we think we know it all, but we merely survive on ignorance is bliss.

I made my way to the small kitchen cabin, taking one wobbly step after another, when things started to go wrong. The slight teetering changed suddenly, as if we were being bombarded from every angle by missiles. I would have, should have taken that as a big hint, and sprinted back to my seat. But, as I mentioned before, I’ve always been all to at ease in a plane. So I gripped the top of the seats, and progressed further down the lane.
Could everyone please take their seats? The pilot instructed for the second time, and I immediately assumed he was referring to me. I looked from side to side, surveying those around me. They’d all seemed to heed the warning all too rapidly, like they knew this was a life or death situation. Why does everyone overreact?

Eventually, I felt odd being the only one up, and turned back to my seat. It was then that we took a sudden dive, and the plane literally began to fall out of the sky. I screamed, and before I could react, was thrown violently against the cabin ceiling. It was pretty much the worst, most sudden pain I’ve ever felt. My head hit the roof so sharply, so agonizingly hard that I could have sworn my skull shattered on impact. And I swear I heard my back snap like a mere twig. The pain was sudden, horrible…but then over before it could really sink in. I fell back to the ground, but I felt absolutely nothing, like falling on a thick mound of pillows. The people in the cabin screeched, gazing at me in pure horror, but I simply rose to my feet.
Instinctively, my hands gripped the once tender back of my head. There was no blood, no shards of bone, and no pain. I felt as normal as ever, as if I’d just woken from a good night sleep. The plane was still falling like a bowling ball from a shelf, so I slithered, unharmed, back to my seat.
People screaming—babies crying—wind rushing like a hurricane—smoke—fire burning, all these horrible, unbearable aspects made up the duration of our fall. I snatched at my seatbelt, but I couldn’t get a grip for some reason. So I held myself and prayed, a sudden wave of faith rushing over me. I felt fear, an emotion that felt so raw and intense, compared to how I’d felt it before, rushing through my veins. Everything happened so fast; I could hardly catch my breath. If I didn’t know any better, I would have said I wasn’t breathing at all.
Then, even worse than the endless fall, was the actual crash. I don’t know where we were, but we took something out with us, leaving a fatal snap as we hit the ground. Or maybe that was the bloodcurdling shatter of the plane’s underbelly, reaching sea level Making contact after such a deadly fall should have hurt…should have shook me too the bone and possibly killed me, but again, I felt nothing. I might as well have fallen atop a pile of cotton candy.
More screaming—blood—death like I’ve never seen before—tension and horror plaguing the smoky air. I wouldn’t have made it out of the flaming aircraft if not for Jane. Jane, by the way, is the stewardess who’d commented on my eyes earlier. Her fear and discomfort was more prevalent than ever, her hands were trembling uncontrollably as she directed us to the nearest exit. And by ‘us’ I mean the few people who seemed to escape the chaos that had erupted like the contents of a shaken soda can. That wasn’t very many, considering the plane had fallen to pieces, shredded its underbelly, and gone up in flames. Still, there were some that the bruised and bleeding Jane attempted to steer towards safety. But at least she had it under control enough to help me.
“Fiona?” She muttered as I leaped over a mass of maimed flesh. I looked up.
“W-what happened?” I stuttered, gawking at the flaming cabin.
“An engine caught fire, I don’t know how. You have to get out of here!” She was panting, staring around for survivors. There were so few, I don’t even understand how I made it. So many lives had faded in a matter of seconds, so many people gone without saying goodbye…
Jane dove through the door, and I followed.

To be honest, outside wasn’t much of an improvement. The flames still thrived on the flesh and metal, the death toll still rose, but at least I was outside. I could smell the hope of freedom in the air. If only that was the only thing I could smell.

It wasn’t until now that the full effect of the accident hit, like a fresh slap to the face. And, being the small town Junior that I am, I’m accused used to death. And at such a large, mass-murder type scale, you could imagine my reaction.

“Fiona!” Jane screeched, reaching out for my arm. For some reason, she didn’t grip it, despite the fact I was still in reach. Jane just paused suddenly, heaving her breaths like boulders, and watched me run off.

I’m not sure what caused my sudden sprint, but I just couldn’t take what I was facing. Framing the path I ran were bodies, bleeding, maimed, human bodies. The remains of dozens of once breathing, suddenly slaughtered human beings. Each one of these bloody carcasses once had a family, once led a life all their own. They weren’t actors from some cheesy horror movie, covered in artificial blood and returning home at night. There was no coming back; life had been ripped from them like a rug from under your feet. Their entire existence shattered in a few, final seconds.

By then, tears were streaming my face, running down my unharmed cheeks. How could I possibly have been so lucky? Out of all these people, all these shattered souls and wasted lives, how did I escape without a single fissure or contusion? I must’ve been the luckiest thing on this planet; I could still return home to family, I could still breathe the sweet, fresh air. God blessed me enough to keep me around to see people I loved, to go back to school. It seemed to take a plane crash to make me realize my family needed me around.

Eventually, I got tired of running. One can only sprint full speed for so long. So I paused, resting my exhausted body against some unidentifiable wreckage. I couldn’t have gone far, I was still enveloped by evidence of the catastrophe. The living hell still made up my environment, but at least I’d tired myself out. Exhaustion made it harder to think, harder to concentrate on anything but breathing. But for some reason, I still felt like the breath refused to enter my lungs.

The fact is, I hadn’t made it very far, and I could still see Jane in the distance. Had I gone nowhere at all…or was she just following me? Whatever the reason, Jane was nearby; close enough so I could hear her. She was screaming indistinctly, mostly making painful shocked yelps. And, most disturbingly, she was leaning over a bloody corpse.


Forgetting my fear and discomfort, I wobbled over to assist my recently acquired friend. I may not be the most sympathetic person, but I could definitely feel empathy for loss. So I knelt at the stewardess’s side, looking her up and down. The thing is, I wasn’t expecting what was coming next. Rather than relief, Jane stared up at me fearfully. Her eyes flashed from my unharmed face, to the maimed corpse and back. She reached out, hesitantly, for my shoulder, but didn’t touch. And then, without warning, she howled like an old horror movie victim.
“Fiona?” Her voice was shaking uncontrollably.
“Are you alright?” I asked, ignoring her question. She didn’t answer, just glanced at the body for which she mourned. Something I’d never seen before lingered in her eyes, something more realistic than I could comprehend. She honest to God looked like she’d seen a ghost.



I looked down at the body Jane had overturned. She was a schoolgirl, with brown hair and a light complexion. In a single glance, I came across more cuts than I could count, more blood than I could handle. Her face was pretty much mutilated beyond recognition, but one thing stood out about her, one thing no one could miss.
Her eyes, staring out aimlessly into space, were blue and green.


The author's comments:
I've always been oddly interested in post-death and the afterlife. I tend to lean towards a more morbid, creepy sci-fi genre in my writing, without really knowing why. :)

Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 19 comments.


on May. 17 2010 at 5:23 pm
...PensiveGurl... PLATINUM, Aurora, Colorado
20 articles 0 photos 267 comments

Favorite Quote:
You get ideas from daydreaming. You get ideas from being bored. You get ideas all the time. The only difference between writers and other people is we notice when we're doing it- Neil Gaiman.
Who are you to be who you are?-Le'Na Pernell

Ditto! this story was very well done and descriptive! with a special twist at the end. awesome job!

on May. 17 2010 at 12:07 pm
NonsensicalMuse PLATINUM, San Anotnio, Texas
22 articles 0 photos 87 comments

Favorite Quote:
"There is nothing wrong with having your head in the clouds as long as you don't get altitude sickness"

"Perhaps you are right,perhaps not. I don't know 110% either way.All I know is that Im in search of truth. If you are too, let us be friends."

really good-kinda dark and creepy but refreshing 'cause it wasn't to dark and creepy-excellent writing style!

sNIKerz said...
on May. 16 2010 at 11:54 am
WRITE MORE!!! Please!! This is amazing. I loved it! Greatttttt!!!! (: WOW =)

on May. 15 2010 at 2:12 pm
Fredwardness SILVER, Romeo, Michigan
8 articles 6 photos 211 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The stars are blazing like rebel diamonds cut out of the sun" -The Killers (Read My Mind)

"If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there." -George Harrison

.This is...wow I really love this. You'rea  really talented writer. I like your topic.

on May. 15 2010 at 8:10 am
.Escape.From.This.Afterlife. GOLD, Short Hills, New Jersey
10 articles 0 photos 92 comments

Favorite Quote:
"bad blood is more satisfying to spill across the floor..."

Haha thank you so much!  I really appreciate it! :D  I'm hoping to write a little side story to go along with this, but its currently a work in progress.  

on May. 13 2010 at 10:06 am
xXxLovelyEurixXx GOLD, Brandon, Florida
11 articles 0 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
“I hope she’ll be a fool—that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” ~ Daisy Buchanan - The Great Gatsby

This has to be the best fiction story, that is not about romance, that I have read! It gave me chills from the moment I started reading, honestly! I had goosebumps all the way through. The description was unbelievable, you have a talent very few people have! It was almost like a movie playing each word in my head. There's no tips I can offer on the description, and your diction is wonderful! I cannot wait to read your other work. (:

 

If there's any tips I can give you for this first one, keep writing and don't stop!


Ridersblock said...
on May. 12 2010 at 11:43 am
Ridersblock, Morehead, North Carolina
0 articles 0 photos 25 comments

Favorite Quote:
'Can miles truly separate you from friends... If you want to be with someone you love, aren't you already there?' -Richard Bach

OMG that was good!  Write more please!!

on May. 11 2010 at 9:04 pm
iwanttobeforeveryoung GOLD, Forest Hills, New York
11 articles 2 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
"When the power of lover overcomes the love of power the world will know peace."
-Jimi Hendrix

Wow.  You should really expand on it in another story to fully explain, but just as long as you don't do it in this one.  It's perfect the way it is. :)

on May. 11 2010 at 3:13 pm
love-hurts__i-know SILVER, Decatur, Illinois
8 articles 0 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
"i don't walk through my life, i strut through it!"

OMG i loved it!!!!

on May. 11 2010 at 10:16 am
StarlitStranger SILVER, Delancey, New York
6 articles 2 photos 25 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Because if it isn't 'of Doom' what's the point?"

Wasn't expecting that.. But i like it!

on May. 10 2010 at 12:18 pm
this is really good! :} i liked it! :}

on May. 10 2010 at 11:01 am
.Escape.From.This.Afterlife. GOLD, Short Hills, New Jersey
10 articles 0 photos 92 comments

Favorite Quote:
"bad blood is more satisfying to spill across the floor..."

Thanks for the comment!  Wow, that's a really good idea for a side story... I really wanna write that.  Haha :)  Thanks!

vampluv11 GOLD said...
on May. 10 2010 at 10:45 am
vampluv11 GOLD, Saugerties, New York
10 articles 1 photo 59 comments

Favorite Quote:
Go ask Alice.

this was excellent! i expected the ending to be something about her blue/green eyes making her different, making her able to survive. but this ending was suprising! i loved it! id love to see an extra side story or something that would explain why Jane can see her.

We-R-3 BRONZE said...
on May. 10 2010 at 8:32 am
We-R-3 BRONZE, Orlando, Florida
1 article 0 photos 344 comments

Favorite Quote:
A picture is worth a thousand words, however it takes a real artist to turn words into pictures.

Have you heard about the new Lebron Iphone, you have to set it on vibrate because it doesn't have any rings

Very suspenseful, the begining hooked and the ending had me wanting more.

on May. 8 2010 at 3:22 pm
Forgotten BRONZE, Aurora, Colorado
3 articles 0 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
Loneliness adds beauty to life. It puts a special burn on sunsets and makes night air smell better.-Henry Rollins, For who can bear to feel himself forgotten?-W. H. Auden, Forgotten is forgiven- F. Scott Fitzgerald

I am genuinely impressed! you kept me interested through the whole story-not many people can do that. and the ending was not something I expected at all!

excellent job!


Muffinlover said...
on May. 8 2010 at 2:53 pm
Muffinlover, Jackson, Ohio
0 articles 0 photos 2 comments
This was unbelievably amazing. I wasn't expecting that ending at all. You have a great amount of talent! Keep writing!

on May. 7 2010 at 7:12 pm
hyp0allergenic SILVER, Woodhaven, Michigan
8 articles 0 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
“I believe in everything until it’s disproved. So I believe in fairies, the myths, dragons. It all exists, even if it’s in your mind. Who’s to say that dreams and nightmares aren’t as real as the here and now?” -John Lennon

That was really, really good. The ending definitely surprised me. You have a lot of talent, it was all very vivid and detailed. :)

on May. 7 2010 at 5:31 pm
whatshername GOLD, Carlsbad, California
14 articles 1 photo 112 comments

this is great...you have talent

 


JacobC GOLD said...
on May. 6 2010 at 5:33 pm
JacobC GOLD, Belgium, Wisconsin
10 articles 4 photos 69 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Am I indecisive? Well, yes and no." -Anonymous

Amazing.  The ending was great.