The Plane Ride Home
© Shells Walter

It felt good to go home after a long break from school. The flight I had booked early, so that I was able to get home sooner then Saturday. I managed to get a seat by the window and enjoyed looking out at the ground below. The attendant had just finished the lunch service when the plane started to move funny. I figured it was just turbulence and did not pay too much attention to it; that's when the plane started to move in quick jerks. My head perked up and I looked towards the cabin doors. A few attendants had rushed over to the doors and were whispering to each other.

I managed to get the seatbelt off to go over by the attendants who were busy trying to get the pilot's attention. One of the attendants looked scared. What is going on here ? My thoughts were becoming more and more clear, something was wrong. I along with the others, tried to pry the door open. We managed to get the door open just in time to see the pilot's head fall to the control board of the plane. I turned as I heard one of the attendants scream. What followed next were more people screaming from the cabin area. The pain in my temple started to increase. Stress started to occupy any space left in my mind. I felt the pull of my stomach to throw up, but tried to push it down and think of what to do.

My brow started to sweat and I fell down toward the pilot's seat. The plane was starting to take a nosedive and quick. Memories of my past, present and what would have been my future occupied my thoughts for a brief second. I finally threw up, my stomach not able to control itself. I grabbed the pilot's chair and tried to balance myself up, which was not easy when you're headed straight down. The gravity from the plane taking its nosedive was pushing me towards the control board instead of allowing me to stand. My legs started to tingle, as the pressure of me forcing something, like standing up, was not working. The hands I used to pry the doors open to get in here were now sweaty and tired. Nothing I had tried seemed to work. I was going to die on this small plane just going to Kansas.

I started screaming to the cabin; my voice shrieked across, echoing throughout the plane. The attempt to be noticed was no use. There was no one on the plane that knew how to fly. The feeling of being pushed against something hard, hit me all at once. I now jammed against the control panel and panic crept in. If someone tells you that you should be fine to fly because there is no control over what happens, don't believe him or her. I was not fine. I was petrified. The cramps started to happen in my neck right away. I tried to maneuver my head away from the small space, but it was no use. I was stuck. One of the attendants even tried to help me out, but she ended up in a similar position. When I looked over at her the best I could, she had been pushed into the back of the pilot's chair, knocked out.

If there were a time where I wished I were still in diapers, it would have been now. The thoughts of wanting to go to the bathroom were not an issue my body took care of that. I now knew I was going to die and I sat in my own urine that dripped from my pants. I started to hyperventilate. Knowing I was going to die was not something I wanted, but I also now knew was something I could not avoid. The panic that was set into motion. I tried to control it, but couldn't. My breathing became more and more labored pain in my chest more severe.

I could hear the pressure of the engines of the plane as we accelerated further, heading towards the ground. I started to pray, something I never had done before. The prayers seemed to sooth my nerves somewhat. I think deep down inside I had hoped for someone to take me through the gates. What I really hoped now was that it would come quickly. I started to get more of a ringing sensation in my ears as the altitude got lower. The popping of air in my ears made everything I was feeling worse. I knew it would not be long now.

It was then that all the pain had stopped. I was standing in the room where I had first been before the flight. I must have fallen asleep. I looked around and saw everyone getting ready to board the plane. It was then I made the decision to wait a few days before going home.