Chapter 2 - My First Flight

Flaris frowned as the airplane she was flying in suddenly started to vibrate violently. The flight from New York to Seattle was relatively smooth.. or it should be as she had read in her book! But the way the flight was almost bouncing her around in a teeth jarring way, she was suddenly scared that something was very wrong with her flight. She looked around at the strange faces around her and clutched the seat handles tightly. Usually such things had happened when there was a storm or the skies were not clear. But this.. She was frightened.

Soon alarms started screaming and the pilot's voice sounded through the speakers, "Please maintain peace. We are facing unexpected turbulence. Kindly co operate with the staff as they try to maintain your safety."

The man next to her started to curse and Flaris closed her eyes as she thought of her many regrets. She did not want to die! She was only eighteen years! And could her luck be that bad that she would die on her first ever airplane trip? The lights flickered and soon the flight was thrown into darkness. The people around her started to screamed in fright and chaos seemed to ensue around her.

"I told you not to go today! You could have just taken a train trip or even a bus! It would have taken longer but at least you would have been alive. You knew that there is a 1 in 3.37 billion chance of airplanes crashing but still you were excited to get on the airplane! Nothing comes free of cost, you need to remember that Flaris. And now you need to remember it into your next life! You wanted your teacher to taste the gluten free Banoffee Pie that you made and now, that will be buried with you under the ruins of this place! Oh Lord! Why do you always have to do this to me? Finally, I was able to get out of that place that you had me thrown in and now you are going to have me buried? Do you have any idea how many kids will be disappointed if I don't reach the university today! At least let me finish my studies and then we can negotiate about you offing me?"

The man next to her had silenced at her talking to herself and asked curiously in the darkness," What do you mean always do this? And are you negotiating with God?"

Flaris did not pay much attention to the other man and snapped, "Of course I am negotiating with Him! Do you see the skies outside? They are clear! You know what that means? This turbulence is something freaky! Even the pilot was panicking! You could hear it in his voice. God has a grudge against me! If I were on a ship then that ship would have probable been attacked by pirates!"

Just then the lights flickered on and the man next to her lunged at her, his fat hands surrounding her neck, "I am sorry, my dear! But if it is as you say then that means that you have to die to save us all! I will try to ,make your death as painless as possible! I have a daughter your age.."

Horror washed over Flaris as she tried to claw at his hands with one hand and pressed the release button for the seat belt with the other. Just then the airplane shook violently once again, making the man fall back in his seat and loose his grip.

Quickly, Flaris clambered out of her seat barely missing his attack again and screamed as she fell into the aisle backing away quickly.

Suddenly there was a loud crunch of metal as if the plane was being torn apart into two and the air pressure changed making oxygen masks fall out of the over head bins. The other man seemed to have no more knowledge of the danger and screamed at her," Have a brain and come here! Your death can save the lives of all these people on board!"

At this many eyes turned to her and Flaris knew that if this man instigated the others against her then whether the plane crashed or not, she was going to die definitely! Standing up, she rushed towards the bathroom, even as her oxygen started to drop. The man tried to follow her but chose to opt for saving his own life as he screamed, "Let me kill you peacefully!"

Rushing into the lavatory, she locked the door behind her, panting hard for breath! "Crazy Man! As if I would let him kill me.."

The airplane had stabilized a bit and then she felt a sudden kick at the door. She could hear the air stewardess's scream as the other man shouted, "Stupid girl! Come out!"

Once again the plane shuddered and Flaris backed away from the door as far as she could get in the tiny compartment that housed only a toilet and a small cleaning unit in a corner. She bit her lip and cursed herself for her big mouth! Her teacher had been right about it getting her in trouble some day..

Soon, everything outside had turned silent. And Flaris wondered if she should get up and take a look. Since the flight was stable now, she should probably be safe..

But just then darkness seemed to close around her. She had a feeling that she was being pressed very hard from all sides.. And then, to her horror, Flaris felt the walls around her disappear.. Instead of the toilet and cleaning unit, she was surrounded by... trees..

"Did she die and go to heaven? Well if she did, it was probably a good thing. She could have a few of her questions answered..." was the last thought in her head as she lost consciousness