The turbulence grew worse. Elliot's hands were white-knuckled as he gripped the seatback in front of him. Max, sensing his distress, had become still, but the dog's usual calmness did little to settle Elliot's racing heart. He had no idea what was happening. All he knew was that the world outside the plane had become a silent enemy, and they were trapped in the middle of it.
The low hum of the engines was drowned out by the roar of the wind outside. Ben's voice came through the intercom, but it was barely audible over the noise. "Stay down, Elliot. Keep your head low. We're being targeted."
Targeted? Elliot's stomach twisted. His eyes flicked to the windows again, but there was nothing out there. No planes, no sign of movement. Only the dark sky, empty and indifferent. But Ben's words sent a chill through him. Who was out there? And why were they targeting them?
The plane lurched again, throwing Elliot against the side of the cabin. He barely caught himself, his heart pounding in his chest. Max barked, startled, and Elliot grabbed him tightly, his breath coming in short, panicked bursts. The fear was almost suffocating.
Ben's voice crackled through the intercom again. "Elliot, we're losing altitude. I'm trying to stabilize it, but I need you to stay calm. Whatever happens, you need to be ready. Understand?"
Elliot swallowed hard, nodding even though Ben couldn't see him. "Understood."
His mind was a whirl of confusion. Losing altitude? That meant they were descending. And fast. He looked around the small cabin, but there was nowhere to go. Nowhere to hide. The plane was all they had, and if it went down, there was nothing left for them.
Max whimpered, sensing Elliot's rising panic. He was the only constant, the only thing that made this world feel even remotely familiar. Elliot reached down and stroked his dog's fur, trying to find some semblance of comfort in the action. But the cold dread still gnawed at him, making it hard to breathe.
The plane continued to shake, the engines sputtering in protest. The altitude was dropping, faster than Elliot could comprehend. He felt a cold sweat forming on his forehead as he fought to keep his composure. The pressure was building. His heart raced, and his thoughts scattered. What if they didn't make it? What if this was the end?
But Ben wasn't giving up. That much was clear. The man was doing everything he could to keep them in the air, to keep them alive. He wasn't going to let them die without a fight.
Elliot closed his eyes for a moment, drawing in a deep, shaky breath. He couldn't afford to fall apart now. Not when they were so close to the end. He had to stay focused. He had to survive. For his father. For everyone they had lost.
Max licked his hand, his warm, familiar presence a reminder that he wasn't alone. That was all he needed right now—a reminder that he wasn't the only one fighting to stay alive.
The turbulence grew worse, the plane jerking violently in the air. Elliot's body tensed, bracing for whatever came next. But then, just as quickly as it had started, the shaking stopped. The silence that followed was deafening.
Elliot dared to look up. The sky outside had gone dark, and the wind had died down. For a brief moment, everything seemed eerily still. He glanced at the cockpit, where Ben was still at the controls, his face a mask of concentration.
The radio crackled, and Ben's voice came through, low and urgent. "We're coming in for a landing. Get ready. It's not going to be smooth."
A landing? Elliot's heart skipped a beat. He didn't know where they were, or what kind of landing Ben was talking about. All he knew was that the ground was coming fast. Too fast.
He unbuckled his seatbelt and moved to the back of the plane, making sure Max was still by his side. He tried to calm his breathing, to focus on the task ahead. There was nothing he could do now but brace for impact.
The minutes seemed to stretch into eternity. Every second felt like an hour, and with each passing moment, the reality of what was happening began to sink in. The plane was descending—faster than it should have been. There was no smooth landing coming. Ben was doing his best to control it, but the situation was beyond his control.
And then, as the plane lurched again, Elliot knew. They were going down.
The ground was rushing up at them, and everything else fell away. Time seemed to slow, and all that was left was the fear that gripped him, the sound of Max's low growl, and the cold certainty that they weren't going to make it out of this one.
The plane tilted sharply, and Elliot's world spun. He grabbed onto the nearest support, Max's frantic barking filling his ears. The final seconds before impact stretched out, impossibly long, as if the universe itself was holding its breath.
And then—nothing.
The world went black.