by Jade Hart
I snuck a worried glance at Joslyn’s reaction. “Maybe. I’ll think about your offer.” I gave him a crooked smile. “Thanks.”
His face softened, and he gave Joslyn an ‘I’m up to no good’ air kiss. The minute he was gone, Joslyn attacked me with a verbal interrogation. “Oh my God, what offer? Are you going to sleep with him? I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist. No one can.”
“Easy with the inquest.” I laughed, patting her forearm. “Nothing happened. Nothing is going to happen. So stop fretting and focus on your own consuming love life.”
Her hand clutched at the scarf still around her neck. “You win that round. But if I find out he’s whisked you away and licked chocolate off your body—I might be forced to hammer some sense into you.” She winked so I knew she wasn’t that pissed.
The mental image of Liam naked and dripping chocolate sauce all over me flamed my blood to a boil.
Now how was I supposed to work?
The flight to Samoa was mostly full, so it didn’t give me and the girls a lot of time to hang out down the back. We ran around serving over-nuked, foil-wrapped food and delivering drink orders. Joslyn was the equivalent of a wind-up rabbit after inhaling too many Redbulls, and Samantha was graceful and helpful. However, excitement gleamed in her eyes every time we mentioned Samoa.
We were all bouncing at the thought of landing amongst the palm tree splendour and scorching sun. Pity we couldn’t overnight there instead of Sydney.
“Have you ever been?” I asked Jos.
“No. I can’t wait. I’ve always wanted to go to the Pacific.” She leaned against the galley bench. “Do you think we’ll have a lot of time on the ground? Can we go and explore?”
I shook my head. “I doubt it. It’ll be a quick turnaround, especially if we have to get back to Sydney before we go over the hours we can fly.” Which sucked. I wanted to stay as much as she did.
Joslyn pouted.
I opened my mouth to tell her to stop sulking—that we’d be back—hopefully in the not too distant—
A sonorous boom tore through the air, smashing into my ear-drums with the force of a fist.
Oh my God!
The plane bucked and shuddered as shrieking metal and thundering pandemonium hammered the cabin.
Fuck!
What the hell was happening? What caused the blast? Oh my God. Oh my God. All my training siphoned away, leaving only rabid panic. My heart was a frantic hummingbird in my chest trying to break free; careening into my ribcage.
The shrieking and thundering hushed as suddenly as it begun and ice doused my flesh as silence blanketed the cabin. The silence was even worse than the catatonic noise. My lungs heaved as I froze. What should I do? Was there anything I could do? I had no control. If my time was up, I was screwed. Stop freaking out!
There was a brief pause where every passenger and crew didn’t move. See, we’re still alive. Everything’s fine.
Passenger’s eyes were the only thing that shot around the aircraft, nobody moved as if their seats would fall from beneath them, or a wing would fall off, or we would plummet like a boulder from the sky.
I took a step, breaking the hold of silence and swore. I jinxed it. The plane took my footstep as the green light to jerk, buck, and yaw. We went from slicing through the air like a herringbone to holding on for dear life to a bucking bronco.
“Samantha! What do we do?” I yelled, stumbling in turbulence.
Screams erupted from throats as the orange oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling; dangling a death-jig with cords and tubes, forecasting a morbid end to this journey.
Please let this be a training drill or something! Maybe our line exam didn’t finish yesterday, after all. I didn’t know a thing about being a flight attendant in that moment.
The plane ricocheted as if bouncing off clouds like a Ping-Pong ball. I grabbed a seat rest while Samantha lost her footing and collapsed in the galley, slipping and sliding on her stomach with each shake.
Joslyn shouted, “What the fuck is going on?” Her green eyes wide with terror. “How do we stop it?”
We couldn’t stop it. That was the horrible thing. If gravity wanted us, it would have us.
My body surged with adrenaline as the turbulence stopped and the plane levelled out. The craziness calmed, but I didn’t trust it. Was it over? Or was it just beginning?
I took a deep breath.
Then my stomach was left at ten thousand feet as we nosedived.
“Oh shit!” I screamed. My fingernails dug into the foam of the seat rest, and I slammed to my knees. No! Oh no. I didn’t want to die!
Joslyn squealed and lost her grip. She sprawled down the aisle, careening past screaming passengers and debris.
Shit!We’re going to die. Please don’t let us die!
Samantha yelped as cupboard doors flung open, spraying her in coffee sachets and cutlery. I couldn’t breathe as we plunged to our death. The training drilled into me wasn’t any use. My life was over before it even began. God, I shouldn’t have thought chasing a career was more important than enjoying and living life. I should’ve fought harder. Detaching myself from my father took so much out of me, I’d been weak when it came to letting men into my life. And now I’d never find true happiness.
Terror-tears leaked as we hurtled from sky to ground. Regret crushed me at not having the courage to be fully open with anyone, including myself. I thought I could ignore affection—that I didn’t need it. Hell, I needed it. I wanted it. And I’d never experience it.
I squeezed my eyes closed as the whining of engines and screams of passengers stole my last thread of calmness. Almost hyperventilating, I made a promise. Please, if we survive, I won’t hold back anymore. I’ll chase my dreams. I’ll never let others stop me from living my full potential. I won’t let fear steal my future. I want to live with no regrets. I want to live!
As if my promise was accepted, the craziness was over. The squealing engines coughed, resuming proper frequency, and the cabin righted from free fall to soaring horizontally. Normalcy returned, but my fingers wouldn’t let go of the seat rest. My hands ached from gripping so hard and my cheeks were clammy with tears.
Whimpering took over the screams and people started looking around for us—the crew who are supposed to know what the hell was happening. We were just as scared and clueless as them. It wasn’t a comforting thought. I didn’t have any energy left to comfort them. I needed comforting. What the hell had happened?
The phone buzzed and because I was the only one not flat on my belly, I picked it off its cradle.
“Everything okay in the cabin?” Captain Anderson’s voice was cool, professionally level. No indication he just flew through a life-threatening nosedive.
Sucking in a breath, I tried mimicking his calmness. My voice betrayed me with shaky nerves. “Yes, sir. Some frightened passengers, and I haven’t been able to check for injuries, but we’re all alive.” I think.
I desperately wanted to ask what happened, but it wasn’t my place. My job was to reassure the passengers and leave the rest up to him and Liam. As much as I didn’t want to. I wanted to huddle in the corner and mantra my promise over and over. I would never let my life pass me by again. I’d fight for everything I wanted. I was a coward for not letting myself feel, or need, or rely on another.
Liam came on the line. “Nina?”
Oh God. I wanted to rely on him. Could I rewind the flight back to when he offered to help me with my CPL? I’d hug him if I could. He deserved a hug and not my distain. “Yes.” I couldn’t stop trembling. “What happened? Are you alright?”
His voice hitched. “I’m fine. Are you okay?”
“I think so. Bit shaken, and I have carpet burn on my knees, but I’m good.” Relief filled me as Joslyn and Samantha moved gingerly about the cabin. They seemed okay, thank God. “Joslyn’s okay, too. What happened?” Did I want to know? Was it fixable? Was this reprieve temporary or were we safe? I itched to rip up a seat and find a life jacket under
neath—ready for the horrible conclusion of crashing.
Liam paused. “We don’t know, but whatever it was, it took out our electronic equipment. All our instruments malfunctioned.”
I gulped as Joslyn tended to a few people. Her wrist was bleeding from her skid down the aisle. Whatever blew up most likely took out our navigational system too, along with…
Oh crap. “Do you still have autopilot?”
Liam answered, “No. All our instruments are out. We’re flying using the horizon and pressure gauges for speed.” He took a deep breath. “Look, keep everyone calm. I’ll do an announcement. We’ll land in forty-five minutes. Anderson and I can keep us airborne till then.”
Until then? Jeez how bad was it? My heart stuttered and I decided I definitely didn’t want to know. “Okay.” I said, concerned at the stress in his voice. Fear laced my lungs, but at the same time tempered with relief. I had faith in him and Anderson. My life, along with hundreds of others, was now in his hands. I wasn’t afraid. Well, that was a minor admission, I was petrified. “I’ll prepare the cabin for landing.”
“Thanks.” Liam sighed. “I’ll, um, talk to you soon. Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe.”
A zap of calmness filled me, beating back my worry. Yep, he definitely deserved a hug.
Hanging up, I turned to Samantha who was white as a cloud. Considering she was my superior, I didn’t think she dealt with near-crashes all that well. “We need to calm the passengers and prepare for a landing.”
“Are we ditching?” she asked, eyes huge.
“No, we won’t have to land in the ocean. Captain Anderson and Liam can land us, as planned, in Samoa. They’re flying manually and not on auto anymore.” I laughed, rather morbidly. There would be no calls for coffee or newspapers anytime soon. “Help me do the rounds, and we’ll buckle in for arrival.” Somehow, I became the boss and my trembles petered off as I focused on doing my job. There was structure in my training and I latched onto it.
The passengers were bug-eyed and freaked. I was on my third woman, informing her we were safe, when Liam came over the intercom.
“Ladies and Gentlemen. We apologise for the sudden descent and execution of the oxygen masks. There was a small problem with the instruments, but we have rectified the error and are safely on course to Samoa. Please sit back and relax, and we aim to have you on the ground in thirty minutes.”
The entire cabin groaned in relief. Passengers who looked ready to throw up with panic settled into their seats, melting into relieved puddles.
The speakers clicked off, and I rushed to pick up the ringing phone in the back galley. “Yes?”
“Get everyone secured and make sure everything is locked down. Okay?” Liam’s voice was tense and gruff.
Fear thickened my blood. “Why do I get the feeling this isn’t gonna be a simple touch down?”
Captain Anderson came on the line. “Nina, all our electronics are down. Do you understand what I mean?”
I stood there dumbfounded for a moment before I finally caught up. “The landing gear won’t come down.”
“Correct. And for some reason it’s jammed, and we can’t activate it manually. We’re going to land on our belly. It’s going to be bumpy, loud, and might end in flames. But we’ve already called for fire engines and paramedics to be on the runaway in Samoa.” He paused before adding, “Just remember your training and everything will be fine.”
I nodded, swallowing the obstruction in my throat. I’d been on the job two days, and was about to live through an emergency landing. Hopefully live through. Please don’t let this end in disaster! Remember my promise. I will fight for the life I want.
Pulling courage around me like a cape, I said, “Will do, Captain. I look forward to seeing you on the ground.”
“Me too, Nina. Me too,” Captain Anderson replied.
Liam said, “Make sure your harness is on extra tight. Do you hear me?” His tone was bossy and strict, but I knew it was only from fear. I liked bossy and strict Liam, it warmed me with knowledge he’d keep me safe.
His protectiveness helped chase away my remaining fears. “I’ll cinch it as tight as it will go. Liam?”
“Yes?”
“Stay safe up there. I know you’ll bring us to the airport in one piece.” And I promise to be nicer to you when it’s all over.
He chuckled. “That’s the plan. Right, I gotta go.”
The line went dead, and I hurried up the aisle, motioning for Joslyn and Samantha to join me at the front.
Passengers grabbed our hands as we walked by. “Is everything okay? Do we need to do anything? Will we land safely?”
I gave my best professional smile. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. You’re in the best of hands with Captain Anderson. We’ll be there soon.”
Once at the front, I hustled Jos and Sam into the galley away from prying eyes. One look at my expression and Joslyn’s bottom lip wobbled. “We’re not going to make it? Are we?”
Sam gulped, waiting for my answer. How did I become the leader?
Trying to keep the seriousness of our situation light-hearted, I rolled my eyes. “Now is not the time for dramatics, Jos. Of course we’re gonna make it. Your step-brother is driving. He’ll make sure we do.” I sucked in a breath and added, “We just don’t have landing gear. That’s all.” Did that sound blasé enough? I hoped so as it helped disguise my own panic.
Samantha flinched. “We—we don’t have landing gear?”
“The electronics are out. The wheels won’t go down, so we’ll be landing on the undercarriage of the plane. Captain Anderson and Liam sound confident, but just in case, they’ve arranged for ambulances and fire trucks to be our welcoming committee.” I straightened. “We have to stay calm and collected for the passengers’ sake, and make sure you tighten your harnesses as tight as they’ll go. Any questions? We need to buckle up. We’re almost there.”
Joslyn sniffed and I ignored the twisting in my belly. Holding a pilot’s license didn’t make this any easier. In fact, it made it worse as I knew how bad it could be. Any squall of wind or quiver of turbulence, and the pilots might not be strong enough to stay in the clouds. The huge tonnage of aircraft could sink from the heights of atmosphere to the depths of the ocean.
“I’m glad you’re keeping a straight head, Nina. I signed up for fun and travel. I’m not so good in stressful situations,” Sam admitted. She patted me on the back and headed to her seat.
Joslyn gave me a wry look. “If we survive this, we’re so going to drink tonight.”
I laughed. The thought of a drink after flying with death filled me with hope.
Joslyn and I sat in our chairs and strapped ourselves in. I pulled the harness across my chest tighter than any corset.
The plane’s nose dipped, and we picked up speed as we descended into the Pacific Islands. The only thing visible from the portal window were fluffy cotton-candy clouds and blue horizon. In that moment, I wished we could float up here forever. Not worry about gravity or landing with no tires. There would be no smooth transition from sky to earth, not on crunching metal.
My breath caught as a judder bar of turbulence jostled us. Passengers flinched, crying out.
We inched lower and lower to the sparkling teal ocean. I had no doubt the pilots would be drenched in sweat, muscles bulging, fighting to keep the jumbo-beast weightless. Every inch we dropped, every centimetre we slowed, the plane would grow heavier and heavier. I wished I could be up there—helping.
Captain Anderson came over the intercom. “Ladies and Gentlemen, we are about to touch down in Samoa. We request you ensure your seat belts are securely fastened and you assume the brace position as marked on your inflight manual in your seat pocket. Please place your arms above your head and lean against the seat in front of you. There is no cause for alarm, but we will be performing this arrival with no landing gear. It will be a little rough, but nothing we can’t handle. Thank you for your compliance. We shall see you when we’re on solid ground.
”
Passengers’ voices rose with terror, but most did as instructed, tucking their neck down, protecting their head with their arms. I wished I could do that. Facing backward, with nothing to grab, was eerily lonely.
Palm trees suddenly replaced the sweeping ocean as we glided from aqua to soil. The green fronds grew closer, speeding faster and faster as we ate up the last few meters of air.
The split moment before we touched down, I took a deep breath and held it. Gripping my harness over my breasts, I closed my eyes. Please let us survive.
The plane kissed tarmac with a teeth-clenching metallic screech. We jack-knifed into the sky again, jarring my neck; ripping screams from adults and children alike.
The engines screeched into reverse as the pilots fought to brake. A hot, agonising slice rippled down my spine from whiplash as we kangarooed into the air again. A fraction of a moment later we collided with runway and stayed.
My vision danced with stars and flecks of light from the pain in my back, and my hands fell from my harness like limp, uncooked dough. For a glimmer of time, everything was eerily suspended in empty blackness as if I was paralysed, but then sound and awareness fast-forwarded me back to the realm of sensation, and I gasped.
We were a rocket. A cannonball on a deadly trajectory.
Our speed didn’t diminish as we shot forward, fishtailing, and shrieking. The plane moaned and groaned, rivets popped from panels, metal buckled and warped. Without the aid of brakes, all the pilots had to use were flaps, engine, and ailerons. Wind roared and howled as the aircraft tried to stop. How long was the runway? Would we careen off the end?
We hurtled toward a bank of ambulances and fire trucks. Blurred uniformed staff huddled as they watched us blast past.
Glowing fireworks and sparks rained around us from metal on asphalt and inch by agonising inch speed relinquished its hold. With a sound of a dying bull, the plane lurched to a stop, and we balanced precariously on its belly, before slamming to the left and resting on a wing tip.
My breath whooshed from my lungs. They did it! We were safe. Liam. I wanted to throw my arms around his neck and kiss him. To thank him for saving my life and a hundred others. If anyone deserved my promise to be open with someone, it was him. Not only did he fly like me, he saved my life with his talent. Sure, Captain Anderson had a lot to do with it… but, my body didn’t tingle around him.
