Exist

by EpicNinjaWriter in Oregon

Chapter one

  I settled back in my chair and leaned my cheek against the cool glass of the airplane window. Absently, I kicked my backpack and thought of how, in just about fifty minutes, we would be landing in China. I was soooo excited because my parents were reporters and we got to travel all the time to exotic countries. This was my first time going to China and I was looking forward to seeing my cousins, Mary Beth and Jackson. My cousins and I all have the same creamy dark-almond skin. Mary Beth has long, shiny black hair that falls at about her waist, and mine only goes down to my shoulders. I hadn't seen my cousins since I was three, when they came to visit us in Oregon. So I was really stoked when the speakers crackled to life and a voice came through- "This is your captain speaking. We'll be landing in about twenty-five minutes. You can look down and see the sparkling ocean that we're currently passing over. Thank you for flying with us today." I leaned over and looked out the window. Sure enough, I could see the distant waters of the ocean far below.

   Suddenly, there was a rumbling sound, and I was jolted from the window. We bounced roughly up and down. I didn't recall the Captain saying there would be turbulence. I gripped the arms of my seat so I wouldn't shudder. Slam! The seatback tray bumped down onto my knees. I gritted my teeth to keep from yelping. The speakers crackled on again, but the voice was interuppted by a violent crack as the plane tipped sidways. I felt my grip on the chair slipping. I fell hard against my Mom, who fell against Dad, and Dad collapsed in the aisle. All around us, people were screaming and shouting, babies were crying, and toddlers were whining. I kept my mouth shut and focused on getting upright again. Suddenly, the plane tilted back up and we all let out sighs of relief. "I repeat- do no panic." the captain said calmly. I caught a glimpse out my window. The wing on our side was gone! I was about to cry out when the plane tipped again, this time the other way. Now I screamed too.

    "Do not panic. Please get into the crash position- put your head down, between your legs. I repeat, do NOT panic." Then the speaker cut out with a sharp crackling sound. I did as I was told, and around me, everyone was leaning forwards with their heads between their knees. Suddenly, I felt the plane land. It felt like we were still going down... then I realized that we were on water. We were sinking! Okay, stay calm. I told myself. Amanda, do not freak out. But if we weren't supposed to freak out, then the adults were setting bad examples. People rushed by, struggling out of their seatbelts to lift the life vest cushion. I clicked out of my seatbelt and fumbled with the tab that loosened the cushion. Soon, Mom, Dad, and I had strapped them across our chests. We made our way out into the aisle. Mom helped a woman and her three-year-old while I stood still and tried very hard not to throw up.

      The veins in my forehead felt very tight. My heart was thumping like a jackhammer in my ribcage. Suddenly, the captain was speaking again. "Everyone please strap your floatation cushions onto your chest and precede to the nearest emergency exit." I held tight to Mom's hand and together, my parents and I began to make our way to the back of the plane. All of a sudden, my world flipped over as the plane pitched upside down. I was knocked to the ground. I stood up carefully and stepped quickly over what was now the curved ceiling. I stumbled out of the exit and immeadiatly was soaked through with icy cold water. My heart was beating faster now. Behind us, the plane was sinking steadily. And then... it was underwater, and everyone was paddling as fast as they could. I felt my uggs weighing me down, so I kicked them off, but regretted it as the cold turned my feet into icicles.

       "Amanda!" my Mom's voice cut through the air. I kicked my way over to her and by pedaling my legs, managed to stay in place long enough to hug her and Dad. "Let's go," I whispered through chattering teeth. After only ten minutes of swimming, my muscles were already fatigued and my head was pounding with the unbearable cold. Suddenly, I felt my legs falter and I was under the water. I could see only brown, murky darkness and in the distance, I could hear my parents' frantic voices. I wanted to call out to them and swim back up to the surface, but already I could feel the cold weakening me. My lungs seared but I felt strangely calm. Then, the world gave out to blackness. Empty, swimming blackness.