The Wrong Side of Heaven

Part 1: Prologue

"Thank you," I say, glancing back out the window to see that our bags are being loaded like he said. My phone begins vibrating in my pocket so I quickly pull it out and answer it after seeing that it's my mom. "Hey mom."

"Hey sweetheart. Are you at the airport?"

"Yes," I say, looking down at my lap. "The pilot said we will be boarding in about twenty minutes."

There's a long moment of silence before I hear a soft sniffle. "There's still time to change your mind. You can stay here. Move back in with us. We'd love to help you."

"I don't need help, mom. I just need a change of scenery. Anything could happen but I want to explore. Who knows, I may hate it and come back in a week. But I need to try."

"I know," she says softly. "I just don't want you to leave because of a man. Just know that we're here for you if ever need anything. This is your home and you're welcome to come home any time. I'm proud of everything you've accomplished."

"Thanks mom," I say, glancing up at the man across from me. He is still watching me curiously. I look out the window, knowing I won't be able to concentrate on this conversation while looking at him. "But I want you to know this isn't about William. It's something I've always wanted to do and what happened just pushed me to do it a little sooner than planned. I'll come back to visit often."

"Okay, honey. Please let us know when you land. I will worry until you do. I love you."

"I will. I love you too. Bye mom."

I end the call and drop my hands to my lap with a sigh. My mom definitely hasn't made this easy. I feel guilty for leaving but I'll also regret not taking this opportunity. I will come back if things don't work out.

The pilot comes back in and announces it's time to board the plane. The man that has been sitting across from me reaches the door at the same time as I do. He gestures for me to go ahead of him so I flash a small smile before following the pilot onto the tarmac. I can feel his eyes on me but I force myself to keep my eyes forward. The pilot instructs us to sit in the center of the plane, only the small walkway between us. At the front of the plane sits another pilot with his headset on, ready for takeoff. The first pilot we met closes the door then takes his seat at the front of the plane next to the other pilot. Once his headset is on, they speak to each other as they begin flipping switches.

Seeing this live and in such close proximity is fascinating. I listen as they begin speaking to air traffic control and we are clear for takeoff. Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and the plane begins moving. The plane only gets louder as we begin moving faster and my eyes pop open. The plane is shaky and I feel nauseous. "What's your name?" the man beside me asks, his voice deep.

I look at him, swallowing nervously. "Isabel."

"My name is Javi. Jay for short. Is this your first flight?" he asks to which I nod. "These small planes feel rough because they fly low so they get caught up in the clouds but it's normal."

"Okay," I say, attempting to calm my nerves.

While it's reassuring that this is just normal turbulence, it's not reassuring enough for me to calm myself completely. This is a completely new experience for me. "Look at me," he says with authority.

Something tells me this man isn't the type your disobey. He has a powerful demeanor and his eyes look like they hold many dark secrets behind them. Who is this man? "What?" I ask softly.

"I think the only thing that could make this flight any worse for me is the person next to me vomiting. I need you to relax," he says, reaching up to tuck a stand of hair behind my ear.

His touch has a calming affect on me but I definitely won't be telling him that. "Where are you headed?" I ask, trying to distract myself from my thoughts.

He frowns slightly at my question. "Corpus Christi, Texas."

"Why?"

He sighs, turning his attention to the front of the plane. It doesn't appear he's going to answer so I turn my attention to my fidgeting hands. "My grandmother is on her death bed so I'm going to say my final goodbye and be there for my mother."

My heart hurts for him. I can't imagine losing my grandma. She's the glue that holds the family together. "I'm so sorry."

He chooses to end the conversation there and I don't blame him. There are no words that can change anything or make you feel any better in that situation.

About ten more minutes pass and I'm finally content. I lay my head back against my seat and think about everything I'll need to do once I get to my final destination when suddenly I hear two loud noises behind me. Jay and I look at each other in confusion then we hear loud beeping coming from the control panel. The plane quickly begins to drop and the pilots begin to move in a panic. Placing my hand over my chest, my breathing quickens and my body begins to shake uncontrollably. Everything goes silent in my panic and all I hear is my ears ringing. The pilot turns to speak to us but I don't hear him. The plane makes another quick drop and I open my mouth to scream but the fear has completely taken over my body.

The perfect stranger sitting beside me gently turns my face towards his so we're only a foot apart. "Isabel! Listen to me! Can you hear me?" he yells, clearly way calmer than me and possibly even the pilots. I nod a little. "We're going to make a water landing. I need you to relax your body to lessen the blow."

"No," I whisper, tears rolling down my face.

Is this it? I'm too young. I haven't even gotten a chance to live my life. "Isabel, relax your body as much as possible. You will increase your chances of surviving." The plane is becoming more unstable as we speak and I attempt to see out the window beside him but he wipes away my tears, gaining my attention once again. "Can you do that for me Isabel? Just close your eyes and think about how happy your mom is going to be when you come home."

He releases my face and I squeeze my eyes shut as I sob. I attempt to relax my body as he takes my hand in his. I have no idea how close we are to the ground and this man gives nothing away with the way he gently caresses my hand. Another loud piercing sound causes my eyes to pop open. I scream at the sight of the older pilots head going slack as blood pours from the hole in the side of his head. Tears stream down my face and Jay squeezes my hand tightly. The younger pilot shouts something unintelligible and suddenly we feel the impact.

That's when everything goes black.

Just when I thought I had hit rock bottom, life somehow takes me lower.