Stone Cold

22

"Seats B35,36,37." I say and Ace finds them. I slide in first sitting by the window. Shane slides in beside me, then Ace covers the end. I put my head against the window and pull the blanket up on me. I look down at my watch and sigh realizing it's two am. We have a seven hour trip ahead of us. I pull my knees up against my chest and lean even more against the window. Slight snores sound and I shift in my seat to look at Shane. He smirks and I look next to him and see Ace is passed out.

"Wow, that was fast." I say and Shane laughs quietly.

"I'm sorry we couldn't bring Olivia and Layla with us, I know you guys clicked."

"I'd rather them be safe then be dragged along with us into a place that we can't control."

"I understand." He says and I nod putting my head on his shoulder.

"I know that Jackson will take good care of them and find them a great place to start fresh. And who knows, maybe I'll see them again."

"Maybe." He says and I nod shutting my eyes.

"What I would kill for to have a normal life again." I say pulling the blanket higher up under my chin.

"I feel you." He says and I nod pulling my knees back up to my chest.

"Maybe someday." I whisper

"Maybe."

~~~~~

Something randomly wakes me and I move my head off of Shane and look out the window. I look down at my watch, it's six am. Still got about three hours to go. So what woke me up? I look over at Ace, and he's asleep too. All the passengers on this plane are asleep, so what's the deal? I slowly and quietly get out of my seat putting the blanket down. I slip past Shane and Ace, then walk towards the back of the plane where the bathrooms are. Maybe it was my bladder that woke me up. I reach the bathroom and suddenly an awful feeling fills me. I turn the corner and freeze seeing the blood on the ground heading towards the bathroom. I pull out my knife and slowly push open the door. I swallow hard seeing the flight attendant. Her wide eyes stare at me, a knife slash across her neck blood coating her chest and the floor below her. I bend down and search for a pulse, even if it is impossible for her to make it. I find none, but I do find the same snake tattoo wrapped around her arm and finger bruises put there by someone else. She was grabbed. I focus on the bruises and gasp as a flash rocks through me.

"Shane." I whisper then jump up and sprint back into the body of the plane. I see Shane still asleep and I run over checking for a pulse.

"Shane. Shane." I hiss and Ace jerks awake.

"What, what happened?" He asks

"We need to land this plane, now." I hiss and his eyes widen as I grab Shane's face.

"Come on Shane, wake up." I mumble as Ace grabs his pistol and heads to the front of the plane.

"Come on Shane." I hiss then freeze as a breeze passes me. I spin around gasping as a hand is suddenly around my neck. I gag as I'm lifted into the air. I rip the hood from their face and my vision fuzzes as my eyes land on her face. A face I know, a face I know very well, because I look just like her.

"Mom." I breathe out then darkness settles around me.

~~~~~