Clarkesville (Chandler Riggs)

Chapter 2

My mother and I loaded onto the plane in silence. She began to speed up as we entered, passing flight attendants without greeting and rolling her eyes at those with larger suitcases to put above.

But as she slid down onto her seat, I could see that she just wanted to sit down for at least a moment. I filled in after her, regretting that I'd moved behind her instead of in front when we were forced into single file.

"Finally," I sighed, wanting to break the tension between my nervous wreck of a mother. My backpack dropped to the crammed space underneath my seat after I pulled out my book and phone.

"Yeah..." Replied my mother. "Jesus, is it just me or is it awfully hot on this plane?" I watched her lift from her seat to peer over the rows of different types of people. I desperately hoped she wouldn't make one of her very few Psycho Scenes.

"It's fine mom. When we go up I'm sure they'll turn on the AC." I said, hoping she'd listen and lower her voice.

"No, Ri, it's freaking steaming in here," she raised her hand toward the flight attendant, who began squeezing her way through the aisle. "I'm not having our new life start out sweaty and annoying."

The flight attendant finally arrived with her unrealistic pearl smile. Her blue name tag stated Melinda in white font. The woman's tight blonde bun wobbled slightly as she made her way to our row. "Yes, mam?" She asked in a southern accent.

"I'm sorry, but would it be a bother if you could turn on the air conditioner when we finish boarding?" Mother stated, having quite the attitude toward the nice looking lady.

"That would be the co-pilot's decision, mam. Located right above your seat is a built-in fan. Hopefully that will help." She smiled her white smile again, blinked her sky-blue eyes, and turned away before my mother could say another word.

She returned her gaze to me, smiling and satisfied with the answer from the attendant. I rolled my eyes at her, but saved my rudeness by showing a wide grin; that I couldn't decipher wether it was happy or not.

***

About fifteen minutes later we were in the air. My heart still raced from the pressure of the plane ascending. My hand still was engraved with my mother's fingernail marks.

I waited and waited for the flight attendant Melinda to make the 10,000 ft. announcement. My fingers tapped erratically to the bouncing beat of the aircraft, desperately wishing to type away words to Ashton or Haley or Freddie.

Minutes later the bell went off, and I immediately grasped my phone. It turned on finally, and I checked my messages.

My inbox was empty. My heart slowly sunk as I realized it was like that the entire day.

After putting my phone away and eating half a bag of Sour Patch Kids, another announcement rang throughout the plane.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it has come to the pilots attention that a disturbance on the ground has caused an emergency landing in the closest airport," on that note my mother's eyelids shot back open, and her shoulders looked extremely tensed.

"Because the first stop on this flight was supposed to be Atlanta, Georgia, we will be landing there in approximately ten to twenty minutes." I moved my head into the aisle to see Melinda holding tight to the wall phone, a terrified look in her eyes.

Many questions floated into my brain. Terrorists? Rain storms? Are we going to die? Would my questions be answered soon?

"I please ask that you remain as calm as possible..." Calm as possible? "And place your belongings in a reachable position. Thank you."

My mother sighed, closed her eyes, and began to speak. "Looks like everything's ruined, now." I couldn't help but become flushed with anger at her negative opinions.

"Jesus, mother." I spat, "Nothing is ruined. We've barely even started something!" My brain was getting wracked with all of this 'new life' crap.

"Just because things don't turn out the way you want them to, or maybe things didn't start out correctly, doesn't mean that you have to give out an attitude to such a nice woman and complain about the freaking heat on a plane!"

By the time I finished yelling my mouth was tired and the entire plane was looking in our direction.
"Please, Riley you are making a scene..."

"I'm making a scene?" I began, finally ready to have it out with her. It didn't matter if it was on a public plane or not. "Mother I-" and then another announcement blared throughout the speakers.

***

It happened fast. People got up from their seats, the plane went through a series of turbulence, and even the flight attendant didn't know what to do.

My mother couldn't take the silence anymore so she spoke up, telling me how sorry she was and how she just wanted everything to be perfect for us. I told her I understood.

But now we flew through the air, waiting for an answer.
I could hear a toddler screeching from another end of the plane, random signals coming from the speakers, and a bunch of I Love You's from a bunch of different voices. I even noticed Melinda making a phone call on her cellphone.

"Should we call Aunt Bethany?" I asked my mother, playing with a loose string in my backpack. My question was answered when I noticed my mother with her cell up to her ear.

I texted Ash and Haley and Freddie, but even a few minutes later there was still no answer. There was no way that my closest friends could have gotten affected as well.

"No answer." Said Mother.
"This can't be happening. What do you think it could be?" The possibilities were endless, but she just shook her head.

The pilot had said something about the south end and lockdown mode. He'd also said occurrence and supplies. I had no idea what that could mean, and I couldn't imagine how to handle it.

Once again, the call sound rang on the plane.

"Attention, please. We ask that you return to your seat and remain calm. We will be landing shortly. When you get off this flight, I recommend that all passengers go to terminal A-12, at the south end of the airport. The building will be put into lockdown mode. An emergency occurrence has been reported on the ground. For this emergency, you will be provided supplies and medicine. Please remain calm."

The woman's voice was robotic. You could tell it was a real person, but she had the most monotone attitude in such a horrible situation.

Even more comments arose from the people on the plane, including my mother.
"Why won't they tell us what's happening?" She exclaimed.

I wondered the same. My hand rose to point out the window, but it seemed to have already been noticed by others on my side of the plane.

The aircraft was closer to the ground than I had thought. Burning across the plains of Georgia, spreading like wildfire.
Because, well, it was wildfire.

At first I noticed a blast from the corner of my eye, and once I turned my head I regretted it.
Flames, falling buildings, and cars smashed into each other onto the highway, scattered throughout the city. "Oh my God..."

The plane shook, as I still glared out the window. My head hit hard between the wall and the window. "Sh..." I began to curse, and then remembering my mother was sitting right beside me. I attempted to smile at her when she looked at me.

My eyes blacked out for a second, the pain echoing through my brain. "That hurt..." I told her, trying to cheer her up. Trying to cheer the both of us up.

The plane continued to shake, and the ground began to come closer to us. We were landing. But what would happen once we did?

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OMG CHPTR 2 YAY. ok so the big chaos will be happening soon, so get readayyy :) comment on your favorite part of this chapterr 👍❤👎