In Pursuit of a Diamond [On Hold]

In Pursuit of a Diamond (Chapter 2)

Brief word from the author:

Dear Reader,

I really need feedback! It doesn't help me to have a few people scan through the story, and leave the work at that. This is my first time writing a lengthy story (I'm practicing a bit of self-discipline here), or a fantasy story. This is also my first time sharing a story of my own invention with strangers around the world before letting anyone else see it first. I've never been entirely comfortable sharing my writing, due to fear of it being, well, not very good. I want to know if my fears are justified. If you like what you read, please, please, don't hesitate to vote or comment. If you liked it but don't want other people to know, feel free to send me a private message; my oh-so-vacant inbox anxiously awaits you. If you didn't like it, don't be brutal, but I encourage you to give me some suggestions, maybe tell me where you think the plot should go from where you left off. I want to know what you think of the conflict, what you think of the characters. Basically, the more (hopefully good) opinions you have, the better!

Thank you so much for choosing to give my story a chance. And thank you in advance for any feedback.

Yours in spirit,

RaeF1994

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The terminal for Southwest Airlines seemed ten times more crowded than it actually was as Leslie Hawkins hurried to catch her flight. Her carryon bag whipped around her as she fought her way to the security lines. Once she was finally through, she heaved a deep sigh. She had made it on time. Now she could relax.

Leslie picked up her bag from the conveyor belt. There wasn't much in it; most of her stuff would've sent the security system blaring. All of her camera equipment had been put in another bag that was now making its way to the plane's luggage cart.

She walked over to the waiting area and took a seat between a man in a suit, who had begun dozing off despite the book in his hands, and a boy who looked like he might be in college, though he seemed a little small for his age. She looked the boy over. His dusty clothes seemed out of place, as though he had dragged them out of a trunk that hadn't been opened in the last century; the bag slung over his shoulder seemed to be homemade, and, despite his age, his mouse-brown hair already had hints of gray peeking out of it. He didn't seem like someone who flew often, and she realized that he was attracting looks besides her own, but the boy didn't seem to notice. In fact, he seemed completely lost in thought.

Leslie looked away from the boy and pulled a book from her bag to read. After several minutes, she heard the charismatic female voice saying over the intercom, "Flight 428 from Norfolk to Denver, Colorado, Class B now boarding."

That was her flight. Leslie stood up and took her bag to line up at the boarding ramp. The boy sitting next to her got up as well, coming out of his trance, and the line of passengers boarded the plane.

Once in the plane, Leslie tossed her bag into one of the overhead compartments and slipped into the nearest window. To her slight displeasure, the boy she'd seen in the terminal took the seat beside her, not meeting her eye. Leslie sighed, but accepted that she should try to be genial. She held out her hand and introduced herself, "Leslie Hawkins."

"Aubrey Sommerfeld," he replied, shaking her pale, slender hand in his own calloused one. He kept glancing around the plane, as though looking for someone.

"First time flying?" Leslie asked, noting his apprehension.

"Hm?" Aubrey replied, giving Leslie an inquisitive glance.

"You seem nervous."

"Oh," Aubrey said, nodding decidedly, "Yeah, a bit."

"Are you taking a trip for school or something?"

"Uh-huh," he said, "What are you traveling for?"

Leslie was more than willing to discuss her own situation. "I'm a reporter, see," she said, "From Aurora, right next to Denver. An artist from our own town got some of his work placed into a recent art show at the art institute in Norfolk, and I was assigned to photograph and report on the occasion."

"Sounds fun," Aubrey said, still distractedly. Leslie felt a twang of annoyance. She was very proud of her job and didn't appreciate his blasé take on the matter. She turned to gaze out the window and leave Aubrey to himself.

The plane took flight and a couple of uneventful hours passed before Aubrey spoke again.

"Something's wrong."

Leslie turned to glare at him; she had just come very close to falling peacefully asleep. Aubrey was gazing out the window of the plane with slightly wide eyes. "What do you mean?"

Aubrey silently pointed at the window. Leslie turned to gaze out as well, and for several moments couldn't find anything wrong. Then she saw it. The clouds beneath were slowing coming closer to plane; they were starting to descend.

"I didn't hear the pilot say we were landing," she said slowly.

"We're not," Aubrey replied, "We haven't been airborne nearly long enough. We should be somewhere over Kansas right now."

"Then why are we landing?" Leslie asked, becoming anxious. The clouds were now approaching more quickly, and some of the other passengers had begun to notice the descent.

Leslie felt her stomach toss as they began to fall right through the clouds. It seemed that everyone had realized what was going on, and were fastening their seatbelts, talking among themselves, trying to think of an explanation for this unannounced stop. One of the stewards, looking nervous, opened the door to the cockpit and began talking to the pilot in earnest. Aubrey leaned over to look down the aisle, trying to see inside the cockpit. After a moment he pulled back, a disbelieving look in his eyes.

A crackling voice suddenly came on over the intercom, announcing, "We seem to be experiencing a few...technical difficulties. We would like to ask that you remain calm and take your seats." The voice began to rattle off emergency procedures, but Leslie couldn't hear them over the noise that erupted up and down the place. Several people were shouting toward the cockpit, demanding a real explanation. A couple of children near the front had starting screaming, and Leslie felt a lump form in her throat as the details of the ground grew clearer and clearer, the plane showing no sign of slowing its turbulent descent.

Over the noise of the passengers and the rushing in her ears, Leslie heard one of the stewards shouting at someone to sit down. She turned, and saw with a moment of shock that Aubrey was standing on the armrest of his chair, trying to retrieve something from the overhead baggage.

"Aubrey, have you lost your mind?!" Leslie cried, "Get down from there!" But Aubrey either couldn't hear her or simply chose to ignore her.

Her head felt as though it would burst from the air pressure around her and the speed of the plane. She grabbed the hem of Aubrey's shirt and tried to pull him down into his seat as the steward hurried over, panic on his face.

Then, suddenly, it all vanished.