Plane Crash

Part 1

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She opened her eyes. They took time to focus, and once they did, she realized how still everything was. Her head throbbed. Her ears rang. Besides the ringing, she heard nothing else.

"Papa. Papa," she said yelling. Nobody responded. Then she yelled at the top of her lungs kicking her feet, "Mama. MAMA!" Still, only silence returned. She looked around moving her body from side to side trying to get a glimpse of her parents in the forward seats. All she could see was their motionless bodies both wearing headphones and both still strapped in.

As she explored her surroundings, she saw that everything looked weird like the world had turned sideways. Part of the roof was gone and some branches with green leaves invaded the cabin. She remembered the noise of the engine when they were in the air, that's how Daddy would say it. The noise would permeate the whole plane. You couldn't hear anyone speak without headphones. Now, nobody speaks.

She hugged her teddy bear and sobbed. Her cries would usually wake up her parents, but this time nothing. After her tears and a drop of blood rolled down on Teddy, she said, "No. It's no time for tears. It's time to get help. Papa and Mama need our help. Teddy. So, buck up." She sniffled back any remaining sorrow and wiped her nose with her arm.

Teddy didn't say anything. He just stared back at her like he always does, with his plastic eyes on his mohair face. His right ear had been partially ripped off.

"Oh! You're hurt too. We'll get help and get you all better. C'mon."

She looked to find the buckle of her seat straps. They went over both shoulders and one around her waist. The buckle was over her belly button. She grabbed the metal latch and pulled on it. It pivoted away from her but then stopped. It didn't release her. The latch slipped from her grip, and it slapped back in place with a metal on metal clank.

The belt tightened on her belly and it started to hurt. She breathed heavily. She tried again, this time with more strength. The latch move beyond the last position. Still, it was not enough.

A bird chirped in a nearby tree. She turned her head up toward the noise to get a glimpse of the animal. She gasped as she beheld a cardinal of the brightest red she had ever seen. "Look! I have red on too." She tugged on her cotton jacket, showing the bird the color. The bird twitched its head here and there, but she could tell he took note of what she was showing off. She then realized that she wasn't all alone. There was a world of creatures all around her.

She drew her attention to the buckle latch one more time. She let go of Teddy and he dropped to the other side of the plane. He landed on the window.

"Stay there. I'm coming," she said. She used both hands on the latch and swung it wide. It felt tough, but it kept going and then a click. The buckle pulled apart, and the straps let loose. She fell out of her seat and landed on the bulkhead opposite where she had been sitting, right on Teddy on the window.