Chapter 23
I laughed so hard for so long that eventually my kidneys felt like they were about to burst. I walked down the narrow isle, if that’s what it was even considered, to the little doorway in the back of the plane. I dreaded seeing how tiny the bathroom was going to be, but I couldn’t hold it until we landed again. I couldn’t even hold it another five minutes. When I passed by Joshua and James, who had taken up residence in the two seats furthest back, they had become engrossed in a map they had spread across two tray tables.
I tried not to be nosy, but caught myself looking as I walked by. I wasn’t a great map reader, but from what I saw we were going to be crossing miles of desert and rough mountains. My stomach tensed, fearing the worst. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, or how I would be of any great value if we encountered more werewolves, except I might be able to slow them down by letting them eat me.
The next time we landed, we were at a small crop dusting airstrip, somewhere in the state of Utah. I caught myself looking at the window for William. My heart ached every time I pictured him.
I caught Luna taking sidelong glances at me so I quickly changed the subject. “I’m starving, but it doesn’t look like we’ll be getting anything to eat here.” I said sarcastically, after looking out the window at a bunch of nothingness.
Joshua grinned broadly, but didn’t say anything. James climbed out behind the pilot, and when James returned, he brought back a different pilot, who just happened to be carrying a large brown basket.
As soon as the doors closed, my mouth started to water. I stuck my nose high into the air and sniffed. The smell of fried chicken filled the air.
“You didn’t think we would let our queen starve do you?” Joshua said, taking the basket from James.
“I’m not your queen. I’m not anything.” I shook my head, and lowered my eyes.
“The misses says for ya’ll kids to enjoy your supper.” The pilot spoke with a southern type draw.
“Who set all this up?” I asked earnestly.
“My grandfather. He knows people in many different places,” Luna said tearing into a chicken leg.
Not only was there chicken, but also biscuits, french-fries, and fruit. James passed out soda’s and when I finished eating, I was stuffed to the point I could hardly hold my eyes open. I was determined to stay awake though. I just don’t think I could take having another nightmare like earlier.
Even though I tried my hardest to stay awake the last thing I remembered was glancing around in the dark at Luna and James still eating. Joseph had fallen asleep first, and was snoring so loud I easily heard him over the plane’s engines.
A couple hours later I woke up, my head felt like lead, and I had an awful taste in my mouth. It was cold and the wind was blowing. I cracked my eyes open and glanced around. Everyone was still asleep, except the pilot. His seat was empty and the back door was wide open. I guess because I’d been drugged it took longer than normal for everything to register. I even looked behind me, thinking he might be in the bathroom, before it finally hit me. “Oh Jesus! Joseph, wake up,” I screamed, but he didn’t budge.
I promptly shot up from my seat wondering why the pilot would bail on us. The suction coming from the open door pulled at me, and I grabbed onto Joseph’s arm.
“Help me,” I shouted, mere inches from his ear. “Joseph, you’ve got to wake up!” I held on with one hand and slapped him hard with the other. Finally, he stirred.
“Oh my God.” Joseph held his hand to his forehead. “My head is killing me.
“Forget about your damn head for a minute, and help me.” My feet weren’t flying in the air or anything, but there was a strong suction pulling me toward the open doorway. I couldn’t hold back my tears any longer. All I could picture was getting sucked out and falling thousands of feet.
I guess Joseph saw my distress and promptly pulled me into his lap. I was so relieved, I threw my arms around his neck and squeezed tightly.
“Shh, you’re all right now.” He held me for a minute until I calmed down, then pushed me back just enough to see my face. “Where’s the pilot?”
“Uh, I’m thinking out there somewhere.” I replied sarcastically, but didn’t mean too, and pointed toward the open door.
Without a word, Joseph sprung into action. He slid out from under me, and carefully made his way to the back where the open door was. I wasn’t sure he’d be able to get it closed. I held my breath as he pulled on the door handle. His face turned deep red as he strained and his muscles flexed. Although I cared deeply for William, watching the taut muscles in Joseph’s chest and abdomen ripple underneath his tight shirt, stirred something deep inside me. He let out a loud grunt and gave a final hard jerk, latching the door.
I ran to him and threw my arms around him. “You were so brave…thank you.” I kissed him on the cheek before I even thought about it. Afterward, I let go, lowering my eyes. “Uh…we better wake the others.
Joseph had managed to stir Joshua awake, but so far hadn’t had any luck waking Luna and James. I suddenly remembered that they had eaten a good bit more than the rest of us.
“We were drugged. It must have been in the food. That would explain why Luna and James aren’t waking up.” I thought about it all for a minute, then turned to Joshua who’d climbed into the pilot’s seat. “I thought your grandfather knew these people.”
“He does. I just don’t understand what could have happened.”
I furrowed my brow. “I guess he doesn’t know them like he thought he did, or we wouldn’t be thousands of feet in the air without a pilot, would we?”
“Stop it! Both of you…just stop it!” Joshua shouted incredulously. “I really don’t think it matters who is responsible at this point. Right now we need to concentrate on how we’re going to land this plane without killing ourselves.” By the time he’d finished shouting, a vein poked out in his forehead, and his face was blood red.
James and Luna woke up right in the middle of Joshua shouting at me and Joseph. Just like the rest of us, they had terrible headaches and Luna had a confused look on her face.
“We were drugged.” I said severely. “The pilot bailed on us too. Isn’t that just great?” I spouted hatefully, and pointed at Joshua sitting in the pilot’s seat. I was being sarcastic but I was really only trying to mask my own fear of dying.
“What about the radio? We can call for help… somebody will rescue us,” James said, enthusiastically.
“Nope… not gonna happen.” Joshua said, holding up the severed microphone cord. “But what you can do is look in the outside pocket of my back pack and hand me my cell phone.”
“You had a cell phone this whole time and didn’t tell me?” I crossed my arms tightly over my chest, glaring. “I thought we couldn’t have our phones because they could be tracked,” I snapped.
“Sorry, Gen. it wasn’t my idea. Grandfather told us that Zane would know you’d try to call William, and he’d be waiting to intercept the call.” His tone said that he was being sincere.
“Uh… Joshua? I hope you already took out your phone and just forgot.” Joseph’s face contorted, sweat started to bead up on his forehead.
“What? I haven’t touched it.” Joshua shot a look over his shoulder. “Look again!”
“It’s not here!” Joseph dumped out the contents of Joshua’s bag. Everything spilled onto the floor.
“He thought of everything, didn’t he.” James commented sardonically.
I glanced over at Luna. Quiet tears washed down her face. Her white knuckles gripped the arms of her seat.
“Joseph, go to the back and grab the map. Put it in my bag and hand it to me. Everybody else, get your bags on your backs, and buckle up.”
“What’s happening, Joshua?” Luna sobbed. Her cries got louder.
“Hurry up… I’m afraid we don’t have much time.” Joshua ordered. “We’re out of fuel.”
“I thought we fueled up when we stopped in Utah? I asked earnestly.
/> I didn’t see them put the fuel in, because I went inside to get Mr. Green,” James muttered. When we came out, the fuel truck was driving away from our plane.”
I felt the nose of the plane dip downward. I gasped and Luna screamed. Joseph was in the seat next to mine and took my hand, squeezing it tightly. I glanced at him, and he was peering at me. There was something comforting about his eyes. He leaned in close to me and I thought he was going to try to kiss me. I closed my eyes.
“If anyone can land this plane, it’s Joshua. He’s awesome with the flight simulator game at the arcade.” Joseph whispered, proudly, and his chest swelled. “He’s held the high score for three years running.” He said, matter-of-fact while holding up three fingers.
If I hadn’t been so terrified, I’d have probably laughed. Instead, I squeezed his hand and forced a smile.
One thing we had going in our favor, I think, was that the sun had risen. I looked out my window and saw nothing but dry, desolate, desert all around. I hope landing on the desert was like landing on the water, because James and Joshua were in a panic up front. They couldn’t figure out how to drop the wheels. We had the big ski thingies, but no wheels. The last I heard wheels worked better than water skis on the ground.
When I glanced at Luna, her faced was soaked with tears. Joseph kept telling her everything was going to be just fine, because of Joshua’s high score. Somehow, I just wasn’t finding that comforting at all.
When I glanced out my window again I figured we were in trouble. We were headed straight toward the ground, and James was screaming for Joshua to pull up. “Are you sure you can do this?” I shouted, and squeezed my eyes shut tightly. I had my answer when Joshua didn’t respond.
My eyes were still closed tightly when I felt us level off. I let out a deep sigh, and realized I’d been holding my breath. I cracked open my eyes for just a second, but slammed them shut again when Luna screamed and the plane hit the ground hard, bouncing all over the place. I heard a loud thud just before James screamed, then fell silent. The nose dug down in the sand causing the plane to flip forward at first, then side over side.