Spiral (Edited)
Summary: A plane heading to Washington crashes quite far away from its intended location, on the middle of an unknown island. Out of the eighty-nine people on the plane, only twenty survive, Beatrice Prior being one of them. Can they maintain their civility on the island so far away from societies rules and expectations? As the children wait to be found, some of them begin their spiral into madness and violence corrupts the once deserted island.
CHAPTER ONE
"...Beatrice found herself peering into dark blue eyes, as cool and mysterious as the ocean itself. She couldn't even manage a 'thank-you' as cold shivers begin to shake her body."
She'd never been one for planes, never been one for the very idea of traveling above ground. But it wasn't as if it had been her choice to book a flight to Washington - that decision had been all her mother, like many other decisions in her life. She'd informed her in that astute business like way of hers that she'd be unable to accompany her the airport. Unsurprised by this, Beatrice had watched the look of relief settle over her mother's face, a look that had put a knot in Beatrice's stomach. The woman hadn't even bothered to text her a "good-bye", not even an "I love you". So what if the sentimentalities were a lie? It was the thought that counted right?
A soft sigh was uttered from Beatrice Prior's lips at these morose thoughts as she hurried down the plane aisle, taking her usual window-seat near the front.
She received a small smile from the flight attendant, the female of with whom who'd she'd ridden almost every flight with. All 90 of them. Her lips forced themselves upward into a reluctant smile.
Others begin to load the plane, bringing with them their loud, meaningless chatter that communicated nothing but their excitement. and who wouldn't be excited to be on this plane anyway; A luxury flight to Washington.
To Beatrice it was just another meaningless flight to the boarding school she was forced to congregate too on a yearly basis. It was just another one out of the many schemes her mother had devised in order for her to not ever really be a parent.
Pulling open the white flap that concealed the window, Beatrice peered out into the plane-yard. Nothing about the area caught her interest unsurprisingly, and Beatrice shut it back with a sigh.
A clamor beside her caught her attention,and Beatrice took in the dark-skinned little girl that took the seat beside her. Beatrice's lips down-turned into a frown. She hated having to sit next to people on flights, they only made the trip seem longer with their nervous chatter.
Beatrice glanced at the child from the corner of her eye, noticing that her shockingly green eyes were attached to his shoes rather then at her.
The pilots voice suddenly buzzed over the intercom, saying something to the effect that the plane would be taking off and buckling their seat belts would be a viable approach. Buckling her seat belt and tightening it, Beatrice stiffened as unfamiliar fingers found their way to her shoulder. Forcing a smile to her lips, she turned towards the little girl. The child's face held a strange solemness uncommon for one her age as she spoke.
"Can you buckle up my seat-belt, ma'm?"
She found it was impossible to say no to such an earnest young face, and curled her fingers about either side of the girl's seat-belt buckles, pushing them together with a click.
Allowing her eyes to dart towards the window, once again, from the corner of her vision Beatrice faintly registered the grateful smile the girl shot her.
+..+
It was dark when Beatrice opened her eyes. Rubbing her eyes, she was only slightly started to feel the plane lurch slightly.
"What is that?"
A tiny voice full of fear rang out. Stretching her arms forward luxuriously, Beatrice turned to face the speaker, recognizing the voice to be the little girl's.
"Just turbulence. Its kind of a commonality on planes."
Her words received a soft fearful "oh" in response, and Beatrice was reminded of her first flight, how lonely the experience had been.
Taking the child's hand in her own, Beatrice forced a smile to her lips as she attempted to distract the boy through words.
"And what's your name sweetheart?"
"Maria, ma'm."
Beatrice's smile wavered as the girl used that stiff term 'ma'm' to address her with again. It sounded like something her mother would insist on being called, and that was enough to turn her off to the phrase.
"Call me Beatrice, not ma'm," she instructed her, squeezing the little girls hand as the plane trembled again. "So where are you headed off to in Washington, Mariå?"
"I'm going to my Grandma's house to spend Thanksgiving."
Beatrice was reminded of the holiday it seemed she'd be celebrating at the school rather then with her family. But that was fairly normal.
"That sounds cool..."
Beatrice trailed off, realizing she was running out of conversation starters. That look of fear was settling over the girl - Maria's face again as the plane lurched again.
"What does your family usually have for Thanksgiving, Maria?"
"Mmmm... Dressing stuffed turkey, cranberry sauce, cornbread, yams, collard greens,..."
The girl continued but Beatrice wasn't listening as her own hunger was beginning to knaw at her stomach, reminding her of her still uneaten meal.
Reaching inside the purple bag she'd brought on the plane with her, Beatrice removed the dish she'd bought from one of the airport stores, pulling off the top. Maria paused mid-sentence, her eyes falling on the three pizza slices crammed inside.
"Can I have one?"
Maria's voice was small, hopeful.
"Of course!"
The pizza was polished off by both hungry girls in a matter of minutes, and Beatrice felt the familiar weight of sleepiness push at her eyes. Beside her, Maria seemed to have had the same idea, her eyes shut as she settled into a deep slumber.
Just as Beatrice was beginning to follow suit, the plane shook again, a vibration much harder then the others accompanying it. Then Beatrice's stomach sank as it begin to fall. Maria clutched her hand as if it were a lifeline, a panicked screech escaping from her lips.
"Brace yourselves for an emergency landing. It is asked that everyone stay calm in the -"
The pilots was cut off as the planes tipped head-first, hitting something hard. Only the hold of the seatbelt's pull prevented Beatrice from falling forward. Pulling open her window, Beatrice noticed water about them.
Wait, water?
The plane had to be severly off-course if they were in the middle of a body of water. Panicked screams were beginning to hit the air about her as the plane begin to sink, head first.
She and Maria were the nearest to the front, so the proper approach to this scenario would be to head for the back.
A scream flew by her as an unfortunate person slid by her, hitting the end of the plane, which seemed to be quickly filling with water, with a sickening crack. Swallowing hard, Beatrice hurried into unbuckling herself as well as Maria, She wrapped a protective arm tightly about the trembling child as she held onto the seat to prevent them both from falling backwards.
"Is this a dream?"
Maria's soft soprano rang out over the screams as she clung onto Beatrice for dear life.
A response was a luxury Beatrice didn't have the energy to grant Maria, and she instead begin to climb over their seat, grabbing onto the next and pulling herself towards it.
A little farther away from herself, she noticed one of the flight attendants deploying one of the emergency rafts, pushing it through the emergency door. Relief surged through Beatrice at this sight. She watched as the woman made to hop for it, the same instany a shudder shaking the plane, and a bag fell from the cargo deposit hitting the woman in the head. Covering Maria's eyes and wishing she could cover her own, Beatrice tried for the next seat, pulling herself up it easily. But on the next her fingers slipped as another shudder shook the plane. Panick settled over Beatrice as she begin to fall backwards, toting Maria with her.
The little girl let a scream burst from her lips as she frantically writhed.
No. No. Not like this, please.
Strong, sure fingers wrapped about her fingers, pulling her forward.
And Beatrice found herself peering into dark blue eyes, as cool and mysterious as the ocean itself. She couldn't even manage a 'thank-you' as cold shivers begin to shake her body. A blur of movement then she found herself being passed through the emergency door, hitting the raft. Someone pulled her into sitting position, and Beatrice managed to croak out a 'thank-you' as she felt around for Maria's hand.
The little girl was more likely more scared of what was going on then Beatrice was, and she found herself needing to focus on someone other then herself if she wanted to grasp onto this situation. A soft concern-filled voice was addressing her in the background, then shaking her. And then she felt no more.
+..+
A bottle was being pressed to her lips, and Beatrice gratefully drank the water without thinking, energy being restored to her body. Her vision cleared, and she found herself to be in a raft that was orange in color. About seven others were pressed into the small space, generating a slight claustrophobia into Beatrice. She sat up abruptly as all memories of yesterday's events popped into her brain, hitting her head against the person nearest to her.
"Sorry," she intoned, wincing as she rubbed her head.
"You better be." he snapped, rubbing his head as well.
He was unfriendly, but Beatrice found herself unable to focus on this minuscule detail, she instead found herself focusing on trying to find Maria.
"Where is she, where is everyone?" she thought aloud, panic lighting up her blue eyes.
One of the other, more friendlier boys turned to look at her, a mournful expression set across his dark face as he observed her for a couple of seconds.
"Where is who? A lot of... A lot of people died in the crash," in spite of the seriousness of what he was speaking on, a chuckle burst from his lips. Beatrice found herself laughing as well, knowing that if she didn't laugh she'd probably cry.
"It's Maria; the girl I was with. I helped her on the plane and then..." she trailed off as a piercing pain went through her head
"The little girl you were with is on the other raft. This one was to full." he smile apologetically, and Beatrice let out a relieved sigh. She didn't know how she'd survive if Maria died. Despite their just meeting, she for some reason she considered herself to be the girl's protector, tasking herself with the girl's safety.
"When can I see her?"
"How about when we find land?"
That seemed a long time to wait but Beatrice nodded her agreement all the same.
"I'm Uriah, by the way." the boy offered, another one of those easy smiles curving his lips upward.
"Beatrice."