Chapter 9
Snow Versus Gravity
I looked out my window at the snow covering the ground, sighing. The weather reports and news stories were covering the early winter as if it were the storm of the century, but it didn't look that bad to me. Maybe a foot on the ground now and more expected later in the week.
Zeus and Hera were standing stock still in the paddock enjoying it. I had put their coverings on them and they also had the option of going into the stables where it was warmer and drier. However, they seemed to have chosen the snow.
I continued to pack my suitcase, putting enough clothes in for a few days vacation with my brothers back home in Tulsa. Granted, they had only been gone for a few weeks, but I missed them something fierce and it was also Soda's birthday in two days. I had missed enough family birthdays, and was planning to surprise them by just showing up on their doorstep. No one knew I was coming, just Ashley and her family knew of my plans as they had agreed to care for the horses in my absence.
It was the perfect time too. Classes had been canceled at the college due to the central heating system going into overload and frying all the wires. It was so cold yesterday that we all saw our breath as small clouds of smoke as we sat nearly freezing to death before even the professors gave up teaching in protest of the conditions.
I forced myself to finish the art for John's book yesterday and took it to his office after classes were canceled. I knew I wouldn't want to work on it while I was in Tulsa and didn't want the looming deadline hanging over me when I got back either.
"Ponyboy...what a surprise!" He had said when I showed up unexpectedly at his office.
"I finished the art work, Mr. Quinn. Thought I'd bring it by for your review."
"For the last time, Ponyboy, call me John. Now lets see what you've got."
I handed him the portfolio and he went through every page, nodding and grinning as he studied every drawing. I busied myself looking out the window of his high rise office, watching the snowflakes gently fluttering to the earth below.
"As usual, wonderful work. I'll get this to Donald later today. I heard you have exciting news."
I looked at him quizzically then remembered Dr. Benning and he were friends. Word gets out in small towns. I smiled as realization hit, nodding at the same time.
"Yep. I'm getting married, but not until May though."
"I bet you're excited." He said, putting the portfolio in his briefcase.
"I am."
"You don't seem like it." He said carefully observing me.
I smiled and pulled my attention back from the snowflakes. "The last few weeks have been a whirlwind for me. I'm just waiting for things to settle back down again."
"Good luck with that! If I remember correctly, it was a three ring circus when my wife's family planned our wedding....and that was a good fifteen years ago. I was so glad to get that over with! I doubt Alfred is going to be any different where his only daughter is concerned. Best of luck to you, Ponyboy. You're going to need it!" He said with laughter in his eyes.
I couldn't help but laugh in agreement. Ashley's mother has already had me tasting cake and asking me what meat I prefer at the reception.... chicken or beef. To be honest, I really didn't care. Hamburgers and hot dogs sounded good to me, but I had the good sense to not say that to her.
"Hey, when is your book coming out?" He asked suddenly. I had told him I got it published by Croft-Drake Publishers, and he had been impressed.
"Next week. They sent me a few advanced copies, but I left them at home."
"Exciting, isn't it?"
I couldn't help grinning in full agreement. "Oh, yeah. I've waited a long time for this."
I smiled now as I looked at the books tucked into my suitcase. I hoped Darry and Soda would be impressed with them too.
"Ponyboy, you home?"
"Back here." I called out. A moment later Ashley's arms wrapped around me and I turned to give her a kiss. "I can't believe you drove out here in the snow." I said, brushing away the few remaining remnants of white from her soft hair.
"I had to see you off, didn't I?"
"Are you sure you can't come?" I asked again. "I can still get you a ticket at the counter." I had been trying to persuade her to go with me, but she was as stubborn as I was at times.
"I already told you, I can't. I'm behind enough as it is in my science class and can use the time to get caught up. Not all of us are as gifted with good grades as you are."
I shook my head. I had finally earned one "A" and suddenly I was deemed "gifted" again.
"Besides, you need to spend time with your family. I would only be a distraction."
"I love you being my distraction." I said, pulling her closer.
"You have a flight to catch." She said, pushing me backwards onto my bed. I held onto her as we fell together on the mattress, her landing on top of me. She didn't expect that and tensed right up. I let go and she scrambled off me, disappearing down the hall. I lay there a second longer, relishing the momentary feel of her body on mine. She was so light and soft. Damn! I thought. May wouldn't get here soon enough!
I got up and closed my suitcase, following Ashley down the hallway. Surprise and a little embarrassment hit me as I saw Dr. Benning sitting at my table waiting on me. I should have known he'd never let her drive in this weather alone.
"Ready to go, Ponyboy?" He asked, getting up.
I looked at Ashley then back at her father. He obviously hadn't heard us in the bedroom.
"Yes sir. Thank you again for dropping me off at the airport and helping with the horses while I'm gone."
"It's not a problem, son. Our pleasure."
He took me to the airport and shook my hand at the terminal. "Now you have a great time with your family. Call me when you get back and I'll be here to pick you up. Even if I have to harness the horses to a sleigh, considering all the snow we're getting! Ashley, honey, I'll be waiting for you at the food court. Bye, Ponyboy!" He shook my hand and disappeared.
"I like your father." I said to her as I watched him leave.
"That's good, cause he likes you too." She said, wrapping her arms around me.
I pulled free, knowing if I held her longer things would get started that I would be unable to stop. She knew too, I could tell by her smile. I think she found it humorous how she could get me so wound up knowing I had no way to wound down. At least not in public.
"Look, you stay here with your mother and all your girlfriends. Plunder all the bridal shops and magazines. Order the napkins and design the invitations. My only job at that wedding is to show up and say 'I do.' I know that's what you want to do. Your science work, I'm sure, is going to wait!"
She giggled and finally nodded.
"Flight 812 to Tulsa, now boarding."
"That's me. I got to go. I love you." I said, brushing my finger along the side of her face. I gave her a long kiss and held her, finally she pushed me toward the gate. I smiled and walked on down the ramp to the plane.
XXX
I settled into my seat over the wing of the plane and looked around. This was the first time I had ever been on one and was having major butterflies in my stomach. My fellow riders didn't seem so nervous. There was a smattering of all types on board. The old, the young, couples and singles. I noticed a few kids in the back a few rows down from me, their harried mother trying to keep them occupied with crayons and a coloring book. They weren't buying it....more intent on bouncing up and down on the seats. The plane moved and I looked back out the window and caught sight of Ashley in the Airport terminal looking at me, waving. I waved back. I missed her already.
The stewardess was busy explaining to us about how to buckle the seat belts and then pointed to the the doors in the event of an emergency, explaining how the doors open and an emergency slide just pops out. She also mentioned how the seats become flotation devices if we land in water. I began to really get nervous, thinking if they're giving all these disclaimers up front, what the heck I was in for later on. However, I think I was the only one paying her any attention, everyone else was busy still getting comfortable in their own seats.
I felt the sudden surge as the plane roared down the runway and the lurch as we separated ourselves with the earth below. I grabbed onto the arms of the seat as we climbed into the sky, regretting now that I had a window seat. I just kept my eyes closed, and remembered to breathe in and out. Finally we leveled off and I began to let go.
"Are you okay?" A lady asked me.
I opened my eyes to see a stewardess leaning over the seat looking at me. She had big blue eyes and sort of blond hair. Her name tag said Michelle.
"I'm fine...thanks." I said quietly. I hated making a scene.
"First time flying?" She asked me.
"Uh huh." I said. "I'm okay now, really."
"Well, okay. But if you feel like you're gonna throw up, you can either use the bags in the seat back," she handed one to me, "or you can use the lavatory. It's around the corner there." She pointed where it was and my eyes followed to where she indicated.
"Thanks, but really, I'm good now." She looked at me again and turned to leave.
I tried to busy myself with reading, but that wasn't working. The magazine in the seat back was filled with pictures of planes and right now, that was the one thing I was trying to get my mind off of. Being airborne.
The kids were back at it, acting up and bouncing around. I turned to look at them, their poor mother was as frazzled as she could be. The stewardess brought them cookies and milk, which calmed them down some, but only for a while. I wondered if I was that much trouble for my own mother, but somehow doubted it. Now Soda...yeah, I could see Soda being that way. He couldn't even sit still long enough to watch a TV show.
The food trays were brought out and I looked at mine. The food was barely recognizable...reminding me of what I had in the hospital last year. My stomach felt wobbly again and I got the attention of the stewardess once more.
"Yes?" she asked, kindly enough. I really hoped I wasn't being a problem passenger.
"Um, can you please take this. It isn't doing too much for me. I ain't all that hungry." I said. She smiled and took the tray away, and once the smell dissipated from my immediate vicinity, I felt better. I lay back with my eyes closed, hoping to pass the remainder of the flight in sleep mode. However, the kids had decidedly agreed that no one on the plane was going to get any rest. One last look at their poor mother and I could tell she was ready to either dissolve into her own tears or lock them in the overhead bin. I got up and went over, sitting in the empty seat next to the younger one.
"Hey...can I borrow one of your crayons and a piece of paper?" I asked her. She looked at me then at her mother, who nodded her silent approval. I took the crayon and paper and began to draw her picture, both kids silent as winter on the prairie as they watched me intently. I asked for them to hand me their favorite colors as I drew each of them, and had them tell me what clothes to draw on them. Running out of ideas, I drew their mother who seemed to appreciate the distraction I was providing, but this also distracted me from the nauseating view out my own window. Plus, I think the other passengers in the immediate vicinity appreciated it too. Then I drew eagles and bears for them. The younger one, the girl, fell asleep first but not very long later her brother joined her in slumber in the other seat.
"Thank you. You have a gift, a real talent." Their mother said. "Susan is three and Tommy is almost five."
"My pleasure. You can keep the pictures." I said, getting up to return to my seat, finally able to get some rest. We had been flying for over an hour now and I was eager to pass what time I had left in here with my eyes closed.
XX
A jolt woke me and I grabbed the arms of the seat out of instinct. I looked around, other passengers also seemed dazed by the sudden jarring motion of the otherwise problem free flight, but were recovering quickly. I looked out my window wondering where we were and decided I didn't like that idea again. Then another jolt sent a shudder in the plane and I heard the sound of an engine winding down. Now, I may never have been on a flight before, but hanging around the DX for years with Soda and Steve I did know mechanical noises, and that dying hum wasn't good.
I shot a glance at the stewardesses as they were moving in a calm but yet purposeful set of motions of their own. I didn't like it. They were latching doors and moving trays as fast as they could to secure them from unwanted movement.
"Michelle!" I called over to the one who helped me earlier. She looked at me and came over.
"What's going on?"
"Just turbulence. Nothing to be worried about." She said curtly.
Leave it to my gut instinct, but I didn't believe her. "Where are we?"
She was in too much of a hurry to pay me much attention, so I repeated my question, louder this time.
"Where are we!"
"Near the Tulsa Airport. We're still over the Osage Indian Reservation. Please stay in your seat!" And with that she went back to her work.
I took one look at her face and her eyes said it all. Something bad had happened and we weren't gonna make it to the airport. I opened the blind over my window and looked out, trying to get my bearings...noting the terrain and the direction of the sun over the land below. The land that, I now noticed, was coming closer and closer in a very unfortunate way.
"This is the Captain. Please brace yourselves, folks. We've lost both engines and are trying to land, but it's going to be bumpy."
Bumpy? He's got one hell of a set of balls if he thinks I'm only gonna consider this bumpy!
The plane began to lose more and more altitude and I could feel the plane's belly start to brush into the forest canopy. Then with a sickening ripping sound, the wings were torn off as we nosedived directly into the forest below. The plane tore into at least 2 pieces. Screams pierced the air as all on board were either torn in one direction or the other, the ground and sky turning over and over as the section I was in rolled like a log going down a hill. Loose bags and debris flew everywhere and I was hit by more than one thing after another until all motion seemed to stop. Then the fireball began to build near the rear of the plane. I could feel it's heat and the roar of flame was eerily familiar from my last battle with fire.
I remembered then being back in the church, the heat from this however was enough to melt the rubber off your shoes. I wrenched myself out of my seat and headed for the nearest door, where a tiny patch of blue sky was still visible. Suddenly the cries of the children I had entertained earlier hit my ears and I turned around. The fireball was coming closer but the boy wasn't moving. His mother was dazed and barely able to fumble with her seatbelt, tugging at it to try to free herself. The little girl was screaming and shaking her mother, terrified and confused as to what was going on. Those who could move were headed out towards the exit I was near, but it wasn't orderly at all. They were screaming and shoving, pushing each other out of the way, tripping over the debris that littered the floor. I made up my mind and pushed my way to the kids, closer into the heat of the fire feeling all the while like a salmon going upstream to my own death. Along the way, I grabbed the stewardess Michelle, who looked at me like I was insane.
"Come on, you got to help me!" I screamed. That fire was coming closer, and I could already hear the screams of those poor souls who were already in the last seconds of their lives as the flames overtook them.
I got the boy out and handed him to Michelle, who wasted no time in getting the hell out of there. Then I got the mother to her feet and grabbed the girl. I slung the mother over my shoulder and pushed and shoved both her and the child to the door. Fumes from the spilled jet fuel and smoke overtook everything, flames licked at my backside searing the clothes right off my back. Tearing my way through the twisted metal, I made it out just in time. I couldn't see Michelle or the boy, but didn't stop moving until I got a good 20 yards away from the wreckage, when I could no longer feel the heat from the inferno it created. I lay the mother down and the girl looked at me, catatonic in appearance. I couldn't help her with that. The mother had a bad gash in the back of her head and smaller cuts on her arms. I wasn't comfortable doing any other searches for injuries on her, and just let her lay still. Some people were nearby and I called to them.
"Help! I need help over here!"
They saw me and came over. One tended to the mother, the other looked at me.
"You okay sir?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. She's got a boy, Tommy, around here somewhere. The stewardess Michelle took him, she's gonna need to get to a hospital." I said referring to the mother.
"I ain't no doc, but I think you better get to one too."
"I'm fine. There are plenty of people around here who are worse off than me."
The sound of various sirens filled the air as multiple firetrucks, ambulances and police cars suddenly began to descend on the area. All the noises and lights were only worsening my now searing headache. I sat back and watched as someone brought a stretcher and put the mother on it and took the girl with them. People were everywhere, the walking wounded, those needing to be carried, and some already covered with white sheets. I watched two rescue workers putting a sheet over someone in the tall grass not 30 feet away and turned around, throwing up violently in the tall grass.
Getting to my feet again, I headed off in the direction of the setting sun, remembering from my glimpse out my window before we crashed that that was the direction of downtown Tulsa. I didn't want to stay here any longer. I couldn't help anyone here now, and as the dead grew in number I wanted to separate myself from it as much as possible.
I left the area of the crash, walking alone and unseen about a mile or two off into the sparsely treed forest. I became aware of a liquid stickiness seeping down my back and reached to examine it. As I brought my hand to my face I was shocked to see it covered with blood. Suddenly I thought to myself how stupid I was. Once again, I wasn't using my head. I wondered with a giddy detached feeling if it was a Tulsa thing, that I got stupid every time I set foot here. I was hurt from a plane crash that no one here even knew I was on, had walked off unseen into the surrounding woods where I doubted anyone would think to look for survivors. Now, as my vision blurred and my legs turned to jelly, I lay down...suddenly too tired to move anymore and not really caring either. I didn't even feel the cold temperatures that surrounded me. Darkness overtook my vision, and all I wanted to do was sleep.
XXX
Calla Lilly Rose
