Phew, that was intense! But we're not out of the woods yet! Let's see if you get the reference in the first sentence, which is true and not just a reference.

CHAPTER 28: FREE-FALLING

The following takes place between 6am and 7am. (Remember, it's just an hour!)

Everyone was relaxed, but still at work. Dylan was going over their destination, which he said they would reach in one hour. This surprised 9, but he did later realize that the plane was able to go extreamly fast. The 2s and 5s made the stitchpunks parachutes, just in case. It didn't matter, since they only needed to keep one of them in tact for Dylan to use. 7 told 9 that she was very surprised that 9 had done what he did. She asked him what would cause him to make such a bold move, so he told her about seeing her and F7 made him feel weird, as if his chest was burning up. 7 laughed when she heard this, apparently she knew something, but she wouldn't tell him what it was.

Did anyone ever understand females at all? 9 thought, The females of any race?

9 looked around the old plane. F6 and his brother were laughing and sharing their works, and the two pairs of twins inspected each other, seemingly cataloging. 9 laughed,

Those two don't know what to do with their female counterparts! 9 thought.

(I just thought that it was the funniest picture in my head. 3 and 4 looking over the female twins as if they were just some things they could figure out like an object!)

7 and F7 had gone off to spar, the 1s just seemed to talk among each other, and 8 was trying to teach F8 how to use a knife, but she just kept hugging him. F10 sat alone, staring at his talisman. 9 was about to approach the lonely stitch when someone approached him, F9.

"Hi!" he said, he sounded so childish and full of wonder, just as 9 had remembered being when he first came into the world. Immediately the two of them clicked, 9 told his counterpart everything. He emptied his mind and heart into the other stitch, and F9 listened intently. They shared questions and answers, tips and tricks. F9 told 9 of the memories that all the F-series had absorbed when they had formed the circle. This information seemed to remind 9 of his flashes, and so he told F9 about those as well.

The pilot machine stalked the cargo room in the back of the plane.

"Stupid human," it spat, "You should have made sure I was dead." The pilot machine had been lucky. After being thrown from the plane it's claws had sunk into the wing, and he had crawled to the back. Now he waited for the opportune moment to engage his plan and kill the worthless soul holders for good. He saw the land of his master come into view, and so he set the plan into motion. He climbed from the cargo area, towards one of the engines of the plane.

The hour had passed quickly, and now all of the passengers watched as the land of America flooded their windows. Their happiness was short lived, though, since an alarm rang out and red lights flashed. Dylan ran to the cockpit, and came out shortly after.

"One of our engines are out! We gotta bail out now!"

9 and 5 handed out the parachutes. One by one the passengers jumped from the plane, their parachutes becoming little white specks as they drifted to the earth. 6 and his brother were last besides 5 and 9. F6 jumped from the plane with ease, but 6 looked back.

"It's here 9! It's still here!"

9 instantly knew what 6 was talking about, but 5 hadn't heard the artist. He ushered 6 out of the plane, and now 5 and 9 stood on the crashing piece of metal alone. 5 had to leave his survival pack to put on the parachute. 9 was attempting to explain to 5 that the machine was still aboard, but between the sirens and the wind 5 couldn't hear. He was handing 9 the parachute, and that was when the beast struck. The machine pushed 9 to the other side of the aisle, tackling 5 from the plane, along with the parachute. 9 couldn't believe it, he was stuck on a crashing plane, and he didn't have a way off. 9 quickly got to his feet and looked out the door. 5 and the pilot were struggleing over the last parachute. 9 looked to his right at 5's pack. He pulled out the crossbow, there was only one needle left. 9 loaded it and laughed. He was definitely in his element. He took a deep breath, and with the crossbow in hand, 9 jumped.

END OF BOOK 1

(Don't hate me! I'll let everything sink in before I post the Epilogue, then I'll start posting Book 2 maybe tomorrow.)