After an hour the plane still hadn't crashed, and they were getting closer
to the heart of the Himalayas. Jen came over to see if Lara needed
anything, "It's been an hour! The plane still hasn't crashed." Lara stated
firmly. "Quite right, Miss Croft." Jen hesitated, "The captain wanted
you to know ahead of time. He suspects we should be "landing" anytime now;
near the heart of the Himalayas. I don't think anyone will get out alive."
Lara could sense that Jen was about to cry. Poor girl; she only looked about twenty. Lara herself was only twenty-one, but she had everything she needed to survive the crash- she had confidence. No one else would if unprepared. But if they were told, they would panic.
Perhaps she could save a few people, no, she couldn't. Maybe Jen? No. Her mind was reeling questions at her so fast. She didn't know quite what to do. 'Be calm.' She repeated to herself. Deep, sharp breaths began to flow into her lungs. Why had the captain wanted her to know? Why was she different from anyone else? 'OK!' Her head screamed, 'Stop with all the questions! I have a bigger dilemma to deal with.'
She peered out her window. Flying had never bothered her, heights either. Now, she had a terrible fright overcome her, but she knew that she had to be brave. Getting her bags situated, she happened to glance over at David. He was quite nervous. Could he possibly know? Gathering her thoughts, and her luggage, she made her way to the exit of the aircraft.
"Ms. Croft!" A familiar voice came. "What do you plan to do? We don't have enough parachutes for everyone! Maybe you..." "Nonsense!" Lara hissed, "I plan to help by any means necessary. What did the captain say was wrong with the aircraft?" Jen looked at her with wide eyes, "He said the only way to fix it was to be outside of the plane, Miss." This was what Lara was afraid of, but she spied a parachute on a hook and secured it on her back. " I will do it, if you have the tools needed." She spoke somewhat slowly. Jen looked as if she could hug her and then ran hastily to the cockpit.
In a few moments, Jen returned with a screwdriver, a ratchet, and some tools Lara, personally, had never seen. "These are the items you need to repair the air plane. The captain said it had something to do with the engine. The fuel supply has begun to leak, also. That cannot be fully repaired, but if you patch it up, we could certainly fly longer and possibly land properly." Lara nodded. That was all she could do. 'Damn.' How did I get into this? Well, I should have some fun!' She thought, again, her sense of humor occurring.
A sudden jolt unexpectedly overcame the plane. Lara, surprised, tumbled down the aisle, hitting her elbow, sharply, in the process. Screams overcame the craft. Lara abruptly sat up, and got to her feet. "Everyone!" She yelled to grasp their attention, "Do not panic!" But fear had consumed everyone. Lara cursed under her breath. This was going to be harder than she thought...
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" The intercom boomed, "Please stay seated! There is some turbulence up ahead. I trust you not to be worried. Please sit down and relax. Thank you." Lara raised an eyebrow. 'Sneaky, bugger.' She thought. Well, what was she supposed to do? She couldn't save anyone, and she couldn't very likely save herself. Should she just sit and wait? She could be killed! She decided to sit. She built a little barricade around herself with her bags; her seat belt couldn't be any tighter!
As she sat, strapped to her seat, Lara thought of her life. She was only twenty-one. She was very adventurous and had dived out of planes, killed sharks, barracudas, wolves, and those pesky rig workers and thugs that were always after her. She would try anything at least once, but crashing wasn't on her list! Should she move away from the window? Lara clumsily slid into the middle seat of her row. Her eyes wandered through the rest of the plane. Children were clenched to their parents; attendants were huddled up in the back, and people that were flying alone, prayed. Her fingers nervously played with her seat belt; her head slowly turned towards that odd David person...
She spied him with his head in his hands, crying. She felt a wave of pity for him splash into her. Why did she pity him? They both would meet the same treacherous fate!
Ten minutes seemed like forever! Lara glanced at her Rolodex securely fastened to her slender wrist. Suddenly a painful jerk beat the plane. Screams of agony filled Lara's ears, but she kept herself cool as ice. At least everyone on this aircraft had someone to miss them! Some sort of family, friend, or lover would mourn them. Lara, however, would not have anything resembling that.
No one liked Lara; she was a misfit, a rebel, if you will. Her family had disowned her because she wasn't one hundred percent proper. She couldn't help that she loved to be dangerous! She could always get out of tight spots, and manage to survive, but she couldn't help herself now! She felt scared and lonely, but she kept everything inside. Maybe it wasn't the right thing to do, but it was her only option.
Soon, the plane started to fall; Lara could feel the plane descending deeper and deeper into hell. Closing her eyes, she hovered away from the window. She didn't pray, she didn't think about how much it would hurt, nor did she take the time to cry. How long would it take to reach the bottom, their un-chosen destination? She felt herself slipping into a state of unconsciousness.
Lara could sense that Jen was about to cry. Poor girl; she only looked about twenty. Lara herself was only twenty-one, but she had everything she needed to survive the crash- she had confidence. No one else would if unprepared. But if they were told, they would panic.
Perhaps she could save a few people, no, she couldn't. Maybe Jen? No. Her mind was reeling questions at her so fast. She didn't know quite what to do. 'Be calm.' She repeated to herself. Deep, sharp breaths began to flow into her lungs. Why had the captain wanted her to know? Why was she different from anyone else? 'OK!' Her head screamed, 'Stop with all the questions! I have a bigger dilemma to deal with.'
She peered out her window. Flying had never bothered her, heights either. Now, she had a terrible fright overcome her, but she knew that she had to be brave. Getting her bags situated, she happened to glance over at David. He was quite nervous. Could he possibly know? Gathering her thoughts, and her luggage, she made her way to the exit of the aircraft.
"Ms. Croft!" A familiar voice came. "What do you plan to do? We don't have enough parachutes for everyone! Maybe you..." "Nonsense!" Lara hissed, "I plan to help by any means necessary. What did the captain say was wrong with the aircraft?" Jen looked at her with wide eyes, "He said the only way to fix it was to be outside of the plane, Miss." This was what Lara was afraid of, but she spied a parachute on a hook and secured it on her back. " I will do it, if you have the tools needed." She spoke somewhat slowly. Jen looked as if she could hug her and then ran hastily to the cockpit.
In a few moments, Jen returned with a screwdriver, a ratchet, and some tools Lara, personally, had never seen. "These are the items you need to repair the air plane. The captain said it had something to do with the engine. The fuel supply has begun to leak, also. That cannot be fully repaired, but if you patch it up, we could certainly fly longer and possibly land properly." Lara nodded. That was all she could do. 'Damn.' How did I get into this? Well, I should have some fun!' She thought, again, her sense of humor occurring.
A sudden jolt unexpectedly overcame the plane. Lara, surprised, tumbled down the aisle, hitting her elbow, sharply, in the process. Screams overcame the craft. Lara abruptly sat up, and got to her feet. "Everyone!" She yelled to grasp their attention, "Do not panic!" But fear had consumed everyone. Lara cursed under her breath. This was going to be harder than she thought...
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" The intercom boomed, "Please stay seated! There is some turbulence up ahead. I trust you not to be worried. Please sit down and relax. Thank you." Lara raised an eyebrow. 'Sneaky, bugger.' She thought. Well, what was she supposed to do? She couldn't save anyone, and she couldn't very likely save herself. Should she just sit and wait? She could be killed! She decided to sit. She built a little barricade around herself with her bags; her seat belt couldn't be any tighter!
As she sat, strapped to her seat, Lara thought of her life. She was only twenty-one. She was very adventurous and had dived out of planes, killed sharks, barracudas, wolves, and those pesky rig workers and thugs that were always after her. She would try anything at least once, but crashing wasn't on her list! Should she move away from the window? Lara clumsily slid into the middle seat of her row. Her eyes wandered through the rest of the plane. Children were clenched to their parents; attendants were huddled up in the back, and people that were flying alone, prayed. Her fingers nervously played with her seat belt; her head slowly turned towards that odd David person...
She spied him with his head in his hands, crying. She felt a wave of pity for him splash into her. Why did she pity him? They both would meet the same treacherous fate!
Ten minutes seemed like forever! Lara glanced at her Rolodex securely fastened to her slender wrist. Suddenly a painful jerk beat the plane. Screams of agony filled Lara's ears, but she kept herself cool as ice. At least everyone on this aircraft had someone to miss them! Some sort of family, friend, or lover would mourn them. Lara, however, would not have anything resembling that.
No one liked Lara; she was a misfit, a rebel, if you will. Her family had disowned her because she wasn't one hundred percent proper. She couldn't help that she loved to be dangerous! She could always get out of tight spots, and manage to survive, but she couldn't help herself now! She felt scared and lonely, but she kept everything inside. Maybe it wasn't the right thing to do, but it was her only option.
Soon, the plane started to fall; Lara could feel the plane descending deeper and deeper into hell. Closing her eyes, she hovered away from the window. She didn't pray, she didn't think about how much it would hurt, nor did she take the time to cry. How long would it take to reach the bottom, their un-chosen destination? She felt herself slipping into a state of unconsciousness.