Detour, Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own them. I'm just borrowing them.

Bosco reached overhead once again trying to adjust the tiny air conditioning vent. He was beginning to think that accepting this FREE vacation was a big mistake. 'Four days on the sunny beaches of Pensacola, Florida. Hmph…at this rate, I'll never make it to Florida.'

The flight from New York to Memphis had been right on schedule. But then things fell apart. The layover in Memphis was supposed to be 45 minutes. But after a four hour wait, the airline finally told all the passengers that the flight had to be cancelled, something to do with a problem with the plane's landing gear that couldn't be resolved. They had offered to put the passengers up in a hotel overnight, but Bosco would have none of that. He was going on to Florida today or burst.

That's how he found himself in the smallest airplane he'd ever been on. It was no more than a puddle jumper. The seats were cramped and dingy. The air was musty. And the least amount of turbulence shook the tiny plane like a leaf.

'What have I gotten myself into? Jackson? Jackson, Mississippi, and then on to Florida. I didn't even know Mississippi had an airport. And from the size of this plane, it can't be very large. Crap.'

"You ever been to Mississippi, young man?"

Bosco looked up at the rather large woman sitting in the seat beside him.

"Um….no…..um…Maam." He tried to smile. "I'm not stopping." He made it clear. "I'm going on to Florida."

"Oh, that'll be nice. Where are you from?"

"New York" Bosco replied, hoping the lady would get back to her knitting and leave him alone.

"New York. Well I'll be….that must be an exciting place to live!" She let out a little chuckle.

"Um…yeah" Bosco replied with a nod.

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Bosco spent the next thirty minutes nodding and trying to be polite, as the woman chattered away beside him. Every so often he would glance out the window at the ground below. Green fields intermixed with small wooded areas. The sun was just beginning to set and the sky was a perfect mixture of rose and dusky blue.

Bosco closed his eyes, hoping he could ignore the lady beside him long enough to catch a quick nap. That plan was quickly interrupted by the plane lurching downward suddenly and the lady next to him screaming.

Bosco rubbed his ear as the plane leveled off and the overhead speaker came to life.

"Just a little turbulence, folks. Nothing to worry about." The pilot assured them.

"Sorry" the lady said sheepishly, seeing Bosco rubbing his ear.

"That's ok." He mumbled and turned back to the window.

Suddenly the plane dropped downward again and seemed to slow. Bosco's stomach flip-flopped, as the plane continued to descend and the emergency lights came on.

The pilot suddenly came over the loud speaker, his voice not nearly as calm as before. "Ladies and gentleman, we seem to be having a little engine trouble. Everyone please stay calm and listen for further instructions."

"ENGINE!" the lady next to Bosco shouted. "Oh dear Lord! Oh dear Lord! We're going to die! Help me, Jesus!" the lady next to Bosco shouted, then began muttering a frantic prayer.

Bosco, seeing others beginning to panic, instinctively went into police mode. "Maam, just calm down. We're not going to die. Just stay calm. Everyone just stay calm."

The plane lurched downward again as the nose dipped, causing the lady to screech loudly. Then the intercom sputtered to life.

"Ladies and Gentleman, we need to take emergency precautions. Everyone please make sure that your seatbelt is fastened. Place your food trays in the upright positions. Please place your head on your knees and clasp your hands behind your head. Again, please place your head on your knees and clasp your hands behind your head."

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Noise…..hideous, horrible noise….screaming….metal screeching…..

Pain…..terrible pain……

Cold…..bone chilling cold…….

Darkness…..