CHAPTER 2

Abigail left the group to ponder what had been said. She walked to the shoreline.

She gazed far out into the deep, blue ocean, it seemed to go on forever. She felt the cool, wet sand squish between her toes.

Gray, gloomy clouds were blocking out the usually warm tropical sun. The survivors didn't even know what ocean it was. There was speculation that they could even be in the Bermuda triangle. That would explain some of the strange happenings on the island. She began to remember what her boyfriend, Ted would always say. "Every time I try to fly, I fall. Without my wings, I feel small."

She surmised that it had something to do with his love for flying and the fact that he was an Air Force pilot. She had felt that same way about her life during the past two years. Every time that she tried to fly and do something important with her life, she would hit a hurdle and fall flat on her face. That would always make her feel small and useless. First she lost Ted, then she was injured in Iraq and now she was on this island with all of the strangers. That's how she was feeling now. Staring out into the vast ocean, Abigail remembered.

Capt. Abigail Fisher had never been as happy as she was today to leave the Australian Royal Air Force hospital in Sydney. She had been recovering there for more then two months after she was injured in Iraq. Today, she was changing all of that and heading home for the remainder of her recuperation.

Abigail met her two traveling companions just before they started to the airport. They were also American military recovering in Australia from wounds received in Iraq. The young, tall gentleman was a Marine master Sergeant. He was about Abigail's age. The other was an Army private. He was really just a kid. At the airport the homeward bound group arrived at the gate. When flight 815 to LAX was announced, they were the first to board because of their special needs.

"Let me help you with those, ma'am." The Marine offered.

"Thank you Sergeant,, but I'll have to get used to moving around with them sooner or later."

Abigail saw an older gentleman smile at her. She heard someone call him colonel.

Maybe he was retired from the military.

The group of soldiers began their plane trip home. Or so they thought.

Abigail didn't pay any attention to the dark skinned man who sat down across the aisle from her.

Her thoughts were on home and family. How would they react to her injuries? She lived in a small, tight Lakota community where everyone pulled their own weight. How would she fit in now?

"Are you going home?" Sayid leaned across the row and asked Abigail just wanting to make some conversation with the attractive dark haired, bronze-skinned woman sitting near him.

"Yes., I am." Abigail said without looking at Sayid. "I'm going back to South Dakota, the Black hills to be exact. I have to try to live like a Lakota again, somehow."

First I have to spend some more time in a hospital in California." Abigail answered.

"I'm sorry that you are hurt. I was in the military as well." Sayid was cut off by the Marine Sergeant.

The Marine was sitting next to Abigail and the Army private. He stared at Sayid and knew that he was from the Middle East somewhere. Maybe even Iraq itself.

"The Captain doesn't want to talk to the likes of you, raghead." the Marine's comment caught Abigail's attention.

Oh my God. Abigail thought to herself. "I was actually talking to one of them. Sergeant I need to find another empty seat."

Abigail got permission from the flight attendant to move forward a few rows. The move wasn't an easy one because of her leg braces and the narrow aisle, but Abigail was determined.

As soon as Abigail was seated. The pilot displayed the fasten seat belt sign. They were running into some unexpected turbulence. People were scrambling to get to their seats. The plane began to rattle and shake mildly at first, but then the disturbance become severe. Luggage was falling for the overhead bins and the oxygen masks came down. People started to yell and scream. The turbulence got worse. People who were caught standing were sliding all over the plane and on top of people who were in their seats.

Abigail could feel the fuselage begin to shake and rattle apart. She could see gaping holes forming in the floor of the plane. The plane was coming apart. People were sucked out. Abigail lost conscious.

She was unconscious, but still on her seat. Sayid careful picked her up and carried her safely away from the burning, twisted wreckage. He could feel the pressure of her braces on his forearms. What could had done this to this beautiful woman? He wondered. How could he tell her that her two friends didn't survive?

Abigail was sitting near the fire. Clouds began to block out the late afternoon tropical sun.