Once the sun was up, they were facing a whole new set of problems.
They had no food, three small bottles of water between the four of them, and the sandstorm had basically blocked the doors to the point that Elisa, even with the kids' help, couldn't force the doors open.
They were well and truly stuck until nightfall.
As the sun continued to rise, the temperature inside the helicopter began to rise as well.
She'd begun trying to transmit a distress call on the radios, but couldn't get them to work. She'd have given anything to have Lexington or Garia with them, but for the moment she was the best choice.
After a few hours, Elisa gave up on the radios.
Instead, she scouted the rest of the cabin and passenger areas, finally managing to locate a long flat headed screwdriver in one of the compartments, and an emergency flare gun.
Three flare cartridges, she counted. Turning, she carried both the screwdriver and the flare gun to the cockpit area.
Elisa flipped open her phone, noting that it was only about ten a.m. local time. It wasn't even noon yet, and it was already sweltering. What was it going to be like at noon?
Slipping the phone back in her pocket, as much to preserve the battery as to not be tempted to stare at it and willing the reception to suddenly be there, Elisa got to work with the screwdriver. She was attempting to peel and chip away at the rubber surrounds of the windows, hoping to get just a little moving air inside.
She only had a little time left before she'd have to stop and wake Fox again.
"Mom," Nayeli said softly from behind her.
Elisa had been so focused on her task, that the voice startled her enough that her hand slipped. The screwdriver was already awkward, being a long and heavy mechanical usage tool, and as Elisa jumped, it scraped its way down the side of Elisa's left hand.
"Damn," Elisa hissed, dropping the screwdriver and gripping the bleeding gash.
Nayeli brought her hands up to her mouth, her eyes wide in horror.
Elisa drew in a deep breath, held it, and when she was sure she could release it without swearing, she did so.
"I'm sorry," Nayeli gasped out.
Elisa shook her head. "It looks worse than it is," she said, trying to put her daughter's mind at ease. "Can you bring me the first aid kit?"
Nayeli's head bobbed, then she turned and hurried for the first aid kit that had been left near Fox.
"Hey, El," Fox greeted her softly. "What's wrong?"
"I distracted Mom," Nayeli said quickly. "She cut her hand, and she's bleeding."
Fox frowned, as if she were having trouble thinking.
"I'll be right back," Nayeli promised Fox, then turned to hurry to her mother's side and laid the kit on her mother's lap. "Sorry, Mom."
Elisa forced a smile. "I'll be fine," ahe said. "What did you need, kiddo?"
"I was wondering if there was any more water," she admitted. "I drank most of mine on the way here."
Elisa nodded. "My water is over by Fox. Go ahead and take a small sip, but gargle it first."
"Gargle it?" Nayeli asked, confused.
"It will wet the back of your throat," Elisa said. "It will help you not to feel as thirsty."
"Okay," Nayeli said softly, then went on to take the tiniest of sips from the bottle that Elisa had been using mostly for Fox.
Elisa made quick work of her hand, cleaning it the best she could and using a few butterfly bandages to close the deepest part of the wound. She then wrapped it all in gauze to keep the dust and dirt out, and to keep Nayeli from fixating on it.
Elisa turned to the window again, and inspiration struck. She picked up the screwdriver, and using her now injured hand, she put the flat metal end against the glass. With her other hand, she picked up the flare gun by the barrel and swung it at the handle of the tool.
With the metal against the weakest point of the window, it finally cracked.
Elisa moved the screwdriver again and hit it again. Once more in each corner, and she was finally able to knock the window free of its frame.
It was then that she realized that, while the sand and dirt the storm had kicked up was still clinging to the windows, the storm itself had passed.
With the slightest of breezes coming through the window, the temperature began to lower.
Not a lot, but maybe it would be enough.
Elisa had never used a flare gun before, but with only three cartridges, she wanted to be careful on using them.
Should she use one now? The storm seemed to have passed, judging by what she was able to see outside of the little side window she'd managed to break out, but it was daytime. Would anyone be able to see it?
Elisa fiddled with the radios for a few minutes before realizing that she was out of her depth with those. Fox would probably be able to do something with those, but she was still a little scrambled in that department, so Elisa opted to wait on that and let the woman rest.
Three cartridges, and the hottest part of the day still coming with them all essentially locked in a hollow metal container with little water.
She made a decision and inspected the flare gun. Luckily, the little canister had illustrated loading instructions on it, so Elisa was able to load one. Moving to the window, she stuck her arm out as far as she was able and fired straight up.
She damn near lost her grip on the gun when it fired, but managed to keep a grip on it.
Now, she could only hope that someone was able to see it.
