Chapter One: The unfriendly skies
*BBZZZZZZ*
The harsh electronic trilling permeated the small room, echoing off the walls. Sunlight crept along the bed through the gap in the window shades. Combined they signaled the start of another day for the room's sleeping occupant.
Restlessly the individual under the bed sheets stirred. It wasn't long before a curled fist emerged from beneath the dark blue comforter to land a hasty blow on the annoying alarm clock. *Thwack* The digital device bounced slightly on the nightstand from the unkind impact. With its buttons mashed and internal mechanisms jarred the blaring noise it emitted was shut off for good.
Under the covers a body rolled over unable to return to the slumber which it had been awakened from.
Frustrated arms jerked the bedsheets from over its head. With low groan eyelids were peeled back to stare up at the sight that awaited them.
Large white fangs situated in a gaping maw, a pair of fierce red-gold colored eyes with their narrow slitted pupils stared down at him while a pair of wings were held spread out. Its red scaled skin bulged with tense muscles and the claws of its forepaws were held open ready to grab whatever the creature's prey was. All were the features of a being ready to attack.
But Adryk stared at it without a tinge of fear.
This was a very recognizable likeness that the teen had been waking up to for years now. And while at first there had been an initial adjustment period of waking up to it and seeing it but after awhile it sort of faded into the background becoming just another part of his surroundings.
Heaving a sigh he broke eye contact with the painted mural above his bed. "Another day" he mumbled throwing back the comforter and sheets.
Sitting up Adryk stretched raising his arms towards the ceiling before he arched his back and rocked his head from side to side loosening any tension in his joints. With a yawn his seemingly cold blue eyes swept acrossed the room looking for anything irregular. On a day like today he would have thought to see something new or out of place but there wasn't.
Posters of various sizes adorned the walls, with all possessing a common motif: Dragons.
Like the largest poster beside his bed held the image of a majestic golden scaled dragon as it soared amongst the clouds. Another had a pair of black scaled dragons curled around a clutch of eggs, another a metallic blue scaled dragon perched on a cliff its wings spread and a mouth agape with a jet of fire being exhaled. Indeed it seemed that nary an inch of available space had been spared, but moreover it wasn't just posters. Row after row of dragon figurines sat on shelves with other assorted similarly themed memorabilia.
Even the bed's comforter sported an exaggerated silver dragon like figure embroidered on its surface.
Rising up from the bed Adryk strode acrossed the room and down the adjoining hall. Along the way he paused looking in on the empty bedroom belonging to his parents before continuing on towards the living room. Lingering just long enough to glance around he moved on to the kitchen where the teen set about pouring himself a bowl of breakfast cereal.
In going for the milk something stopped him. A piece of paper held on the stainless steel fridge fluttered in the slight breeze caused by the act of opening the door attracted his attention. Pulling it from the magnet he looked it over.
Dear Son,
Happy Birthday,
Your father and I are sorry about not being here but we have been called out for an emergency meeting for upcoming mergers. We don't know how long these meetings will take and how long we will be gone. Hopefully we'll be back soon enough. Once we get back we promise to make it all up to you, anything you want.
We checked it out and everything is setup for your present today. So you and your friends enjoy and have a great day!
Love,
Mom & Dad
Taking the note in hand Adryk gave it a last glance before crumpling it into a paper ball and depositing it in the trash. Whereas others may have felt sullen over having their parents being so wrapped up in their business as to miss their birthday Adryk felt nothing about it. For this sort of thing had been the norm for his family for many years.
With his mother being a lawyer, who specialized in big corporate negotiations and takeovers, and his father, who sat on as a board advisor for the manufacturing company he worked for. As per expected with such occupations the two would often be required to work long hours, or take frequent and extended business trips which left their son in the hands of babysitters when he was younger. But once old enough the babysitters stopped coming and like now the teen spent the majority of his time alone in the house.
It was sort of an unspoken agreement between him and his parents. So long as he didn't break any laws, cause problems for others, or do anything detrimental to the house he was free to do as he pleased.
It was a situation without what some would call perks.
With his parents gone some eighty to ninety percent of the time it meant no one was there to hassle him about his school grades, his homework, or his chores around the house. He could watch what he wanted, listen whatever music as loud as he wanted, or sleep as late as he wished. He could also have his friends stay over as much as he wanted and no one was there to nag them or embarrass him in front of them.
Conversely, this meant that the opposite was also true.
It meant there was no one there to ask him about his day when he came home, no one to aid him with his homework when he needed, or talk about things that might be troubling him before offering him some advice. No one help when he was hurt or look after him when he got sick. More so he was alone when others were together like the holidays, or special occasions like today.
In the beginning he felt the isolation but as he grew it just became a part of his everyday life, something for him to learn to accept and deal with as he grew up.
Replacing the milk in the fridge he took his bowl in hand and strode into the living room where he took a seat on the plush couch. Reaching over he grabbed the remote in one hand and began to channel surf. His eyes looked over the on screen guide searching for something occupy his time before exhausting the channel listings and settling on some classic Saturday morning cartoons.
-x-X-x-
Hiccup glanced to the sky. The swirling mass of clouds continued to approach to Berk bringing with them the shadowy darkness.
It wasn't long after the Elder had spoken that Stoick took action. Immediately he saw to it that the Elder was taken to the safety of her home before he set about organizing the village for the forthcoming danger. The next action was to see to it that those too young or infirm were also taken away to safety while the rest were broken into groups, each with their own tasks. In the village most were seeing to it that the more prized and fragile belongings were properly secured.
In the meantime, as a way to keep him busy and out of the way Stoick had sent Hiccup with some of the other teens to the fields. Here the group was to round up the livestock and make sure they were safely returned to the barns. To be honest, much like the other teens, Hiccup found the task that while a necessity was a bit demeaning. But nonetheless he quickly went with the others to the fields.
Standing alongside the short wooden fence the teen surveyed the situation. Scanning the pasture Hiccup could that the cattle had already been gathered up leaving the sheep and a few young calves.
Just out in front of him Hiccup watched Snotlout and Glump as they ran about wildly chasing after the sheep. In the process the two managed to cause a group Fishlegs and Astrid had collected to scatter. This of course didn't go over too well with the blonde haired teen as she angrily stamped her foot with a huff before taking off to go recollect them. While further out in the pasture Hiccup observed Ruffnut and Tuffnut both doing their best to attempt to ambush a wayward calf.
However, apparently the siblings not aware of the other's presence as they approached from opposite sides. The outcome was predictable. As the two rushed the calf all they managed to do was spook the creature, which then sped off leaving the twins to collide with one another.
Watching the scene play out the teen's keen and inventive mind went to work analyzing the situation and seeking a possible solution. Idea after idea came to him and each was dismissed until finally he settled upon one. Quickly he turned making his way back to the barn, inside the teen examined the interior. After a few seconds he spotted just what he needed, a ram's horn hung on peg on the wall.
Taking the horn in hand and drawing his knife from his belt Hiccup began to make some modifications to the horn. Overall the alterations didn't take long for him to finish up, tucking the knife back in his belt Hiccup looked over his completed work.
Turning he strode back to the barn's entrance. Lifting the horn to his lips the Viking teen paused to take a breath, 'I hope this works.'
Exhaling Hiccup emptied his lungs into the horn. As the air passed through it, the sound it produced was notably different. Thanks to his alterations the resulting sound was like that of a ram.
Upon hearing this the sheep in the pasture perked up giving a clear indication that they had heard. Reacting Hiccup took another breath before exhaling in a pattern giving the same sounds the rams use to call the herd. Sure enough the ewes obeyed as they turned to follow the sound back to the barn.
A wide smile formed on the brown haired teen's face as the wooly creatures drew near.
The sight of seeing the sheep all turning and moving towards the barn of their own accord left the other teens bewildered.
It wasn't until they looked towards the barn that they had their answer. There by the doors was Hiccup blowing hard into a horn the sounds of which were what was apparently attracting the sheep. Deciding to go with the flow Astrid and Fishlegs acted as guides making sure they moved straight to the barn. While the other teens were responsible for the rounding up of any stragglers that got away from the main group.
Slowly the wooly beasts obeyed their pied piper and were funneled into the large structure.
Only when the final sheep had crossed the threshold did Hiccup stop blowing the horn and shut the door. Turning back around Hiccup was met with the expressions of surprise on the other teens. They stood in silence as they regarded him for a moment. And for a second Hiccup thought that perhaps they might actually have a compliment for his quick thinking.
"You're lucky that worked" one of them stated "Otherwise we'd be chasing them with no help from you."
With those words things had been returned to the status-quo. As the others turned and headed off back to the village the brown haired teen remained a while longer. Going over the barn he made certain it was properly secured before with a small sigh he hung the horn back on a hook.
-x-X-x-
The mild amusement that Adryk received from the cartoons on screen was taken away by the incessant ringing of the phone. Distracted by the sound the lad glanced over his shoulder sending a glare to the phone. As a ringing phone must be answered he set his bowl down on the coffee table and made his way to the noisy device.
Pressing the mute on the remote he lifted the receiver from the base. "Hello?" a bit of his annoyance seeped through his tone.
"Hey now buddy" a exuberant voice on the end replied, "How's it going?"
Adryk returned to take his seat "Fine so far, I guess."
"You don't sound all that excited man." The speaker paused "You sure you're up for today?"
"Yeah, should be fun."
"Okay cool, guess we'll swing by at eleven and pick you up. Alright?"
Adryk turned looking to the clock on the wall taking note of the time, "Okay see ya'll then." Then the line went dead as both parties hung up.
Setting the phone down he again looked to the clock. At 10:27 that left him about thirty-three minutes to get ready. Taking the soiled bowl in hand Adryk made for the kitchen, there depositing it in the sink he quickly washed it and set it aside to dry. Backtracking through the house the teen found himself in his room again. Heading to the closet he shuffled about its cramped interior. Sorting through the rows of shirts and pants that hung on the rack his mind went through the possible combinations.
Deciding to just wear his usual attire he pulled a plain black t-shirt from its hanger alongside a pair of digital woodland camouflage military fatigues. From the closet Adryk made a brief stop off at his dresser to grab a fresh pair of shorts before leaving the room.
In the bathroom he tossed the clothes onto the countertop. Opening the shower door he leaned in turning the faucet handles to mix the hot and cold flows until a desirable temperature had been achieved. Shedding his sleeping attire he stepped into the shower shutting the shower door behind him. The heat from the water washing over him helped to relax his body as he stood under the cascade. Snapping to work Adryk went to work removing the night's buildup of oils from his skin with the help of a loofah and his preferred brand of body wash. Rinsing off the foamy lather his attention turned to his hair and applying a descent amount of shampoo soon had his head looking like the sudsy mess.
After washing the mess from his hair, he remained under the water for a few lingering moments before turning off the water. Sliding the glass door open he reached out grabbing his towel from its hook and set about drying off.
No longer dripping wet he wrapped the towel around his waist and stepped out of the shower. Feeling the plush shag rug beneath his toes Adryk made his way acrossed the washroom to the counter. Reaching the waiting pile of clothes he paused looking himself over in the mirror.
Adryk stood at 5'11", his hair was a dark blonde bordering almost on a brown. For ease of management he kept it cut short, only a few centimeters in length in a style much like that of a military crew cut. While he possessed nowhere near the level of bulk as a bodybuilder, Adryk had a fair amount of definition and shape to his musculature. It was something he took some pride in; as physical training was something the teen devoted a fair amount of time a week towards. This obsession of his stemmed from the bullying he received when he was younger for being overweight. This also created very little tolerance for such behavior from anyone. Besides being in good physical condition had helped land him a spot on the football team in school and then on the soccer team in the offseason during the summer.
Shifting his gaze about his features Adryk noted, what many said was his most outstanding attribute. His eyes, many times people had remarked about the unusual color they possessed but more so the unsettling feeling they gave others. This was especially evident if he was to stare at somebody for any length of time.
Locking his gaze with that of the reflection the teen examined them for himself, oddly enough something he never really paid attention enough to do.
The irises were a pale icy blue, leaning to the point of almost being white, a color that made his gaze seem cold, distant and seemingly without emotion. At times when combined when his lighter skin tone and a stoic expression gave him an almost harsh look. Indeed many a person had shared their thoughts on the matter as he grew. One of the more memorable ones was an old man who commented on them while he and his parents were on vacation. "So unnerving those eyes, like looking in the eyes of death itself" he had said and after which the bloke had was given a lecture in manners from Adryk's mother. And yet Adryk agreed with most of the sentiments, such an icy color seemed rather out of place on a living person.
With a shake of his head he pushed the thoughts to the side as he moved on to getting dressed. Replacing the towel on its hook he was quick to slip on his undershorts before following them up by pulling up the fatigues. Grabbing his shirt from the counter he slid it on over his head and tucked the excess into the waistband of his pants then fastened the buttons on the pants.
A quick once over in the mirror and the teen was soon enough traversing the hall back to his bedroom.
Tossing the clothes he'd slept in into the laundry basket in the back of the closet Adryk bent down to grab the black combat boots that sat on a small shelf besides the door. Then in passing he retrieved a pair of padded boot socks from his dresser. No sooner had he just slipped the socks on when the doorbell echoed throughout the house. The classical ding-dong bordered on annoyingly loud, but not so much as the pounding on the door that came just after. All this activity served to alert the teen to the fact that his ride had promptly arrived.
And also they were apparently rather eager to get underway.
Sliding his feet into the boots Adryk could have probably set a world record for speed tying. Standing up he looked over his room making sure everything was in its place before he turned to head out. Just before crossing into the hallway he paused, doing a 180 he strode back into his room and over to his bedside. Reaching over he snatched his good luck charm from its resting place on the nightstand.
As the pounding resumed Adryk closed his bedroom door and hastily made for the front door. Upon opening the door he was greeted by his friend who barely said a word before he ran back to the waiting van. Making sure the door was locked up tight he too headed to the waiting vehicle.
-x-X-x-
Moving through the village Hiccup stopped to look at the sky.
His gaze turned immediately to the approaching disturbance. The anomaly had progressed a great deal in a relatively short time, now it sat just a few miles from their shores. But already the sky overhead had begun to darken as if its mere presence was draining the light from the sun. Strangely the winds had returned and were starting to increase in strength as a rare gust would erupt from seemingly nowhere to throw smaller objects around.
In stopping Hiccup was left in the middle of the trail and with his mind otherwise distracted he was oblivious to the goings on around him. It was a harsh bump from a passing villager that brought the teen back to reality. Gathering his wits he weaved through the roving crowds as he followed after the other village teens. Even from a fair distance he could already hear his father's voice barking orders.
Approaching a main intersection he saw his father. Stoick stood atop a crate, his arms a near constant motion as he pointed to various individuals in the crowds before he shouted orders and moved to the next person. "You there get down to the docks and secure those ships" Stoick's thunderous voice echoed above the crowds "We can nay afford to lose those vessels." Turning atop his pedestal the Viking chief was in time to see a cart come rolling down a street nearly knocking over several before colliding with a house.
"I said get those carts tied down" the command was reissued and this time the villagers took heed and obeyed.
Surveying the area Stoick was quick to spot the group of approaching teenagers. Leaping down from the makeshift podium he turned to the teens, "Is the livestock accounted for and secured?"
"Aye, we got them all" one of the teens answered as the others nodded rapidly in response.
"Good" the Viking chieftain gave a nod of approval. A streak of lightning pulled his gaze skyward for a moment before he addressed them again, "Now you all get back to your homes and get inside where it's safe." The response was what one could expect from a Viking teenager as they voiced their objection. This dissent was however quickly dismissed with a hard stare from Stoick as none dared risk raising his ire.
None but one that is.
Turning Stoick eyed the lanky teen whom had chosen to remain against his command. "Hiccup, you heard what I said. Get on back to the house" still the teen remained.
"Dad I can still help" Hiccup pleaded moving closer "I mean I can…"
"No, Hiccup" the lad's father interrupted, his hand held up to silence the boy. Leaving the boy's disgruntled gaze Stoick's own gaze looked towards the sky and the coming dark. The strange disturbance outer most edge was now stretching out atop the village taking with it the majority of the ambient light. More threatening was the fact that the occurrence of the bizarre purple lightning had increased tenfold and was more readily striking the ground.
Taking a step forward Stoick placed a hand on his son's narrow shoulder. "It's going to get dangerous, Hiccup. This storm is not natural and it looks to be gathering its strength, who knows just how bad it's going to get out here. Or just how long this is going to last." Hiccup looked up to his father watching as Stoick's face hardened, his stern authoritative persona came back to the forefront, "And I can't be worrying about you. Now get going."
Although he hated to admit it his father was right. The teen had already encountered some trouble remaining on his feet when some of the stronger gusts blew through the village. And if Stoick was correct, and he usually was, things were bound to get a whole lot worse.
Hesitantly and somewhat downtrodden Hiccup turned away from his father and began to make his way along the stone path weaving through villagers as he made for home.
Standing motionless Stoick watched his son head off. The Viking chief's feeling were still mixed on just how he should of handled the lad. 'Odin, look after him' the father said in silent prayer as the teen disappeared from sight. With the distraction his son offered now minimized he returned to his duties. Striding determinedly forwards he grabbed a length of rope from a wagon tossing an end to a passerby and began to lash a group of wagons down.
"You there," he shouted "Reinforce the east side of the village, the rest make sure the houses are secured."
-x-X-x-
So far the trip was going rather smoothly. The gentle vibration of the minivan as it sped along the highway was almost enough to lull its passengers to sleep, had it not been for the excitement of what awaited at their destination. Inside the vehicle the group of teenagers busied themselves with idle chatter about a wide range of topics. That is all but one teen who indeed looked to be close to sleep.
"So how did you talk your parents into letting you go skydiving for your birthday?" a ginger haired lad asked his enthusiasm rather obvious.
Lazily Adryk shifted his gaze to the speaker "As long as it keeps me out of trouble, they'll agree to just about anything."
"Geez I wish my parents were like that" a girl's voice commented.
Turning back Adryk shifted in his seat to recline somewhat before going back to staring out the window watching the myriad of road signs as they sped by.
"Hey, what's that?" the girl seated beside him interrupted his peace, her raised hand pointing to the necklace that hung from Adryk's neck.
Inclining his head he followed her direction. His gaze fell upon the thick braided gold chain but it was the object attached to the chain that was being inquired about. Hanging from a small metal loop was a pendant shaped in an eye with a diagonal S-shaped retaining bar. Mounted behind the bar a pale blue gemstone while mounted in the metal at the center of the blue stone a small but brilliantly red jewel. The red stone was cut thin like the tapered pupil of a cat or lizard. Around the eye were a pair of dragons, each one had the tail of the other held in their mouth's forming a circle.
Lifting his hand Adryk gripped the talisman between his thumb and forefinger holding up for her to see. "It's an amulet. Got it from a shop couple years back when we took a vacation to Iceland. The old shop keeper said it's supposed to watch over and protect its wearer bringing good fortune."
The girl extended her hand in an unspoken request to get a closer look. Gripping the chain Adryk pulled it up and over his head before holding it out and letting the girl lo take it. She reacted visibly with a bit of surprise upon feeling the weight and her eyes seemed to sparkle as she gazed at the pair of precious stones.
"Oh wow" she exclaimed "It's beautiful." Lifting her hand she returned the chain to its owner, "So do you believe all that?"
"I don't know" Adryk replied placing it around his neck. "But never had anything bad happen while wearing it."
Her curiosity satisfied the girl went back to chatting with another of the teens allowing Adryk to return to gazing at the passing scenery. While relaxed he subconsciously grasped the pendant in his hand gently running his thumb over the circling dragons metal bodies.
It wasn't too long before the group had arrived at their destination and pulled into the massive car filled parking lot. After several minutes of searching the driver had managed to find a spot to park. Once the doors had opened the passengers were allowed to disembark. Adryk was the last to get out and followed his fellow teens through the rows of stationary vehicles to the entrance of the airport's main terminal.
There standing just in front of the double glass doors was a man wearing a hawaiian style shirt with only half the buttons done up. In the man's hands was a makeshift cardboard sign, on it Adryk's last name was scribbled in black sharpie messily on its natural brown.
"That'd be us" the group's entourage spoke as he approached the waiting stranger.
The man took a moment to look over the group before he took the offered hand in a hearty shake. "Alright then, right this way my friends" he motioned in a sweeping motion beckoning them to follow him.
Falling in the assemblage of teenagers followed their new leader through the airport terminal and out the other side where a small bus sat waiting. Climbing onboard it was difficult in finding a seat as it was pretty much filled forcing some to stand, or to try an squeeze in besides these strangers. It appeared that this was a popular skydiving service.
With a rumble of the engine and a short drive later the bus came to a stop in front of one of the many large aircraft hangars that dotted the area.
The hangar doors rolled back slowly revealing the large twin engine aircraft that was parked within. The plane was most likely one of the old prop planes that had ferried people all over the skies before the advent of the jet planes.
It had an interesting paintjob. The belly of the aircraft was painted in a deep midnight blue with a speckling of small white spots, thus giving the mimicking appearance of the night sky. Traveling upwards the dark blue gradually turned into a rich golden yellow hue that covered the upper body. Overall the paint scheme was suggestive of the morning, night turning into day. The props were chrome plated and glinted brightly in the sunlight. Buffed to a high mirror shine they cast reflections of anything that passed in front of them.
As he strode passed the waiting machine his eyes were drawn up to the aircraft's tail.
Here their company symbol sat. A shooting star emblazoned with the ironic words "Happy Landings" written underneath it in some stylized italics.
All around the plane members of the mechanic's crew circled the craft going over its every detail. The majority of this activity consisted mainly of just their routine maintenance checks. "Check the ailerons," a man wearing an old fashion flight jacket called out to the crewmember standing on the wing "The handling has been rather sluggish."
When he received a thumbs up signal the jacket wearing man turned and strode towards the waiting group. He spoke in brief with the man who had brought them here before they parted ways and addressed the group.
"Welcome" he said with a clap of his hands "I guess you all are ready to have some fun, eh? But first there is something we need to get through, so if you will all follow me."
Ushering the assemblage into a small room off to the side they were seated as the pilot proceeded to give the mandatory safety speech. The speech covered all the necessary areas from how to behave while in flight to proper jump educate. This included a dry run of how to perform the jump, parachute opening and landing procedures. Despite the promise of fun, so far the day had been seriously lacking in the subject. Luckily though as boring as it was, nobody wished to wind up going home in a bag.
Finally the long talk began to wrap up and they were again ushered into another room. Here they were lined up and made to walk by a long table, as they moved passed it they told the person behind it some simple information before being handed a backpack containing their parachute. As each person passed by the door to return to the hangar a waiting man handed each a small slip of paper with a large number printed on it.
Climbing up the short stairs the group filed into the plane one by one. "Huh, looked bigger on the outside" a dark haired gentleman remarked as he took his first step inside.
Inside it quickly became rather apparent just what the slips of paper had been for. The interior had been stripped to bare essentials with a open floored design. The seats had been arranged to travel along the walls in two rows. And printed on backrest of each of the red plastic seats was a large black number. These numbers no doubt corresponded with the slip of paper each had in hand.
Figuring that out each person then spent the next few minutes striding about locating their respective seats and getting strapped in.
With everyone seated a member from the ground crew stepped aboard. He strode about looking over each seat and inspecting the safety harnesses. Occasionally the man in the bright orange jumpsuit would pause to make an adjust to someone's harness, or give a good hardy yank to test it. From the cockpit the pilot could be seen looking back watching the proceedings. When the man gave the signal for the all clear the pilot was quick to return the gesture.
Once he had disembarked the passengers could hear the stairs being retracted followed by the loud click of the lock on the door as it was secured. In the background, amongst the trivial chatter that abound the pilot and co-pilot could be heard going over the preflight checklist.
The checks done the engines sputtered for a moment or two before coming to life with a rumbling growl. The twin mirrored props sliced through the air so fast all that could be seen was a solid circle created by the spinning metal. Slowly the aircraft crept forwards out of the hangar and out onto the tarmac on its way to the runway. There a short wait as a much larger jet liner sat on the runway readying for takeoff. Then once it was out of the way it was finally their turn to take its place.
A brief radio transmission between the pilots and control tower and they were cleared for takeoff.
The throttle increased, each engine guzzled more and more fuel as the RPMs climber higher and higher. The props cut the air pulling the craft along the well used tarmac. As it rolled along there were momentary shakes with each pothole but nothing too noticeable. And before anyone onboard really knew it there was a brief jerking sensation and the plane was airborne steadily climbing higher and higher.
-x-X-x-
The flight was going about as one would assume it would. Looking about it was clear the passengers were a mix of different experience levels, some were cool and collected, some were rather excited about the prospect of skydiving, and others were just plain nervous made obvious by their fidgeting or expressions. For the most part with nothing else to do they kept themselves busy swapping stories or just idly chatting. One guy seemed to take delight in teasing the obviously nervous lady seated acrossed from him.
Closing in on the intended jump site they still had about twenty minutes to go when things took a turn as it seemed the weather had changed its mind.
"Would you look at that" the pilot spoke raising the flip ups of his mirrored sunglasses. With his right hand he pointed to a gathering mass of billowing black storm clouds. "Where'd the hell those come from?"
"I don't know" his co-pilot responded. Reaching over he pulled a clipboard from besides his seat and began to thumb through the attached papers "The weather report didn't say anything about any storms being the area today." Setting the clipboard back in its original position "I don't like of them, Jim."
"Think we could go around it?"
"It's worth a shot, I guess" the other man replied as the two surveyed the skyline.
Turning the controls soon got the aircraft to follow suit as the plane began to gently bank to the left in an effort to avoid the brewing storm system. However, even with the wide birth the plane had given it didn't matter. The storm clouds expanded at an alarming rate far beyond what would be considered normal. Soon the entirety of the horizon had gone dark leaving the flight crew but one decision.
Reaching over the pilot flipped a small switch which keyed in his helmet microphone. "This is the pilot speaking," a man's voice spoke on the plane's internal speakers "I apologize but it looks like today's jump will be cancelled and we will be forced to RTB due to adverse weather conditions."
As to be expected the message was met with a collection of groans and muttered complaints.
"I don't get it, man. The news this morning said it would be a clear and sunny day" the woman acrossed from Adryk spoke.
The ladies comment attracted others "Yeah, well just chalk this up to another screw up for the weatherman."
"Last time I listened to a weather report it called for rain, so I dressed and then got baked as I stood outside in my coat and suit. Taught me never to pay attention to what some fool on the TV has to say about the weather."
These remarks earned more from others around the cabin including many a weatherman related joke and more stories of faulty predictions. All the while the jovial group was oblivious to the growing danger present just on the other side of the thin aluminum skin. As just outside the black mass of clouds had fully occupied the sky leaving completely blotting out any clear patches. In doing so the sunlight dwindled to almost nothing leaving the plane cockpit lit only by the neon glow of the controls. This lack of light and the much reduced visibility made navigation difficult as the pilots tried to make for the safety of the airfield.
"Even with the lights on its like nothing out there" the pilot spouted trying to peer through the veil of darkness.
With the storm had come the winds and now turbulence had increased dramatically as the powerful gusts began to buffet the plane. The sharp jarring motions would have surely thrown the passengers from their seats if not for the harnesses holding them put.
"Ooh, I'm gonna be sick" someone called out.
"Man, if we make it off this thing I swear never to ride a rollercoaster again" the teen seated besides Adryk spoke.
Adryk own grip had tightened on the seat's harness had tightened considerably. As anxiety took hold of him he could hear his heartbeat thumping in his ears along with a cold sweat on his palms and under his arms. Looking about the cabin he eyed the other's faces seeing their emotions play out. One woman in particular looked outright panicked, head tilted back, eyes held tightly shut and gripping her harness so hard her knuckles were turning white.
The small circular windows lit up by the intense flash of lightning.
In an instant a bolt of lightning had lashed out from a cloudbank, attracted by the metal hull it made contact with the right wing! The massive surge of power easily overloaded the electrical systems causing the engine to misfire and then sputter before it broke out in flames.
"Flame out on the starboard side engine," the co-pilot shouted his attention drawn immediately to the flashing red lights.
"Throttling back," the pilot responded gripping the throttle and easing it back.
The action siphoned off the flow of fuel to the engine which deprived of its fuel source was quickly extinguished. This however had a downside as without the second engine the plane's speed was cut in half. Traveling at such a reduced pace seemed to amplify the turbulence significantly. New shouts and screams echoed within the plane as it jostled about in the air. In the cockpit the pilot and co=pilot busied themselves at the controls as they fought to keep the craft steady in the storm.
It seemed that perhaps that they had succeeded when something happened to prove them wrong.
A sudden powerful gust thrashed the aircraft. This violent shake caused an aluminum thermos to tumble free of the shallow holster and land on the cockpit floor with a clank. The two men paid little mind to the freely rolling metal container as they battled the weather. However, this proved to be a bad idea.
When the plane was forced into a steep dive the thermos was propelled into the air and backwards at a fair bit of speed. In the process it ricocheted off the opened doorframe and sailed through the air passed several strapped in and frightened passengers to land a glancing blow against the temple of one young teen.
"Adryk!" several of his friends cried out around him.
With the blow from the hardened object came an immense bout of pain that rocketed through his body. Shortly thereafter he began to feel rather dizzy as edges of his vision grew blurry accompanied by a numb sensation that spread in his extremities. It didn't take long before his other senses became quite dulled and he soon found it difficult to focus. It was almost like the feeling one gets when they have been awake for quite some time and now the urge to sleep was gaining strength.
Though he tried to fight it off it was a losing battle. Adryk's eyelids grew heavy and heavier until they slid shut as he finally blacked out all together. His head drooped towards his cheat and the rest of his body followed suit and went limp. Sagging forwards against the harness straps his body placed a constant pressure on the straps and the buckles. Normally this would not have been a problem, but unknown to all present there was a microscopic flaw in the buckles.
The teen besides Adryk looked him over taking note of the trail of blood that trickled down from the gash on the side of his head. And yet aside from that there was little else she could tell about what condition he was in. Reaching over the girl did her best to hold him stationary as the plane would occasionally bounce.
Unfortunately with each fierce gust, the limp teen's body would be jarred forwards to pull against the harness. This repetitive motion caused the straps to be pulled harder against the weakened buckle. The strain exploited the inborn flaw in the plastic polymer causing it to crack. The crack grew as the stresses built up more and more. Then after several more minutes, no longer able to stand the constant jerking the buckle snapped in two. The nylon straps of the harness slipped free and without the buckle to hold the nylon in place the harness went slack.
No longer retrained by the harness Adryk's body was allowed to slip free when the next bit of turbulence struck.
As the plane banked sharply to the left the floppy teen slipped down along the seat only for the remains of the straps to catch under his arms. The two seated besides Adryk did their best to keep hold of him in place. But being restrained themselves and with the majority of Adryk's body resting on the cold aluminum there was only so much they could do.
A second bolt lightning ripped through the clouds to strike the aircraft.
Like the last time the surge of electricity ran rampant through the plane's electrical systems but this time it didn't affect the remaining engine. Instead it played havoc with the craft's systems as it overloaded some circuits and fried others. The already palpable panic reached new level when the malfunction of one such system became most evident. At the back of the plane there was audible click and then mechanical sounds as the rear cargo ramp disengages and allowed to open. With the cargo hatch opened the looser disrupted by the influx of the air currents were quickly picked up to whirl about the cabin. The majority of these items soon found their way out the opened hatchway.
Just about all now had a death grip on their harness straps, most prayed that was not the end and a few had seemed to have fainted from a fear overload.
In the cockpit the two pilots continued their valiant struggle to wrangle the aircraft back under control. "Shit" the pilot groaned, the muscles in his arms starting to burn from the strain of fighting with the stubborn flight stick.
Through the murky gloom a dull light cut through the clouds to shine into the cockpit. Attracting the attention of the two men, the pair squinted straining their eyes to locate the source in the darkness. Then a shape began to stand out against the murk, it was the form of another aircraft but more so it was heading right at them!
Immediately the men went to work trying to prevent the approaching disaster.
Grasping the controls firmly the pilot fueled by adrenaline pulled back hard. With its single engine the craft was sluggish to respond, in an effort to correct this the co-pilot reached over pushing the throttle forwards. The act worked as the plane finally responded with the nose aiming skywards in a steep angled climb. The gap between their altitudes grew it allowed the other aircraft to pass underneath them harmlessly.
While the pilots began to celebrate within the cockpit with a collective sigh of relief, not everyone was out of danger.
Going into such a steep climb had had an unfortunate side effect.
As the angle of the floor grew steeper, Adryk's seemingly lifeless body was pulled by gravity backwards. When his arms slipped free of the straps all that held him in place was the girl in the seat beside him. But the dead weight of his body was too much for her to hold for long and when she could no longer keep grasp he slid along the deck. Those still conscious watched in horror as Adryk moved closer and closer to the lowered ramp.
Strangers and friends alike desperately held their arms out, hands trying to grab whatever part of him they could. By a stroke of luck, a man at the end of his row managed to snag hold of Adryk's left arm as he slid passed.
Observing it might have seemed that perhaps the teen was now safe. Yet on a day like today, not everything was as it seemed.
As if sensing it was in danger of losing its prize the storm increased in its ferocity. The winds thrashed the plane about wildly like a dog viciously shaking a toy. Such brutal movements caused Adryk to flop about like a ragdoll. Rolling, bouncing, and twisting all threatening to tear the teen hand free from the man's seemingly iron like grip. His palms sweating, his face reddening, all together he looked to be on the verge of tears as he did his best to hold tighter on the other's hand.
But all he could do was watch as Adryk's hand began to slip inch by inch through his fingers.
Until with a mighty grunt he lost his grasp all together! Helpless the other passengers could do nothing but gaze in horror as the teen's body slid the final few feet to rest upon the cargo ramp. Strangers screamed while his friends cried, all powerless to render any sort of aid.
Then the moment played out in slow motion as with a final bump of the plane Adryk slipped out over the edge of the ramp and out into the churning darkness.