Finding Phoenix chapter 1
As shot of panic and fear rip through me, I risk look around the plane. Seeing a barrage of
images sounds and smells that hits me like a train. There are people crying and screaming.
The smell of smoke floods the cabin, as flashes of flames shoot past the window. Something
has gone terribly wrong.
"Please return to your seats and fasten your seatbelts and place your trays in the upright position "the airhostess instructs. She is trying to be calm but has tears rolling down her face, as she scrambles in to her seat.
Masks drop from the overhead compartments and I rush to pull it over my face. Breathing in
a deep breath. My eyes begin to sting and fill with water, as I realise that this is its" I'm going to die" I grab my bag and pull out my phone and I type I final message.
“ I love you always & forever xoxo" and hit send, not looking to see if it went through. I just hope that it does.
I take one final look around the plane, not sure what is going to happen but hoping that it will be fast. The Family who had been playing games across the aisle, are nowholding hands. The elderly couple behind me are whispering there good bye. Everyone seems to have Someone with them except me, I am completely alone. I hear the final desperate moments of people on their phones trying to reassure loved ones with "I love you, and we are going to be fine see you at the airport." but knowing this will be the last time they will get to speak.
My mind races as I try to come to terms with what is going on, with the fact that I am going to die. Suddenly the plane shakes violently , then without warning the plane begins to fall
towards the earth below. The screaming around me increases, as I realise that they are
my screams. I can feel the heat from the fire intensify, spreading throughout what is left of
the plane.
"Close your eyes." A soft familiar voice says.
I glance around trying to find where the voice is coming from. But I am unable to see
anything anymore through the smoke in the cabin.
"This is your captain speaking please assume the brace position. Thank you ". I follow the
captains instructions.
"Close your eyes" the soothing voice repeated. This time I did what the voice instructed. I
close my eyes so tight it hurt, trying to block out what was going on around me. I felt a cold
smooth hand move over my face and I let out one final scream. The heat from the flames
now l*****g at my skin as with one final groan of metal as I feel something hit my head and
then silence.
I slowly open my eyes, a feeling of peace and tranquillity filled my body. I felt like I had
been asleep for weeks. Where am I?
I take in my surroundings trying to work out where I am. I’m in a field, but I must be near the
ocean as I can hear the roar of waves breaking below me. I am sitting under a weeping
willow tree, my grandmother’s old moon quilt laying on the ground beneath me. The moon is
hanging low in the sky in the distance, what looks like a small pack of dogs howled
underneath it. The night sky is clear and full of stars, that seem to be dancing across the
sky. The constellations so clear and bright I could touch them. I reach for the stars the
blanket wrapped around me a warm sensation rolls down my fingers to my wrist. I lower my
hand, pulling it to my chest amazed and a little scared. I notice that now there is a silver chain on my wrist. Hang from this delicate chain is a sparkling star.
"Where did that come from? “I slowly turn my wrist from side to side looking at the bracelet.
“Huh no clasp.”
I scream, as an electric shock rips through my body. I fall to the ground in a
crippled, screaming pile on the quilt. A flood of images and sounds, race through my head.
The plane. The pain. The screaming. I begin to cry. Unable to control myself.
"It’s ok your safe, Phoenix" A voice says from the shadow of the oak tree. It was the voice
from the plane, but that’s impossible. “Is someone there?" I say my voice shaking in the
wrong places, showing both my fear and pain, as the tears still streaming down my face.
“Clear” a doctor screams
"Ouch" I scream, as another bolt of electricity rips through my body. My legs gave way and I
fall to the ground.
"Phoenix, you’re going to be ok. I need you to open your eyes. I will protect you. “The
voice said so soft and soothing that it was putting me to sleep.” I will find you.”
I just managed to mumble "How will you will find me? Who are you?"
“Your bracelet" the voice said fading into the distance.
"we are losing her Start compressions, Clear, 1, 2, 3, 4," the doctor yells. “Clear"
*
"Doctor, when do you think she will wake up?" A deep voice asked.
"It is very hard to say "A male responds. “ It could be today or a months, but you need to
prepare yourself. There is no way of knowing how she is going to come out of this.”
" Phoenix it’s time, you can open your eyes." A cool hand rest on my cheek as the words
seem to float around me. “stay calm”
As I open my eyes feeling, dazed and confused. I slowly become aware of the tubes in my
hands and on my face. Stay calm that’s what the voice said, but I was anything but calm. I
could feel the fear and panic building inside of me. I could feel something warm in my hand
and as I tried moved my hand, I felt the pull of the tape and tubes. As my panic boiled over,
I begin to choke and gag.
“Doctor come quickly” My dad yelled. “She is awake.”
I could see as the doctor came rushing back into the room, with a mix of excitement and
disbelief clear across his face. “Phoenix” he said his voice was deep “on the count of 3 I’m
going to remove this tube, as I do I need you to cough. Ready? 1, 2, 3”
The tube is pulled from my throat and I gasped my throat burning with the first few breaths.
Slowly I managed to whisper "Mum, Dad? Where am I?"
"Sweetheart, you're in the hospital" Mum said, glancing towards dad who moved to stand on the opposite side of my bed.
What happened?" I ask my voice still hoarse.
"It’s ok sweetheart. You’re safe now. The doctor just needs to run a few more tests then we
can go home.” Dad says reaching over to move a piece of hair behind my ear “ We will be
here waiting for you when you get back.”
After what felt like hour of being moved around the hospital from one test to another. X-rays,
C.T scans and feeling more like some kind of weird science experiment than a human. The
doctor finally remove the last of the tubing and took me back to my room. “Mr and Mrs
Mason can I speak to you outside for a moment?”
As they left the nurse brought me a tray of hospital food baked beans on top of chips and
lime jelly. “Yuk. “ I say pushing the tray of food away. The door was not quiet closed, so I
was able to hear the conversation the doctor and my parents.
"Doctor, when do you think we will be able to take her home?" My father asks. Clearly
anxious to leave, hospitals had always made dad a little crazy.
"Your daughter seem, you should be able to take her home tonight. But remember she
has been through a lot and we don’t know what she will remember of the plane crash or
even if she will even remember." So it is important to let her memory return on its own.”
"Plane crash" I whisper, the air rushing from my body. A horrible Sinking feeling washesover me, as images of people crying and screaming, the fire and the plane
come flooding back. My heart rate picks up, like it will jump out of my chest, my breath
hitches. I can't breathe.
"Phoenix, breath". The strong soothing voice commands. I do as the voice says, unsure of
whom said it or where it is coming from. But as soon as he speaks I immediately feel safe
and calm.
I gaze around the room trying to find where the voice has came from. “Hello is someone
there” I whispered. But there is no answer, I am completely alone. The room was completely
silent and the only other thing in the room were a few shadows that were from the oak tree
outside my window.
"We understand Doctor. Thank you for your time" my dad says as he and my mother enter
the room.
"Phoenix, are you ok? You look like you have seen a ghost?" My mum asks, as she pours
me a glass of water.
"Mum, what happened? Why am I in hospital?" I say my voice shaking.
Her eyes move from me to my dad, then back to me again. "You were in an accident. But
you are going to be fine. The doctor says you should be able to go home. He will just have to
run a few more tests”
The realisation of what happened hit me "The plane, it... It crashed didn’t it?, Is every one
ok?" I ask trying to hold back the tears, which threaten to roll down my face Sweetheart." Dad says as he walks to the side of my bed and takes my hand.
My dad’s hands were as cold as ice. I could never understand why dad’s skin was always so
cold to the touch. Yet mums skin was always so warm. It was if they were made fire and ice.
"I’m so sorry. There was no one else who survived. It was a very bad accident. It is
a miracle you survived at all" with a small tug of my hand, dad glazes from me to mum.
“Excuse me” a soft voice said as the door opened and in came a small nurse pushing a
trolley. “I just have to take some blood” My eyes moved to the trolley or more importantly
what was on the trolley. Needles. I grip my parents hands so tight that I’m sure my nails
were digging into their skin.
"I’m going to go down to the shop and get you some magazines" Dad said rushing so fast to
get out of the room that he almost knocked the trolley to the over.
"I better go after him. Will you be ok ? I promise I will be straight back" mum said as she
made her way out of the room. Like me, dad hated the sight of needles and blood. At least
he can leave the room.
"Wow that is a beautiful bracelet” The nurse says as she moves my arm to take blood.
"What bracelet?" I say looking down at my wrist. “Uh, yea.