CHAPTER 2
Falling.
Richard hated the sensation of falling. It took away his sense of control. His heart pounded in his chest so loud he could hear it: thump-thump-thump. Richard trembled as he fell feet-first.
Richard wanted to act, to move. To do something to save himself. In a desperate attempt to regain a little control of where he was going, Richard forced his legs to move, to run.
As he did, the pull from below became stronger. The falling sensation grew stronger as he fell face-forward. The blackness around him was so thick it felt as though it would hurt himself if he fell against it.
Suddenly, he caught sight of billions of twinkling points of light he recognized as stars. How was it that he falling down, yet towards the stars?
Fear gripped him. Something was wrong, badly wrong. He tried to make himself turn, it didn't work.
Come on. He willed himself to look upward. Turn around, he told himself fiercely. You can do it. Turn around!
As if the willing himself to turn did so, he turned. Now he was falling backwards. Falling at a speed he hadn't expected. Away from the earth...away from everything he knew.
Richard found himself worrying about the lack of oxygen as he raised higher and higher up. He had to be in the top layer of the atmosphere by now. Shouldn't he be running out of air?
Total darkness surrounded Richard. Only the earth was his only point of light.
Suddenly, something shimmering rose from the earth. As it approached Richard, it cooed. Richard recognized the shape of a dove, flying away from the planet.
Suddenly, it stopped in mid-flight, or at least part of it did. Richard gaped at it. What was it doing?
Flapping its wings, the dove continued with its flight, leaving a faded image that appeared to be a twin to the more real-looking dove.
Richard was stunned. As the more solid image of a dove flew off into space, a dove's cooing echoed in Richard's ears. Meanwhile, the nearly transparent image turned around and returned to earth.
Richard turned to watch the solid image of a snow-white dove flying into the stars and beyond. Tears welled up in his eyes. The scene was beautiful, almost like an unrealistic painting. Still, watching it made Richard feel like someone had cut out part of his heart. He wanted to sit and sob, but he didn't get the chance. Somehow, he had to make it back to earth!
The loud caw of an approaching raven caught his attention. Straining his eyes to see into the distance, Richard saw the raven flying towards him.
Richard's eyes widened. The raven wasn't flying towards him, it was heading towards earth! Fear gripped him again, stronger than his grief. The bird of death!!
The raven approached with several loud cries. Richard couldn't stop it, only look into its evil yellow eyes as it flew directly into the planet Richard knew as home.
Willing himself to turn, Richard followed the raven's flight progress with his eyes. The raven had entered the atmosphere; Richard was powerless to stop it. At that moment, a terrified scream reached his ears. Craning his head, Richard saw a familiar blond-haired girl reaching toward him.
“Nicole!” he hollered. “Come to me!” To his dismay, Nicole floated away, still crying for help. Intense pain welled up in Richard; if only he could save her! It’s all the raven’s fault! he thought.
Suddenly, a darkness began to spread around the globe, like a dark cloud. Somehow, Richard knew it was connected to the raven. He reached out, longing to hold Christina in his arms, wanting nothing more than to stop the darkness that was about to overcome his world, but he was powerless.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Tilting his head, he screamed into the darkness covering his home. At that moment, the light emanating from earth switched off. Total darkness surrounded Richard on all sides; there was no light anywhere. As panic surged in his heart, Richard scrooged his eyes shut.
Suddenly, the falling sensation returned, followed by a loud thud. “Umph!” he grunted, as pain exploded throughout his back and hips.
Richard opened his eyes and scanned the environment frantically. Soft moonlight shone through the Venetian blinds covering the windows, revealing the outlines of furniture. Raising his hand, he pressed his fingers into a soft bedspread. Thank goodness, it was only the hotel bed!
Richard leaned his head against the mattress for a long moment, taking deep breaths, then shook his head violently, to bring himself back to reality. It was all right. He’d had a terrible nightmare, that was all, and he’d fallen out of his bed. Wincing, Richard lifted his sore body off the floor and struggled to his feet.
As Richard switched on his bedside lamp, he looked around. Soft lamplight illuminated the room as he tried vainly to stop shivering. That dream had been the most disturbing one he'd had in years! “I hope I’ll never have another one like it,” he muttered. “Nicole! Nicole!” Agonized moans escaped from his throat.
Before he could sit down on the bed, he heard someone pounding on the door. “Come in,” Richard said, without thinking.
The door opened, and Timothy walked in. Despite his distress, Richard nearly laughed when he saw his first officer in a long T-shirt that fell almost to his knees and a pair of sweatpants. A worried expression creased the man’s face.
“Are you OK?” Timothy asked. “I heard you call out.”
“Uhhh.” Richard rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I'm fine. I just...had a nightmare.” He rubbed his hands on the front of his pajamas and took a deep, shuddering breath.
“Must have been some nightmare.” Timothy approached him, his brows furrowed in concern. “Are you hurt?”
“Just my pride. I fell out of bed.” Richard forced himself to laugh. The soft mattress sagged and creaked as he perched on the edge of the bed. “Thanks for checking on me, Timothy, but I’ll be OK.” He hoped that his first officer would get the hint.
Timothy nodded. “I’ll be in my room if you need me.” He left the room, closing the door softly behind him.
Groaning, Richard spread himself out on the now-rumpled sheet. As he pulled the bedcovers over him, he tried to put the dream out of his mind. I’ve got to get some sleep, he thought. Timothy and I have to fly back to New York tomorrow! Gritting his teeth, he turned the lamp off and curled on his side. Somehow, he would get a good night’s sleep!
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Gloria tried to focus on the TV screen. She tried to laugh at the funny parts and sit in suspense through the suspenseful parts, but her eyes were drooping. The soft, cushioned seat of the sofa felt good now--a yearning swept through her to stretch out on it and sleep.
Gloria stifled a yawn. She wanted to finish watching this movie. For the umpteenth time, she removed her glasses to rub her eyes. When she slid her glasses back over her nose, she scanned the living room.
The whole room was a mess. Empty soda cans, empty chip bags, cookie crumbs, stray pieces of popcorn, and many more items of trash were scattered around the couch. She and Christina would have a major cleaning job in the morning.
Try as she did, Gloria couldn't keep her eyes open. She was too exhausted. Remembering having once heard a human say that caffeine was a good way to stay awake, Gloria reached for another can of root beer.
Next to her, Christina patted her hair and glanced down at the empty ashtray on the coffee table. “Wish I dared smoke a cigarette, but I don’t want to expose Jessica,” she mumbled. Gloria nodded. Having been told by Andrew, months before, about the consequences of smoking--consequences he was well acquainted with, as an angel of death--she understood Christina’s fear of making Jessica sick.
Clumsily, Gloria snapped open the now-warm lid. What was the movie she was watching?
Staring at the videocassette’s container for a moment, Gloria read slowly, "‘That Darn Cat.’” It was embarrassing to read so slowly, since she normally could speed-read.
A Disney movie, she recalled. Made by a man named Walt Disney. Monica told me about him some time ago. Rubbing her index finger alongside the side of the videocassette container, she turned her attention back to the movie.
As she sipped the root beer, Gloria just felt sleepier and sleepier. Finally, she turned to her hostess.
“Christina, I’m exhausted.” Gloria yawned as she spoke.
Christina laughed. “Understandable. It’s past midnight.”
Gloria hadn't looked at the time since she’d gotten there. She wasn’t used to being this tired. An enormous yawn escaped her mouth before she had a chance to push it back. Her hostess laughed.
“Come on.” Christina used the remote control to turn off the video before crossing the room to turn off the TV set. “Let's go to bed. I’m getting sleepy, too."
At the foot of the stairs, she turned to face Gloria. “Our guest room is on the left.” Nodding her thanks, Gloria followed her up the stairs and shuffled down the hall toward her guest room. She would fall asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow--she was sure of that!
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The next morning, Richard focused on piloting the huge craft. Piloting relaxed him, helping him to forget his dream, his horrific memories.
Try as he did, Richard could not shake that falling feeling. Not only had it lasted through the better part of his dream, he had actually fallen out of the hotel bed when it ended. What a rude way to awaken from a nightmare! He winced at the memory. He clenched and unclenched his hands, in an effort to relax.
Finally, Richard could no longer focus. With a slight moan of exhaustion, Richard flipped on the auto-pilot.
“You OK?” Timothy asked.
Richard sighed. “I'm just not...I don't know.” He removed his cap to rub his hair; a moment later, he rubbed the bridge of his nose.
Timothy nodded. “That dream?” Richard nodded again.
Timothy smiled. “I don't blame you one bit. If I had a dream that made me scream and fall out of bed like that, I’d be distracted the next morning, too!” Richard couldn't help but chuckle at Timothy’s description of what he'd heard and seen.
“I just hope I never have a dream like that again,” Richard commented. Timothy nodded agreement. The cushion creaked softly as Richard shifted position on the pilot’s chair.
Silence reigned for a few moments, broken only by the steady drone of the engine. Finally, Richard decided to attempt to make conversation. “So, have you heard about the new President of Italy? Antonio Puccini?”
Timothy nodded silently, creasing his forehead as an uneasy expression welled up in his eyes. “He was recently elected president of the European Union, as well.”
Richard nodded. “I’m not surprised; he knows how to get things done, and the European Union knows it. He has some good ideas, don't you think?”
Timothy bit his lip. “I guess so.” The uneasy expression in his eyes deepened.
Richard looked sideways at Timothy. “What's wrong?”
Timothy quoted a list of problems that didn't make sense to Richard. “Well, he’s the head of the Italian government and of the European Union. He’s promoting world peace, and he seems to have risen up in power really fast. He’s managed to convince the United Nations to consider moving its headquarters--where, they don’t know yet. Maybe Europe. In addition to appointing a new prime minister, Puccini’s got the new Israeli foreign minister and the new pope in his hip pocket, and together, the three men are working hard to convince the world religions to join together, become one. It looks as if they might succeed.” He paused. “On top of all that, he’s trying to persuade Israel to accept a Palestinian state, even though the Palestinians don’t want just a state--they want all of Israel to themselves.” He shook his head. “I don't like it.”
Richard let his facial expression and his eyes show his confusion. Timothy explained.
“The Bible says that in the end times, a leader will emerge from the Roman Empire. He'll create a world government and promote world peace, and he’ll make peace between Israel and her Arab neighbors. But in the end, he'll be bad news.”
Rage surged inside Richard. The Bible! Why did those two words make him so angry? No, it wasn’t those words, it was Timothy’s constant use of those two words. He clenched both hands till his knuckles turned white.
“Timothy, I told you not to rub in my face that you believe differently from me, or that you think you’re superior to me! I hate you jumping on me about it all the time, and I wish I never asked. I’ve had it!” Leaping to his feet, he glared at the first officer.
Timothy gaped at him, clearly taken aback. Without giving Timothy a chance to respond, Richard stormed out of the cockpit.
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Christina lay on her side in bed, resting her head on her left arm. The mattress sagged under her body as she wiggled into a more comfortable position. As they so often did, her daughter’s cries blocked her thought process.
Jessica was screaming, as usual. Christina just hoped Gloria was sleeping OK--it was so difficult to sleep well when Jessica was colicky. Even more, she hoped Jessica would fall asleep too! I’ll be so glad when she outgrows that darned colic, she thought.
As Christina drifted toward sleep, she wondered what Richard must be doing at that moment. Hopefully she'd dream about him tonight. I just hope he’s all right, and that he’s not too lonely, she thought. I miss him when he’s away!
Teetering on the edge of sleep, Christina thought of how she might explain to Richard how a stranger had come to be sleep in the guest room. She imagined herself saying, “Gee, Richard, I met her in front of the World Trace Center construction site; we had coffee, and I invited her for a sleepover. It’s not like you were here to object.” Christina pursed her lips. Talk about stupid! She shook her head.
The movement made her more awake and able to think of a more rational thing to say to Richard. She could wait until he met Gloria and say, “Richard, this is Gloria, she's a new friend. We met yesterday morning.”
To Christina, that still sounded corny. Oh well, she could just explain it to Richard on the spur of the moment. For now, she would concentrate on getting some much-needed sleep. The pillow felt so soft and comfortable! With a final yawn, she slid into slumber land.
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Richard entered the galley where meals were cooked. For a second, he wondered why he had gone there. Maybe because he needed to talk to someone. He took a deep breath, trying to push away his anger toward Timothy.
The red-headed flight attendant whom he’d spoken to earlier--Monica--bent over the microwave oven, slipping some TV dinners inside. As Richard closed the door, Monica straightened her back and turned around.
“Hi, there,” Richard said, as cheerfully as he could manage with his anger boiling just under the surface. With a conscious effort, he resisted the temptation to clench his fists. He did not want to discuss his anger with this flight attendant. He had a feeling she’d notice and try to get him to open up, and he didn’t feel like doing that now.
“Hello, Captain Daly,” she responded, propping her fingers together as she spoke. Richard couldn’t help but smile at her accent. She was clearly Irish. “Amy’s in the first-class cabin right now, attending the passengers.”
Richard nodded. Amy was his senior flight attendant. Unsure what to say, the pilot fumbled for a conversation starter. Finally, he said, “So...you’re a new flight attendant?”
Monica nodded and held out her hand. “I’ve been hired to replace Elaine Taylor.” She extended her hand.
“Yes; she quit last week, as I recall.” Richard shook her hand. “Is this your first shift on our airline?” She nodded, as she smiled warmly.
An overpowering urge to escape welled up in Richard. He glanced at his watch. “If you’ll excuse me, Monica, I’ve got to check on the passengers.” He strode out of the room, his boots thudding on the carpet.
Monica watched him sadly. “Help him, Father,” she whispered in prayer. “And help his wife!” With a sigh, she turned back to the microwave oven.
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Christina woke up from a bad dream. As she shifted position, she froze. Something was missing. But what?
Christina lifted her head to scan the darkened bedroom. Soft moonlight shone through the window, revealing the outlines of the furniture. Dresser, chair, desk--all the furniture was in place, and although Richard wasn't lying there, next to her, she'd gotten used to his absence. Suddenly, it dawned on her.
It's too quiet, she thought. Panic swept over her. Jessica wasn’t crying. That might mean she’d finally gone to sleep, or it might mean--!
Christina practically flew out of bed, out the bedroom door, and down the hall. She rushed into the nursery. I hope Jessica’s all right!
Holding her breath, Christina approached the crib. Silently, she prayed to see that Jessica had miraculously fallen asleep.
“Oh, no!” she whispered. Panic surged in her throat.
The toys, blanket, even Jessica’s little sleeper lay disarrayed in the crib. But Jessica had vanished!
“Oh, please, God, no!” Christina yelled. “My baby! Oh, no! Nooooooooo!!” She shook her head violently and rubbed her face.
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Richard strolled among the first-class passengers. To his relief, his anger had finally dissipated. Most were sleeping, and a few were evidently trying to sleep. Some sat up, whispering among themselves, working on laptop computers, or reading books.
Wonder what Ryan’s doing, now, Richard thought, removing his pilot’s cap to smooth his hair back. Hope his interview with Puccini goes well! If anyone deserves it, it's Ryan--he's been drawing unemployment for too long now. I wouldn’t mind working for that Puccini guy, myself.
He ran his fingers over his head, then turned toward the wall to rub his eyes. It was time to return to the cockpit and spell Timothy. He set his cap back on his head.
The whispering and muttering suddenly ceased--complete silence filled the plane, except for the drone of the engine. Uh-oh! he thought, as stifled gasps reached his ears. Richard whirled to find out what had happened.
Facing the rows of seats, he froze. Many of the passengers had disappeared!
Richard didn’t know how to describe it. One minute, the plane had been full; the next moment, many of the seats were empty, except for piles of clothes. Three of the passengers who were awake sat stunned, mouths gaping, scanning the rows of suddenly empty seats.
Richard suddenly realized that the plane had taken a nosedive. Cursing, he darted toward the cockpit. What on earth was Timothy doing? Why had he taken the airplane off autopilot if he wasn’t going to keep it safely in the air?
Richard burst into the cockpit, only to freeze. Timothy had also disappeared! And now, this plane was going to crash unless Richard could stop it. He had to get this plane out of this nosedive immediately, or everyone left on this flight would be killed, including himself!
END OF CHAPTER 2