Chapter 18 – Emma
CHAPTER 18
EMMA
“ P ULL UP, PULL UP, PULL UP!” Sal screamed through the radio as broken circuits and wires sparked in the control panel.
“I’m trying!” The muscles in my arms and chest burned. Even though my palms were slick with sweat, I refused to let them slip off the controls.
I strained to get the nose of the plane up, but the downward pull was too strong. The rippling waves rushed toward us as the plane plummeted down making its final descent. A somber clarity saturated me with the realization that I couldn’t stop this from happening.
“Tell my brother that I love him.” I barked into the headset.
Resolved to go down fighting, I kept a tight grip on the controls.
“Don’t talk like that– you’re going to make it.” Sal’s jesting tone grew authoritative. “There’s still time to pull up.”
“Tell Jax that I’m so grateful that I had him growing up.” Tears streamed down my cheeks as I finally articulated the things I’d always felt, but never said.
“Tell him… that I’m proud of him, and that he’s an amazing father. And I’ll be looking out for him and his family from wherever we go after this.” “You’re descending too fast, Emma.” He pleaded. “JUST PULL BA...”
Sal’s voice was ripped from my consciousness when I struck the frothy white peak of a cresting wave.
The life-halting jolt sent shockwaves through my entire body, my teeth clattering together painfully. My hands lost their grip on the controls as my body lurched forward, the seatbelt cutting into my abdomen with a vicious bite.
For a moment, everything seemed to move in slow motion. The plane shuddered and crumpled violently, the force of the impact jarring every bone in my body. I struggled to process the overwhelming sensations: the deafening roar of metal bending with the impact, the sharp pain of the seatbelt digging into my flesh, and the sudden, gut-wrenching terror that gripped me as the plane flipped completely forward.
My heart pounded in my chest, the sheer force of it echoing in my ears. A wave of nausea washed over me as the world spun out of control. The icy water that burst through the shattered windshield felt like a thousand frozen punches to my face, a shock that stole my breath away.
The cabin filled with water instantly.
In that split second, I struggled hard to pull in a breath–most likely my last breath–but panic and uncontrollable constriction clawed at my throat.
I thought of Nathan and how frustrated he'd no doubt be if he were awake and unable to tell me what to do. Where's my G.I. Joe hero-man when I need him?
The cold water surged around us, pulling us down. I could feel the pressure building in my chest, the desperate need to escape, to breathe.
My limbs felt heavy, my movements sluggish as I fought against the icy grip of the ocean.
I reached out blindly, frantically, my fingers brushing against Nathan’s limp form.
My heart ached with fear and despair.
My mind raced with thoughts of him, of what we had gone through together, and the realization that he never took a vital last breath.
My thoughts touched on a thousand things all at once… I need air, Nathan's limp body, the sandy bottom approaching, the D I got on a term paper sophomore year...
A wave of calm came over me as though I'd already died.
All the frantic thoughts bouncing around my mind stopped, the panic simply washing away.
In a single heartbeat, absolute mental chaos was replaced with an easy-going feeling, like I was chatting with a friend instead of sinking to the bottom of the ocean.
Is this a dream? A memory?
I knew what I had to do–and simply set about doing it.
I pressed the square button at the center of my harness, and the mechanism clicked as the buckle snapped open. My head hit the ceiling as the plane jarred to a stop, slamming into the silty bottom of the ocean floor.
I pressed Nathan's square button too, freeing him to move.
I reached for the door handle, and it swung open, the water slowing its motion.
Nathan gracefully floated in his seat.
I grabbed him by his collar, planted my feet on the seat and dashboard, and pulled him free of the plane through my passenger door.
With every ounce of determination, I kicked my legs, a wake of disturbed water and sand swirling below us from the sunken plane.
My lungs burned with the need for air, but my heart continued thumping.
A thousand voices returned to my mind.
Breathe.
Just one gulp of air.
It won't hurt.
You need to breathe.
Painful water pressure on my ears eased.
Murky salt water and grains of sand burned my open eyes.
Hold on, Nathan… Just a little longer.
My lungs spasmed, longing for a breath as I exerted the last of my strength. My thighs burned from exertion, but I did not let up.
Against my own will, I gasped, choking as seawater rushed in, burning its way down my windpipe and into my chest. My heart thumped in my ears as I cupped Nathan’s face in my hands, longing to feel close to him one last time. My arms, losing their will to fight, fell, floating down.
As my fingertips slipped away from Nathan’s cheeks, a phantom force grabbed hold of my waist. At first, I couldn't comprehend what was happening. The force tugged at me with surprising strength, pulling me through the water with a sense of urgency that matched my desperation.
I struggled to hold my breath, but my lungs were already half full of water and burned painfully. My vision blurred, and the cold darkness around me felt suffocating. The force continued to pull me upward, and I felt the water around me gradually grow warmer and lighter. Shimmering sunlight began to cut through the murk, dancing in ribbons through the dusky water, offering a glimmer of hope.
But it wasn’t enough. My chest heaved involuntarily, and I couldn’t hold my breath any longer. I inhaled sharply, and water flooded my lungs. The sensation was excruciating, like swallowing knives, and I choked violently, my body convulsing in pain and fear. Panic surged through me, but the force pulling me upward remained relentless.
My thoughts began to fade, my consciousness slipping away as the realization that I had lost my battle with holding my breath sank in.
Just as I thought I'm sorry , my face broke through the surface of the water.
I convulsed, coughing and sputtering, spraying water from my mouth. My body heaved uncontrollably as I gasped for fresh air, each breath a painful struggle. The world around me was a blur of light and sound, but I felt strong hands gripping me, supporting me.
I dimly registered the presence of a burly man, his calm, steady voice cutting through the chaos. “Emma, breathe. Just breathe.” He held me securely, keeping me afloat as I fought to regain control of my breathing.
I coughed violently, expelling the remaining water from my lungs, and gasped for air again. Each breath was ragged and painful, but I could feel the life returning to my body–even the pain in my lungs was a welcomed reprieve from the life-draining darkness below. The cold fear that had gripped me began to recede, replaced by a profound sense of relief and gratitude.
The burly man kept his hold on me, his presence a reassuring anchor in the midst of the chaos. As my breathing steadied, I managed to look up at him, my eyes wide with both fear and relief. He gave me a small, encouraging nod. “You’re okay, Emma. I’ve got you.”
I clung to him, still trembling from the ordeal, but knowing that I was safe, at least for now. The terror of those moments underwater lingered, but the relief of being alive and breathing again was overwhelming.
"Na...than..." I managed as a shadow appeared overhead.
A black helicopter hovered above us, the roar of its blades deafening against the backdrop of the tumultuous sea. A stretcher lowered near us, twisting with the motion of the helicopter. I could barely register what was happening, my focus solely on Nathan.
A pair of bodies breached the surface just out of arm's reach. Nathan’s face appeared first, his complexion an alarming shade of gray, his lips tinged blue. My heart sank at the sight.
The voice of the man holding me finally made sense through the haze of panic and exhaustion. It was Sal. He spoke urgently through an earpiece, relaying our situation to the team. “We’re okay to wait for the next lift, but Nathan doesn’t look so good. Every second counts.”
I watched in a daze as a team member, efficiently and with practiced precision, dragged Nathan onto the stretcher. The urgency in their movements was palpable. One man climbed onto the stretcher with him, securing him with straps, ensuring he was stable.
Nathan’s unconscious form was hoisted into the air, the stretcher quickly lifted off and disappearing into the helicopter. The image of Nathan’s lifeless face remained seared into my mind, even as fierce wind from the chopper beat down upon us.
Sal's grip on me tightened, pulling me back to the present. “Emma, stay with me,” he urged, his voice cutting through the chaos. “We’re going to be okay. Nathan’s in good hands.”
I nodded weakly, still trembling, my eyes fixed on the chopper as it pulled away. The feeling of helplessness was overwhelming, but Sal’s steady presence was a lifeline, grounding me in the midst of the storm. The reality of the situation was stark and terrifying, but I clung to the hope that Nathan would make it, that somehow we would all make it through this alive.
Closing my eyes, I leaned back, savoring every breath until the hum of a speedboat approached. Days of running for my life forced me to assume anyone and everyone could be after me. After some reassurance from Sal, I relaxed.
Aboard the boat, a second team, complete with a medic, checked my oxygen-saturation and blood-pressure as they shuttled us to the mainland. Whatever happened next, I was beyond the reach of the Prime Minister, and I had Nathan to thank for it. With his team rushing to save his life, all I could do was wait and hope beyond hope for a miracle.