Chapter 2: Crashed and Somehow Alright

James Sanders

You know, I really, really, really, hate being right on my bad feelings. Usually it’s something small, like back when I was a kid and I just had to have a quadruple scoop ice cream. I definitely had a bad feeling, but I ignored it then and ended up with ice cream goop all over my favorite t-shirt. Lora had been pissed since she had warned me I’d drop it. 

But that was nothing compared to this. I should have gotten off the plane. Made a fuss or started a fight - I’m pretty sure Deloise would kick my a*s, so definitely not her - and gotten myself and Vicky kicked off. Anything to just avoid this flight. 

I rubbed Vicky’s back as she slept, having cried herself to sleep just a little while earlier. The plane wreck wasn’t something I had been awake for. The last thing I remember was taking off and then… pain. Like someone decided my head was a play place for some jamboree of diabolical kids with pots and pans hellbent on making me the most miserable person to ever have lived. 

But from what I was told, we crashed shortly after that. Turbulence hit the plane heavily and we fell into the ocean. If what the others said is true, something pushed us onto shore. I honestly hadn’t believed them until I saw the airplane on the shore bent in the middle like the world’s worst boomerang and that thing out in the ocean. 

We didn’t lose anyone though, so the Pilot - some guy named Rudolf Maxwell - seemed to be good enough to avoid the crazy crashes you see in the movies. Not going to lie, I did love those movies. Made for some cool scenes. But now? Now, I was sure I couldn’t watch a plane crash ever again. 

“How is she?” Deloise took a look beside me where Vicky was curled up. The old woman was tougher than me. My back still hurt like crazy, so I was just resting against this huge rock we found on the beach while Deloise had been up and walking around like some kind of superwoman. Well, my back and my head was still dizzy when I stood.

“Sleeping, thankfully.” I raised my hand to observe it. “Kind of surprised she didn’t take any of my fingers, her mouth being so close to em. Not that I’m complaining. I do love my fingers. They are very good at doing basic things like scratching my butt and picking up drinks. Not in that order, of course… I’d obviously take a drink first.”

Deloise laughed a little and gave me a smile, settling in beside me. 

“What, no other friends besides me?”

“Don’t be thinking we friends yet. I’m just here to make sure you ain’t mean to the little one.” Deloise was not a large woman now that I saw her out of the massive coat she had been wearing on the plane. She was the kind of old woman who probably had never stopped working since the day she was born, with thick arms and one of those old lady afros. The scary-if-you-piss-her-off kind of woman who would probably also cook for you if you asked, too. Basically my favorite type of old woman. “You sure you ain’t worried I’m gonna scare off all the girls for you?”

I waved the comment off. “Nah, I’m sure they’ll come around eventually once they realize how great I am. Honestly, its this little scamp scaring them all off. I think they can feel her pure primal fury and it scares them. Not that I blame them, really. I’d be scared too if I wasn’t forced to take care of this little monster.”

The girls in question were sitting around a fire with a couple of guys. They probably had a college trip or something, seeing as they all had spare clothes with them to change into after the crash. I had woken up after things had settled a bit - apparently there were about ten of us who screamed and passed out for hours right before the crash - so I had only heard about how one of them had pulled me out of the water. 

I’d have to figure out who that was and thank them later. 

“She can’t be that bad,” Deloise said, looking down to Vicky’s sleeping form. “She did try her best, the poor thing.”

“Yeah, she really did.” I patted my sister’s head, silently thanking her. 

Vicky tried to come get me when I fell into the ocean. I’m not sure about all the details cause I was kind of out cold, but there were several of us that got thrown into the ocean when the plane was shoved by that unknown something. Deloise had stopped her, keeping her from leaving her seat. That was about the time those college kids jumped into action and started pulling people out. 

Another reason to be thankful to them was the shirt and shorts I had on. My nice clothes had been soaked, so one of the guys gave me some of his spare clothes. Not like I packed for overnight staying when we were getting ready. I wasn’t a fan that I had to have CPR from someone, though. If someone wanted these lips they should go through the proper channels, right? 

Well, can’t complain too much… Actually, I can. And I would. If I had more time before a woman in a sweater approached our little group. “I’m ready for you, James.”

Dr. Brown was a small woman with a pixie cut and not at all a human doctor. She was a veterinarian. Rudolf, the Pilot, told everyone we would be getting check ups from her since she knew far more than anyone else and had first aide training for people too. Personally, I didn’t see a major difference in humans and animals. I don’t think the Pilot did either, really. I’m just happy we got a doctor who actually treated injuries.

“My turn already? I’m fine, promise! No need for any more looking, alright? I mean, you got other people to look at, right? I can’t be the last name on your list, Doc.” She had seem be before anyway, though I was still out cold at the time.

The doctor’s faint smile turned into a frown. “Come on before I go get Mr. Maxwell. We have to make sure and I’ve already seen to all the kids and the older people.” 

“Now, now, easy there. Let’s not bother poor old Rudolf with anything. I’ll come quietly.” I sighed and slowly moved Vicky to lay on one of the pillows we had gotten from the airplane earlier. Just like Indiana Jones, I had to be careful or I’d set off the trap that was my sister waking… And… there! Perfectly done.

“I’ll watch her, don’t you worry,” Deloise said, patting Vicky’s back gently. “Had me a little one before, you know.”

“I’m more worried for you, Deloise.” I stood on shaky legs, using a stick someone left with me and getting help from the Doctor to stand. My back was starting to feel better and my chest was only hurting a little from the CPR now, so I should have no problem walking. Problem was I still felt dizzy when I moved around. 

It was the same for everyone who had passed out before the plane crashed. Dizziness making it hard to walk without support. Wasn’t a problem when I was sitting, but walking was a pain. Bright side is it… seemed to be getting better? Hard to tell since I was avoiding walking since I woke up. 

The Doctor helped me as we made our way towards a makeshift tent under the remains of one of the wings of the plane and some covers. As we walked, she got a few nods from the people we passed. Others were much too preoccupied: a family did their best to keep their kids calm, another woman was busy tending to her husband who had broken his arm in the crash, a man in dress pants and a button up shirt tried to work their laptop with some other smart-looking guy, and more. 

A little over a hundred people were stretched across the sandy beach with several fires started thanks to the flare gun. It looked like so many people to me, yet not not as much as it should be somehow. Might just be how they all literally blended together in my vision thanks to the state of my head. 

I couldn’t help but think it was too weird to be real. No one wanted to talk about the crash and people were oddly cooperative with Rudolf. Not at all like you’d see on TV. If this was TV we would be forming groups and arguing, building up to some grand fight in the end! You know, some kind of dramatic rise to savagery. 

Instead, people were very supportive for the most part. Those college kids? They honestly looked like they were from some high tier college clique of snobby rich kids but they had given out their spare clothes to everyone who had been soaked. Not just me, but everyone! That was definitely not snobby rich kid behavior! 

Deloise wasn’t the only one helping with the kids, either. A few others had done their best to entertain the few little kids we had, including a woman who looked like her thighs could crush your head who had gotten them all sticks to draw in the damp sand closer to the water. She also made sure they didn’t get too close to the water. 

But that was something even I didn’t want to think about. The image of that thing out in the water still sends shivers up my spine. And I had been close to it when I fell in the water… No, stop thinking about it. 

Thankfully, my thoughts were cut off by Dr. Brown opening the tent for me, revealing the two chairs and a few suitcases with some stuff on them. Gauze, some bandaids, and other stuff probably from a first aid kit. I’m not really a doctor, but I can tell at least that much.

“Take it slow.” The Doctor eased me into a seat. “Do you still feel dizzy? Any pain?”

“Just dizzy, though sitting is definitely helping. I’ve never had this much trouble walking before. I feel like I should apologize to my parents when I see them again. Apparently teaching me to walk was a big deal to them and here I am failing at that.” I couldn’t help but laugh a little. “Really, I’m a twenty six year old guy needing help walking. That’s just sad.”

Dr. Brown gave me a small smile as she took her place in a chair to my side and took my hand to check my pulse. “If it helps, I’ve seen people who need help in physical therapy before. Not all of them were old, either. Sometimes people just need a little help is all.”

“Wait, really? I thought you were a vet though? Or were the owners just that happy you helped them out or something? I used to have a dog named Gretch - weird name, I know - and I was pretty happy when the vet helped fix his broken leg but not that happy.”

“I used to work as a nurse before I was a veterinarian, so I’ve done my fair share of work.” Dr. Brown frowned as she checked my wrist and then felt my forearm, then my head. “But, while I was a nurse, I did see my fair share of patients.” She paused on my forearm, a look of concern coming across her face. “Can you take off your shirt for me?”

“Um… sure? Never had someone ask me to strip for them before except my coach back in high school. Not that I was in sports or anything, gym class just sucked.” I took off my shirt and she started looking at my back and touching places. “You uh… I mean, I couldn’t help but notice you look kind of worried, Doc.”

“Do you feel cold? Or feel sick aside from the dizziness?” 

“Uh… No? I mean, I’m a little warm now that you mention it. And your hands are cold to me. Not that that’s bad, it definitely feels nice. Kind of like an ice pack when you get sunburn or something. Man, I really did want to come back to the beach, just didn’t think I'd be coming back like this. And me with no coconut for fancy drinks.”

“You have a fever still,” Dr. Brown said, ignoring my rant thankfully. “So let me know if you start to feel sick.” She moved from my back to my leg, looking at my ankle and gently touching it to check something.

It was my turn to frown. “Uh, Doc? I’m not the smartest guy, but even I know a fever wouldn’t give anyone a look like you have.” My voice lowered. “What… what is it? I promise I won’t freak out, alright?”

She sighed, standing and taking a seat in her chair again. “Well… aside from the fever that will likely go down in the next day or so, you’re perfectly fine.”

“And my back still hurts. Don’t forget that. And my chest. Well, not so much my chest now. Doesn’t feel too bad. But isn’t that a good thing, Doc? Why the long face.” I gave her a smile. “I’m a tough guy, right? Not such a bad thing, I think.”

She crossed her arms. “No, you don’t get it. You’re perfectly fine. After getting thrown out of a crashing plane and needing to be drug out of the ocean.”

“I was lucky?”

Dr. Brown shook her head. “No. I checked everyone who nearly drowned first. You were lucky, but not this lucky. There were bruises. Cuts. Even a fractured fibula from what I could tell.” 

“So some people got it worse than me and I got away with some bruises?” Who got a fractured leg? I don’t remember seeing anyone like that since I woke.

“That was all you,” Dr. Brown said. She looked me in the eyes. “I’m saying that somehow in the last two hours you somehow healed every single bruise and cut - and there were a lot of them on your back especially -  and somehow recovered from that fractured fibula. Why do you think I was helping you walk earlier?”

I stared at her. “I’m sorry, what?”

“You heard me, didn’t-” The doctor cut herself off, taking a deep breath to calm down. Yeah, she was definitely not fine, but that wasn’t exactly what I was concerned with anymore. “It’s not just you, James. Ms… I forget her name, but that woman had a fractured rib. That’s gone. Aretha - one of the girls who was pulling people out of the water - cut her leg on a piece of the plane. That’s somehow fixed too. That woman who is with your sister was also badly injured and she’s fine now too. It doesn’t make sense.” 

“H-hey, easy there. Crazy things are happening. Maybe it just looked worse than it was?” I didn’t dare try to do the hand on shoulder thing. Not helpful with this kind of thing in my experience. “I mean, I fell out of a tree once and thought I broke my arm but it was really just a bruise. Vicky hasn’t let me live that down, of course, but the point is maybe…” 

Dr. Brown shook her head. “We pulled everyone with injuries over by the large rock so we could check them all while Mr. Maxwell set up this tent for later. I had others help me, too. We might have missed some stuff because I’ll admit I was still panicking, but not that much.”

“Um… Well, I guess we can chalk it up to some kind of miracle?”

“That’s what Mr. Maxwell said, too.” Dr. Brown stood, handing me my shirt back. “Well, no use in worrying about it. I’m just glad I don’t have to stress over all the injured as much.” 

I put my shirt back on, standing myself. It really didn’t make sense to me, either. There had to be some kind of explanation, right? Probably some kind of special chemical in the air that helped with the body’s healing process or something undiscovered like that? 

“Oh yeah!” I stopped just short of leaving. “Would you happen to know who pulled me out of the water? Ya know… after we crashed?”

“Aretha. It was actually when she pulled you out that she hurt her leg.” Dr. Brown looked over at me. “I’ll tell you now, don’t go getting too thankful, alright? We don’t need a pregnancy to deal with on top of everything else.”

“Wow. Really? Not the kind of jokes I’d expect, doctor.” I laughed it off and waved. “But I’ll keep it in mind. Thanks.” 

Back outside, I started to walk towards the big rock again. I could thank Aretha later. There was something I had to consider, I guess. Especially since I needed to face everything if I was going to keep Vicky safe. 

The great and horrible thing about being out in this area was that there was no towns or cities. That meant the sky was bright with stars and the area was actually already illuminated by them and the massive moon that shone above. A moon much larger than I had known, not that I was a star gazer or anything. 

I steeled myself and looked out to the ocean. It was still there, the sight sending shivers down my spine even by just watching its shape slowly move for a time before turning. I had seen clips from a lot of old movies - everyone definitely has to get bored and watch those video clips online - and one of those was Jaws. Big shark hunting people down? Classic and scary for people, ignoring the fact that sharks are pretty harmless. 

But that shark had nothing on whatever this was. The fin was different - this one was longer and not as tall - but it was easy to tell whatever the creature out there was it could swallow up a small group of Jaws sharks probably. And it had hit our plane and shoved us to shore, probably trying to eat us. 

That alone I could explain away with theories maybe. But there were other things… We had been flying from Cleveland to Ontario. Ohio to California. Our flight did have a layover, but it was not going to go over an ocean. And yet, here we were. That was definitely salt water, seeing as I had enough to definitely tell when I woke up, and I couldn’t see any sign of another side. 

Then you added in the healing that myself and others had gotten somehow and the little details here and there. It just made for a weird feeling in my stomach again, much like when I saw the purple spot before takeoff. 

Something hit my foot, pulling me out of my thoughts. I had wandered closer to the treeline somehow. Probably instinctively moving away from the ocean, not that I’m scared or anything of something that could probably easily eat me and might have already tried. 

I picked up the object and looked it over. Blue, purple, and red all swirled around in the spiral shell I now held. Yeah, that cemented it for me, not that I wanted to believe it. We definitely weren’t on Earth anymore. The shell I held had a small crack in it, but was mostly intact. Probably a collectors favorite piece really.

It was also about as large as my head.

Author's Note

Another page, though not the original chapter 2. Hopefully this one is a bit better. (I kind of like it better)