On Top of a Mountain

Charlotte is a famous singer that is stranded on a mountain with her sister after the plane they are in crashes. Will they be able to survive?

Chapter 1

 

            I opened my eyes hoping that it had all just been a nightmare.

            “How are you feeling?” my sister Megan asked. She had a cloth pressed against my forehead.

            “It wasn’t a nightmare,” I said as I looked around me.

            “If you are feeling well enough, I think we should move, just in case the plane is going to burst into flames.” Megan gave me her hand to help me out of the seat.

            “Ow!” I cried as I put weight on my ankle.

            “Lean on me, Charlotte.”

            I hopped on my one good leg, putting most of my weight on Megan.

            “How’s the pilot doing?” I asked as she helped me sit down against a tree.

            “The pilot is dead,” Megan said tearfully.

            From outside the plane, I could see just how bad the situation was. The plane had crashed against the side of a mountain. Megan and I had to be lucky to be alive.

            “Hold this against your forehead,” Megan ordered as she handed me the cloth. “You are still bleeding.”

            “Have you called for help?” I asked.

            “We don’t have any cell phone service. I also think something is wrong with the radio.”

            “So we are stranded?” I asked hysterically.

            “Charlotte, you just need to relax. People might already be looking for us. Maybe the pilot told someone before we crashed that we were experiencing problems.”

            I was doubtful of that. The pilot only told us that we were in trouble right before we hit the ground. By then, Megan and I had already figured it out.

            “People will be looking for us soon, Charlotte. You are a huge music star after all.”

            I knew that was a lie. Megan and I had left from my last concert with the intention of going on a vacation to Florida. We had made no reservations or any real plans because we wanted the paparazzi to leave us alone. No one would miss me until Friday, which is the day of my concert in Orlando.

            “So what’s next?” I asked.

            “In all the movies I have ever seen, they always start a signal fire.”

            I looked around the mountain. The ground I was sitting on was wet. I imagined all the wood was wet too.

            “I might need to leave you to go looking for some dry wood.”

            “You are not going to explore an unfamiliar mountain in the dark by yourself!” I protested.

            “We also need the fire for warmth,” Megan said.

            “We’ll be fine,” I said before I involuntarily shivered. I was still wearing the short black dress I had on for my concert and Megan was wearing shorts.

            “Go get our clothes from the plane,” I said. “We can use them for blankets.”

            Megan retrieved our suitcases and we covered ourselves with shorts, t-shirts, and towels. It was going to be a long night.

 

 

Chapter 2

 

            It was a long night. The ground was hard and it was cold. It was difficult to sleep. I finally admitted defeat early in the morning.

            I propped myself against the tree and waited for Megan to wake up.

            “Good morning,” she said sleepily awhile later. “How are you doing?”

            “My leg still really hurts,” I said as my stomach growled. “I am also very hungry.”

            “I don’t think we have any food,” she said. “I will go check the plane though.”

            I felt so helpless just sitting here.

            “Sorry,” Megan said when she returned.

            “We better get rescued soon!” I said irritably.

            “Have you taken your medicine?” Megan asked.

            “How would I have taken my medicine? You put our bags back in the plane and I can’t get up.”    

            Megan returned to the plane and brought back my luggage. She opened my bag and dug through it until she found the pill bottle.

            “I’m sorry there is no water to wash it down.”

            “Then I just won’t take it.”

            “Charlotte, you have to take it. You know how you get when you don’t.”

            “What are you, my mother?”

            “Charlotte, just take it.”

            “I will be fine for a few days.”

            “I’m going to leave then and see it I can either find food, water, or help.”

            “If you leave, you won’t be able to find your way back.”

            “I’ll be fine,” Megan said fiercely. “You know, nobody is looking for us.”

            “That doesn’t mean you need to make yourself more lost. I say you wait here for rescuers.”

            “I am brave enough to face my fears,” Megan said seriously.

            “And what is that supposed to mean?”

            “It means that I don’t try to cover up my fears. I let them out and then I face them head on, unlike someone I know.”

            “How would you even know what my life is like?” I retorted angrily. “You aren’t a music star! You aren’t ‘sick’!”

            “I would admit it if I were you. If your fans don’t like the whole you, than they don’t have to be a fan.”

            “It’s not that simple. My whole career could be ruined.”

            “So instead you want to give them a false impression that you are perfectly fine when really inside you are tormented by your thoughts and feelings?”

            “Go face your fears then!” I shouted. “And don’t rush right back!”

            “You just have fun being just fine then!” Megan said before stalking away.”

            I watched her back slowly disappear among the trees. A part of me was hoping that she would be able to make this situation better. A part of me wanted her to stay away for awhile.

            I stared down at my hands and an old scar on my arm caught my eye.

            I had actually given myself the scar. A couple years ago, I started cutting to help me deal with the world around me. Later, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

            I still managed to make it big in the music world despite my problem. It has been my biggest fear though that my secret will be discovered.

            Megan has wanted me to come clean about having bipolar. She says not only will it be good to raise awareness for mental illnesses but I would also be someone to look up to.

            I am afraid that people will be quick to judge me though. I looked down on mental illnesses before I was diagnosed. Now that I understand more about what is going on in my brain, I don’t want people to follow my every move and try to judge whether it is the result of a manic or depressive episode.

            My stomach growled again, interrupting me from my thoughts. I hope that Megan at least finds something to eat.

 

Chapter 3

 

            It had to be late afternoon when Megan finally returned.

            “I hope this makes up for me leaving,” she said as she handed me a partially filled water bottle.

            “Where did you get this?” I asked incredulously.

            “I found some snow on my walk. I remembered I still had this water bottle on me so I filled it.”

            “This is snow?”

            “Well, not anymore. It melted.”

            “I have never seen snow.”

            “Well, this was only a small patch. I took all of it so you had better take it easy on this water.”

            I took a small sip from the bottle even though I could probably have drunk the whole thing.

            “Did you see anything to help us?” I asked hopefully.

            “No. I found some dry sticks. I am hoping to make a fire with them.”

            I was disappointed. I was hoping for food, or even better, to be rescued.

            “I had lots of time to think on my walk,” Megan said as she sat down on the ground and starting rubbing the sticks together. “I just want to say sorry. I shouldn’t have accused you of being afraid to admit that you have bipolar when I have no understanding of what it is really like.”

            “I am sorry too for yelling at you.”

            “I deserved it though. And it was stupid of me to walk away like that. I could have gotten lost.”

            “Well, you found water so I think we can look past that.”

            “Do you think you could take your medicine now that we have water?” Megan asked timidly.

            “What is it with you wanting me to take my medicine?” I asked. I grabbed my medicine and took a tiny sip of water to wash it down.

            I just remembered before you got the medicine that you spent a lot of days feeling down. You didn’t want to do anything but stare into space. I would have said that you were depressed but than the next day you would be fine. It was like a cycle for you.”

            “Except I never knew when my mood was going to change. I could wake up feeling really good and than be depressed by bedtime. And the next morning, I wouldn’t know how I would wake up.”

            “So what is wrong with letting people know that, Charlotte? Haven’t you said that about two percent of the population suffers from bipolar disorder? Maybe there is someone out there that really could benefit from you coming forward and saying that you are bipolar.”

            “Maybe. But if only two percent of the population suffers from bipolar disorder than that means that ninety eight percent doesn’t. What if the ninety eight percent doesn’t understand and then decides they don’t want to listen to a bipolar singer?”

            “I imagine all famous people have problems, Charlotte. But I think the regular people are still able to relate to them more when they realize that they still suffer from human problems such as illness.”

            “If you were in my place, would you tell people?”

            “Right now, I say yes. Of course, it is hard for me to give an answer when I am not bipolar or a famous music star.”

            “Any luck with the fire?”

            “Even these sticks feel wet,” she said as she tossed them aside. She went into the plane and returned with her sketch pad.

            “Going to draw?”

            “This would be amazing scenery if it weren’t for the circumstances.”
            “This would also be a great place for a ski lodge.”

            “Well, since we are stuck here, we night as well open one. We can be rescued by our first guests.”

            I laughed hard with Megan. Despite the situation, I was glad that I was here with my sister.

 

Chapter 4

 

            It was another long, cold night and I struggled to stay asleep. Eventually, I just had to admit defeat.

            “How did you sleep?” Megan asked with a yawn just as it was starting to get light.

            “I don’t think I slept much more than an hour or two.”

            “Oh, no, are you feeling manic?”

            “Why would I be feeling manic?” I asked with a tired laugh.

            “Don’t people who are feeling manic only get a couple hours of sleep and still feel well rested?”

            “Do I look well rested?”

            Megan studied me for a minute. “I guess not. I am glad that you aren’t feeling manic. I was worried that I would have to stop you from doing something reckless like going down this mountain looking for help or something else crazy.

            “It’s not that I want you to be depressed either. If you could have normal moods while we are here that would be great.”

            “Megan, stop,” I ordered with a laugh. “Right now, I feel fine. You on the other hand, should be worried.”

            “Why’s that?”

            “Because you are exhibiting two symptoms of mania.”

            “Which ones?”

            “Talking really fast and then yesterday when you went down the mountain, that was kind of reckless.”

            “I am not bipolar!” she retorted.

            “I know that. I was just trying to get you to be quiet.”

            “Will you tell me if your mood changes?”

            “I don’t see why you are so worried. I really can’t do that much with my leg like this.”

            “Still, please tell me.”

            “Fine.”

            “Have you taken your medicine?”

            “There is only one sip of water left.”

            “Just take it, Charlotte. I will go look for more today.”

            “You are not leaving me again. It’s dangerous.”

            “Well, do you want to die of thirst?”

            “It’s not like we need to worry about the cold,” I said sarcastically.

            “Actually, I think we do need to worry about that,” Megan said with a look at the sky.

            While we were talking, it had started snowing. I may have never seen snow before but right now, I really didn’t care.

            “Now what?” I asked.

            “Let’s take refuge on the plane.”

            “Help me up.”

            Megan pulled me up and then helped me into the plane. Then, she went back outside so that she could get our things.

            “I guess we don’t need to worry about dying of thirst when it is going to snow,” I said when she returned.

            “And I guess your wish of seeing snow is being fulfilled.”

            “I guess we all win,” I said sarcastically.

 

Chapter 5

 

            “Do you feel a little weird being in here with the pilot dead up front?” Megan asked.

            “A little. Where else can we go though?”

            “Do you think if the pilot was alive than he would have been able to help us?”

            “I really didn’t know the pilot.”

            “But didn’t he take you all over the country?”

            “Only if I was flying rather than going by tour bus. I guess I never really got to know him. To me, he was only a pilot. That’s what all the people are who work with me; I never bother to get close.”

            I was ashamed to admit that I didn’t even know the pilot’s name. Besides my band members, I really didn’t know anyone that I worked with.

            “How could you not bother to get to know the people who work for you, Charlotte?” Megan sounded incredulous.

            “I have never been much of a people person. And when I go through a depression episode, I become withdrawn and push everyone away. Before I became famous, all my friends abandoned me because they couldn’t count on me.”

            “And that’s when you got involved in your music?”

            “Music was an escape for me. It allowed me to forget about everything going on in my life.”

            “Art gives me the same feeling,” Megan agreed.

            “I sure hope we get rescued soon. I will never look at life the same way again.”

            “I agree.”

            “What do you think will happen to us if we don’t get rescued?”

            “How can you even be thinking about that?”

            “How can you not be thinking about it? I can’t stop thinking about it.”

            “So you basically want me to tell you how I think we are going to die if we don’t get rescued? Well, we are either going to die from the cold or thirst. Starvation if we manage to keep warm and find something to drink.”

            “Is that the pilot’s bag?” I asked suddenly as I got a look in the back of the plane.

            “I think so. Why?”

            “Do you think he would mind if we went through it.”

            “I don’t know him. And what exactly are you looking for?”

            “I was hoping that he was smart and packed some warm clothes.”

            Megan sprang up and opened the pilot’s bag. She pulled out shorts, several t-shirts, toiletries, a swim suit, and a Bible.

            “I guess he was planning on spending his time in a tropical climate,” Megan said as she put the things back in the bag. “Well, that’s that.”

            I leaned back in the seat and closed my eyes. “Wake me when we are being rescued.”

 

Chapter 6

 

            I knew before even opening my eyes that my dream of being rescued was only a dream. I could hear the wind howling outside.

            I opened my eyes to find Megan reading a small book with a tiny flashlight.

            “Did you have a nice nap?” she asked when she saw that I was awake.

            “I really don’t feel that great,” I admitted with a cough. I also felt warm and my throat hurt.

            “You really don’t look good,” Megan agreed as she shined the flashlight on me. She felt my forehead. “You feel like you have a fever.”

            “It’s not like I can do anything about it,” I said. I was worried though. I could just have a cold after being exposed to the elements but when you’re stranded in the mountains in a snowstorm, a cold could be pneumonia.

            “I have something that might make you feel better,” Megan said.

            “What’s that?”

            “Well, I was flipping through this little Bible of the pilot’s. In the book there was a bookmark that says how to become a Christian.”

            “And why are you reading it? We both believe in God. We aren’t bad people so we will probably go to Heaven.”

            “Probably? You don’t know for sure?”

            “Well, neither of us has murdered anyone but maybe we have done a lot of bad stuff so it all adds up and counts against us.”

            “According to the bookmark though, it doesn’t matter the size of our sins.”

            “What does the bookmark say then?” I really wanted Megan to leave me alone so that I could sleep.

            “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But God commendeth His love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For whosever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

            “In simpler words, please,” I begged.

            Megan read some more from the bookmark.

            “Everyone is a sinner and is separated from God. God loved us so much that He gave His Son to die for our sins. Death means separation forever from God. Eternal life comes by trusting Jesus Christ. In order to begin your new life in Christ and be saved, you must believe that Jesus died for your sins and declare that you accept Him as Savior. This is God’s promise to you-if you accept Jesus, He will accept you.

            “There is a prayer at the bottom if you want to accept Jesus.”

            “I’ll pass,” I said. I just wanted to sleep.

            “Come on, Charlotte! We don’t know what is going to happen to us. We could die during the night. And we won’t be going to Heaven.”

            “Then you pray the prayer,” I said.

            “So I will be going to Heaven all by myself?” she asked. “I can’t make this decision for you.”

            “Megan, I really don’t feel good. Please, let me sleep and let me make this decision later.”

            “Well, you better not wait too long,” Megan said warningly. “Anything can happen out here and then it might be too late.”

            As I closed my eyes, I could see Megan silently mouthing the words to the prayer on the bookmark.

            I knew I should have prayed with her. I knew our chances of surviving out here weren’t good. Why was I determined to put off such an important decision then?

            “Lord,” I prayed silently, “I am sorry that I am a sinner. I accept the forgiveness you gave me through the death of Your Son. I want to live my life for You. I give You my life. I really can’t do anything for You while I am on this mountain, but if we ever get rescued, I will live my life for You. Amen.”

 

Chapter 7

 

            “Charlotte!” Megan said loudly. “Charlotte, wake up!”

            “What is it?” I asked with a groan. I felt horrible. Why couldn’t she let me sleep?

            “I really think you need to give your life to God before it is too late.”

            “Megan, relax,” I said before I started coughing. Once it finally subsided, I continued. “I gave my life to God last night. Pretty much right after you told me to.”

            “Well, that’s great!”

            “Now we need to pray to be rescued,” I said.

            “I prayed all night.”

            “How many days has it been?”
            “I think that it is Thursday. For some reason I am having trouble keeping track of days.”

            “So that means tomorrow they will start looking for us,” I said hopefully.

            “But where do you think they will start looking?” Megan asked. “Don’t you think they will start the search in Florida?”

            “But when they realize that this plane never made it to any airport, they might start another search.”

            “Then that means that we won’t be rescued until Saturday, at the earliest.”

            “You need to stop being so negative, Megan.”

            “How can I not be negative? You probably have pneumonia but we’ll both be lucky if we don’t freeze to death.”

            “Megan, where are we going if we die?”

            “Heaven.”

            “Heaven has got to be way better than Earth. Just relax and trust that God has a plan. Either way, we are winners. We either get rescued or we go to Heaven a little earlier than we had intended.”

            “Are you sure you don’t have a fever and that is affecting your thinking?”

            “Maybe. But just relax. Read that Bible and find a verse that makes you feel better.”

            “I wish I was familiar with the Bible so that I would know where to look.”

            “Read the whole thing. All we have is time.”

            “Get some rest, Charlotte. I will be praying for us.”

            Before I went back to sleep, I said my own quick prayer.

            “Lord, please let someone know that we are missing. Rescue us. Amen.”

 

Chapter 8

 

            “Charlotte, wake up! I hear something!”

            “Hmmm?” I slowly opened my eyes. “What day is it?”

            “Listen, can you hear that?” Megan asked.

            I was very groggy but I tried to listen.

            “Do you think that sounds like a helicopter?” she asked excitedly.

            That woke me up a little. “Go wave them down,” I told her.

            Megan rushed out of the plane. I could hear her yelling.

            “Someone is coming!” she said as she stuck her head in the plane.

            A few minutes later, I could hear some people talking.

            “Is everyone all right?” the person asked.

            “The pilot is dead. Charlotte isn’t doing very well. I think she probably broke her leg and has pneumonia.”

            The person who had been talking stuck his head inside.

            “My name is Sam,” he said. “How’s it going, Charlotte?”

            “I have been better,” I replied.

            “I hear that your leg has been hurt. Are you able to walk?”

            “Not without help.”

            “Ok. I am going to strap your leg up and then I am going to send you up to the helicopter above. Then, I will send your sister up.”

            “Sounds good.”

            Sam strapped my leg up and then secured me into this basket-like thing.

            “Are you sure this is safe?” I asked as he got ready to send me up to the helicopter.

            “I have done this lots of times. You will be fine.”

            I slowly started going up. Thankfully, I couldn’t look down.

            “How’s it going?” a woman asked when I reached the helicopter.

            “I have been better.”

            “Let’s get you settled and then we will bring up your sister.”

            It seemed like an eternity but finally Megan and Sam were in the helicopter.

            “Charlotte has an injured leg and possibly pneumonia,” Sam told the woman after we had taken off.

            “We’re going to take you to the hospital to get you checked out,” the woman said. “It won’t be long and we’ll be there.”

            It really was a short ride and then the next thing I know, I am in an exam room being examined by a doctor.

            “Looks like you earned yourself a bed in the hospital, Charlotte,” the doctor said after he listened to my lungs. “You have pneumonia.”

            “All I really want to do right now is sleep in a warm soft bed,” I said.

            “Soon,” the doctor promised. “We just need to get your leg fixed.

            “Leave it until morning. It has been this way for awhile.”

            The doctor just smiled. Eventually though, I was taken to a room and I fell right asleep.

 

Chapter 9

 

            When I awoke, I found Megan sitting beside my bed.

            “How are you feeling?” she asked.

            “I have been better. I have also been worse.”

            “I will take that as a good sign,” she said with a smile.

            “Did they make you stay in the hospital?” I asked.

            “Only overnight for observation. They released me this morning.”

            “So what is going on?”

            “Well, our story is all over the news. Mom is on her way here as well as your bodyguard.”

            “Why does Joe need to come to the hospital?”

            “Since our story is on the news, everyone knows about it. People have been flooding to the hospital to get a look at you. They finally put a police officer outside your door and nobody is allowed to come down this hall unless the patient they are visiting has put their name on this list.”

            “I can’t even go to the hospital without making a scene.”

            Megan turned on the TV and flipped to a news station.

            “And here’s another look at the dramatic rescue of pop singer Charlotte and her sister Megan,” the announcer said.

            “I had no idea they were filming our rescue,” I said.

            “Nobody knew that the pop singer had even disappeared,” the announcer continued. “Charlotte and Megan had been planning a trip to Florida but their plane went down on Sunday and they weren’t missed until Friday when Charlotte didn’t show up for her concert. Megan and Charlotte were found Sunday and are recovering at Mercy Hospital.”

            “Shut it off,” I ordered.

            “You are going to need to release a statement at some point,” Megan said seriously.

            “Since when did I hire you to handle the press?” I asked with a laugh.

            “This will be the time you can tell people about becoming a Christian.”

            “I know. How do you think my fans will respond though when they find out I am going to become a Christian singer?”

            “Since when did you decide this?”

            “I guess God laid it on my heart. Surely you don’t think I can continue with my music career like before?”

            “I guess not,” Megan said with a laugh. “I hope you don’t mind but I asked a pastor to come talk to us soon.”

            “That is fine. Did you put him on the list?”

            “Yes,” she answered as there was a knock on the door.

            “Come in,” I called.

            The door opened and the police officer stuck his head in. “Pastor Rick is here.”

            “Send him in,” Megan said.

            “How are you doing?” the pastor asked as he stepped in.

            “We are doing much better,” Megan answered. “It is good just to be back in civilization.”

            “I can only imagine,” Pastor Rick agreed.

            “You might know Charlotte and I am Megan,” Megan said.

            “I have heard of you, Charlotte. It is good to meet both of you.”

            I was a little embarrassed that the pastor knew me. Everything from my music to my clothes to my dancing had always been suggestive.

            “So I hear that you both became Christians while you were gone,” Pastor Rick said. “Do you want to tell me how you made that decision?”

            “Well, I was flipping through the pilot’s Bible and I found this bookmark that said how to become saved. I was confused at first because I guess I always thought I would go to Heaven when I died. This news scared me because I knew our chances of survival weren’t great. That’s why I told Charlotte that we needed to become Christians right away. Only Charlotte didn’t become a Christian with me. She had to do it after she had gone to bed.”

            “So what does this mean for you now?” Pastor Rick asked.

            “We are both going to live our lives for God,” I said. “I want to become a Christian singer and tell all my fans about how we were saved.”

            “Are you interested in baptism?” Pastor Rick asked.

            “You mean like getting your sins washing away?” Megan asked.

            “Where you get dunked under water?” I asked.

            “Yes to both those questions.”

            “I am for it,” Megan said.

            “Me too,” I said. “I will just have to wait until my leg is healed.”

            “Whenever you are ready it can be done,” Pastor Rick said. “Would you like to join me in prayer?”

            “Of course,” we said together.

            “Lord, I thank You for rescuing these girls and I thank You for leading them to You so that they could both be saved. Lord, I pray that these girls will live their lives for You and carry out the plans You have for them. Amen.”

            “Amen,” we repeated.

            “Congratulations, guys. I will be in contact with you.”

            As Pastor Rick left, Megan turned to me.

            “What’s next?” she asked.

            “I think it is time to release the statement to the press.”

            “You gotta love the expectations for the famous,” Megan said.

            “Oh, shut up. I will make you famous and then you will have some extra duties.”

            “You wouldn’t dare!”

            “Just watch me!” I teased.

 

Chapter 10

 

            “Anyone who has a decision to make, I invite them to come forward now,” Pastor Rick said.

            Everyone in the congregation started singing the next song.

            I looked at Megan and smiled. It was time!

            Megan had decided she wanted to be baptized with me but that meant waiting until my leg had completely healed and the cast came off.

            We both went up to Pastor Rick and looked out at the crowd.

            “There sure are lots of people here,” I whispered nervously.

            “They are all here because of you, Charlotte,” Pastor Rick whispered back.

            The song ended and everyone looked at us eagerly.

            “Many of you know Charlotte as a popular singer,” Pastor Rick said, “and this is her sister Megan. They both come forward today to be baptized. I will let them share the incredible story about how God came into their lives.”

            “Many of you know me as a pop singer,” I began. “I was driven to success due to bipolar disorder though.”

            Many people in the crowd gasped. I had never before mentioned my mental illness.

            “I don’t let bipolar disorder define me though and neither should you. During my manic episodes, I was very creative and full of energy and that brought me to the top of the music world.

            “On the way to Florida with my sister Megan, my world was suddenly turned upside down. The plane we were in crashed in the mountains. We knew that this was a serious situation because nobody would know that we were missing until the end of the week.