Persephone's Ring

Lightning crashed through the sky, illuminating bright flames dancing on metal, beautiful yet deadly. The fire spread its smoke engulfing its unfortunate victims. The plane was struck in this freak storm leading to this chaos. Screams of terror echoed in everyone’s ears, paper, and other small objects were flying around floating and falling and hitting all in its way, people were holding close those beside them.

The airplane shook, then the engine that caught fire finally blew, fragments hit the plane, which weakened the hull. In seconds the spot where it was struck couldn’t stand up to the stress and ruptured. Food, clothes, paper, forks, spoons, luggage...people… all of it was flying out of this enlarging space. Desperately people held on for their lives or to loved ones who were being sucked out. The chaos and terror only escalated. One woman was instantly killed as a knife was propelled forward, impaling her through the neck. Her death was instant and unnoticed by most who were panicking for their own safety. At the back of the plane, a young woman gripped her seat tight for dear life, her long, dark, coily hair covering her face.

“I only just-” the words were cut short as the plane was struck again by the raging storm that caught her attention.

They were losing altitude, and the hull was growing weaker by the second, and with a cart being pushed around in the chaos, it struck the side, sending everything into even more confusion. With the plane’s structure so vulnerable, that cart easily left a dent. Warnings blared over and over all who were able were told to brace for impact. The pilots tried their best, but out of nowhere from the clouds, a mountain appeared that they could barely dodge as it scraped along the plane.

The young woman watched as they spun round and round wordless then nothing, she was struck by a bag and fell unconscious.

With a large gasp followed by heavy breaths, the young woman finally awoke. She coughed as she glanced around, still strapped to her chair she struggled. She was a mess blood trickling from the cut on her head to stain her dark skin. She groaned as she tried to free herself but couldn’t; her body was sore and bruised, but that wasn’t what she had to worry about right now releasing herself and surviving were. As she continued to struggle, she was stopped.

“You’re alive,” a man’s voice spoke.

She glanced up, seeing a man with walnut-colored hair who looked to be in his twenties before her. Like her, he was injured but began pulling on the straps to try and free her.

“This thing is on fire, so we need to hurry, pull yourself out,” he said as he tried to stretch them to make enough room.

The young woman shimmied out and to freedom as the fire was coming toward them. As they exited, both breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, now she got a look at her surroundings; it was more than the two of them there was a group. There was an elderly woman and young teen talking on one side. She had short white hair that seemed as if it was once pinned up while the boy had a short layered cut and dark brown, almost black hair.

Another two, women about her age, we dressed to party arms crossed and miffed, and lastly, a curvaceous redhead woman who appeared to be in her thirties and a balding irritated man who seemed in his forties glaring at the woman.

“You’re bleeding,” the man who saved her spoke.

He reached out to dab the wound, but she flinched back.

“I can do it on my own,” she responded.

“Right,” he acknowledged handing her the cloth. “Cole,” he introduced. “We’re all that’s left, so it’s best to get to know one another.”

Glancing at him, she looked around once more as everyone turned to them. “Rayen,” she returned, dabbing her head injury, trying not to wince. Glancing down at the cloth, she once more turned her eyes to him and the wound on his arm. “Thanks…” she murmured, then placed a clean side of the fabric against his injury, bringing his other hand up to hold it as she let go.

The red-haired woman smiled. “Well, since we’re giving names, I’m Susan,” she took a step forward. “This man is Fredrick, my boss,” she pointed to the irritated man in the tattered suit. He was balding and thin with bushy eyebrows.

Fredrick made no attempt to greet them, just turning away.

The elderly woman spoke next. “Nice to me you, I’m DeAnne; this is my grandson Andrew,” she motioned to the teen at her left.

He gave a small, shy wave, then turned to his grandmother and helped her sit. His face was full of worry, despite also being injured, about the elderly woman and her scrapes.

“I’m fine, get yourself cleaned up,” she put a hand on his as she sat.

“And you two?” Cole asked, glancing at the party girls in the sparkling tight outfit as he walked over to DeAnne, looking over her wounds.

“Well, only because you’re cute,” the long-haired brunette winked at Cole though this definitely wasn’t the time or place for such a thing. “Natasha. And this is Charmayne, my bestie!” she and the blonde, Charmanye flipped their hair as if it meant something.

Their cutesy act went unnoticed, though, as the raging flames before them grew to engulf the half a plane with the rumbling skies cries. Swiftly lightning crossed the sky, and with a loud crack of thunder came the rain. It was light, but that lasted mere seconds before it picked up so heavy that they couldn’t see in front of them with drops that felt like tiny pebbles upon the skin.

They happen to land in a clearing, or one was created by the craft crushing trees, making it easier for the rain to find them, so as they were pelted by the storm, all they could do is seek shelter in the nearby treeline to wait it out.

“Just great!” Natasha shouted. “First a crash!” she tried to shake some of the water off, “and now, my hair’s ruined, and I’m soaked!” she groaned. “This totes sucks!”

“Relax Nat, just think of all the press and camera’s waiting when they find us!” Charmayne tried to placate her. “We’ll be famous and then scouted; just think of that, and all the troubles you face will become stories they’ll fawn over!”

Rayen rolled her eyes, “I’ve traded one hell for another,” she grumbled to herself as she sat down under a tree.

She glanced out at the clearing where the rain had quenched the fire that was once fiercely spreading its tendrils.

“So, what are we going to do?” Susan questioned. “We’re the only survivors right,” she glanced back at their half a plane. “We need to have a plan to make sure we all make it long enough to be located.”

“You have a point,” Cole slumped against a tree. “But right now, I think we should concentrate on trying to keep as dry as we can.”

“After the rain, the smartest thing is to check the wreckage,” Rayen commented from where she sat poking a blade of grass.

“Makes sense,” Cole agreed.

“And who put you in charge?” Natasha frowned arms crossed as she glared at Rayen a few feet away.

Ignoring her, Rayen turned back to watching the flames extinguish.

The rain continued falling as they all stood helplessly in silence. It was awkward as all were basically strangers to one another. Like this time slowly trickled by with each one idling and passing the time by in their own bored way from talking to napping to just staring. When the rain finally gave way, they were all in attention staring at the wreck.

“So should we just go pick out whatever or how should this go?” Susan asked.

There was a moment of silence as they all thought about the best way to go over this.

“Why don’t we just start grabbing things and see where it goes from there?” Cole suggested. “I mean, we can always sort through it later.”

As he spoke, Rayen was already on her way toward the plane, looking for anything of use. Carefully she probed the surrounding area for objects. The others soon followed after looking around at what was discarded nearby from the plane as it crashed, and some also searched inside and one or two organized to make it all more efficient. A pile for tableware, one with books, another with clothes, one of bags and luggage, food, one with sharp objects, and so on. Two hours after they began, they took a break.

“These have holes,” Rayen held up to pink bags. “They can’t be of use.”

“I’ll have you know that bag was two thousand dollars, more expensive than anything you own,” Natasha barked.

“And it’s useless,” Rayen moved on to another bag, money means nothing right now…” She picked up a tote bag checking it for holes.

“She’s right you know,” DeAnne added from her seat on a felled log. “Deary, we need to think about living now not how much something cost, it can’t help you, we’re on our own.”

“Whatever,” she pouted.

“There’s a lot of plates and utensils that are fine,” Cole announced, organizing them into groups.

“We’ve got a lot of can’s, some are punctured though,” Susan mentioned after him. “We can eat from those now, I guess, then save the rest,” she suggested. “There’s also peanuts, some chips, couple sweets, bruised fruit, and some squashed sandwiches,” she continued. “Found them in that cart.”

“Well, that’s not too bad,” Cole nodded. “And liquids?”

“Three water bottles, two canteens, and three thermoses’ from what I’ve seen,” Fredrick replied.

It seemed as he came to terms with the situation; his irritation somewhat calmed down though his face still showed what was lying beneath the cooperation.

“We’ve got a heap of clothes,” DeAnne informed them as she and Andrew were folding them into piles by category, tops, bottoms, and intimates. “We’ve found a few pairs of shoes as well,” she added. “But there are still many unopened suitcases.”

“I think a fire would be best right now,” Cole spoke up as they all stared at the gathered piles. “And since you two did basically nothing to help before, maybe it’s best if you to go and pick up some longs,” Susan piped up. “It’s only fair we all contribute equally to surviving.”

“Not a chance,” Natasha glared.

“Nat, don’t start a fight,” Charmayne said.

“Those who don’t contribute don’t eat,” DeAnne stated. “That’s the way things were when I was a young woman.

“When in the stone age?” Natasha rolled her eyes.

Charmayne laughed a little at the comment.

“I think that works well; you did nothing, so you shouldn’t be that hungry,” Rayen picked up a kitchen knife from one of the piles.

“We seem to be operating by majority rules,” DeAnne glanced at the two girls smiling. “We need rules to get by after all.”

“So we vote,” Fredrick said. “In these situations, many resort to drastic measures by not knowing how to handle the situation laid out before them, so they act in selfish or irrational ways due to hunger and other things,” he explained. “So if we turn this into a democracy and ration accordingly and make logical choices, we will be able to get the best outcome.”

Everyone glanced at him as he seemed so irritable before, but his words were ones that made a lot of sense. They all agreed this would be the best way to get through each day until they were rescued.

“Come on, Nat,” Charmayne pulled her by the arm, “we just need to pick up some sticks, so let’s just do it.”

Natasha groaned and cursed but complied with what they said.

Night fell, and with the help of some magazine pages, they got a fire started to keep them warm for the night.

“Any suggestions?” Cole asked.

There was silence all around.

“I’m leaving in a week,” Rayen spoke up. “If there is no one coming, then I’ll find my own way off this island.”

“Don’t you think that’s a little too hasty?” Cole asked, glancing at her. “I mean, they could come the day you leave,” she pointed out.

“Doubt it,” she shook her head. “It’s easier for them to assume we’re all dead.”

Solemnly they all stared into the crackling flames thinking on Rayen’s words. The night was one filled with silent sighs and sad gazes, no one slept, and they were quite disorganized. The next morning was just as awkward as they were a mess.

“We’re getting nowhere, and we’re just not gonna make it like this.” Cole sighed. “No one is doing anything productive…”

Rayen stood without a word. She picked up one of the canteens and one bag.

“What are you doing?” Cole asked.

“We need water. I’ll go look for some since it seems nothing’s happening here.” She turned to leave.

“Take Andrew with you, it’s better to go with a partner,” DeAnne told her. She glanced at Andrew then held out her hands, her fingers facing one another thumbs up. She made a pushing motion with her hands moving them a few inches from her chest signing as she spoke, “go on.”

Andrew nodded then grabbed a bag putting all the other containers in it.

“Well, maybe you should be in charge.” Susan glanced at DeAnne, “you have seniority.”

“Age doesn’t always signify wisdom,” DeAnne laughed at the thought. “Maybe the person in charge should become the one with the most initiative.”

Marking their path as they walked, Rayen and Andrew took these steps to make sure they wouldn’t get lost on their way back. With the sharp knife she’d taken, she made two vertical lines in the trees. The marks were shallow but visible she didn’t see the need to make such deep grooves.

Rayen walked head down, wondering about what to do next when she was suddenly pulled back. Surprised, she turned around where Andrew was shaking his head at her then pointed behind her. There was a branch level with her head that had she not been stopped; she would have hit it.

“Thanks,” she gave a small nod to which he just smiled.

She watched him for a moment as they walked, moving the branch out of their way.

“Are you shy? Or can’t you talk?” Rayen turned to him, “you don’t really speak so, sorry if it’s rude.”

Looking a little embarrassed, Andrew glanced to the side, touching his throat as he shook his head, then assured her with a pat that there was no need to apologize.

“Alright, can you teach me?”

Andrew looked a little surprised but nodded again at her question. He put on a smile.

“Okay, it’ll help communication a bit.”

Rayen thought learning would be a way to pass the time while they were stranded and would be useful later down the road, so learning wouldn’t be a bad thing. Walking proceeded on and on, but they hadn’t had much luck. There was a tree with bananas in it, but no water yet crossed their path.

“Maybe we should head back, we’ve been out here a while,” Rayen sighed. “We’ll only get lost if we continue.”

Andrew rummaged through his pockets as she spoke, then pulled out some paper and a pen. He wrote something then handed it to her.

Let’s go a little more, then we can turn back.

Reading the paper, she took a deep breath, “alright,” she agreed. “Twenty minutes, then we turn back.”

Andrew happily nodded, then started walking again. He took only a few steps when he realized he hadn’t heard any footsteps following. He turned to see Rayen staring off into the distance. There was nothing but trees there, though, which confused him.

Rayen had yet to move as she was frozen in place. What she saw was a woman’s ghostly figure staring at her, then pointing to her right. The woman tried to speak, but nothing came out Rayen just stared at the voiceless woman. As a hand touched her shoulder, she was startled and turned her attention to Andrew, who seemed worried.

‘It’s not real, she’s not real never was,’ Rayen thought to herself as she closed her eyes. Taking a breath, she gave him a nod. “It’s fine.”

Rayen glanced back, and the figure was gone, but she turned to her left, heading in the direction the figure pointed Andrew following close behind. From there, it didn’t take long for the sound of water to reach Andrew’s ears. He took Rayen’s hand, then pulled her along until they were met with a small stream.

They took a few moments to relax then filled their containers. The water was cold and refreshing against their skin as they washed their faces.

“Well, we’ll have fresh water,” she commented. “At least if we run out of food, this will help.” She sat by the river. “We’ve got food for about three or four days, but that’s it…”

Andrew looked down in contemplation, trying to figure out a solution.