Page 2

Chapter Two

S everal hours into the flight, Madonna’s sharp voice cut into the silence. Abigail peered at her through tired eyes. The reporter looked over her shoulder toward the back of the plane and Abigail followed her gaze. Tom was snoring with his mouth wide open and his head on his shoulder.

“Tom,” Madonna hissed. “I said wake up.”

“What?” Tom grunted with his eyes fixed shut.

“It’s time to do the story. Get the camera ready.”

Tom stretched his arms over his head and snapped his elbow with a sickening crack. “I can’t believe you waited till I was asleep. You’re such a bitch.”

“Stop moaning. This is good light. Look at the sunshine through these windows.”

Swearing to himself, Tom gathered the camera from the cabin floor, removed the lens cap, and eased the heavy looking equipment onto his shoulder.

Madonna applied fresh lipstick and smoothed her hair. “Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, could you please remain silent for a couple of minutes while I record this segment?”

Toni spun in her seat. “Cool! Are we going to be on TV?” She adjusted her T-shirt over perky breasts.

“That depends on the editor.” Madonna turned to the camera and smiled. “You’re in for a special treat this week, folks. We’re on our way to Kakadu National Park for five fun-filled days of adventure. This exciting journey kicks off with a sightseeing trip with our guide and pilot, Dave.”

Dave waved over his shoulder.

“Kakadu is a cultural landscape that’s been shaped by the spiritual ancestors of the Aboriginal people since the Creation of Time. It covers an area of almost twenty thousand square kilometres, and during our short stay, we’ll see spectacular wildlife, monsoon rainforest, open savannah, mangroves, and high stone plateaus—just to name a few highlights. But first, I’m going to catch some sleep before we land at our remote runway in the middle of Australia’s world heritage listed park, Kakadu. See you soon!” She continued to smile into the camera for a further ten seconds. “That’s a wrap.”

Tom plonked the camera on the floor, folded his arms across his chest, stretched his legs into the aisle, and closed his eyes.

“Wow, that was great. Tell me, how hard is it to be a travel reporter?” Toni chewed on gum.

Tom huffed. “Can’t be too bloody hard. She does it.”

Madonna glared at him. “Why do you have to be such a dickhead?” She rolled her eyes at Abigail, then lounged back in her chair and closed her eyes, signalling the end of the conversation.

Abigail nudged Spencer in the ribs. “Did you hear all that?” she whispered.

He squinted at her. “What now ?”

“Nothing.” Abigail huffed.

Dave’s voice crackled over the intercom. “Hello back there, folks. Now the lady’s done her piece, I’d like to point out some beautiful scenery. Below us is the heart of Kakadu, the East Alligator River, so named by a nineteenth-century explorer who mistook our crocodiles for alligators. I’ll bring the plane down for a closer look. It’s usually an excellent place for spotting wildlife.”

The plane’s nose dropped, and Abigail peered over Spencer’s shoulder, trying to see out the small window.

“It’s our lucky day, folks,” Dave’s slow drawl oozed from the speakers again. “Those of you on the left-hand side can see we’ve spooked a herd of wild brumbies. Look at them beauties run. ”

“Ooh, where?” Toni jumped from her seat. Abigail glared at her as the girl craned over her shoulder to peer out the window.

“Toni, get back to your seat,” Dave barked.

“But I love horses, and I missed them!”

“Return to your seat. I’ll turn around so you can see them out your window. We’re ahead of schedule, anyway.”

Abigail groaned but refrained from commenting. She shook her head at Toni and mouthed, ‘Sit down’.

Seated again, Toni pushed her nose against the window.

The plane leaned over, and Abigail peered out Madonna’s window. The sky disappeared, revealing nothing but dense treetops. Green vegetation flashed by.

Christ! The plane’s barely fifty metres from the ground.

The cabin shuddered, and she dug her fingernails into her chair.

Suddenly, the engines stalled. For a long moment, the whistling wind was the only noise.

The engines sparked again, and when the plane lurched forward, Abigail was thrown against her seat. She let out the breath she’d been holding. “What the hell was that?”

“I’m sure it was nothing.” Spencer patted her hand.

Dave’s microphone crackled. “Sorry about that folks, but no need to worry. This little baby is built for saving lives, not losing them.”

The plane’s wings flew parallel to the ground again, skimming over the treetops. Abigail remained rigid with her fingers gripping the arm of the chair.

She couldn’t make them let go.

The plane tilted into another turn, and the sky disappeared from Madonna’s window again. Moments into the steady arc, the engines coughed, and the plane bucked.

Abigail’s stomach lurched. Spencer’s grip tightened painfully on her hand.

Christ! We’re in trouble.

The right propeller carved into a giant gum tree. Toni screamed as her side of the plane was cloaked in an explosion of leaves.

“Brace yourselves! We’re going to crash!” Dave’s shrill voice was panic driven.

The plane ricocheted off trees. Tearing metal squealed in her ears .

Charlie prayed.

Oh God! I’m going to die!

I am going to die!

Bending forward, she wrapped her arms around her calves and squeezed tight. As she studied her four-hundred-dollar shoes, the plane hit.

The nose took the full brunt of the first impact. The seatbelt bit into her flesh, trapping her in the seat. A huge section of metal tore from the base of the cabin. The gaping hole gave her a close-up view of the forest below.

Charlie’s prayers turned to screams.

Abigail stared at a red stain on her shoe. She wanted to wipe it off but couldn’t move.

Her fingers bit into her ankles.

Charlie’s scream faded, as if he was no longer in the plane.

She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she could cover her ears to block the horror.

Charlie’s scream abruptly cut off. There could only be one reason why.

Her eyes shot open as a branch the size of a man’s chest smashed through the side of the plane. It sounded like a freight train slamming into solid concrete.

Toni was flung from her seat. The girl’s dead weight dropped brokenly onto Abigail.

Searing pain shot up Abigail’s back.

Her world twisted. Her stomach lurched.

Everything went black.