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The first clue the pulse had hit the airplane was the jolt. The plane bumped and alarm sirens sang out. Gretchen could see confusion and fear gripping the surrounding people. The whiskey had already settled into her bloodstream, calming her.
The second sign was the excruciating pain that bolted through her mind, vibrating and shocking her. Her thoughts bubbled, and the pulse burned behind her eyes.
The flight attendant staggered to the communication hub at the front of the plane and picked up the phone to speak to the pilot. Her long ponytail swung uncontrollably. Gretchen saw a spark fly from the phone to the flight attendant’s hand. She screamed and dropped the phone, stumbling to the wall for balance. The lights flickered throughout the cabin.
Then, complete silence.
Silence, then an insistent buzzing.
Gretchen heard air whistling as she looked out the window. She saw the engines spark. Flames took hold.
The entire engine blew apart, pushing the plane sharply to the right.
Screams filled the cabin as the flight attendant fell to the ground. She pulled herself up and took hold of the nearest empty seat, looking at her fellow flight attendants. No one knew what to do.
Gretchen leaned toward Alec and reached for his hand. His hand grasped hers. She gripped the armrest with her other hand, her knuckles turning white.
Air masks fell from the ceiling. Alec pulled his hand from Gretchen’s, and she watched him place his mask on himself. She followed his lead and pulled the second hanging mask to her face. The elastic band snapped her cheek as she pulled it into place. The sting further heightened her senses.
Alec grabbed her hand once more.
“Put your heads down! Everyone, put your heads between your knees!” The flight attendant screamed the order to the passengers, though half of them could not hear her. A cacophony of noise overwhelmed all senses. Terror moved everything in slow motion, fear on every face.
Gretchen squeezed Alec’s hand and glanced out the window. She saw sparks from the engine, black smoke streaking from the wing. Past the wreckage, the desert came into view. The horizon slanted, coming closer and closer.
Alec’s hand pulled from hers. He clutched his phone, turning it toward her. After reading the screen, Gretchen locked eyes with him. They already knew what the text tried to warn. It was over for them.
I’m sorry. It's already hit the northwest.
It’s coming your way. I wasn’t fast enough.
In those last few moments, amid the screaming and crying passengers, Gretchen felt a wave of calm surround her. Security encased her. Instead of her life flashing before her eyes, she thought of Oscillation and who had taken it over, who decided the fate of Alec and herself. Whoever it was, they decided the fate of the nation long before this moment. The unknown of tomorrow was a fleeting thought, no longer under her control, no longer her problem to worry about.
She had a part in this, the destruction and terror. Working for the Director, the man who built this empire, meant she was as much to blame as anyone else. Alec, the clumsy secretary in the corporate office, the friend of Alec’s who warned them of their fate. All to blame, but also innocent. Though they had minor connections to the imminent destruction, they all chose to work for the company. They knew the gravity of what the company could do, of what the machine would do. Now, a different type of gravity pulled the plane down.
The whiskey dulled her mind, but she truly felt for the first time in years. She felt pain, anger, sadness, and complete understanding. She was grateful for the dizziness as she squeezed Alec’s hand once more and closed her eyes.
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Continue the series with
Book one of The Shockwave: