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Crashing had not been part of my plans. I had expected a routine flight, a smooth descent onto the tarmac of Honolulu International Airport. But fate had other ideas. In all the thousands of hours of flight time, never had I experienced anything like that. I still couldn’t fathom what happened. The jet was in perfect condition. I trusted the maintenance crew at the hangar. There was no rhyme or reason for me to lose both engines.
I turn to Paige, my mind racing with a thousand thoughts and questions. My eyes focus on the jet, noticing it’s slowly disappearing into the ocean. We must have landed on an underwater outcropping. I have no idea where we are. The instruments weren’t reading the last five minutes we were in the air, not that it mattered. Rescue isn’t happening in the next few hours or even the next couple of days. We need some basic supplies to survive.
"Stay put," I tell her firmly. "I'll be right back."
“What! Where are you going?” Paige follows me to the edge of the water.
I didn’t waste precious time trying to explain what I’m doing. I kick off my shoes and peel off my shirt. I wade back into the water, the icy chill of the ocean hitting my skin. I dive under with Paige still shrieking on the beach. I avoid the current that caught us on our way in. I swim alongside it, remembering the lessons I learned during my short stint as a lifeguard in San Diego a million years ago.
I reach the partially submerged jet and take a minute to fill my lungs with air. Then I dive under. The water is remarkably clear. The water burns my eyes for a second, but I can see just enough. I see my bag first and am so thankful I packed light and didn’t bring a suitcase. I put the strap over my neck and reach for her suitcase. Of course it’s stuck. I’m running out of air and must resurface.
Paige's voice pierces through the crashing waves, calling out my name in desperation as I resurface for air. I take a deep breath and dive back down, pulling with all my strength until the suitcase comes loose. With my lungs burning for oxygen, I kick off the side of the jet and propel myself upward, breaking through the surface just in time.
I can’t make it with both bags. She’s going to be pissed, but her suitcase isn’t a priority. Neither is mine. I toss them onto the exposed part of the jet and take another breath, diving back under. I find the orange box with the First Aid kit and flares. Food and water are what I need. I take the box up and grab my bag from the fuselage. I can feel my energy fading fast. The swim back to shore is going to be brutal. I pull my clothes out of the bag, letting them drift away in the waves. I need the space in the bag. With one last breath, I dive back in and swim to the pantry area. I pull out as much as I can, shoving it into the bag along with several bottles of water. I can feel myself getting dizzy and know I’m pushing it. My lungs feel as if they are going to explode.
I swim out of the fuselage and take a few seconds to catch my breath. I stuff the orange box into my bag and zip it, securing our meager supplies. I look at the shore, seeing a spot that appeared to be a little closer than the point I went into the water. Even though it was closer, it was so far. My body felt weak, and my lungs were still burning. But I must go.
I swim back to shore with my bag draped over me. If I get caught in the current, I know it’s over. I don’t have the strength to fight it.
“You idiot!” Paige shouts, walking into the water. She grabs me by the arm and starts to drag me back to shore. I crawl onto the sand littered with painful little pebbles before collapsing. I was breathing heavily and shivering from the icy water.
"You're insane," Paige mutters between breaths.
I don’t have the strength to argue. I feel as weak as a newborn foal. I close my eyes and feel the darkness wash over me.
“Hey!” I feel someone shaking me. “Don’t you dare die on me! You are not leaving me alone on this island!”
I open my eyes just as she shoves me again. “Knock it off,” I mutter.
She leans down, her face inches from mine. “Are you okay?” she asks. Her voice holds a hint of concern.
“I’m okay.”
She shoves me again, slapping my shoulder. “What were you doing?”
“I got some water and food,” I tell her and roll to my back.
The sun warms my chilled skin.
Paige stands over me, blocking the sun. Her hands are on her hips and her mouth is set in a tight line with her lips pursed together. I can see the anger flashing in her eyes, her expression a mask of fury and frustration. "What the hell happened, Travis?" she demands.
I sit up, wondering if she has a concussion. “We crashed, Paige. Did you hit your head? Did something fall on you.”
“Yes! No! That’s not what I mean. Why did we crash? What did you do?”
I feel a surge of anger rising within me at the implication, but I push it aside, knowing that now is not the time for petty arguments. "It wasn't my fault," I tell her firmly, my voice calm but tinged with frustration. "Something happened to the plane. It wasn't functioning properly. We lost power. The engines failed. I don’t know."
Paige scoffs, her lip curling in disdain. "Typical. This is what happens when you trust a crappy, cheap company to get you where you need to go."
I resist the urge to argue, knowing that it won't do us any good in our current situation. Instead, I give her a pass. She’s scared.
“Paige, I understand you’re freaking out. We can’t panic. It helps nothing.”
“Of course, I can panic! We crashed on an island. Where are we? Is someone coming to save us? What’s happening!”
I see her panic and remind myself I have to stay extra calm. “Let me get you some water,” I tell her. “Take a deep breath.”
"We need to figure out where we are and how we're going to get off this island," Paige continues, her tone brimming with impatience. "Do you have any idea when help will arrive? I have a meeting to get to."
