The seats started shaking.

I gripped the arm rests, sure that this moment of turbulence would soon pass.

Having flown internationally several times, a few bumps and shakes were of no real concern to me.

I glanced around the airplane to gauge the reaction on the faces around me. I could tell who the seasoned travelers were, because they either showed no reaction or were sleeping soundly (or maybe they were just heavy sleepers—lucky). Others looked pretty nervous and were glancing around with wide eyes, as if to assess whether they should be fearful or calm. Eventually, their faces eased and I could see them turn to reassure their children and gradually relax into their seats.

Then a lurch.

Everyone lifted from their seat for an instant and even the seasoned travelers, like myself, looked a little uneasy. (I may be a seasoned traveler, but even I don’t appreciate lifting out of my seat from a lurch).

Those clouds must be dense tonight. Good ol’ storms.

Then another lurch….

And another….

Oh my gosh, what in the world is happening? Should I be worried? Should we be wearing our life jackets? Where were the oxygen masks? Shouldn’t they be dropping now? Are we going to crash?

(So much for my calm, seasoned traveler assurance….)

The flight attendants began to scurry to their seats, mid-service, so I could tell something wasn’t right.
Children started to grip onto their mommies and some either whimpered or flat-out cried. I sort of wanted to join them at this point.

The plane began to shake uncontrollably, lurching again and again. Oxygen masks dropped. Everyone began shouting and/or crying.

The rush of falling sent us reeling.

The world went black.

**************

My eyelids fought to open against the bright lights. My head was pounding and my ears were ringing. I heard muffled voices through my ringing ears, and I smelled the overwhelming fumes of nearby smoke and burning fuel.

My fight or flight began to wake me up, and I immediately wanted to run through my blurry vision and ringing ears. Something was wrong and I needed to get far away from here. NOW.

In the back of my mind, I sort of knew that others probably needed help… but I was so disoriented and lacking the clear use of most of my senses, so running (fumbling) seemed like the only immediately available solution.

I scraped myself together and started trying to lift myself from what felt like rubble and dirt. Eventually, I got into a half crouched, half crawl position and I began to pull myself away as quickly as possible, away from the smell of smoke and burning fuel.

I made it several yards before the world went black again.

**************

This time, things seemed much calmer. The light was gone and most of the sounds were gone. Strangely, I felt as if I were in a hospital bed, although it smelled far from sterile in my room.

I tried to strain my eyes through the blackness, but my head began to pound at the effort.

I could hear breathing all around me, which caused me to hold my breath and go rigid. Other people were in the room with me.

I slowed and quieted my breathing and strained my ears this time. I had to figure out how much danger I was in, who had brought me here, and where “here” even was.

After listening intently for several minutes, I began to relax. The breathing I heard was steady and slow—the others around me were asleep. I quickly realized that I was clean (as opposed to the last time I was conscious) and that I was not bound by restraints.

Maybe I really was in some sort of hospital? But then why did it smell like dirt, dust, and mildew?
I felt no immediate threat, and as I began to relax, exhaustion took the controls and I quickly, although unwillingly, fell back into a deep sleep.

**************

In what I assumed must be the next morning, my eyelids fluttered against the sound of movement and my stomach growled angrily at the smell of what must have been food.

My better sense told me to stay still and quiet and gradually, safely, assess my surroundings before alerting attention to myself, but curiosity, disoriented grogginess, and hunger ruined that plan completely.

Several people began to scurry toward me in excited noises. They seemed overjoyed that I was awake… or maybe that I was alive. They were definitely not dressed like doctors or nurses though, as their soiled and burned clothing suggested that they were part of that mess I had woken up to earlier.

Feeling completely overwhelmed, my fight or flight instinct took over once again, as I quickly tried to clench my eyes shut and hide under the blankets. (I am beginning to realize that I am obviously not ever going to lean toward that fight instinct, ha, great).

Someone stepped into the room and shooed everyone’s curious eyes away from my bedside. Grateful fear began to maybe ease me, minutely.

“Good morning, miss. How are you feeling this morning? My name is Dr. Steward and I must say that I am both confused and excited that you are still alive. You were pretty bad when we found you a few feet from the crash. Several of the others managed to drag you, as gently as possible of course, away from the crash once you blacked out. But after waking up once or twice, you have been in a coma for several days. You are quite dehydrated and malnourished, so I would like to beg you to please try your best to eat and drink what the others have prepared.

You are quite safe here, although we’re not quite sure where “here” is exactly. The plane crashed somewhere in route to our intended destination. Not many of us survived, I’m afraid. Out of the several hundred passengers, there are maybe forty of us here.

Oh goodness, I must be completely overwhelming you right now, I apologize. It’s hard to know what information is needed and what I should hold off on. You have missed a lot, which is a huge blessing in my book.

Please, eat and drink, and then get some more sleep. You will need your strength tomorrow.”

After he finished his exorbitantly long and confusing speech, he exited the room as suddenly as he had appeared.

Not much of anything was making sense right now, and my head was pounding far too much to try to sort it all out, so I conceded to following orders, as my stomach’s growls left little room for negotiations.

I ate my food, which appeared to be some sort of gross, unidentified meat that I would have snubbed unabashedly in the past, but which now seemed like a gourmet feast. And the water was sort of weird, earthy maybe, but again, dire thirst left me little room to wonder whether I would be getting parasites from this water. Anything was better than my tongue feeling like baked clay in my mouth.

As I scarfed down my food like a hungry dog, little faces of children peeked through the crack in the door. One of them had the eyes of the child I had seen clinging to his mother yesterday… or. I guess days ago now. It was hard to tell when it was right now. Somehow, even knowing that so many of us didn’t survive, seeing those little, familiar eyes eased the tension that had been building since that first airplane shake, whenever that was.

**************

…To be continued

Coming Soon

Make sure to check out the continuation of this story in next month’s Special Feature Post (every last Thursday of the month). I will also include some of the background behind its inspiration. Enjoy the adventure!

Also, Monday will continue with our series on Intentionality, with “Purposeful Fellowship.” Make sure to check it out on Monday & I hope that it is a huge encouragement to you!

A Note from Michelle:

If you want to hear more about me, check out the “About Me” & “Hope is Found” pages, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

Also, make sure to “Join My Tribe” by adding your email to the top bar & clicking “Join My Tribe”. This gains you access to an extra weekly dose of encouragement from me in your inbox, along with the link to each week’s new post! I can’t wait to do this journey together!!

Weekly Special Spotlight:

Each week, I will feature an item that is changing lives. These pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!

Waterlily Wrap

Representing Women Artisans in Thailand!

(Now on SALE–While supplies last!)

This pink cord has silver, blush, and blue beads that can be worn as a necklace or wrap bracelet.

Artisan Information:

In remote areas of Thailand, we focus on restoring the strength of women in their country as artists. Your purchase empowers a diverse people, from the Karen Hill tribe, the Thai people, & the Hmong women. In this area, jobs are limited. Many women have to move to the city to find work & have to leave their children. Your purchase will help mothers stay in their hometown & earn an income, allowing them to take care of their children & watch them grow up!

Purchase this piece and empower a woman in Thailand!

(*Also shown: Pearls of Hope Bracelet.*)

Shop Here, OR, Email me at michelle@michellehydeonline.com, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thanks, Lovely!