Serial Novel: Falling in Public, Ch. 45
This serial novel is posted in draft form every Friday.
Ch.1|Ch. 2|Ch. 3|Ch. 4|Ch. 5|Ch. 6|Ch. 7|Ch. 8|Ch. 9|Ch. 10|Ch. 11|Ch. 12|Ch.13|Ch. 14|Ch. 15| Ch. 16| Ch. 17|Ch. 18| Ch. 19 | Ch. 20 | Ch. 21 | Ch. 22 | Ch. 23 | Ch. 24 | Ch. 25 | Ch. 26 | Ch. 27 | Ch. 28 | Ch. 29 | Ch. 30 | Ch. 31 | Ch. 32 | Ch. 33 | Ch. 34 | Ch. 35 | Ch. 36 | Ch. 37 | Ch. 38 | Ch. 39 | Ch. 40 | Ch. 41 | Ch. 42 | Ch. 43 | Ch. 44 |
Falling in Public
Chapter 45
The look on Eddie's face was almost worth the pain throbbing through her leg as Holly forced herself to smile. She'd underestimated the amount of energy it required to climb down the seats without falling - if you could call it climbing. If they couldn't use the slide, she wasn't sure what she'd do, because at this point climbing back up to the center aisle didn't feel like an option.
Luckily, Eddie nodded. "I think we can get down, but it's going to be steep. How's the leg?"
"It hurts," she said, refraining from rubbing her wound. "But I can handle it. Any idea how far it is to civilization once we get on the ground?"
He shook his head. "It didn't look like there was much out there when we were landing...a few farmhouses, but none close by." He moved to look out the door. "Maybe it would be better for you to stay here, while I go get help. I think we landed in a wheat field, and it could be hard walking through the rows to get anywhere."
Holly tried to tamp down the panic in her throat, knowing he was right, but not wanting to be left alone. At the same time, she knew he'd move faster without her.
Swallowing hard, she finally nodded. "That's probably the smart decision. I don't like the thought of you going out there alone though. What if you get hurt? Or Winston's men find you?"
He shrugged. "They could find the plane too. I'll just keep moving, and get back as fast as I can." He looked around the compartment, brows drawn together. "I should take a flashlight, if I can find one. You need one too, and a blanket. I'll be right back."
Holly watched as he climbed up the row of seats, wishing he'd moved back one so he wasn't hanging directly over the open hatch. She breathed a sigh of relief when he went over the top. Turning, she pushed up the plastic window cover below her, and peered out at the ground, the emergency slide swaying in the wind. The angle was much steeper than she'd imagined, and she cringed at the thought of Eddie going almost straight down with only a three foot cushion waiting at the bottom. What if it popped?
Snapping the shade shut, she leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes as she balanced with her good leg. There wasn't any other way. It had to work.
It wasn't long before she heard a scrabbling sound above, and she opened her eyes just in time to see Eddie leaning over the seats with a grin. He held out a bundle, lowering it until she could support the bottom before he released his grip.
"There's extra blankets, a flashlight, some food and one of those insanely expensive inflatable pillows in there. I found some ibuprofen too - the only painkillers they had, unfortunately. That should be enough to keep you at least sort of comfortable until I get back. I made another one for myself." He held up another cloth bundle for her to see, and she smiled.
"Wow. That was quick. Where did you find all this stuff?"
He pointed toward the back of the plane. "I raided the first class galley by the restrooms. If you run out of anything, try that first."
She nodded. "Thanks. Hand me yours - I'll hang on to it while you climb down." She took his bundle, and then waited while he made his way back to the open hatch. He carefully swung his legs out onto the slide, barely anchored to the threshold as it tilted out.
"Okay," he said, taking the pack from her and positioning it on his lap. "Wish me luck."
She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Good luck, Eddie. Hurry back."
He winked. "You'll hardly notice I'm gone." Scooting forward another inch, he cleared the lip and slipped out of sight.
Ch.1|Ch. 2|Ch. 3|Ch. 4|Ch. 5|Ch. 6|Ch. 7|Ch. 8|Ch. 9|Ch. 10|Ch. 11|Ch. 12|Ch.13|Ch. 14|Ch. 15| Ch. 16| Ch. 17|Ch. 18| Ch. 19 | Ch. 20 | Ch. 21 | Ch. 22 | Ch. 23 | Ch. 24 | Ch. 25 | Ch. 26 | Ch. 27 | Ch. 28 | Ch. 29 | Ch. 30 | Ch. 31 | Ch. 32 | Ch. 33 | Ch. 34 | Ch. 35 | Ch. 36 | Ch. 37 | Ch. 38 | Ch. 39 | Ch. 40 | Ch. 41 | Ch. 42 | Ch. 43 | Ch. 44 |
Falling in Public
Chapter 45
The look on Eddie's face was almost worth the pain throbbing through her leg as Holly forced herself to smile. She'd underestimated the amount of energy it required to climb down the seats without falling - if you could call it climbing. If they couldn't use the slide, she wasn't sure what she'd do, because at this point climbing back up to the center aisle didn't feel like an option.
Luckily, Eddie nodded. "I think we can get down, but it's going to be steep. How's the leg?"
"It hurts," she said, refraining from rubbing her wound. "But I can handle it. Any idea how far it is to civilization once we get on the ground?"
He shook his head. "It didn't look like there was much out there when we were landing...a few farmhouses, but none close by." He moved to look out the door. "Maybe it would be better for you to stay here, while I go get help. I think we landed in a wheat field, and it could be hard walking through the rows to get anywhere."
Holly tried to tamp down the panic in her throat, knowing he was right, but not wanting to be left alone. At the same time, she knew he'd move faster without her.
Swallowing hard, she finally nodded. "That's probably the smart decision. I don't like the thought of you going out there alone though. What if you get hurt? Or Winston's men find you?"
He shrugged. "They could find the plane too. I'll just keep moving, and get back as fast as I can." He looked around the compartment, brows drawn together. "I should take a flashlight, if I can find one. You need one too, and a blanket. I'll be right back."
Holly watched as he climbed up the row of seats, wishing he'd moved back one so he wasn't hanging directly over the open hatch. She breathed a sigh of relief when he went over the top. Turning, she pushed up the plastic window cover below her, and peered out at the ground, the emergency slide swaying in the wind. The angle was much steeper than she'd imagined, and she cringed at the thought of Eddie going almost straight down with only a three foot cushion waiting at the bottom. What if it popped?
Snapping the shade shut, she leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes as she balanced with her good leg. There wasn't any other way. It had to work.
It wasn't long before she heard a scrabbling sound above, and she opened her eyes just in time to see Eddie leaning over the seats with a grin. He held out a bundle, lowering it until she could support the bottom before he released his grip.
"There's extra blankets, a flashlight, some food and one of those insanely expensive inflatable pillows in there. I found some ibuprofen too - the only painkillers they had, unfortunately. That should be enough to keep you at least sort of comfortable until I get back. I made another one for myself." He held up another cloth bundle for her to see, and she smiled.
"Wow. That was quick. Where did you find all this stuff?"
He pointed toward the back of the plane. "I raided the first class galley by the restrooms. If you run out of anything, try that first."
She nodded. "Thanks. Hand me yours - I'll hang on to it while you climb down." She took his bundle, and then waited while he made his way back to the open hatch. He carefully swung his legs out onto the slide, barely anchored to the threshold as it tilted out.
"Okay," he said, taking the pack from her and positioning it on his lap. "Wish me luck."
She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Good luck, Eddie. Hurry back."
He winked. "You'll hardly notice I'm gone." Scooting forward another inch, he cleared the lip and slipped out of sight.
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