Chapter Text
You can't help the way your eyes track the trolley rolling down the aisle. Can't help the way your throat clenches, fingers beginning to tremble. You know better than to ask the flight attendant for what you need - you've already heard someone else try the same, and the rebuke the troll had received had been loud and clear.
Your name is Roxy Lalonde. You are eighteen years old. You just woke up from a nap. You have been on this private plane for eight hours, without any access to alcohol since your mom's publicist dropped you off at the gate. You think you might be about to go into withdrawal, surrounded by strangers.
Talk about a bad way to start your so-called summer “vacation.”
The plane is big: big enough that you were able to get a row to yourself. From the looks of it, you're not the only one sitting alone, either -- all of the other passengers, who seem to be kids your age, tended to either bunch close together, or get seats far away from everyone else.
The woman pushing the trolley seems to notice your gaze, because as she passes you by, she holds out a small water bottle and a plate of breakfast food. She doesn't speak, and there isn't a name tag on her sky blue blouse, just the same green spirographic logo you saw on the outside of the plane, the same logo stamped on the blankets and headphones and all the rest of of the bits and bobs you'd expect to see stamped Delta or Spirit. You knew you were being sent somewhere swanky, but you didn't realize it was private plane swanky.
You give her a smile, trying to be nice. It wasn't her fault you were being shipped away.
ROXY: tank u
ROXY: *thank u
She smiles back at you, nodding slightly. You try to keep your fingers still as you take what she's offering, and if she notices the effort it takes, she doesn't comment. You quickly busy yourself wrestling the tray up so you can put down your food, and she continues on her way, down towards the back of the plane.
Ding-dong, comes the sound of the intercom.
PLANE-MAID: May I have your attention please?
You turn towards the front of the plane. Another flight attendant, taller than the first, is holding a little device to her mouth, the black wire spiraling up and behind her.
PLANE-MAID: Good morning everyone!
PLANE-MAID: I'm an employee of Skaian Summer Sanctuary, and I'm here to welcome you on your first step towards healing!
The plane erupts into noise - boos, hisses, snickers, complaints. The flight attendant patiently waits for it to die out.
PLANE-MAID: Now, now, don't be like that. Healing can be beautiful!
Someone yells out at her. You can’t exactly make out what’s being said, but you think it’s something about not wanting to be here. Her eyes narrow. You almost recoil at the sight of them, flinty and unyielding.
PLANE-MAID: now listen. i understand this may be difficult for some of you to understand but
PLANE-MAID: all of you are here for a reason
PLANE-MAID: maybe you hurt someone, maybe you hurt yourself
PLANE-MAID: some of you had a little trouble with the law
PLANE-MAID: some of you are struggling with substance abuse
PLANE-MAID: you're all suffering in some way
PLANE-MAID: someone in your life wants you to get better
PLANE-MAID: either that, or you're part of the juvenile offender deferral program, and we're your last chance before they start charging you as an adult
There's a brief pause, and you look around nervously, seeing the teens around you in a new light. You thought everyone was in the same boat as you, and this was just rehab for rich kids. What the hell is this place?
When the woman speaks again, her voice is chipper once more.
PLANE-MAID: We can't fix you all in a day, of course.
PLANE-MAID: Which is why the Skaian Summer Sanctuary is a three month intensive program!
PLANE-MAID: We operate out of a private island, where there's no distractions to get in the way of your healing journey.
PLANE-MAID: Thats why those of you with psychic gifts have been, temporarily, I assure you, liberated from the burden of them!
PLANE-MAID: The psychic suppressors on your horns are not harmful.
PLANE-MAID: Quite the opposite, really.
PLANE-MAID: They're here to help put everyone on equal footing.
She pauses for a moment, and you glance around. There's a troll sitting diagonal to you, and you can see a silver bracelet-thingy around the base of the horn. The troll tugs at it, her face scrunched up in distaste.
PLANE-MAID: Our program director believes that too much outside influence can be harmful.
PLANE-MAID: My associate is coming down the aisle with a trolley cart.
PLANE-MAID: She's going to collect the rest of your electronic devices.
PLANE-MAID: Where we're going, you won't be needing them.
Another wave of shouts sweeps the plane, and you're right there with them.
ROXY: uhhhhhh wtf???? Nah, naaaah, nope!!
Even as you're speaking, you're scrambling, shoving your plate onto the seat next to you so you can leap up and grab your bag from the overhead compartment. You yank it down, feeling dread in your throat. The rest of your devices, the woman said.
The bag is too light, and even as you paw through everything, you know what you won't find. Your laptop, and your phone, are both gone. From the indignant shouts around you, the others have realized the same.
PLANE-MAID: We've already taken the liberty of confiscating anything we considered contraband from your bags last night.
PLANE-MAID: Rest assured, we didn't go through your pockets.
PLANE-MAID: We trust you to behave maturely and turn whatever else you have over.
One of the other teens stands up, bag in hand. It's the same troll boy who tried to ask for a drink earlier, and his hair is a wild halo around his head.
GAMZEE: HeY, mOtHeRfUcKeRs, I dOn’T mEaN tO bE mOtHeRfUcKiN pReSuMpTiVe AbOuT sHiT.
GAMZEE: i GeT yOu, YoU wAnT uS tO bE oN mOtHeRfUcKiN jOuRnEyS oF tHe MiNd.
GAMZEE: HeAlInG aNd ShIt.
GAMZEE: sO i DoN’t WaNt To Be ThRoWiN oUt AcCuSaTiOnS aBoUt NoThInG, sInCe YoU’rE sO cLeAr AbOuT yOuR mOtHeRfUcKiNg PoSiTiVe InTeNtIoNs.
GAMZEE: BuT dId YoU mOtHeRfUcKeRs HaPpEn To CoNfIsCaTe My SoPoR sUpPlEmEnTs WhIlE yOu WeRe SwEePiNg FoR oUr SwEeT eLeCtRoNiC lOoT?
Silence in the cabin. The Plane Maid stares this kid down, and you feel like the air pressure increases by itself.
She stares.
He stares back. One of his eyebrows slowly raises itself to meet his forehead.
Finally, though, it seems like something cracks:
PLANE-MAID: Our program doesn’t exactly believe in the -- the use of prescription medication as decided by external doctors--
GAMZEE: you
GAMZEE: MOTHERFUCKING
GAMZEE: idiots.
He fucking leaps for her, and all hell breaks loose.
He grabs her by the arms and screams in her face incoherently. Almost immediately, two men rush from the employee zone, grappling for the teen, who thrashes wildly. The clown boy’s fist slams into a nose, and someone shrieks as blood splatters anyone sitting near the front.
Meanwhile, his buddy who he’d been sitting with stands up, confused outrage flickering on his face.
KARKAT: YOU MORONS SERIOUSLY TOOK HIS MOOD STABILIZERS?
A heavyset troll guy joins the fight, attacking one of the men from behind and stopping him from grabbing the lankier boy's arms. The man turns around and shoves his assailant into the wall, and the boy's head hits with a thump.
AERONAUT-RUFFIAN: back to your seats!
You're standing, hands shaking, stomach weak. You're surrounded by crazy people, and you don't know what to do. The ruffian slaps the boy across the face, and he looks dazed.
ROXY: jeus christ STOP FUCKING HITTIN HIM
ROXY: WTF IS HAPPENING
You shout, but you're just one voice among many. You surge forward, panic moving you faster than your thoughts are moving. What are you going to do?
JOHN: WELCOME TO CON AIR, MOTHER FUCKERS!
It seems you're not the only one who wants to do something, because half the people around you do the same, standing and running towards the front of the plane. The aisle isn't wide enough for you to push past them all, and you curse your choice of seat near the back.
You are close enough, however, to see someone slip past the fight and into the employee section of the plane. It isn't one of the flight attendants, it's another teenager. You aren't sure if it was a troll or just a human with black hair, but whoever they are, they're up to no good. And the adults, more concerned with their hapless attempts to contain the eruption of violence, don't notice.
????: I'M TURNING THIS THING AROUND!
You don't know how, but you hear their words. You gasp, stumbling into the row to your right, your own seat now several rows behind you. A young woman with electric blue eyes shrieks and scrambles away from you, squishing herself against the window seat.
JANE: are you real?
Holy shit. You know that voice.
ROXY: gutsyGumshoe? No fucking way!
You gape at your online friend, whose chest is heaving with panic. Somewhere behind you, you think you hear crying. And up ahead, something electronic is wailing, the sort of noise that has you buckling your seatbelt and jamming the button for the little mask thingy. It takes a few tries to pop out.
JANE: tipsyGnostalgic, how the heck are you here?
JANE: why the heck are you here?!?
You feel the plane shudder, and somehow, it gets even fucking louder. People are shrieking in fear, and your head is lanced with pain with each vocalization. You struggle for words, eventually giving up and launching yourself sideways, letting your lanky figure propel you close enough to Gumshoe that you can grab her seatbelt, shoving it into place.
ROXY: got 2 tipsy, girlfronnd
ROXY: friend* lol
ROXY: u know how it is
You try for a saucy wink, but it doesn't seem to land. Might as well be direct, you think, grimacing as the plane shakes again.
ROXY: get ur oxygen mask out! Someone's fucking w/ the pilots!
You pitch your voice to carry, and as Gumshoe manages to get her mask down, you look around. Half the people on the plane seem to be standing, but some of them are diving into seats, or maybe falling into them, as the plane seems to buck under them.
JADE: we're losing altitude!
Someone screams, and you whip your head back towards Gumshoe, back towards the window. Sure enough, the clouds are whipping past, and a klaxon begins to blare, red lights flashing.
WINGMAN-VETERAN: brace, brace, brace
WINGMAN-VETERAN: seatbelts on, chest to knees, hands on ankles!
There's a new voice over the intercom, and you gasp, mask forgotten, hastily complying. Your breathing is shallow, dark spots flashing across your vision. You hear a sob beside you, and you struggle to hold back your own. You don't have the oxygen to spare on tears, and the shaking is getting worse. You hear the sound of a body crashing to the floor, and you squeeze your eyes shut. You-
When you wake up, your feet are wet. You jerk up, gasping as the motion sends a twinge of pain through your back. You reach for the spot, feeling the edges of a long cut across your shoulders, your shirt sticky with blood.
ROXY: gumshoe?
You look to your friend, finding her slumped over, unconscious. You unbuckle your belt, reaching over and shaking her. It takes a few horrible moments before she wakes up.
JANE: Oh my god...
You help her unbuckle, and the two of you stand on unsteady feet. Your head is spinning, and you don't know whether to blame the withdrawals, the impact, or the blood loss. From the way her eyes widen as she glimpses your back, you know it's bad, but you don't have time for the pain.
JANE: We're in the ocean
You look down at the water lapping at your feet. It's tinged pink, the color sinking into your white sneakers.
ROXY: fuck
ROXY: now wut?
As though summoned by the question, a younger girl appears, standing just in front of your row. She's human, with long dark hair and round glasses. She's got a military backpack on her shoulders, and an airplane seat cushion in her hands. There's blood on her face from where her glasses have cut into the bridge of her nose and her cheeks, and bruises are already forming there.
JADE: airplane cushions double as flotation devices. Grab yours, and quickly!
You do as she says, finding that the cushion pulls up easily. You scoot into the aisle, taking a few steps back, giving Gumshoe room to get out. You look toward the front of the plane, and gasp. The water is much deeper there, and you can see why - the nose of the plane is gone entirely. One of the male employees is splayed out over the edge, and the water is dark and red around him. You gulp, turning away.
JADE: the nose sank already, and we aren't far behind
JADE: if your bags are easily accessible and you're strong enough to swim with them, grab them now.
JADE: we're leaving out the back
JADE: the adults-
The girl's voice breaks.
JADE: none of them were in seats
JADE: i checked anyway, but
Her face is pale, and she swallows roughly.
JADE: there's nothing we can do for them
JADE: so I'm focusing my efforts on the rest of us
You don't know this girl from Adam, but you have the overwhelming urge to hug her. She can't be older than fifteen, you think, and yet she's level headed, putting herself in further danger to make sure everyone else can get out. It's very brave.
You wipe away the tears welling in your eyes, and smile at her.
ROXY: what can i do to help?
ROXY: im roxy, btw
You gesture at Gumshoe, who is now standing between you two. She has a shiny red hardtop suitcase by the handle, her seat cushion tucked under her arm.
ROXY: this is my friend-
JANE: Jane Crocker, of Crocker Corp
You raise your eyebrows, impressed. No wonder she never shared more than her voice and her screen name.
The plane shudders again, and the younger girl looks sheepish as she replies.
JADE: jade.... harley
JANE: Of the Skaianet Harleys?
Jane (Jane! You know her name!) speaks sharply, and you inhale through your teeth. This shitty rehab is run by her family's company. Shit.
JADE: try not to hold it against me until we've gotten somewhere safe, okay?
Jade's eyes go to Jane's suitcase, then she speaks hesitantly.
JADE: that's going to be too bulky to swim with
Jane pats the spoon logo on the suitcase proudly.
JANE: It's a top of the line CrockerCase WaterProof CarryOn 3000, with the new-and-improved floatation shell, rated for 35 pounds of luggage and a 200 pound traveler to boot.
JANE: Don't worry about my bag
JANE: What can we do to help?
You're pretty sure that Jane just straight-up quoted an ad at you, and Jade looks like she wants to protest further, but the plane makes a sharp noise of tearing metal, and you hear a splash that shakes the plane and sends a new surge of water to cover your ankles.
You all look towards the sound, and watch through one of the windows as the left wing of the plane begins to sink.
JADE: i was near the front, so I've already gotten everyone above your row up and out.
JADE: but you guys can help me with the last few?
ROXY: sure!
You agree easily, turning towards the back of the plane. The door is that way, and so is your bag. You're trying not to freak the fuck out, but you don't want to be in this death trap any longer than you have to.
You hustle back to your row, pulling your bag up from where it fell on the floor. It's soaked, and some of your clothes are spilling out. You shove them back in and zip it as best you can manage.
FEFERI: Oh s)(ell, I don't think I can swim with you and the c)(air!
The next row is empty, but when you get to the one after that, you find a troll girl standing over a troll boy, her hands on the handles of a wheelchair. Her horns are tall, curving in than back out again. The boy's horns jut out from the sides of his head. He has one of those psychic suppressors on his horn, but she doesn't.
TAVROS: oH, uHHHHH, oKAY....
TAVROS: i GUESS WE CAN, lEAVE IT, iF WE HAVE TO?
The boy's voice is soft and hesitant, and he doesn't seem like he really wants to leave it.
ROXY: uh, not 2 interrupt or anything, but I have an idea
The two trolls turn to look at you. You gesture at Jane, who has come up behind you.
ROXY: my friend's bag floats, so why don't we put ur chair on top of it?
ROXY: it folds, rite?
The boy nods, and the girl has to edge into the row opposite to avoid his large horns.
TAVROS: tHAT WOULD BE, rEALLY NICE OF YOU, tHANKS
He gestures at his legs, and you notice a large bruise on his arm.
TAVROS: i CANT GET AROUND WITHOUT IT
You nod in understanding, and look at the troll girl hesitantly. How is she going to swim with him, without him dragging her down?
FEFERI: Great!
FEFERI: Now, )(op in so I can get you to the door.
FEFERI: Seadweller strengt)( isn't much to write home about until I'm acshoally in the water!
She giggles, which is totally out of place for the situation, but you see the gills on her neck as she moves to help the boy into his chair. He has a small, ratty backpack, which he clutches to his chest. The girl has a big rubbery bag that she's draped from the handles of the chair.
You all progress slowly towards the exit, hampered by the fact that the boy has to tilt his head awkwardly to avoid clipping his horns on the seats and the girl's hesitance as she pushes his chair. You start to chew your lip anxiously.
ROSE: Hello?
ROSE: A little help here?
The voice comes from the bathroom, located behind the exit, in the tail of the plane. It's muffled, both because the door is shut and because the trolley is leaning against it, presumably trapping her inside. You look down at the way it's tilting, and wince.
The woman who'd been pushing the cart is underneath it, and her face is totally underwater.
JADE: jane, help these two with the chair,
JADE: roxy, help me move...
JADE: the blockage
Jade gives you orders, and grateful she's taking charge, you listen, worming past the trolls to get closer to the bathroom door.
ROXY: we hear u!
ROXY: r u hurt?
There's silence for a moment, and then a choked sound, half laughter and half a sob.
ROSE: I'm not telling you until you open that door!
The voice has an edge of panic to it, and you wonder what she's thinking. Does she think you'll leave her behind if you know she's injured?
ROXY: we're working on it!
ROXY: trolley cart is in the way
Jade comes up next to you, and you both try to get the cart upright. The body underneath it makes the task difficult, and it takes a few minutes of finagling to get the surprisingly heavy cart up and out of the way.
The girl on the other side slams against the door, and it opens just a crack, before being stopped by the weight of the body on the floor.
You look down at it, and feel bile in your throat.
The woman's head is at an unnatural angle, and blood swirls around your feet as you step towards her.
ROSE: Why can't I open it?
The girl's voice is shrill, and your force down your disgust. You have to help her.
JADE: one more obstacle!
Jade's voice is calm and reassuring, and she puts her hand on your shoulder, squeezing gently. She pitches her voice into a whisper, so the trapped girl can't hear.
JADE: it's okay
JADE: nothing we will do is going to hurt her
JADE: she's just...
JADE: like a really heavy mannequin
JADE: and right now, there's a kid behind that door
JADE: she's scared, maybe hurt
JADE: and she needs our help
JADE: all we have to do is move her
JADE: just a few feet
JADE: and then we can get the door open
You marvel at Jade, at her strength. You really don't want to touch the body, but she's right. You can't leave this girl behind.
JADE: i'll take the arms, you get the legs
You nod, unable to speak, and gingerly make your way towards the feet. Jade clears her throat, then pitches her voice up.
JADE: hang in there, okay?
You lean down, gently grabbing the woman's ankles. You try not to think about it.
JADE: on three
You brace, listening to the count down.
JADE: three
JADE: two
JADE: one
JADE: up!
You both lift, not very high, but enough that you're able to shuffle forward as Jade backs up. You're both bowed over, and you try to focus on keeping pace with her.
In the end, it doesn't take very long to get the bathroom clear, and you gently set down your cargo a few rows past the back exit, where Jane is waiting. You quickly turn your back on the body, and come back towards the exit. The trolls are long gone, but the wheelchair is folded, with seatbelt straps tying it and a few extra seat cushions to the cargo.
JADE: it's clear!
No sooner than she speaks, the bathroom door bursts open, and a girl stumbles out, clutching her arm to her chest. You think it might be broken, but she curls up defensively, and you don't get a good look at it. Her eyes flash like amethysts.
ROSE: How, exactly, are we getting out of here?
She looks ready for a fight, and you put your hands up placatingly.
ROXY: gotta swim unfortunately
ROXY: lemme just,,,
You reach into a row and find another cushion, which you pull up and offer to the girl. She looks down at it as though it might bite her.
JADE: hey guys?
JADE: water's rising!
JADE: so maybe you should take the floaty
JADE: and we can all get the heck out of here!
The girl takes the cushion, and joins Jane at the open door. You hastily follow, retrieving your own cushion and bag.
JADE: everyone know how to swim?
You all make varying noises of assent and line up together, looking out at the water. You can see, some distance ahead, a few orange shapes - you think it's the long horns of the troll boy, jutting out to the sides.
Beyond them, maybe the same distance ahead of them as they are ahead of the plane, you can see the golden sands and green trees of an island. There's people on the shore - you can't tell how many from this distance, but presumably it's the rest of the passengers.
ROSE: Well, this should be fun.
The blonde clutches the cushion to her chest, and jumps in, kicking with choppy, erratic motions. She's clearly not a good swimmer. She also doesn't wait for you guys, but you can't really begrudge her. You have the feeling you'll catch up with her pretty soon.
You sling your bag across your shoulder, hissing at the fresh stab of pain from your injuries. You'd almost forgotten the cut, with all the chaos.
You jump in, shoving away from the plane as you fall. You hit the water with a splash, and gasp.
ROXY: fuck thats cold!
You tread water, turning around and reaching back at Jane. The air outside the plane is warm and balmy, which makes the contrast with the water all the more surprising.
ROXY: slide the suitcase in, i'll hold it until you're ready!
Jane and Jade kneel down, together pushing the suitcase over the lip of the plane door. There isn't much of a drop into the water at this point, but you don't want the wheelchair to get soaked, so you're careful to stabilize the package.
ROXY: well shit, it rly does float!
JANE: Told you
You slide the suitcase through the water, treading backwards to give the other two room. They both jump in, and you're honestly a bit surprised at how quickly Jade pops back up, even with her bulky bag.
JADE: i'm going to catch up with her
JADE: she might need a bit of help
The younger girl had swapped her glasses for goggles when you weren't looking, and she looks at you both with a serious expression.
JADE: the shore can't be more than a mile out
JADE: shouldn't take more than half an hour for you guys
JADE: the goal is to keep moving
JADE: you're gonna get cold and you're gonna get tired
JADE: but you can't rest for too long
JADE: even in the summer, hypothermia is a risk
JADE: got it?
You didn't even think of that. You just figured you were being kinda a wimp about the water temp.
ROXY: got it!
JANE: Understood
JADE: great
JADE: see you at the shore
Jade begins to swim away from you both, making long, practiced strokes. You realize belatedly that the seat cushion she took is clipped to her backpack - she's not relying on the floatation device at all, probably because she can actually swim worth a damn.
JANE: Let's both use my suitcase, and push it along in front of us
You look over at her, seeing how nervous she looks. It... is a lot of stuff for one person, now that you think about it.
ROXY: good idea!
The two of you maneuver the suitcase in front of you, and you push your cushion under your torso, unsure where the hell else to put it, and put your arms through the straps. Jane does the same, and then, you start swimming.
You haven't caught up to the younger girls. Apparently, pushing a big fuckoff suitcase with a wheelchair strapped to it is a bit hard to do quickly. Who knew!
You'd started off trying to talk to her, but Jane didn't really seem interested, and soon, your breath was too labored to keep up a one-sided conversation.
You've also started to really feel the weight of your bag. It was easy enough to ignore, at first, but now the strap digs into the injury on your shoulders and weighs you down like a rock. You can't remember what was in it anymore, but you're seriously considering abandoning the fucking thing.
JANE: Can we-
She takes another gulp of air, then continues.
JANE: Can we stop, just for a beat?
JANE: I need a breather
ROXY: we aren't supposed to...
Even as you say it, you're slowing down. You need a breather too.
ROXY: just for a min tho, kay?
ROXY: you heard jade
You haven't been paying super attention to how far away your goal is, and it's not like you've been keeping track of time, either, so you take the opportunity to lean around the bulk of your package. The shore is much closer, thank fuck, but when you look back at the plane, you don't think you're closer to shore than where you came from. You're only halfway there.
The realization makes your stomach sink. You're operating on fumes, having missed out on breakfast. Your limbs are shaky with exhaustion, with withdrawals, with fear, with pain. You're not sure you have another span of that distance, and the bag on your shoulder is dragging you down further.
ROXY: ykno what?
ROXY: im adding my bag to the pile
You gently let go of the suitcase, and begin the arduous process of untangling yourself from all these straps. Your clothes drag heavily, and the bag is actually under the cushion straps, so you have to, for a precarious moment, free yourself from it entirely in order to get the bag off your shoulder.
And suddenly, you're treading water without anything to hold you up, and the strap of your heavy fucking bag is in your hands, dragging you down.
It happens so fast.
One moment you're treading water, trying to figure out how to sling your waterlogged bag up and on top of the stack of crap.
The next, your head slips beneath the waves and you're going down.
It takes you far too many seconds to get a grasp on what's happening, your limbs slow to respond as the weight of it all drags you further into the depths.
You thrash, trying to fight back, but you aren't making headway, and your lungs begin to burn. Your jerky, panicked movements dislodge your shoes, and they quickly sink out of sight. You didn't know it was so deep...
Fuck it. Who needs clothes anyway?
You release the bag, and just like that, you feel so much lighter. You kick, and this time, you feel it, feel the force propelling you upward. You reach up, focusing on the light above the water, kicking and paddling and trying to keep the air inside just a little longer.
There's a hand reaching down, another face staring at yours.
Your fingers brush against hers, and Jane heaves, pulling you those last precious feet up and out of the water.
You burst from the surface, mouth gaping on instinct, and you gasp for air, sparkles dancing in your eyes.
You crash down, and for a moment you fear you're going under again, but Jane has you by the arm, and drags you bodily onto the suitcase. You cling to it, shaking all over, and try to catch your breath.
JANE: Thank god
JANE: I thought you were a gonner!
You taste the air in your lungs, and croak out a response.
ROXY: i think i almost was, tbh
It takes much longer to make the second leg of your journey, even without the weight of all your shit. But eventually, your tired legs brush against the bottom, and you're able to, finally, stand up.
The slope is slow and gradual, and you spend a good couple minutes dragging your feet through chin height, then chest height, then waist height water.
FEFERI: You made it!
The troll girl, the seadweller who carried the boy on her back, trots into the water to meet you when you're in the home stretch, the beach a handful of yards away.
She grins, seeming way too chipper, and gently tugs the suitcase from your shared grasp.
FEFERI: I'll take this, you gills look like you could use a break!
ROXY: you can say that again!
JANE: Thank you
The two of you stumble after her as she carries the suitcase, humming a tune. While she strides up the beach towards the big-horned boy, you two pause as soon as you get to dry ground, flopping down on the sand just past the waterline.
JADE: here, split this
Jade is kneeling down next to you, holding out a small disposable water bottle. You both reach for it at the same time, and Jane sheepishly acquiesces, letting you take the first sip.
God, you needed that.
It takes every ounce of your restraint to not drain the bottle yourself, and you allow only two sips before passing it to your friend.
While she drinks, you look around.
The beach is scattered with bedraggled teenagers. Some of them are sitting in groups, others pacing in the sand. Others still lay down on the sand, and you're not sure if they're just exhausted or... something else. You see blood, and bruises, and a few makeshift splints. You hear quiet sobs and angry whispers.
You turn back, facing the shore.
In the distance, you can see the plane. There's not much left above the waterline, and it is sinking faster as you watch. The cabin must be full of water, by this point.
Beyond the plane, you don't see anything. You stand, leaning forward, squinting at the glare of the sun reflected off the water. The horizon stretches out into the distance, until the sky blurs into the waves and all you can see is blue.
You're stranded, you realize suddenly. Stranded who knows where, in the middle of the pacific. Stranded on your way to the kind of place where you aren't expected to call home. How long, you wonder, until someone notices? How long until your mom thinks to worry?
Your knees give out, and you flop back down. Jane presses the water into your hand, and you clutch it, overwhelmed with the enormity of the situation.
You're stranded, and you don't know how you're getting home.