You're My Kryptonite
Planes
I sighed as we boarded the plane. Planes were my biggest fear. Harry didn't know, but he was surely about to find out. My breathing got heavy. I reached into my purse and got my anxiety medication and took the small white pills, hoping that they would help ease my brain. Maybe I could even go to sleep. I tugged on my shirt, trying to get my attention off the fact that I was going into the air on a contraption that I wasn't in control of that could crash at any minute. Planes are really not my forte. As I boarded the plane, I touched the side as I've always heard that it's good luck. I sighed and climbed on the plane. I found our seats and Harry and I sat down. My hands started shaking as the flight attendant went through procedures and announced take off.
"Are you okay, Addie?" Harry asked, concern striking every part of his face.
"I'll be fine," I lied, looking up and closing my eyes. I couldn't watch us leave the ground. If I don't watch, maybe I'll trick myself into thinking we didn't take off. About thirty minutes after take off, I felt my pills kicking in and lulling me into sleep.
---
"Ladies and gentlemen, we're hitting a patch of turbulence. Please remain seated and buckle your seat belts," the flight attendant said cheerfully. I knew it wasn't turbulence. It couldn't be just turbulence. There was shouting and screaming from further back in the plane. It wasn't just turbulence.
Suddenly, two men ran through the plane. They ran as fast as lightening. They went into the cockpit. That's not where they belonged. What is going on?
"We have guns, and bombs. Stay seated. We are turning the plane around to land," The foreign voice came over the speakers. Everyone tensed.
Guns and bombs
Suddenly, the plane lowered. And lowered. And lowered. We were flying way too low. Too low. There was a boom and a flash of light. Fire everywhere.
We were dead.
--
"Addie!" Harry yelled into my ear. I awoke with a jolt; there were tears falling down my cheeks. Harry pulled me close to his chest.
"Addie, it's just a nightmare," Harry said, trying to calm me.
It wasn't just a nightmare. It was too vivid. It was bringing back memories. Memories I didn't want. Memories of September 11, 2001. Memories of my mother and brother. My mother. My baby brother, only four at the time. I held onto Harry tighter.
"Try to go back to sleep. We have about an hour left until we're there," Harry said, not letting go. He covered me with the complimentary blanket and kissed the top of my head.
I need to tell him, but there are no words to explain. I didn't know how to begin. I had never explained to anyone. The story was that my mother left when we were younger and took my brother with her, leaving me and my sister with my father. That's not the story. I'm not stupid. Harry's not stupid. I had to find a way to tell him. I had to.
--
"Addie, we've landed," Harry said, waking me out of my trance. I sighed, getting up and stretching. I was amazed to see that we were alive. Happy to see that we survived. We got off of the plane and got our luggage. Harry's parents had rented a car for us and had it waiting outside of the airport. We got into the car and Harry drove us to his house.
When we pulled up, we were instantly greeted by Harry's family. His mother, his mother's boyfriend, and other members all jumped at the opportunity to meet me. They told me that Harry spoke so highly of me and that he never stopped talking about me. We carried our luggage to the guest house. I hung my dress up in the closet and turned to look at Harry. He was sitting on the bed, taking everything in.
"You know, when I was little, I used to come out here and pretend that I was living by myself and that this was my bachelor pad," He said, reminiscing. He turned and smiled at me.
"So you were in a rush to grow up?" I asked, sitting beside him and smiling back.
"Yeah. I felt like being young was just a waste. Now I just want to go back. Having to worry about everything really takes a toll on someone. It makes them into a boring adult," He said, chuckling.
"Well, I don't think you're a boring adult," I said, smiling at him.
"Harry! Adelaide! It's time for dinner!" His mother called. We ate a light dinner, then parted ways to go to sleep. It had been a long day, and Harry and I were a bit jetlagged, so we decided to hit the hay early. I took a shower, trying to wash off the bad memories brought up by the plane ride. I sighed, letting the hot water burn into my back. I can't help but wonder what my mom was thinking. Was she scared? Did she think of me and my sister? Did she think of my dad? A million questions that I had that would never be answered. It saddened me to think that my mother had to sit with her youngest child and know that they weren't going to make it off the plane. As the plane got lower, I wondered if she explained to my brother how much she cared for him and loved him. I wondered if she thought about me and my sister and the love we shared. I shrugged the thoughts off. I needed to be happy. For Harry.
"Are you okay, Addie?" Harry asked, concern striking every part of his face.
"I'll be fine," I lied, looking up and closing my eyes. I couldn't watch us leave the ground. If I don't watch, maybe I'll trick myself into thinking we didn't take off. About thirty minutes after take off, I felt my pills kicking in and lulling me into sleep.
---
"Ladies and gentlemen, we're hitting a patch of turbulence. Please remain seated and buckle your seat belts," the flight attendant said cheerfully. I knew it wasn't turbulence. It couldn't be just turbulence. There was shouting and screaming from further back in the plane. It wasn't just turbulence.
Suddenly, two men ran through the plane. They ran as fast as lightening. They went into the cockpit. That's not where they belonged. What is going on?
"We have guns, and bombs. Stay seated. We are turning the plane around to land," The foreign voice came over the speakers. Everyone tensed.
Guns and bombs
Suddenly, the plane lowered. And lowered. And lowered. We were flying way too low. Too low. There was a boom and a flash of light. Fire everywhere.
We were dead.
--
"Addie!" Harry yelled into my ear. I awoke with a jolt; there were tears falling down my cheeks. Harry pulled me close to his chest.
"Addie, it's just a nightmare," Harry said, trying to calm me.
It wasn't just a nightmare. It was too vivid. It was bringing back memories. Memories I didn't want. Memories of September 11, 2001. Memories of my mother and brother. My mother. My baby brother, only four at the time. I held onto Harry tighter.
"Try to go back to sleep. We have about an hour left until we're there," Harry said, not letting go. He covered me with the complimentary blanket and kissed the top of my head.
I need to tell him, but there are no words to explain. I didn't know how to begin. I had never explained to anyone. The story was that my mother left when we were younger and took my brother with her, leaving me and my sister with my father. That's not the story. I'm not stupid. Harry's not stupid. I had to find a way to tell him. I had to.
--
"Addie, we've landed," Harry said, waking me out of my trance. I sighed, getting up and stretching. I was amazed to see that we were alive. Happy to see that we survived. We got off of the plane and got our luggage. Harry's parents had rented a car for us and had it waiting outside of the airport. We got into the car and Harry drove us to his house.
When we pulled up, we were instantly greeted by Harry's family. His mother, his mother's boyfriend, and other members all jumped at the opportunity to meet me. They told me that Harry spoke so highly of me and that he never stopped talking about me. We carried our luggage to the guest house. I hung my dress up in the closet and turned to look at Harry. He was sitting on the bed, taking everything in.
"You know, when I was little, I used to come out here and pretend that I was living by myself and that this was my bachelor pad," He said, reminiscing. He turned and smiled at me.
"So you were in a rush to grow up?" I asked, sitting beside him and smiling back.
"Yeah. I felt like being young was just a waste. Now I just want to go back. Having to worry about everything really takes a toll on someone. It makes them into a boring adult," He said, chuckling.
"Well, I don't think you're a boring adult," I said, smiling at him.
"Harry! Adelaide! It's time for dinner!" His mother called. We ate a light dinner, then parted ways to go to sleep. It had been a long day, and Harry and I were a bit jetlagged, so we decided to hit the hay early. I took a shower, trying to wash off the bad memories brought up by the plane ride. I sighed, letting the hot water burn into my back. I can't help but wonder what my mom was thinking. Was she scared? Did she think of me and my sister? Did she think of my dad? A million questions that I had that would never be answered. It saddened me to think that my mother had to sit with her youngest child and know that they weren't going to make it off the plane. As the plane got lower, I wondered if she explained to my brother how much she cared for him and loved him. I wondered if she thought about me and my sister and the love we shared. I shrugged the thoughts off. I needed to be happy. For Harry.