The Plane Crash

The Plane Crash

"Tommy, oh, ow, are you all right? Where are we? "...

"Oh…I must have fallen asleep…Tommy. TOMMY! Oh my God! Wake up, Tommy!…"

"I guess I went out again. I’m so cold. Tommy. Why don’t you answer? ..."

"Oh God, I’m so alone. What am I going to do? …I must be losing a lot of blood. I feel so tired. …I have to keep myself awake if I’m going to…I have to keep myself awake…and think. What happened? What is the last thing I remember? Tommy, you were shouting at me. You were saying, “ Didn’t you change tanks? Didn’t you switch to the left tank? “ And I got so confused that I didn’t know. I thought I’d switched to the left tank. The engine was sputtering, and then it stopped. You were pushing me down to change that switch and I couldn’t get it all the way over. I couldn’t. And then you tried to get it, and our left wing went down…then we must have crashed…in the trees somewhere… I can’t remember…."

"I can’t turn my head the other way. I can’t see Tommy at all. I can feel his shoulder here in front of me. He isn’t moving. Tommy, please Tommy. I need you…."

"HELP! HELP! HELP!
I’m screaming. I’m losing control. Help me, God. Help me not to panic. I’ve got to get us out of here. .I think this door is part way open…It’s too dark to see down. How far down is it? "

Jump!

"Tommy! Somebody’s out there. Help! Help! Get us out of here. My husband is hurt. I’m hurt too. Please, please help us!"

Jump!

"Tommy, you’ve got to wake up. We’ve got to get out. I can’t do this without you. I can’t even get my shoulder harness unfastened. I can’t reach it. I’m afraid. There, there I can reach it. But I’ll fall."

"I’ve got you. "

"Tommy! Oh Tommy! Here, I’m loose now. Can you unfasten yours? "

"It’s okay."

Jump!

"Tommy, I can’t. I don’t know what’s down there. Here, if I push the door farther, I can swing my feet out onto the step. Can you reach the flashlight? "

"No. It’s gone. We don’t need it. "

"Can you climb out?"

"I’ll be right behind you."

Jump now!

"Go. I’m holding your hand. I’ll be right behind you."

***
“On the local news, a Cessna 172 was spotted in a densely wooded area north of Boise by a Civil Air Patrol crew after a search of several hours. Tom Hutchinson, the owner of the plane, had been expected in McCall by sundown. A Civil Air Patrol officer was overheard to say at the beginning of the search that there were two souls on board. When the ground team was able to reach the plane, which was suspended in the tree branches, it appeared that Mr. Hutchinson had died upon impact. His wife, Vera Hutchinson, made a miraculous escape and is in guarded condition at St. Alphonsus Hospital in Boise."

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