by Maxine Storm
After flying for a while, Brent said to me that "we're here," and as bands of bright primal red shone on my face I instantly realized what he meant and what this all had been for.
We were witnessing the sunrise from a vantage point I never experienced and could not have imagined.
The sun shone through the peaks of the mountains like an ever-welcoming beacon of the power of nature. I closed my eyes and felt the warmth on my face, and the doubts I had about this excursion melt away.
I reached my hand over to Brent and felt him squeeze it tightly.
"Brent," I said. "It's so beautiful."
Tears quietly sauntered down my face as I was overtaken by the beauty of this moment. The mountains ran out for a moment and the sun glistened on the waves of the ocean as if each wave was bringing its own piece of the sun toward us in offering.
"This is what I wanted to show you, Michelle," Brent said, still holding my hand. "This is why I woke you at such an ungodly hour."
I turned my head and smiled at him.
"It was worth it," I said, giving his hand another squeeze.
Brent turned and smiled back at me.
"I have flown up here before," he said. "When I need to get a sense of perspective. But only by myself. Always alone."
I could feel the intensity behind his words.
"It's wonderful," I said. "Truly."
"I'm glad you can appreciate it," he said. "I knew you would."
I couldn't stare too long at a time but I found myself ensnared by the beauty and the power before us. The silent sun stood welcoming us as if into another world, one just for Brent and me.
"A lot of people in this city can't appreciate this," Brent said, looking out the cockpit. "They can't let themselves enjoy it. Their minds are always elsewhere. The next paycheque, the next opportunity to make money. But I always imagined there was something more."
Brent looked at me tenderly and I felt the depths in his soul all calling me.
"I knew there was," he said. "I knew one day I would find it again."
Another tear ran down my cheek.
I could only smile at his words and feel the warmth each of them produced within me. I had never seen this side of Brent before. I knew he could be the heart of a party, or the brain of his business. But this sensitive side of his had eluded me. It was new to me, and made me wonder how else he had matured.
I knew we had a special connection, now. I felt it just as much as I felt the pull of the island bringing us closer like a magnetic beam.
But suddenly, the bright red glow of the sun was dulled by dark grays. Out the cockpit and into the horizon I saw clouds forming like a wall. Brent looked even more focused as he guided us steadily towards the island.
And then, without warning, a crack of thunder startled me and would have had me leap out of my seat were it not for the seatbelt keeping me secure.
"It's OK, Michelle," Brent said, as if reading my mind. "We'll get through this."
I merely nodded, too anxious for words.
A flash of lightning struck somewhere in the ocean and my eyes shut themselves in reaction to the sudden violent brightness that took over the sky.
Terrified, I remembered the news report yesterday about a possible tropical storm hitting the area. I didn't think nothing of it, at the time, and I began to regret ignoring the warning.
"We'll be OK," Brent reassured me again. "You trust me, right Michelle?"
"Yes," I said, remembering his same question from earlier. "I do, Brent."
"I'll get us through this," he said. "Don't you worry."
I felt the ever unwelcome grip of anxiety I had been so successfully banishing from me until this point try to unnerve me again. My heart began to race and my hands tightened around the grips on both sides of my chair.
The plane began to rattle as we were being hammered by the turbulence from the storm. It was if we were driving down a bumpy street, feeling shake after shake rattle us incessantly.
"Brent," I called out, "I'm scared!"
"We'll be OK, Michelle. I'll get us through this."
I reached my hand out across to feel Brent but before I could even cross the center, the plane titled sharply to the left, and I had to keep myself from falling out of my seat.
My entire body began sweating and my mouth was dry and I saw the clouds outside the cockpit become replaced with the mountains and then an indistinguishable coverage of trees as the plane tilted downwards.
"Michelle," Brent said as calmly as possible, "I'm going to have to take us down in an emergency landing. We land into that forest over there."
Emergency landing?! What was going on?
"Mayday, mayday," Brent said over the radio, "we have an emergency landing here off San Marti's point, ID is CAP7231, send a rescue team immediately, I repeat, we have an emergency -"
The plane shook more violently and Brent stopped talking as his hands tightened around the steering and I felt my eyes shut tighter than ever before, the vibrations crashing through my feet and inside my skull. I prayed that we would be OK, before an incredible shake rattled through the body of the plane and I only saw a moment of darkness before I lost consciousness.
Chapter 12 - Brent
Was she hurt? Was she safe?
That was all my mind was wondering as I came to from the crash landing. There were thoughts of protecting her interspersed with the sound of rain ringing off the cockpit.
I found myself regaining consciousness in the cockpit, the pain like a torch burning from one nerve to the other throughout my body. But I had to overcome it for Michelle. I had to get us out of here before anything happened to the plane - and to us.
I got myself out of the seat painfully, and grabbed my emergency supplies bag and strapped it on. Michelle was still unconscious. Thank God she didn't look like she suffered a serious injury, although she had a small cut on her forehead. It hurt to see her in this state, but I had to carry her out no matter what. Every step, movement of my body from here on was for her and to protect her.
I carefully climbed down out of the plane, holding her in my arms. First thing was find to a safe shelter from the storm. The rain pelted us and I knew if I didn't get us somewhere dry and warm things could turn out for the worse.
I hadn't traveled through this area before. It was still pretty untamed. Giant trees and brush filled the horizon and only a thick blanket of clouds above us teased at a chance of light. There was a flash of lightning and I saw a small rock formation that looked like as comfortable as the hotel in a time like this. The sharp stone sloping down like a roof against the rain was as inviting as anything I could imagine right now.
I slowly hiked over the uneven ground, carefully holding Michelle as stable as possible in my arms. It's not good to typically move someone so soon after they have experienced an accident like this, because they may have broken or dislocated something, but there was no real choice. Staying in the plane could have meant for death for her, and getting soaked outside while she was unconscious was no better.
And yet her serene face stood out in the darkness of the storm like a candle, something I had to guard at all costs from all the dangers in the wild attempting to snuff it out. A wet lock of her hair stuck to her forehead and wavered ever so slightly with each step I took, and it was like a sign of her heartbeat for me, a constant sign from her that she was there, and I had to be here with her as long as I could.
I finally reached the rock shelter and gently put Michelle down. I wiped off the excess water from her that I could. Then I took some nearby foliage and assembled a simple pillow for her, and took off my jacket so she would have an additional blanket over the one I took out from the emergency supplies bag. I used the radio and sent out another rescue call and started work on a fire for us.
As I started gathering the few dry pieces left around the forest for the fire, my mind started reeling at the questions that I had been suppressing since we crashed here.
I was a pilot and fle
w in worse conditions than the storm that had just hit us. So why had this one been so hard to navigate? I remembered the controls weren't as responsive as they usually were today. But it didn't attract my attention as it normally would have, because I was so consumed with being with Michelle and showing her the sunrise. Just having her beside me as we flew made it the best flight of my life. I would have even stayed up there all day with her and become VIP members of the mile high club, given the ultra romantic view we were taking in.
I had to put those questions out of my mind temporarily though, and just concentrate on keeping Michelle safe. The warmth from the fire cast flickering shadows onto her face and I was struck by her effortlessly beauty even in a time like this. She was just so elegant and she didn't even know it.
I remembered Michelle and I were sitting out in the woods in my senior year after my graduation, sitting around a fire just like this, quietly enjoying the night and the peacefulness around us that hid a barrage of doubts we both had.
"So are you going to the party?" Michelle had asked back then, not looking at me.
"No," I had said.
"Why?" she had wondered, still gazing at the fire.
"I want to spend this time with you," I had said.
"You should go."
"It's not an important party."
"But they'll be missing you there."
"It doesn't compare, Michelle. It doesn't compare to this."
"I want you to go there and enjoy yourself," she had said looking at me. "Just go."
"I want to be here," I said, observing the glint of the fire reflecting in her eyes.
"Just go," she had said, turning away from me. "They'll be missing you. You should just go."
I had moved closer to her on the log we were sitting on and put my arm around her, but she had taken it with her hand and tossed it off.
"What's going on, Michelle?" I had asked her. "What's this all about?"
She had stood up from the log and turned to me with her hands crossed.
"You're going to leave anyway. You might as well go now. You might as well have some fun with those girls who you were with at your graduation."
"Michelle, those were just some girls. I don't know them. I'm not interested in them."
"I saw how you were talking to them. Well now you can go ahead and enjoy them away from me!"
With those words she had run deep into the woods. I had chased after her, hearing the leaves being crushed under her feet and the snapping of twigs as I picked up my pace.
"Michelle," I had shouted after her, "stop!"
"I don't matter," she had called back, "just leave me!"
I had pumped my arms as fast as I could to catch up with her. Finally we had reached a bend in the path where she slowed down and I grabbed her hips from behind and wrestled her to the ground.
I had my arms on either side of her shoulders and looked at her, wondering what was wrong.
"Just go," she had said, wiping tears from her eyes. "I know this doesn't matter to you. Just make it easy and leave."
Our eyes were locked and I had realized I wasn't spending as much time with her as I used to. I had been so anxious about my future and my plans to get away from my father that I forgot I was neglecting her. But when I had seen her before me, looking effortlessly beautiful despite her tussled hair and dirt on her face, I felt my desire for her grow greater than before. I had bent down and kissed her, and our lips slowly moved against each other just like it had been our first kiss again, and the warmth grew in my stomach to feel her.
I had to have her. We had never gone all the way but in that moment I was feeling the urge more than ever to be inside her and feel her warmth all along my body.
I had pressed my body into hers and she had wrapped her arms around me.
"Brent," she had softly, just like the light breeze of the night in the woods around us. "Don't go."
I had closed my eyes and kissed her, feeling how hard I was against her and her pelvis thrusting up to meet mine.
"I won't, Michelle," I had said.
We had kissed and I had taken off my jacket. I had pulled her up slightly and removed her coat and then buried my head into her chest, relishing her breasts and grasping them with both hands.
"Brent," she had moaned, her head arching back.
But when I had gone to kiss her again, she had tilted her head to the side, elusively hiding her lips. But overtaken with desire, I had kissed her neck, and felt her blood rush to the skin and her skin prickle in anticipation.
But suddenly, as if stirred by a terrible thought, she had gotten up, and pulled her coat back on.
"No Brent," she had said with her head down. "We can't. I know you're going to leave after graduating."
I had held her hand that was hovering over the cool ground.
"No, Michelle," I had said. "I'll be back."
"It's all lies," she had said, pulling her arm away from me. "Men are always lying. Just as they did to my mother. Just as you are to me."
Michelle had stood up and walked towards my car I had parked on the road before the forest. I drove her home silently and the next day I was shipped out to basic training.
***
I was stirred out of my recollecting of our past when I heard Michelle moaning on the makeshift bed I had prepared for her.
"Michelle," I asked her, my hand holding hers as she awoke, "how are you feeling?"
"I'm OK," she said, with a wince, "just sore all over. But OK."
A wave of relief swept over me. Thank goodness she wasn't seriously hurt. I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to her. I don't know if I would have needed that rescue that was coming for us, not to get too dark. What would the point of living be if something had happened to her?
"Where are we?" she asked, rubbing her forehead.
"The plane crashed because of the storm," I said. "The controls weren't working properly. I took you to this rock formation as a temporary shelter so we can wait for the rescue I called for on the radio."
Michelle tried to get up but struggled, so I gently helped pull her up.
"Where are we?" she asked, looking around the forest around us.
"It's probably one of the nature reserves near the coast," I said. "There isn't anyone close stationed by, but the radio was working so we should hear back from someone soon."
I stood with Michelle and wrapped my arm around her.
"Thank God you are OK," I said.
I buried my head in her nape and kissed her.
"I have to thank Him and you too, mister," she said. "Did you carry me?"
"Yes," I said. "Very carefully."
"Too bad I was out for that," she said, flashing me a grin.
"It would have been really romantic if it weren't for the whole storm and crash thing," I said.
Michelle laughed but then bent over and clutched her ribs.
"Are you hurt?" I asked her, my hand on her back.
"My ribs," she said. "There's some pain."
I guided her to sit down again.
"You might have one bruised," I said, "from the hard landing. You need to rest."
"I'll be OK," Michelle said, her hand still clutching her ribs.
"You need to rest," I repeated.
I guided her down back to lie down where the makeshift bed was.
"Get a little rest," I said. "I'll be here. We have the fire."
I looked at her and saw her looking like a beam in the darkness.
"We have us."
***
I watched Michelle as she drifted off. It was only a matter of minutes before she fell into a restful sleep. It hurt me to see she had some pain from the rib injury. But it looked like she'd be alright. If it were serious she probably wouldn't have been able to fall asleep at all due to the pain.
Then, a squawk from the radio echoed off the rock walls and I ran over to the radio.
"Brent?" asked a voice at the other end. "It's Marsha. I'm with the rescu
e team."
"Marsha, good to hear from you," I said into the handset. "How long will it take?"
"The team says they'll have to wait until morning, unfortunately. The storm looks like it's going to get worse overnight."
Just then a flash lightning shone across the water and a crack of thunder rang as if on cue to emphasize what Marsha said.
"I hear you," I said.
"Hang tight," Marsha answered. "Are you and Michelle OK?"
"Yes," I said. "Her ribs are a little hurt but she's resting right now."
"Good," Marsha said. "I'm going to hand off the radio to the captain."
"Hi Brent," said the new voice. "This Adam Marshall, captain of the rescue team. As you heard from Louise, we're going to have to delay the pickup until morning because of the storm."
"Understood, Captain," I replied.
"Well, I'm not sure why you two need rescuing anyway. You'll probably be able to walk back into the city before sunset tomorrow."
I laughed.
"Marsha must have been telling you about my exploits, huh," I said.
"You know it," the captain said, and I heard Marsha chastise him in the background.
"You take care of your girlfriend and we'll be there soon, Brent."
Girlfriend. I looked over to Michelle sleeping. She's my girlfriend? The uncertainties of passion and moments of teenager doubt distracted me.
She was Michelle.
And I loved her.
"Brent, you still there?" asked the captain.
"Yes," I radioed back. "See you in the morning."
I put the handset down and sat back beside Michelle.
It was Michelle who really rescued me, I thought. From the empty man I was letting myself become, the man who was ignoring what his heart was telling him. It was all Michelle.
Chapter 13 - Michelle
I woke up to the sound of the fire crackling beside me. Other than the light of the fire, it was completely dark outside, and the wind was rushing through the trees. I pulled the blanket up to cover me some more and felt a collar. I pulled it up to check and saw that the blanket was actually Brent's jacket.