A Crystal Love

Chapter 1 - All's Well That Ends Well

Three Weeks Ago......

*

Hitting into a rough patch of turbulence, Sienna's eyes snap open, the unsettling motion immediately pulling her out of her reverie. She pushes one side of her grey headphones away from her ear to better appreciate what is going on with the plane.

Another rough patch makes the plane shake a little and causes her to sit up straight, gripping the edge of her armrest.

The Pilot announcement comes on and everyone is urged to keep calm, stay in our seats, and not worry because the 'slight' turbulence they are experiencing is normal and will pass shortly.

Slight turbulence? It feels like a bumpy road drive down the mountain when the brakes don't work.

"I hate flying" she mumbles under her breath, as she slumps back into her seat,.her knuckles white.

How is it even possible that this huge piece of metal with hundreds of people and Cargo on board is just floating around in the sky? she reckons.

The last time she experienced 'slight turbulence', she almost died.....although that was months ago, the plane was smaller and poorly serviced.. the experience is still fresh in her mind.

Looking out of the window, it's still dark outside at this hour and the PTV shows that they are flying over the ocean. Then the thought occurs to her_ what's worse, drowning and sinking into the ocean, or crushing onto land and blowing up in a huge explosion?

I suppose the impact gets you first either way, she reasons.

Looking back around, the atmosphere in the cabin is strained, everyone is quiet, but wide awake, almost comical.

Looking out the window again, her fingers unconsciously grab the small gold cross hanging down her neck.

She has had this chain for as long as she can remember and is almost always wearing it... it's her lucky charm, her guardian angel...it's part of who she is.

Her older sister Ally and younger sister Zara each have one of their own aswell... gifted to them by their late grandmother when they were only little children.

Subconsciously, she turns the little cross pendant between her fingers, finding comfort in the piece of metal that has been with her through everything.

With so much to think about as she heads back home to Connecticut after a long period away, arriving there alive should not be part of the list of concerns.

"First time?"

She turns her head to the sound of the voice and faces the man sitting next to her on the plane.

"I beg your pardon?" she murmurs.

"I asked if this was your first time flying?" He asks again with a friendly smile.

She sighs at the man.

They exchanged greetings when they took their seats, but he did not seem interested in a lengthy conversation, which she was grateful for at the time as well because she wanted some quietness on this trip to help her sort through her thoughts.

Now, really looking at the man, she finds that he is quite a young, older than her with a bit of grey in his side beards, but still quite a young and fair looking.

"No, it's not..... I just hate flying these days...I recently had a bad experience." She confesses and he smiles with a nod.

"Don't be afraid, it's going to be fine, it's just a little wind." He says light - heartedly.