Haitian Girl

| Chapter Seven |

Bianca

I've been sitting on this plane for some time now. It honestly has felt like forever but I've been enjoying my time looking out at the window. I get to see my country from above. The beautiful mountains and greenery, the blue beaches that I'll miss, and all the homes with people walking by. It is so crazy how much you can see from the view here. I loved watching the scenery change from my island to clouds of nothing. I try to make out where I am now and what we are passing over but I don't know much.

I look around in the plane and some people are sleeping, and others just chatting amongst themselves. But one group, in particular, catches my attention as they look so angry speaking to the flight attendant. I can't fully make out what they are saying but I hear bits and pieces.

"....for too long"

"Where are we?"

"I need... now!"

"Sir just please calm down everything will be okay." I finally make out clearly what the flight attendant said to one of the gentlemen. That piqued my interest in what is happening. I see other people are starting to pay attention as well. What is going on?

I look down at my phone that I put on airplane mode. I just wanted to check the time to see how long I might have to still be on this plane.

6:23 PM it reads.

"Ki sa?" (What) I whisper to myself. I thought we would have made it by now it's so late. From my research, I remember looking at the arrival time to be around 4 PM. I know it doesn't take that long for us to go from Haiti to Florida. The flight wasn't even delayed. Where are we?

Now I'm starting to get scared. Things just aren't making any sense and I want to get off this plane now. Is this how it's supposed to be? Does the pilot just drive too slow? Are we making another stop to see other people? This is my first flight so I may just not know the routine but it doesn't feel right to me.

"Attention, attention please remain in your seats. Follow instructions to put on your oxygen masks and fasten your seat belt." a voice in the intercom spoke out loud.

"What is going on!?" many people on the plane started shouting out of worrisome and confusion. Now I am scared. Quickly trying to fasten my seat belt. I feel the plane start to jolt down a bit.

"Oh my god!"

"Oh Bondye" (Oh god)

"Jezi sove nou!" (Jesus save us)

A bunch of cries are heard out loud on the plane while everyone is frantically trying to find out what's going on and following instructions at the same time. I feel like I am going to be sick and my head is spinning.

"Please remain calm ladies and gentlemen"

Calm? Calm? How can we remain calm at a time like this? We are about to die!

"Ma'am please explain what is going on!" I yell to the flight attendant who is walking by the aisle trying to assist with instructions. How can they just ignore us and not tell us what is truly happening?

"There was a mishap and we are trying to make an emergency landing, please remain calm." She looks at me with her worried eyes and moves along to the next row. I can't believe it, I barely made it on the plane and now there is an emergency. At this point, all I can do is try and calm myself down and recite a few prayers. Only God can get me off this plane in one piece. I just hope I make it.

About 15 minutes pass with the plane jolting up and down trying to land it seems. We received no more updates from the workers and everyone is just crying out and screaming trying to take hold and keep sane in some type of way. I have a death grip on my seat right now and made sure my seatbelt was snug over me. As I look out the window it looks like we are getting nearer and nearer to the ground and I notice a bit of smoke.

Smoke is starting to engulf my view on the plane and even to look outside. This is too much for me. I close my eyes shut not knowing what is going to happen next. I feel the plane make a few more jolts till finally, we come to a stop it seems. Surrounding is a bunch of people crying out for answers, holding on to their kids, and some even trying to get up and get off the plane. I open my eyes to see if we are finally allowed to get off this plane waiting on what to do next.

"Please grab your belongings and calmly exit the plane, thank you for flying with us!" a voice on the intercom announces.

I can't believe how cheery the lady sounds after such a disaster like that. I unfasten my seat belt and quickly look up to grab my carry-on bag from the overhead. I scramble off the plane as quickly as I can trying to get to wherever I need to be.

Following the others as we thank God for allowing us to touch land again, I am now walking into the airport and searching through my phone to see if I can contact my sister. It is now 7:35 and I know she must be worried and confused about where I was this whole time, am I allowed to make calls right now?

Upon arrival, I went where it's needed to grab all my luggage and sit with the others who just got off the plane with me. They are the only people I know here as I look around in this huge airport it feels so unreal. It finally hit me that I am in America, finally in Florida and I can't even enjoy it yet. I want to go home already.

"Did you hear what happened?" an old lady next to me asked. "No"

"The pilot took us to a different state going the wrong way and once he realized he turned back and the wheels caught on fire"

"Wow! I can't believe it. Thank goodness we made it here alive." Such a crazy day and to think they did not even keep us informed. Flying so far is a 0/10 for me.

I see a bunch of messages coming through to my phone as I connect to the wifi here. I take a seat and look for my sister's name to call her quickly. I need to get out of here. I am waiting for her to pick up ring after ring so I try again a few more times.

I check to see she left me a voice message about an hour ago so I go and play it.

"Sis! Where are you? I have been calling you over and over and haven't heard from you. Did you land yet? I am so sorry sister but I got called into work last minute and I have to go. I don't know where you are but please let me know so I can send an Uber over to you!"

I felt like crying now, this has to be a joke. She really chose today to leave me stranded on my first night here. I don't know what to do and she is not even answering my call now. I sit back in the chair and text my mother on WhatsApp that I finally landed. Maybe I should call Christopher?

I pull up his name and send him a message, hopefully he can help me out. I'd be happy to see him.

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