Alpha Vaughan

Chapter 6

It felt like it'd been mere seconds ago when we'd walked in through the airport's glass doors and into the wide, tiled halls bustling with humans, seconds ago when my bewildered eyes had soaked in every single detail like a sponge.

Now we sat on the leather seats of the plane, boarding a first class flight. Behind me, father sat typing on his laptop. Beside him sat three pack warriors-- their size had initially given the flight attendants a scare. Now they quietly sat on the chairs, looking bored out of their minds.

After a while I looked out the windows. My heart jumped into my mouth. The view was as exciting as it was frightening; at this moment I thought the two words could mean one and the same thing. To be this high up... Frightening!

Exciting.

Tufts and strips of clouds obscured the view below once in a while, but I didn't mind as the clouds themselves were rightfully astounding. My gaze rapt on them, I wondered how they'd feel in my hands. Like vapour? Or like cotton candy...?

My stomach growled, reminding me I hadn't eaten anything since boarding the plane.

The thud of something landing on the floor beside me reached my ears. I turned around and was met with stoic faces that revealed nothing. For all I knew the bag could've grown wings and flown to land at my feet.

Snagging the ziplock bag off the floor, I opened it and saw it contained cookies. Thankful, I dug in.

I reclined in my seat, allowing my thoughts to consume me, and soon I drifted out of consciousness.

                          __

Australia,
Cairns.
10:23pm

.
I was jarred into consciousness by the nauseous feel in my stomach. I soon realized it was as a result of the plane making circular motions before touching down on the runway. Blinking past the grogginess clouding my senses, I stretched long then parted my lips to a yawn, and suddenly stifled it, shocked.

It was dark out. I couldn't have slept through the whole fourteen hour flight, could I?

Although it was understandable considering I hadn't had any sleep for the past seventy two hours.

When finally the plane came to a stop, a voice behind ordered, "Up."

Didn't father's men just have a marvelous way with words? Sighing with a roll of my eyes, I rose up to my feet. Father proceeded to go out through the side of the plane and down the boarding stairs after having his passes cleared. I followed after him, the pack warriors bringing up the rear.

On coming out into the open, I was startled at the blast of humid air that hit my face. Here was relatively warmer than Alaska. All around me, mortals legged it down to the terminal; the burning smell of jet fuel filled my nose.

Father close behind me, I walked down the stretch of concrete, starting to get hot in the heavy jacket I was bundled in. A mixture of easy ambience and sheer delight made up the scene around me. Against the backdrop of excited chattering and careless laughter, couples reuniting hugged and kissed, children ran up squealing into their grandparents' arms and friends exchanged fist bumps and stories from the travel.

I wasn't aware I'd stopped to watch the magic, until I felt father come to stand beside me. And just like that, his dark presence seemed to suck in the lightness of the whole affair.

After getting our bags, we arrived at a black van parked off to the side. The windows were all rolled up, save for the one by the driver's seat. Through it peeked a stony faced man wearing a pair of dark shades. At night? I thought, incredulous.