Never Look Back

Chapter 2: Baby Steps

I lean back in my seat and look at my watch, visibly air sick.

"One hour down, one and a half more to go" I say with a sigh. I yawn and proceed to close my eyes when I feel a tug on my jacket.

"Dad" Faith says sleepily

"Yes dear" I say, exhausted from the day I'd just experienced

"I'm tired, can I lay against your arm" she says sheepishly

I chuckle, "Of course, you are my daughter" I say with a weak smile.

She leans against my arm, falling asleep almost as soon as she touches it, a smile creeping up on her face with every breath. She burrows in closer, her cheeks glowing red, happiness visible on her face.

I smile, closing my eyes, wanting just a few minutes of silence. I slowly drift to sleep, dreams and nightmares circulating my mind, and encasing me in a dark blanket. Dreams I can't remember and nightmares I'll never forget.

***

A dark room, no light but that of a television screen across the room. I can't move, my eyes stuck starting at the screen. It shows crashes of different types of vehicles in a timeline fashion. It starts speeding up, faster and faster until it just stops. The only image the plane Jane and Sara took off in, flight 4-27. When I grasp what's happening, it starts playing again, showing the plane's wing snap of and spiral to the ground with a crash in Statesboro Georgia. I sit there dumbfounded, and then I hear something I'll never forget for as long as I live; Sara, screaming the word daddy as the plane crashes. I hold my head tightly falling back when I hit my head on something. Then, darkness, nothing but darkness.

***

Faith giggles silently as she rubs a feather under my nose. My hand flies into my face with a loud pop sending whip cream everywhere, mostly on my face, and jolting me up.

Faith breaks into hysterical laughter, "You actually did it, oh that's rich, just like the whip cream" she says laughing harder.

I look at her with a blank expression, trying not to show her how distraught I am from the dream. I chuckle slightly and look around, "Did we land or something"

"Yeah" she says, "they said we could stay on here for a bit for reasons they wouldn't tell me." She shrugs and pulls out a GameBoy SP.

"You still play that thing" I say holding back a smile.

"Yeah" she says, "it's what I grew up with and I don't want to change."

I smile and hug her tightly, crushing her slightly in the embrace. "God I love you Faith" I say hugging her tighter.

"I...love...you too....pops" she says in between gasps.

I let her go and slightly laugh before getting up start reaching for my bags, but there's nothing on any of the shelves.

"Faith" I say, pausing slightly, "Where are our bags?"

"Some guy said he was with the company and is taking them to our new home" she says not looking up from the screen.

I sigh and look at Faith, her hair covering one side of her face. "You look so much like your mother" I say, a tear rolling down my cheek.

She looks up at me. "Dad, are you ok" she says, worry written all over her face.

"Y-Yeah," I say quickly wiping the tear. I clear my throat and force the dream out. "She's fine" I think to myself, "They're both fine"

She shrugs, "If you say so dad" she says, getting up.