Flight 9471
The queue is long and slow. I can’t quite see to the front because of the people ahead of me. Our bags are stacked on two trolleys. The queue begins to speed up. I realise a second check in lady has begun work. Eventually we are called forward to the front. A lady with long dark hair takes our passports and tickets from my mum. I look at her name badge. It reads as Cheryl with Virgin Atlantic written underneath in smaller letters than her name. She hands mum our boarding passes after sorting out our bags. Dad leads us up the stairs to security. On the way we stop at WHSmith to buy newspapers and books for the flight. The queue for security was not so bad. It takes only a few minutes to get to the front. I put my bag, belt and shoes up on the rack and walk through. I am not bleeped but my mum is. It was the earrings she was wearing, her favourite fish ones. We carry on through the airport until we find our gate. Gate 27. Mum and dad sit down while I go to look round shops. When I come back I have a magazine to read, but after only about 10 minutes a voice comes through asking us to board. Another lady takes our boarding passes and then gives them back to us. We begin to stroll down the tunnel and the noise of the engines gets louder and louder. We board the plane and take our seats in row F. I sit next to the window. The engines rev up as we begin to pull away. The pilot comes on the radio and welcomes us aboard the plane.
He tells us that the weather will be good and how long the flight should take. Then he hands over to the cabin crew who give us safety instructions. The plane trundles along the taxi runway until it arrives at the main runway. We don’t have to wait long until the engines turn suddenly louder. We begin rolling along the runway. Speeding up all the time. The plane begins to pull up and quickly we are completely off the ground. I look down and think.
“Goodbye London.”
The clouds are small but soon I can’t see the ground. After a while I finally spot the dark blue ocean. And then a judder! Just light though. A shout from a nearby passenger.
“The left engine’s on fire!”
Suddenly everyone is distressed. Screams of “what”, “how” and “it can’t be” ring in my ears. Then there is another judder. I look out of the window. Now both engines are on fire! Mum pulls me into her. She keeps repeating
“It will all be ok”
The pilot comes on and tells us to put our seatbelts on immediately. Suddenly the plane jerks and starts to slowly fall down. Soon we are at what seems to be about 70 degrees. The pilot comes on again.
“Brace, Brace, Brace!”
Mum and I somehow manage to swap seats. I clasp her and Dads hands. I close my eyes knowing I am about to die. The sea rises up to meet us. The last thing I see is a black Virgin Atlantic seat!
