Flight 113

Do No Harm

July 30, 2016

Aurora sat alone on the beach zoning out, staring blankly at the ocean. She was in shock. Although, to be fair, everyone was. Around her lay the same scene as before, only quieter. The woman with the messy-bun kept checking on her, never gaining a response; but she was determined to help the girl.

"Do you want fresh clothes?" She tried, and when there was still no reply she simply sat down beside her. Aurora's blanket was balled tight in her fists, wrapped around her small frame. "I'm Ariel," the woman leaned back on her hands, staring off toward the water like Aurora was, "Ariel Santiago."

Silence followed, of course. With a barely-noticeable turn of the head Aurora looked at the woman out of the corner of her eye, wanting to make some form of response, but being unsure as to what to say. She settled for the simplest introduction she could muster.

"Aurora," she managed, just above a whisper, not bothering to force a smile as Ariel turned and made eye contact.

They sat in their own silence as the beach's chaos continued around them. People were gathering suitcases and baggage to sort through later, while others were recovering random items from around the beach; clothing, shoes, anything that might help someone here somehow. Severely injured passengers were being tended to by the few with medical experience.

A ringing kept coming and going in Aurora's ears. She peered over her shoulder to where her cousin laid beside a concerned woman, finally speaking up again, "Is Raleigh okay?"

Ariel turned to follow the girl's gaze, watching as Raleigh's arm was wrapped in a torn shirt. He writhed in pain as the woman tending to him applied pressure to the now-wrapped wound, grasping for the sand almost desperately to keep himself anchored-still before he passed out again. "He seems to be a trooper," Ariel replied, looking away, "he'll be alright."

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June 17, 2016

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Mr. Tobias, Aurora's step-dad bent to ask her one last time.

"I know the plan," she informed him flatly. "Stay here until camp, and then come back when it's done and meet up with Mr. Mystery-cousin and fly to meet you guys in-"

"Come on Rick!" her mother called, already loading bags into the SUV in the driveway, "She can take care of herself!" Mr. Tobias chuckled and kissed the girl on the head before joining his wife and other children outside.

Aurora checked the hot pink sticky note in her hand. It contained the number for a "Raleigh Tobias" her cousin, apparently, who she would be flying with.

"Why do we even have to go to this stupid wedding?" she huffed out, dialing the number into the land-line receiver on the wall. It rang, "It's not like I even know anyone." Ringing, ringing. A click.

"It's Raleigh," a teenage boy answered the other end of the line.

"Hi, it's Aurora," she frowned at the pen-scribbled dates below the number on the post-it. She could hear some action movie in the background of the call, "Just wanted to call so you'd have the home phone number."

"Oh thanks, dude," he seemed partially distracted, maybe by the movie. "Did your parents just leave?"

"Yeah."

"Ah, mine left yesterday. Did you say home phone, as in landline?" Aurora breathed out a yes to answer his question, "Do you not have a cell phone?"

"Nope. Lots of kids. Not a lot of money," her words ran fast together, "Listen, it sounds like you're kind of busy, so I'll let you go, but I'll see you at the end of July. Call me if you need anything, k?"