Restless

Chapter 2

Eleni grabbed Neri's hand, pulling her out from the remainder of the building. People screamed and wailed, whether it was from pain they were in or the excruciating pain of losing a loved one who was less fortunate. The yells and shouts echoed and rebounded through the air, almost driving the two women over the edge. But, they knew that they were obligated to help the passengers because they weren't injured, and luckier than others.

"Let's go!" Eleni said, and hoisted Neri to her feet.

The two ran towards the charred remains of the plane, but Neri was having second thoughts. "Are you sure this is safe? That thing could blow up any minute!" she said over the roar of flames.

"We don't really have a choice!" Eleni yelled back.

Neri shook her head, biting her cheek as she continued after her little-more-than-dangerous friend. Finally, their sprint came to a halt as the remains of the plane was right in front of them. The inflatable tubes that were meant to help evacuate the passengers were singed and useless, but both parts of the plane had been turned on their sides, so the passengers could luckily still file out--if there were any left. People were starting to get out of the plane, some with severe burns, and others with raw and bloody flesh.

"Don't look," Neri murmured to Eleni when she looked over. "Let's try for the cockpit. Maybe the pilot's still stuck."

"If he's not already..." Eleni swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Here...don't burn yourself when you get up there," Neri said, as she laced her hands together to push Eleni up.

"Thanks." She stepped on Neri's hands, who then pulled Eleni up and into the smouldering remains.

The black, charred rug and metal tore away as she grabbed for it, and had to reach out for better grips. She struggled to pull herself up, but swung her legs to the side and landed on her stomach, sending a plume of soot through the air.

Eleni coughed, and said, "Grab my hands!"

Neri jumped up to latch onto them, and used her feet to help grip and shove herself up, until she fell to the side of Eleni. The two got to their feet, coughing through the smoke as they jogged down the short hall to the broken metal doorway. It was partly unhinged, so with a little effort, both women managed to yank it off the last hinge and threw it to the side. Black smoke exploded in Neri and Eleni's faces as the doorway was unblocked.

Shielding their faces and fanning it away, Eleni blinked back her tearing up eyes and Neri coughed into her arm as they walked in.

"Is anybody here?" Neri called, but there was no noise.

"Anybody?!" Eleni yelled, louder.

The rolling of flames filled the air, and the smoke began to thicken by the moment.

"Get...away..."

"Did you hear that?" Eleni glanced frantically at Neri.

"L-Leave...now..." the cracked voice grumbled.

Neri nodded. "That time I did."

She cautiously walked forward into the cockpit, until she was next to the large window that had shattered. When she looked over her shoulder, a man--or corpse, she couldn't tell--sat in the pilot's seat.

"Oh my God!" Neri's hands covered her mouth, and she motioned for Eleni to come by her side.

Eleni hopped over parts of burning rug to the man, and gasped as well. "Was he the one that..."

"Get...out..." his scratchy voice whispered.

"He's alive! We have to help him!" Eleni exclaimed, and her hands began wrestling with the melted buckles that restrained him.